It was an unprecedented fiasco. US president Joe Biden's re-election candidacy crashed and burned spectacularly at the debate against former president and convicted felon Donald Trump. On policy, Mr Biden had the better of the conversation, such as it was, but on style he failed miserably. He came across as bumbling and often confused.
I warned on these pages that style would outweigh substance. Mr Trump had a far better night on style, seeming confident and controlled. He avoided outrageous outbursts. He contained himself emotionally, which was his main task. Mr Biden, by contrast, had a meltdown on his primary assignment, which was to reassure Americans that he is capable, focused, engaged, mentally acute and ready to continue in this highly challenging job.
On substance, Mr Trump was dreadful. He mainly relied on outrageous falsehoods, claiming credit for accomplishments, like job growth and deficit reduction, that were in fact secured by Mr Biden.
He occasionally displayed bouts of excessive nastiness, but between the disgracefully disengaged moderators and Mr Biden’s misguided effort to remain “presidential”, he faced remarkably few provocations.
Mystifyingly, Mr Biden barely mentioned Mr Trump's criminal record, and no one seriously interrogated his status as an adjudicated sexual abuser and serial fraudster. He also astonishingly failed to mention strengthening Nato by adding Finland and Sweden despite Hungarian and Turkish recalcitrance.
Mr Biden had some strong moments, observing that Mr Trump has the "morals of an alley cat," and is a "whiner" who can’t accept a legitimate defeat. Mr Trump’s performance had extremely serious flaws, including his predictable refusal to commit to respecting the election outcome and dodging questions on issues such as childcare and climate change.
The "debate" degenerated into farce during a preposterous argument about golf. But Mr Trump came closer to laying out a vision for a second term. The president’s misguided insistence on rising above Mr Trump's sordid criminality and adjudicated abuses should at least have facilitated a laser-like focus on how he proposes to improve the lives of ordinary Americans. He wretchedly failed to do either effectively.
Mr Biden displayed surprising and impressive vigour during March’s State of the Union address when he was robust, forceful and at his best as he sparred extemporaneously with Republican hecklers. Last night, he seemed a different person altogether.
Democrats have been insisting that behind closed doors he seems fine. Obviously, those who reported that he has "good days and bad days", typically said of someone who’s fundamentally unwell, were telling the truth. That fact is now on full display because of the contrast between the two performances. And it's likely catastrophic for his chances.
The administration insiders who have been insisting Mr Biden is sharp and focused have much to answer for. What, after all, are the chances that the bumbling and confused president of the debate never exhibited those characteristics before?
I greatly admire Mr Biden. In my assessment, he has headed the most successful presidency in my adult lifetime, despite some obvious blunders — worst of all his failure to clearly explain his administration’s wise preference for job salvation and growth over low inflation. And he adopted a badly misguided policy towards the Israeli rampage in Gaza, which for many months emphasised conflict containment. It was more an amoral rather than an immoral policy, but it has damaged American interests by implicating the country in obviously indefensible levels of killing and mayhem inflicted on Palestinian civilians.
Arab and Muslim Americans should note, though, that Mr Trump called Mr Biden "a bad Palestinian" as an attempted insult. It was clear he didn't mean the US president should be a better Palestinian, but rather that being Palestinian is simply a terrible thing. But Mr Trump's deep-seated racism is not news, and for part of his base it's actually a selling point.
Yet, taken as a whole and on a relative basis, I assess Mr Biden's presidency as remarkably effective and positive. Therefore, it is extremely painful for me to confront the fact that he's apparently no longer a plausible candidate for the job – except in contrast to his felonious and profoundly narcissistic opponent.
It’s simply unreasonable to ask the American people to choose someone who is no longer up to the task simply to avoid giving the presidency back to a thoroughly bad person.
Those of us who fear the consequences of a second Trump term must accept now that Mr Biden should immediately retire and give his party a chance to either elevate the vice president as their standard-bearer or, more wisely, find a way to tap into the deep and talented Democratic Party bench around the country. Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan is an obvious and appealing option, but there are many other plausible alternatives.
Some pundits are insisting it's impossible for Democrats to change their ticket at this stage. But it obviously isn't; a candidate can suddenly retire for health-related reasons. If a presumptive candidate were to suddenly pass away, there are mechanisms for addressing that. Given that his candidacy is probably now so implausible, it amounts to the same thing politically.
Democrats are panicking, shocked to discover their leader is too old, if not in years then in focus and acuity. The US president's main role is that of a chief executive who primarily must appoint the right people. In general, Mr Biden has done that and could continue to. But too much individual power and decision-making is vested in the office to confidently give it to someone who suffers from so much evident, even if intermittent, mental fog.
Democrats can and should find a new candidate. It is by no means too late. But it’s up to Mr Biden. If he truly loves his country and believes it’s imperative to stop Mr Trump’s re-election in order to protect the US democratic and constitutional order – a very reasonable evaluation – he must face the music and step aside, not as President but as the Democratic candidate, without much delay.
If the Democrats stick with Mr Biden, he could certainly still win, just as Mr Trump survived the disgusting 2016 Access Hollywood video, in which he boasted about grabbing women by their genitalia. But such a gamble would be unconscionable, given that Mr Trump genuinely poses a significant threat to the US constitutional order.
Mr Biden must get out of this race as soon as possible.
