Trump is 78 and struggling to articulate thoughts. Where are those who questioned Biden’s capacity?
Why aren’t there headlines like: ‘Confused elderly man recites incoherent thoughts while making alarming claims about immigrants’?
To the critics and GOP members who persistently criticized President Joe Biden’s age, “cognitive decline” and “mental sharpness” right until he exited the presidential race, let’s look at a recent comment by 78-year-old Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
When asked about his plans to make child care more affordable, he stated:
“This is a significant issue. But discussing the kind of amounts I’m noting, because, well, child care is child care. It’s essential – you know, it’s something you must have in this country. But when you compare these amounts to the larger figures I’m talking about concerning taxing foreign countries at rates they’re not accustomed to, which they will adapt to quickly – and it won’t stop them from doing business with us, but they’ll incur substantial taxes when exporting to our country. Those amounts overshadow everything else we’ve mentioned, including child care. That – it’s going to resolve itself – I – I anticipate that we will eliminate deficits fairly soon, in conjunction with cuts I mentioned regarding waste and fraud and everything else in our nation.”
This is the extent of what I can cite here, but the incoherence continued. Child care is defined as ‘child care’? Does he believe tariffs will resolve issues with child care costs?
His speech revealed no actual legislation and lacked complete sentences.
Trump’s odd statements are treated lightly. Biden didn’t get the same leniency.
If Biden, as the Democratic candidate, had delivered such a disjointed response, GOP representatives would be demanding his immediate removal from office, and news analysts would be dissecting the 25th Amendment.
However, The New York Times’ first report on Trump’s incoherence described it as: “In an unclear response, he mentioned he would focus on legislation concerning the topic but did not provide details and insisted that his other economic frameworks, including tariffs, would ‘manage’ child care.”
Really? A 78-year-old ex-president, recently convicted, spewing unclear nonsense, revealing a struggle to articulate thoughts or grasp significant topics, is merely labelled as “an unclear response”?
Trump shares absurd tales, so why isn’t his mental health questioned?
Recently, Trump has been sharing a disturbing and ludicrous narrative claiming that American children are experiencing gender-affirming surgeries at school without parental consent.
During a rally, Trump said: “Can you imagine being a parent sending your son off, saying, ‘Jimmy, I love you dearly. Have a great day at school,’ only for him to come home after undergoing a serious operation? Can you even fathom this? What is wrong with our country?”
No one can envision this scenario because it’s entirely fictitious. It’s way beyond ridiculous and so obviously made-up that it raises questions about what other delusions he might hold.
If a family member thought such things were real, you would seek medical advice for them.
During a violent, deceptive rant about immigrants? Trump appears unstable.
At his recent rally in Wisconsin, Trump discussed his cruel proposal to deport millions of immigrants while spinning a dizzying array of falsehoods about them: “In Colorado, they are so bold that they are taking control of parts of the state. To remove them will be a violent ordeal. They should have never been permitted to enter our nation. Nobody verified their backgrounds, whether they were criminals, or released from jails. We have a flood of them out of prisons. We have the worst criminals from all these nations, and 168 countries have them registered in our country stating that if they return, they will face immediate execution.”
Wow. That’s quite a heap of nonsense. This likely originates from a discredited viral claim about a single apartment complex in Aurora being The notion that Venezuelan gangs are overrunning us has been disproven once again. However, Trump has spun a tale of violence, suggesting that his immigration deportation strategy will lead to a “bloody story.”
Why aren’t there headlines yelling: “Unhinged old man spreads falsehoods while threatening violent deportations of immigrants”? Where’s the passionate discussion about whether Trump, who, if elected, would be the oldest president ever, can mentally handle the responsibilities of the job? Why aren’t there demands for him to withdraw from the race?
These concerns are absent. Despite evident deterioration in Trump’s coherence in recent months, he’s never faced the same level of scrutiny that Biden did.
Media outlets are ‘sanewashing’ Trump’s erratic speeches
Numerous news organizations are cleaning up Trump’s increasingly bizarre remarks. Parker Molloy from The New Republic recently pointed out: “This ‘sanewashing’ of Trump’s comments is not only bad journalism; it’s a form of misinformation that threatens democracy. By repeatedly presenting Trump’s disjointed and often harmful speech as typical political rhetoric, major news sources are failing to properly inform the public and are instead enabling the erratic behavior of a former—and potentially future—president.”
This statement rings true. Worries regarding Biden’s age were valid, though excessively reported. But concerns over Trump’s age and his tendency to craft paranoid narratives have either been muted or completely unaddressed.
I strongly encourage you to watch Trump’s rallies and pay attention to his words. His logic is often absent, making it hard to follow any coherent line of reasoning.
With only a few months left before voters determine if this 78-year-old should be our president, the American people deserve a clear and honest view of Trump. Full quotations, no matter how irrational.
Anything less, whether from journalists, commentators, or lawmakers, is a dangerous misrepresentation.
Follow YSL News columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter, @RexHuppke and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk
