Great Expectations

Later today, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will meet face-to-face in a presidential debate. 

There is a lot here that's going to be different, starting with the fact that this is happening in June, months before the election and months ahead of when presidential candidates normally meet for debates. The debate is also being put on by CNN, not the Commission on Presidential Debates that has stuck to down-the-middle traditional formats for decades.

When viewers tune-in this evening there is going to be endless speculation about the health and cognition of Presidents Biden and Trump.  Supporters of either (or neither) are going to hang on every nuanced shred of evidence supporting something that the candidates aren't sharing with us.

Whatever points or arguments that the candidates make may be beside the point as viewers parse each and every word or syllable to support their biases concerning the physical and cognitive fitness of a couple of octogenarians.

These guys are old.

Nonetheless, this debate is important to setting the stage for the run-up to the election in November.  I'll be watching with a glass of Merlot and a big bowl of popcorn.  If I had my druthers I'd ask these guys to explain to me how old is too old; and how unhealthy is too unhealthy.  Along with a big dose of policy proscriptions on top.

This blogger can't wait to see who shows-up for the show.  I have great expectations of both candidates.