“Perceptions,” by Gerry Warner

Op-Ed Commentary

And then there were two.

I’m talking about the two post-primary candidates left in the US presidential race. Can you imagine a more different two?

On the one hand, there is current US President Joe Biden, who in an illustrious political career spanning more than 50 years has shown himself to be not only a master politician, but a decent man who genuinely cares about public service and good government and knows that the two working together can elevate society to a better place and reduce the forces of greed and injustice hurting us all.

The other candidate, Donald J. Trump, cares about only one thing – how to make money – and he doesn’t care how that money is made as long as it benefits him.

In these circumstances, the electoral decision in November should be a slam dunk. So why is Trump leading the polls?

Obviously, the American electorate is ignoring the most important factor in choosing their next leader – character. If character was the main factor being considered, the US presidential race wouldn’t be close at all. But it’s close – too close to call at this point – and that’s why it’s worth taking a deep dive into the meaning of character and why it’s such a critical factor in a chaotic US election campaign that promises a dark future for all of us, not just Americans.

Let’s cut to the chase. And I ask you to suspend disbelief a bit. If you could, would you invite Trump home for dinner? Would you be ecstatic if he married your daughter? Would you use him as a role model for your son? Would you send him a Christmas card? Invite him to church? Play a round of golf or a game of poker? Let him look after your pet?

Do I sense some hesitation here? But what if your guest was Joe Biden? Would the hesitation disappear or would you say “old Joe” is too old to sup with me? I’ll leave that up to you. Quite honestly, that’s how I judge politicians regardless of party. If I didn’t want them in my house to break bread, I wouldn’t vote for them. Now, do you see what I’m getting at with my little character test?

Was it as crazy as you thought? I regard Trump as unfit to cross the threshold of my modest house.  Maybe you feel the same?

Meanwhile, Webster’s New World Dictionary defines someone possessing character as having: “moral strength, self-discipline, fortitude . . . a good reputation . . .” Who in their right mind would describe Donald J. Trump that way? I’d say not anyone with an IQ of more than 65.

But I’m not saying that Trump is stupid. Quite the contrary. Using his lizard brain and utilizing his daddy’s money, he accumulated a fortune on Wall Street. But that’s the way it is on America’s most infamous street of shame. Shameless intelligence can go a long way. In Trump’s case it took him all the way to the Oval Office. Integrity and honesty had nothing to do with it.

I’m not saying Biden is a perfect candidate either. He’s old, but so is Trump. But if you saw his State of the Union Address a few days ago, Biden put on a scintillating performance of politics at its best with a fiery speech that excoriated Trump’s shortcomings without even naming him. Mind you Trump’s lies, vitriol and meanspirited-ness don’t bear repeating unless you’re inclined to fascism. In response, Biden’s fierce leadership soars.

But can Biden maintain his State of the Union momentum until November? With the multiple challenges America is facing now it will be a rough ride. But better bouncing over a few speed bumps than losing democracy and our self-respect under Trump.

– Gerry Warner is a retired journalist, who lost his appetite while writing this column.

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