US presidential debate full of “embarrassing moments,” Canadian expert says

We're joined now by Irshad Mangia, Canadian author and educator who lives in New York. Irshad, what do you make of Biden's performance last night, the stumbles, the pauses for electors who are still four months away from going to the polls? Carolyn, let me begin by clarifying. I speak not as a partisan but as a teacher of leadership. And in that context, I never thought I'd say this, that the extended fight between Biden and Trump about who's a better golfer is only the second most embarrassing thing that happened last night. The most embarrassing, of course, is that President Biden could not manage to finish a decent sentence. His prolonged silences, as you pointed out, happened very early on in the debate. And what that managed to do is reinforce this impression, this assumption that was already seated in the minds of many, many Americans, that this man, for as lovely as he may be, for as decent as he may be, is not cognitively fit to be the president of the United States for the next four years. It's the reinforcing of that impression that made all the difference because it happened so early on in the debate. So you've said this is a moment of reckoning for Democrats. What does the party have to do now? Yeah. Well, and I really do mean reckoning because, you know, the Democratic Party has been saying for years that democracy itself is on the ballot. Well, if that's the case, then they really do need to get serious about finding a nominee to replace Biden. And by the way, there are no shortage of younger, more dynamic Democrats to choose from. It's it's an embarrassment of riches, actually. And it doesn't have to be a humiliation of Biden either, though your Republicans will to make it that way. Biden will actually be celebrated for making the decision to bow out and clear the path for the next generation. Because everybody will know that takes humility, which is in very short supply these days. And that's also an extremely strong contrast with the Republican Party and its nominee. So all told, it'll be a win win for the Democrats if Biden does, you know, allow for a brand new nominee to take his place. Can we turn to Trump's performance just for a second? You know, we've got on live TVA convicted felon who is making up truths as he goes. Is he a better alternative? Oh, not at all. Not if we're talking about leadership. I mean, you know, I refer to him as a misleader given all the lies, not a leader. But it has to be acknowledged and and understood that he has millions upon millions of followers. But here's the other thing that needs to be understood. It's not so much because those followers love him, it's actually because those followers hate the other side more than they love their own side. That's how toxic this divide has become in these United States. It is, you know, it is. It is driven by hatred of the other, not by love of our own. Irshad Manji, thank you for your time and insights tonight. Thank you.