It seems so long ago but the first time Trump and Biden met in a debate more than 73 million Americans tuned in. Early numbers show that 50 million tuned in last week. Yet we don’t know how many tuned out immediately upon seeing President Biden struggle with his thoughts. Time will tell what impact this debate will have on voters in November. According to Reuters, about 20% of voters had not yet decided in the days leading up to the debate, who they were going to vote for. So serious were concerns about Biden’s health and mental acuity that even stalwart Democrats were afraid he would collapse. Those concerns turned into their nightmare last week, the stakes were high and understandably. So. There’s a point however, when our treatment of the debates has strayed from its purpose, far from the reason that we watch presidential debates, the debate should be about a forum for direct comparison, where voters can see if the candidates present a vision for the future, what their plan is, and that they can deliver that plan. Voters can also see how candidates respond under pressure, gauge their understanding of policy and assess their ability to communicate effectively. Now, outliers and many Democrats supporters are trying to make excuses for the President. And maybe it was that he just had a bad night. But he certainly did not meet that threshold to let us know his vision for the future. Despite the importance of presidential debates, there’s a tendency to treat them as though they are sporting events. A lot of people tuned in last week thinking they were going to see a sporting event, and a new reality hit us all, you know, candidates are encouraged to engage in a theatrical performance, where it’s more important to score points for style than it is to enlighten the voters. But these debates and this election are about choosing a leader of the free world has to serious the gravity of the task at hand is immense. If these last few years have shown Americans anything is that there’s no telling what world crises are national emergency the next President will have to deal with we will have unprecedented events occur. So we need a president who projects strength. And we need to have somebody that even can identify who the bad actors are, and keep them from causing Americans harm. Will that President secure our border to keep terrorists and gang members out? Or will he let them stream into our country and wreak havoc on our people, especially in communities that are already vulnerable? Will our next president understand that our economy does not get stronger? As government gets bigger, and seeks to impose its will on its consumers and the marketplace? Or will he or she let the economy grow and flourish? Will he respect the rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their own children and recognize that all human life is worthy of protection? These are the big questions that need to be answered between now and November. These are the questions that weren’t answered at the debate the other night. These are the questions that the American people need to assess for themselves. And although this debate did not clearly answer these important questions, it did open a door for new discussions about the capacity of our current president. So now it’s up to his family, his cabinet, those closest to him, to be honest with American people