The Gotcha Superbowl

      I'm starting to think the debate - and everybody knows which debate I'm talking about, unless they've been hermiting for the past decade or so somewhere off in a hidden cave or cast away on a remote desert island, which at this point is starting to sound like a not terrible idea - anyway, I'm starting to think this debate is dumb. Not that I'm not going to watch it, 'cause of course I am. I'm  just thinking it's dumb. 
           It's dumb, because what's the point? Of course, we all know what the point is. To get to know the candidates? No, we all know the candidates. We've seen their Presidencies in action. To find out what their campaign platforms are for a second term? Eh, maybe a little. Not really, though. You can look up their platforms online. In fact, in case you're interested, here's what Joe Biden has promised to do so far: 
https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2024/04/politics/biden-campaign-promises-dg/

...and here's what Donald Trump has promised to do:
https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2024/04/politics/trump-campaign-promises-dg/

      But no, the reason we're watching the debate is in hopes that our guy won't flub and the other guy will. Right? The Trump supporters are hoping that Biden will look like a doddering old gaffer and and Biden supporters have fingers crossed that Donald Trump will act like an impulsive unhinged meshuggener.  It's going to be a sports event, the Gotcha Superbowl, where the objective is not for your team to score points, but for the other team to lose points, by which your team scores points. 
          Does Biden at some point hesitate or trip over his words? Gotcha goal for Team Trump! Does Trump go overboard in an offensive rant? Gotcha home run for Team Biden! (Though it's to Trump's advantage that muting the mics, a tactic to try and force Trump to behave himself on stage, will likely force him to behave himself on stage).  I can hear the alternating cheering and gnashing of teeth.
       And for what? What if this debate turns out not to be Joe Biden's best 90 minutes? Will that cancel out all the accomplishments of his Presidency? What if it turns out to be Donald Trump's best 90 minutes? Will that cancel out his 34 felony convictions and his role in inflaming the January 6 insurrection to overturn our democracy? Will this one 90-minute Circus Maximus event determine who should be our next President?
                 Alas, for some people it will.