The Debate Through Russian Eyes and Fighting Falcons

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 40 aircraft after receiving fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft during a mission over Iraq on 10 June 2008. This F-16 is assigned to the 34th EFS Balad Air Base, Iraq and is deployed from the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Andy Dunaway/Released). Note: Original image was slightly cropped to yield this image.

First, full disclosure: I am entirely agnostic on the debate because we did not watch it. We were working with a young dog. When you bring a new dog home, it takes time. It’s not a thing; it’s a conscious being.

I won’t say who won or lost since I did not watch it and just saw a clip here or there. However, given some ratings I have seen referencing the actual number of watchers, I suspect the larger audience was abroad.

Growing up, we watched American presidential debates (in translation) in Mexico City. Americans don’t realize how much debates and States of the Union are watched abroad. They can influence stock exchanges around the world. As we used to say, the rget pneumonia when Americans get a cold. So, with no further, here is the Russian resistance:

The loser in the debate between Trump and Biden was… Putin.

Do you remember the last time Putin debated with a competitor? Right. And no one remembers. Because Putin never had any debates or competitors. He killed them all — like Nemtsov and Navalny. Therefore, one can look with sincere envy at the debate between two older American politicians who are calling each other penultimate names with a twinkle.

🗣 But the interest of American debates, of course, is not only in the exchange of “courtesy”…