Recent presidential debate debacle has left me feeling less-than-hopeful

Many of you are familiar with Ernest Hemingway’s book, “The Old Man and the Sea.” It was the last published work of the Nobel Prize winning author before he took his own life. The book delivers an inspirational message about the human capacity for resilience and perseverance. And no doubt many of you have read the novel or seen the movie, “No Country for Old Men.”

Don Estep is publisher of the News Journal.

I bring this up because of the choice the USA has been left with in the run for our next president. I normally don’t write about politics, but because of the debacle in the debate last week I am sharing my concern of why we are left with these two old men, plus a nut job with a worm in his brain, to vote for.

I know about age. I am turning 85 in a month. My mother lived to be almost 102. One of my best friends ever lived to 107 years of age and he was active and vibrant until his heart wore out. He swam laps each morning around an Olympic pool and his mind was as sharp as ever.

Last week, Joe Caldwell invited me to go to Cincinnati to watch the Reds along with his grandson and Paul Jones. For the three of us the ages are 81, 85 and almost 102. Paul, the one who will celebrate 102 in October, is still as sharp as ever, only suffering from hearing loss. Personally, I have had several major operations, and I still can do this job as much as ever, but I have slowed down by choice.

Thus, old men are taking a hit. Not everybody ages the same. Every president but one has left office looking much older than when they began their term. The exception is Donald Trump. I guess those many weeks on the golf course paid off.

As for the debate, the “bumbling” Joe and the “liar” Donald made me feel hopeless for our future. Since I am insulting both parties, I should get a “pass” because of age. However, in poll after poll the American public has said they do not want either candidate.

With Joe showing to be very old and Donald distorting the truth what can be done? For sure, Joe will not get any younger, and he planted serious doubts in the minds of all of us. Of course, Donald could quit telling lies, but that would not serve his purpose.

Falsehoods are a Kremlin tactic, but it is also practiced by authoritarians around the world. Trump is one of the most skilled practitioners of the dark art. The aim is to destroy the idea that we can know the truth, thus creating dependence on leaders. At least, that is what I’ve read from historians.

Trump doesn’t even have to mention politics because he has a following that will stay with him no matter what. He is more of an entertainer than a politician. At his rallies he entertains by telling stories and asking whether he would rather die by an electric battery or a shark and the crowd eats it up.

On the other hand, Biden is very limited at working a crowd to a frenzy. His speech impediment makes you hurt to listen to him.

So, this is where we are in our choices. As little as I care about politicians, it is only those at the federal level that upset me. What has happened in Washington that the Congress spends more time in investigating each other than working for their constituents? It is not all of them, though. One of my favorites has been Hal Rogers. We both attended UK at the same time, and he has helped our area tremendously.

Not only that, but Hal also gave me one of the best compliments I have ever had when I was the emcee for a program. Afterwards he came up to me and said, “You were really good. You ought to be on the Price is Right.” That’s good enough for me.

But with clowns like Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia and her wolf pack there to disrupt Congress rather than legislate, our Congress is in a sad situation.

The debate will not affect the voters from Kentucky. It is a given that Trump will win by a landslide here. Our votes count very little. It is only the six-or-eight big states that make the difference in the antiquated Electoral College. The billions of dollars that is spent on the campaigns will not be coming to Kentucky, because your vote doesn’t count as much as one from Pennsylvania or Michigan.

It is disgusting!

No doubt, a column like this gets dissenting opinions and yours is a good as mine. But remember, I get a “pass” because I’m an old man!