Post VP Debate Ruminations

Rarely opinion changers, last night's VP debate did nothing but entrench the already entrenched. And that's too bad.

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THE BOYS WEREN’T ALRIGHT last night.

As some of you know, I drew two Tarot cards yesterday morning to represent the gents at last night’s debate. Those were the Prince of Wands for Tim Walz and the Magus (Magician) for J.D. Vance. Both cards were incredibly apt, although I don’t think Vance lived up to the intrinsic nature of his card. With his Sun, Mars, and Jupiter in Aries, it’s easy to see why the fiery court card came up in his pull before the debate. But he seemed the victim of too much coaching, advising, and leashing. Fire sign folks do better when they are spontaneous and unfettered. When corralled, they are working against their instincts, and you witnessed that dilemma on Walz’s face throughout the debate. He looked very deer-in-headlights and beleaguered.

Vance also mirrored his Tarot card, the Magician, which is a mercurial card with a slick command of language while also channeling the trickster archetype big time. He reminded me of the horridly robotic Vivek Ramaswamy with his intelligent-seeming responses that slid around like a snake in a drawer and never answered any of the questions the moderators tossed at him. This is the ‘secret sauce’ of everything MAGA, though, where word salads get mixed in with magical thinking and egregious lying. Then, attendees of the rallies go home, both entertained, misinformed, and happy. Very much like Born Again Christers after attending a Baptism ceremony at someone’s swimming pool.

Some of my favorite commentary from friends and folks I follow online:

My friend Michel, who tends to fixate on any signs of plastic surgery having occured to celebrities or politicians, emailed me:

“Considering how much the skin on Vance’s browbone droops over his upper eyelids making his eyes narrow and squinty, it’s impossible to determine if he is or is not wearing eyeliner. The perfectly narrow, straight nose, from forehead to tip, looks suspiciously like a rhinoplasty, however. Not that it’s a crime. He looked good last night opposite Walz who looked old, out of shape and rumpled and grimaced throughout the idiotic so-called debate. These are not actual debates; they are disconnected performances.”

Matt Drudge, who has swung 180 degrees away from MAGA during the past five years or so, seemed to hear Michel’s query and opened this morning with this revelatory headline:

Michel continued with more savvy insights mixed with gossip:

“Whatever Walz’s weaknesses, this was in no way comparable to the Biden debate, which was the textbook example of “Total Disaster.” He was coherent, consistent, and sensible, even if not as aggressively confrontational as one might have liked. Also, Vance is a shape-shifting opportunist, so we have no idea whether his current incarnation will remain the same if Trump loses. The reactions today, beyond party loyalists, are primarily that the debate was a draw. 

It's interesting how similar Trump-Vance reads to Trump-Pence. Just a 2-letter difference

I've been researching Vance photos to discover what his nose originally looked like before it reached sculptured perfection. He has apparently lost a considerable amount of weight from earlier photos so we can assume Ozempic is a factor.”

Ryan Broderick from Garbage Day wrote:

“The night was not a total waste of time, though. It was a good chance to get a clearer sense of how both campaigns currently understand themselves. As I’ve written before, Vance and Walz, rather than their running mates, are, in many ways, the most coherent reflections of their respective political parties at the moment. Trump will literally say and do anything that gets him elected — and keeps him out of jail — and Vice President Kamala Harris, for all the memes and donor money, still has trouble differentiating herself from both President Joe Biden and also the wider centrist lean of the Democratic establishment.”

My Fame Whores podcast partner, the novelist

John Calendo

texted me this afternoon:

“My pundits at the Bulwark on YouTube: Vance came out looking mild and normal. Walz helped him by being pleasant and agreeing with Vance at times. This was a missed opportunity. And might be decisive. Many Republicans in the middle who don’t like Trump might have seen the reasonable Vance and think, Vance will keep Trump in check (not having learned their lesson from Trump’s first administration). These would be Republicans who like Republican policies, don’t trust Trump who is too off the rails, but now think Vance will be there to make things right. And to inherit the seat should the unhealthy Trump die in office. So a bad night for Team Kamala.

Mayor Pete would have nailed Vance’s balls to the stage. And done it all with a smile and without raising his voice.

But honey, we’re saved. Today’s Jack Smith news is blowing everything away.”

Oh, wow. OK, gotta post this and check out Drudge. Maybe we’re into an October Surprise blowout early!

Love,

Opening collage using Crowley-Harris Thoth Tarot images by FW ©2024

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