If you happen to assume that Popeye beat Bluto as a result of he ate spinach, this US presidential cartoon, I imply debate, was for you.
That President Joseph Biden, handicapped as he was by Parkinson’s Illness and Lewy physique dementia, received the 120-minute tv battle with Donald Trump appears so apparent to Russians, they specific shock at the near-unanimity within the US that the other was the end result.
Whereas the Russian state propaganda organs are repeating the “Joe Should Go” line — the US-funded Russian opposition media additionally — navy and intelligence analysts in Moscow are concluding that Biden and Trump proved they’re equally harmful for Russia, however that Trump is now the candidate for a lot greater wars within the Center East and in opposition to China. Changing Biden, Russian sources imagine, is now an operation of the Zionist and Taiwan lobbies in Washington.
“The Democratic get together elites began to consider methods to get Biden out of the way in which,” in line with one Moscow supply. “so sending him into an extended debate, so early within the marketing campaign, was precisely meant to attain this – he’ll look unhealthy however there may be sufficient time to exchange him. Republicans have at all times been this racist however Trump says it extra plainly. Biden has at all times been a wolf in sheep’s clothes however he can now not discover new phrases to maintain up the charade. What’s there to see? America has by no means been weaker. The vital factor to see right here [Moscow] is the reluctance to drive American imperial energy off the cliff.”
“Regardless of Biden’s apparent handicap, I assumed he received,” provides a second supply. “Biden telling Trump ‘you could have the morals of an alley cat’, received it so far as I’m involved. He additionally known as Trump out on the racism and fascism, one thing Trump had no reply for besides to double down. Didn’t anybody discover Trump’s compulsive repetitiveness? He repeated the identical lies and aspersions again and again. He’s extra lucid than Biden, however not by a lot. He’s an ageing, narcissistic, racist criminal.”
The Russian sources additionally imagine that assist for Trump in Moscow is an oligarch operation with an analogous fondness for Israel. That has been the road of Roman Abramovich since his abortive makes an attempt to avoid wasting himself from sanctions and defeat the Russian Military failed firstly of the Particular Navy Operation in March and April 2022.
“I imagine,” stated one supply, “ ‘Joe should go’ as a result of he expressed some trepidation relating to Israel. He was arrange — the weapons have been loaded and cocked earlier than the controversy even began.”
There have been nineteen references in all to Russia within the debate; seventeen to President Vladimir Putin. Leaving apart mentions by the CNN moderators of the controversy, Trump referred to Russia fourteen instances; Biden none. Trump named Putin seven instances, Biden the identical quantity. The Ukraine was named twenty-two instances, Vladimir Zelensky twice. NATO was named 13 instances.
Watch the videotape and browse the transcript of the controversy right here.
Prime: the CNN transcript publication.
Backside: RIA Novosti, a state information company, reported neutrally every of the precise references to Russia and the Ukraine warfare. Its headline reads: “Ukraine and the prospects of World Battle. Trump and Biden held a debate”. TASS, additionally a state information company, reported “Trump’s presidential debate win places ultimate nail in Biden’s political coffin”. A 3rd state information company, Sputnik Information, started its protection by saying: “the Kremlin noticed media reviews about these debates and can familiarize with them in additional element, the official stated, noting that that is an inner matter of the US.’ ‘We’re completely not going to judge these debates, that is an inner matter of the US, that is the US election marketing campaign. We’ve got by no means interfered in United States election campaigns,’ he added.” Sputnik went on to report American specialists and a California psychiatrist claiming a “Biden debacle”.
This rely reveals that the warfare in Europe was considerably extra vital to each candidates than another international coverage situation. In comparison with the warfare within the Ukraine, there have been eighteen mentions of Israel; 13 of Hamas; fourteen of China; six of Iran; certainly one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, certainly one of President Xi Jinping. North Korean President Kim Jong-Un acquired three.
Each Biden and Trump claimed to be harder and the opposite weaker within the warfare in opposition to Russia. Stated Biden: “we discovered ourselves in a scenario the place, when you check out what Trump did in Ukraine, he’s – this man informed Ukraine – informed Trump, do no matter you need. Do no matter you need. And that’s precisely what Trump did to Putin, inspired him, do no matter you need. And he went in. And take heed to what he stated when he went in, he was going to take Kyiv in 5 days, keep in mind? As a result of it’s a part of the previous Soviet Union. That’s what he wished to re-establish, Kyiv. And he, the truth is, didn’t do it in any respect. He didn’t – wasn’t capable of get it accomplished. They usually’ve misplaced over – they’ve misplaced 1000’s and 1000’s of troops, 500,000 troops…In order for you a World Battle Three, let him comply with and win, and let Putin say, do what you wish to NATO – simply do what you need…I can’t consider a single main chief on the earth who wouldn’t commerce locations with what job I’ve accomplished and what they’ve accomplished as a result of we’re a strong nation…proper now, we’re wanted. We’re wanted to guard the world as a result of our personal security is at stake. And once more, you wish to have warfare, simply let Putin go forward and take Kyiv, be sure that they transfer on, see what occurs in Poland, Hungary, and different locations alongside that border. Then you could have a warfare.”
Trump: “So far as Russia and Ukraine, if we had an actual president, a president that knew – that was revered by Putin, he would have by no means – he would have by no means invaded Ukraine. Lots of people are lifeless proper now, way more than individuals know. You realize, they speak about numbers. You’ll be able to double these numbers, perhaps triple these numbers. He did nothing to cease it. In reality, I believe he inspired Russia from getting in…Russia – they took numerous land from Bush. They took numerous land from Obama and Biden. They took no land, nothing from Trump, nothing. He knew to not do it. He’s not going to play video games with me. He knew that. I acquired together with him very nicely, however he knew to not play video games.”
CNN didn’t ask, and neither man claimed to have an end-of-war end result besides extra drive from Biden, bribes from Trump.
In a telling element Trump claimed: “It’s identical to when you could have a hostage, we at all times pay $6 billion for a – each time we sees hostage. Now we now have a hostage. A Wall Road Journal reporter [Evan Gershkovich], I believe a very good man, and he’s over there as a result of Putin is laughing at this man, most likely asking for billions of {dollars} for the reporter. I’ll have him out in a short time, as quickly as I take workplace, earlier than I take workplace. I stated by actually as quickly as I win the election, I’ll have that reporter out. He ought to have had him out a very long time in the past. However Putin might be asking for billions and billions of {dollars} as a result of this man [Biden] pays it each time. He took nothing from me, however now, he’s [Putin] going to take the entire thing from this man proper right here.”
CNN requested Trump and Biden: “Russian President Vladimir Putin says he’ll solely finish this warfare if Russia retains the Ukrainian territory it has already claimed and Ukraine abandons its bid to affix NATO. Are Putin’s phrases acceptable to you?” Each prevented a direct reply.
When CNN repeated the query, Trump replied: “No, they’re not acceptable. No, they’re not acceptable…Each time that Zelensky involves this nation, he walks away with $60 billion. He’s the best salesman ever. And I’m not knocking him, I’m not knocking something. I’m solely saying, the cash that we’re spending on this warfare, and we shouldn’t be spending, it ought to have by no means occurred. I’ll have that warfare settled between Putin and Zelensky as president-elect earlier than I take workplace on January twentieth. I’ll have that warfare settled… I’ll get it settled and I’ll get it settled quick, earlier than I take workplace.”
Biden replied: “The actual fact is that Putin is a warfare legal. He’s killed 1000’s and 1000’s of individuals. And he has made one factor clear: He desires to re-establish what was a part of the Soviet empire. Not only a piece, he desires all of Ukraine. That’s what he desires. After which do you assume he’ll cease there? Do you assume he’ll cease when he – if he takes Ukraine? What do you assume occurs to Poland? What do you consider Belarus? What do you assume occurs to these NATO international locations? And so, if you’d like a warfare, you ought to search out out what he’s going to do… We give them the weapons, not the cash at this level. And our NATO allies have produced as a lot funding for Ukraine as we now have. That’s why it’s – that’s why we’re robust.”
The Trump marketing campaign has launched its plan of phrases for ending the warfare within the Ukraine on April 11. Trump repeated traces from the plan that if he had been president, the warfare wouldn’t have occurred. “The USA and its allies ought to have despatched substantial deadly assist to Ukraine within the fall of 2021 to discourage a Russian invasion. As an alternative, as an invasion appeared doubtless in December 2021, Biden ignored pressing appeals from Zelensky for navy assist—particularly anti-tank Javelins and anti-air Stingers—and warned Putin that the US would ship deadly assist to Ukraine if Russia invaded. Biden’s message conveyed U.S. weak spot to Putin.”
The briefing papers and crib sheets each candidates had memorized forward of the controversy mirrored the newest polling on the warfare which was out there to them. Ballot information from a February 2024 survey by the Harris organisation and a Washington assume tank funded by George Soros and Charles Koch, present there is no such thing as a statistical distinction between Democrats and Republicans on warfare and peace phrases, and never sufficient distinction amongst independents for both Biden or Trump to make a pitch to them.
Supply: https://quincyinst.org/
A couple of days later in a Gallup ballot performed between March 1 and 17, Democrat voters seemed to be comparatively extra supportive of doing extra to again a Ukrainian victory within the warfare than Republicans.
Supply: https://information.gallup.com/
Among the many phrases of the Trump plan observed in Moscow however ignored within the US, there’s a payoff promise – “some restricted sanctions reduction” — to the Russian oligarchs. Garbling this within the debate, Trump stated: “Putin might be asking for billions and billions of {dollars} as a result of this man [Biden] pays it each time.”
Supply: https://twitter.com/bears_with/
In presenting himself because the extra successfully violent of the 2, Trump reversed the Gaza genocide and used a racist slur in opposition to Biden. “Israel is the one. And also you [Biden] ought to them go and allow them to end the job. He doesn’t wish to do it. He’s turn into like a Palestinian. However they don’t like him, as a result of he’s a really unhealthy Palestinian. He’s a weak one.”
Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, claimed that Putin slept by the reside broadcast of the controversy. He didn’t say Putin has not watched a replay. “I don’t assume that you would be able to anticipate the Russian president to set his alarm, get up early morning and watch the controversy. This isn’t a most important occasion for us.”
A abstract of the mainstream Russian media concluded that Russian officers and analysts noticed what they already thought they knew. “There are a number of causes Moscow would favor a Trump presidency — the Republican candidate has threatened to drag the U.S. out of NATO and is skeptical of American assist to Ukraine — and Russian protection usually maintained a impartial tone towards him [Trump], whereas being much less beneficiant along with his opponent [Biden].”
Vzglyad, the semi-official safety platform in Moscow, editorialized with a commentary on Biden’s medical situation, headlined “Biden confirms Alzheimer’s victory”, with a prolonged evaluation of the medical therapies and the conclusion: “this doesn’t imply that he can’t be elected president. Dementia is, once more, an extended–time period illness. The query is when its progress will turn into inconceivable to cover or interpret because the malicious machinations of enemies.”
In a second editorial remark Vzglyad famous: “Why does Russia want a sensible president in the US? Russia wants regular relations with the US to implement its personal, Russian international coverage technique. And never a world warfare of all in opposition to all, during which we now have severe probabilities to lose. Some individuals ask an affordable query: What’s the level for Russia to have an clever, robust and succesful president on the head of the US? The reply shouldn’t be simple. The selection in politics is rarely black and white. It’s hardly helpful for Russia for the US to be led by a robust president who has a tricky and real looking technique for the world order and is aware of the way to successfully handle sources.”
By this measure, a Russian supply concludes: “everybody in Moscow, together with the Kremlin, Basic Employees, and the oligarchs, thinks the winner of the controversy was Russia.”
