This is edition 2024/117 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Welcome to the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
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1. Debates and polls do matter
David Farrar
- 📅 The decision to hold the first presidential debate in June was highly consequential, directly influencing Biden's fate just three weeks later.
- 🎙️ Normally, debates are seen as risky and transient, yet this one unexpectedly transformed the election into a referendum on Biden's cognitive abilities.
- 🤔 Had the debate been held in October or September as usual, Biden's poor performance could have been catastrophic for the Democrats.
- 🌊 Facing inevitable fallout, the Democratic establishment couldn't admit Biden's decline, potentially leading to turmoil within the party.
- 📊 Ultimately, Biden's withdrawal hinged on polling data indicating he couldn't secure victory, overshadowing concerns about his ability to govern long-term.
