IT’S emblematic of the current moment in American politics that the incumbent president’s physical and mental health remains a bigger cause for concern than that of his challenger even after the latter survived an assassination attempt.

After informing his Praetorian guard that he was keen to be reunited with his shoes, Donald Trump, a couple of streaks of blood running down his face from where a sniper’s bullet had grazed his ear, told his Secret Service protectors to wait while he pumped his fist and encouraged his audience to ‘Fight, fight, fight!’ before he was led offstage. The clenched fist went up once again as he entered a black van.

Images from the incident will no doubt enhance Trump’s chances of re-election four years after a defeat that many of his supporters believe was unfairly engineered. His biggest advantage, though, remains his doddering opponent in the race who is barely able to walk, let alone convincingly run.

The Democratic Party ought to have recognised long before the presidential debate debacle of June 27 that relying on Joe Biden to defeat Trump a second time was a mug’s game. It has been fairly obvious for what in political terms is an eternity that a physically and intellectually enfeebled........

© Dawn