Trump v. Biden: Thoughts

Hi Global Recap readers,

While the majority of our readers are from the US, we also have a significant international audience.

Given the substantial impact of the US elections on the global economy and politics, a significant portion of today’s newsletter will focus on yesterday’s presidential debate.

But first, here are some memes that resulted from it.

How do you think it went?

🇺🇸 United States
Presidential Debate Thoughts

The first 2024 Presidential debate has come to a close.

For many, it served as a moment of clarity, while for others, it brought about a wave of confusion.

Impressions

As anticipated, the new microphone system didn’t pose significant issues.

• Although it reduced the likelihood of spicy exchanges, it maintained order during the debate.

• Contrary to some online concerns, CNN did not “abuse” this system.

• That being said, CNN did attempt to assist Biden at times by cutting him off when he appeared to be mumbling.

• However, people across the political spectrum agree that Biden should step down because of his apparent difficulty in remembering things and forming coherent sentences and thoughts.

Yes, even the left-wing media outlets went into panic mode.

Here’s CNN reporting that Democrats thought Biden’s performance was “dismal.”

Here’s MSNBC:

Former Democratic presidential candidate, Andrew Yang:

Polls

A CNN poll conducted by SSRS found that most respondents believed Trump significantly outperformed Biden.

Theories

• Shortly after the debate began and people started leaning toward Trump as the winner, sources “familiar with Mr. Biden’s debate preparations” revealed that he had and still has a cold.

• After Biden’s performance, some online speculated about why the debate occurred so early in the campaign.

  • Some suggested it was a tactic by left-wing elites to undermine Biden and replace him with another candidate, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom.

  • However, the Biden campaign clarified that he is not dropping out.

• Some also speculate that Biden’s poor performance was due to the absence of a teleprompter. This also raises questions about whether Biden has dementia.

  • The day after the debate, Biden spoke at a North Carolina campaign event and appeared entirely different—resembling the more confident and articulate Biden from the State of the Union address that people had hoped to see during the debate.

Memes

The debate featured many brutal moments.

• Biden’s usual gaffes included claiming there are thousands of trillionaires in the U.S. (before quickly correcting himself) and saying he “finally beat Medicare.” Trump responded by saying that “he did beat Medicare, he beat it to death.”

• Biden also seemed to veer off-topic at one point, prompting Trump to call him out, saying, “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows either.”

Lies

Both candidates were guilty of making false or misleading claims during the debate. There are too many to count, but here are a few examples:

• Trump said that “everybody” wanted Roe v. Wade overturned, giving power to individual states to set their own abortion policies. But in fact, multiple polls suggest that this is not the case.

• Trump’s assertion that imposing a 10% tariff on all goods entering the US would not increase prices for Americans is unlikely to be true. Historical data shows that such tariffs have led to reduced imports and higher prices in the past.

• Biden claimed that the unemployment rate when he took office was 15%, but it was actually 6.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

• Biden stated that the Border Patrol Union endorsed him; however, the union corrected him on X immediately.

Final Thoughts

I encourage you once again to watch the video yourself and conduct your own research.

While I have attempted to provide sources from various political perspectives, it is always advisable to form conclusions based on thorough research rather than relying solely on feelings.

Also: There were many great moments from the debate that I didn’t include here because the story was already becoming too lengthy!

🇯🇵 Japan
US Air Force Member Charged With Kidnap And Rape of Japanese Teenager

Japan is urging for stricter oversight of US troops stationed in the country following a serious incident involving a US soldier.

🔘 Incident: A US Air Force member has been charged with the alleged kidnapping and rape of a Japanese teenager in Okinawa.

• Local media reported that the U.S. soldier, a 25-year-old man, knew the girl was under 16, which is the age of consent in Japan.

• The incident happened in December 2023.

• The Japanese government expressed “regret” and called for stronger oversight of military personnel.

🔘 Previous Incidents: This isn’t an isolated incident.

• A marine allegedly choked a woman, unbuttoned her pants, and attempted to rape her in May.

• As far back as 1995, three US soldiers gang-raped a 12-year-old girl in Okinawa. This led to widespread calls for a review of the legal status of US military personnel in Japan.

🔘 Okinawa’s Burden: Okinawa hosts about 70% of US military bases in Japan, despite making up only 0.6% of the country’s land mass.

• The region has long faced issues related to pollution, noise, and other base-related problems.

• These issues are not unique to Japan. US military bases in South Korea have encountered similar backlash in the past due to comparable problems.

🇱🇧 Lebanon
US Forces Move Closer

The US is repositioning its forces closer to Israel and Lebanon due to escalating tensions and potential cross-border conflicts.

🔘 Deployment: The USS Wasp and its Amphibious Ready Group, including the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, have moved into the Mediterranean Sea.

• This deployment, initially planned, was accelerated due to rising concerns between Israel and Hezbollah.

• The USS Wasp group includes the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp, the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York, and the dock landing ship USS Oak Hill.

🔘 Evacuation Preparedness: The US is preparing for a possible evacuation of American citizens from Lebanon.

• The State Department has urged Americans to reconsider travel to Lebanon, highlighting the volatile security situation.

🔘 Historical Context: This situation echoes the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, during which the US evacuated around 15,000 Americans from Lebanon.

• The current movement of US forces is a precautionary measure to ensure readiness for any necessary evacuations.

🇮🇳 India
Delhi Airport Roof Collapse

Intense rainstorms in New Delhi resulted in a tragic roof collapse at the city’s airport. This led to fatalities and injuries, sparking concerns about potential corruption and negligence.

🔘 Incident: A portion of the roof at Terminal 1 of Delhi’s main airport collapsed due to heavy rainfall, killing one person and injuring eight others.

• The collapse also crushed four vehicles and led to the indefinite suspension of flight operations at the terminal.

• According to data from the flight tracking platform FlightAware, at least 26 flights were canceled and over 180 were delayed.

🔘 Impact: The heavy rain caused widespread flooding and traffic disruptions across Delhi.

• The city’s main weather station reported a 24-hour rainfall of 228.1 mm (9 inches), marking the highest amount of rainfall in a single day in June for the past 88 years.

🔘 Response: The government has ordered an inspection of the structural strength of airports across the country.

• The incident has sparked criticism of the rapid pace of infrastructure projects and concerns about shoddy construction practices.

• Similar criticism has been leveled against swift Chinese construction projects in the past.

• Opposition parties have blamed corruption and negligence for the collapse, while the Aviation Minister defended the government’s efforts.

🔘 Response: Authorities are investigating the collapse and reviewing the city’s preparedness for the monsoon.

• Despite criticisms, the aviation minister clarified that the collapsed roof was part of an older building that opened in 2009, not the one that was inaugurated by Modi in March.

🇺🇸 United States
Gaza Aid Pier Removed, And May Not Be Reinstalled

The US has removed the floating pier used to deliver aid to Gaza due to rough seas and may not reinstall it unless aid distribution improves.

🔘 Weather: The pier, part of a $230 million project, has been removed multiple times due to rough seas, raising concerns about its viability.

• Heavy seas have damaged the pier, forcing temporary removals for repairs.

• This reflects poorly on the Biden administration, which initially set it up to help distribute aid to Gazans.

🔘 Distribution: Despite delivering over 19.4 million pounds of food, most aid remains in storage due to attacks on convoys and logistical challenges.

• The UN has paused its participation, citing security concerns after a nearby Israeli military operation.

🔘 Future: The U.S. is considering whether to reinstall the pier, depending on weather conditions and aid distribution improvements.

• Discussions with aid agencies are ongoing to address these issues and ensure aid reaches those in need.