In the first presidential debate, Republican Donald Trump skimmed over the Jan. 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, shifted blame for the violent mob siege and declined repeatedly to state unequivocally that he will accept the results of this year含羞草研究社檚 White House election.
And President Joe Biden, who has said the work of his presidency is to restore the soul of the nation, flubbed and floundered, failing to forcefully confront, contradict and hold Trump, the indicted former president, accountable for the attack on the election 含羞草研究社� and democracy.
It is an extraordinary moment, or lack of one, that is alarming to democracy advocates, the far-reaching effort to overturn the 2020 election and the subsequent insurrection that defined the Trump presidency fading from view during the opening debate of the general election campaign.
Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democrat who chaired the House含羞草研究社檚 Jan. 6 committee investigation in the last Congress, said it is a deeply unfortunate situation.
含羞草研究社淲e could have a Jan. 6, 2.0,含羞草研究社� Thompson said Friday outside the Capitol.
The outcome underscores the choice Americans face this fall as the riot over the 2020 election remains fundamental to the 2024 campaign, but also obscured by it, despite the four-count federal indictment against Trump for working to overturn the results four years ago in the run-up to the violent siege and despite the convictions of more than 1,000 people in the Capitol attack.
It comes as the Supreme Court is weighing cases involving Jan. 6, including a decision Friday that makes it easier for some rioters to contest their charges and convictions, and another expected Monday on whether Trump can claim immunity in the federal election case.
All told, what seemed politically untenable, as the defeated Trump departed Washington downcast on Biden含羞草研究社檚 inauguration day on Jan. 20, 2021, is now within reach as the president who tried to overturn an election is the Republican Party含羞草研究社檚 presumptive nominee, edging toward an Oval Office return.
含羞草研究社淲e are four months away from the first presidential election since a violent attack on our Capitol. 含羞草研究社� And the man responsible for that 含羞草研究社� Donald Trump 含羞草研究社� is currently the leading candidate,含羞草研究社� said Ian Bassin, executive director of the advocacy group Protect Democracy, which works to counter authoritarianism.
含羞草研究社淵ou含羞草研究社檇 think that alone would be disqualifying, or at a minimum would be the central focus of the election,含羞草研究社� he said.
And yet, Bassin said, the topic was 含羞草研究社渞elegated to an afterthought含羞草研究社� in the debate, 含羞草研究社渁nd the current president is struggling to press the case on why this issue should be of existential importance.含羞草研究社�
The forum itself is not necessarily to blame. The moderators pressed the candidates, asking Trump not once, but repeatedly, whether he would commit to not having another Jan. 6 and accepting the results of the election this time.
Trump insisted he had 含羞草研究社渧irtually nothing to do含羞草研究社� with the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6 and tried to shift blame to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., repeating his false claims about the delay in sending in the National Guard.
Biden, whose underwhelming debate performance of stunted answers and trailing thoughts has sent the Democratic Party into turmoil, struggled to deliver a cohesive response, despite having given high-profile speeches about Jan. 6, including on the first anniversary.
含羞草研究社淟ook, he encouraged those folks to go up on Capitol Hill,含羞草研究社� Biden said on the debate stage.
Thompson, whose committee produced a lengthy, 1,000-plus page report on its investigation into Trump含羞草研究社檚 monthslong attempt to overturn the election and the storming of the Capitol, said Biden missed a 含羞草研究社済olden opportunity含羞草研究社� to set the record straight as millions of people watched the debate.
It was left to the people who actually experienced Jan. 6, the lawmakers who fled to safety as the mob of Trump supporters approached, to respond. Rioters, many wielding flag poles and with tactical gear, engaged in brutal, bloody hand-to-hand combat, fighting the U.S. Capitol Police to gain access to the building.
含羞草研究社淛anuary 6 was a dark day,含羞草研究社� said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on social media.
含羞草研究社淭rump-inspired insurrectionists sought to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power,含羞草研究社� he said. Schumer decried Friday含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渟hameful decision含羞草研究社� from the Supreme Court that he said 含羞草研究社渨ill embolden anti-democracy radicals and make it harder for our judicial system to try insurrectionists.含羞草研究社�
Pelosi said Trump presented 含羞草研究社渁nother pack of lies含羞草研究社� during the debate. 含羞草研究社淗ow dare he place the blame for January 6th on anyone but himself, the inciter of an insurrection?含羞草研究社�
On Friday, the Supreme Court limited a federal obstruction law that has been used to charge Trump, alongside hundreds of Capitol riot defendants. While the ruling is certain to cause a reconsideration of some cases against the rioters, it is unclear how it will impact Trump含羞草研究社檚 indictment, which includes other charges.
Trump, during a rally Friday in Chesapeake, Virginia, said a 含羞草研究社済reat thing含羞草研究社� just happened in response to the decision in the obstruction case, to the roar of 含羞草研究社淯SA!含羞草研究社� chants from the crowd.
含羞草研究社淭hey should be immediately released 含羞草研究社� immediately,含羞草研究社� Trump said about the defendants he called 含羞草研究社渢he J6 hostages.含羞草研究社�
A more energized Biden, at his own rally in the swing state of North Carolina, said 含羞草研究社渢he choice in this election is simple. Donald Trump will destroy our democracy. I will defend it.含羞草研究社�
Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press
