Richard Carnes

“Batten down the hatches! Katie bar the door! The rain is a-comin’ and the Fat Lady done finished, there’s a storm a-brewin’ and the lying, narcissistic felon who’s a threat to democracy will bring about the end of America!” Oh please, lighten up Francis. To say President Joe Biden had a bad night at the debate is like saying the Titanic had a relatively difficult maiden voyage, but how has the election really changed at this point?

Back in the waning months of 1999, I remember my shock at the mere thought of turning 40, which I did that August. Amazed I had lived long enough to reach such a prominent pinnacle, the preceding decades had me believing 40 was so far in the future it was unthinkable, and maybe even unreachable.

I have been referred to at times as being mentally incompetent. Now before each of you begin bobbing your heads up and down in quick agreement, realize it does not happen often and usually is followed by a detailed (though full of plot holes) analysis of why my head was anatomically displaced during a previous column. It happens when one scribes weekly babblings for all to see for over a quarter of a century.