https://www.jpost.com/opinion/translating-the-trump-biden-travesty-into-hebrew-644229
Israelis were both bemused and comforted by the display of raised voices and ill manners at Tuesday night’s debate.
Israelis geared up for the US presidential debate on Tuesday night almost much as Americans, but the seven-hour time difference forced those of the former to stay up – or wake up – at 4 a.m. to watch it live. Others waited until later in the morning to view the full 90-minute broadcast on YouTube or enjoy snippets of the spectacle on social media.
“And what a spectacle it was; on this there seems to be universal consensus. Pundits across the political spectrum, while in dispute about who the “winner” was, agree that the behavior exhibited at the event – cohosted by Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic both in Ohio – was unbecoming. And that’s putting it mildly.
It was immediately obvious during the debate which sound bites would be highlighted in newspapers and on Twitter. In this respect, the rhetorical battle between the Republican incumbent and Democratic contender Joe Biden was like a lush tree with an abundance of low-hanging fruit.
Indeed, the proverbial clicking of keyboards could be heard around the globe when Biden said to Trump, “shut up, man,” and after Trump responded to moderator Chris Wallace’s question about whether he would condemn white supremacy with the curious retort: “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.” That Wallace, a seasoned Fox News anchor and show host, ended up sounding like a cranky teacher in a rowdy classroom contributed to the cringe factor. His irritation – particularly with Trump – was as painful to witness as the Cheshire Cat-like grin that Biden flashed whenever challenged.