By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice
HUDSON — Just a jog down the road from where a rancher long ago installed two, giant pro-Donald Trump billboards in his pastures, the Republican Women of Weld met Thursday to cheer on the former, and they hope future, President.
A capacity crowd in the backroom of Ben’s Pizza supported Mr. Trump, with applause and often laughter, as he took on President Joe Biden in their first debate meeting of the year.
A bingo game with predictable phrases that might be uttered didn’t last through the first commercial break, but the crowd lasted through the 1-1/2 hour debate in which largely Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump took turns criticizing each other’s policies, and their golf games.
“I’m happy it was civil,” said Dan Woog, a state representative in District 63. “I think it was pretty clear the economy is a big issue for Trump. I do think Biden came ready.”
He was one of a handful of elected officials to attend the debate watching party, including Gabe Evans, who Tuesday became the Republican nominee in the 8th District for Congress, and Dusty Johnson, who with no Democratic opponent will become the next District 65 state representative.
Steve Bosley, a former University of Colorado regent, businessman and widely known for creating the Bolder Boulder 10K, indicated his disappointment.
“I think there were portions where they both could have acted more professionally,” Bosley said. “It was a good free-for-all. Both of them neglected to answer questions that I wanted to get answers to.”
He indicated some concern the debate host CNN — which one guest in the room referred to as the Clinton News Network — might not present a fair debate because of far-Left bias, but he had praise for how the debate was conducted.
Mr. Biden complained the country he inherited was in chaos, while Mr. Trump said the economy was the best the country had seen and the border was secure. Mr. Trump, not foreign to hyperbole, said many felt he was one of the best Presidents and before he is finished he will be the best. Mr. Biden criticized Mr. Trump’s positions as extreme, and Mr. Trump criticized Mr. Biden as weak.
“It was hard to watch,” said Tammy Klein, a leader of the Women of Weld.
Mr. Biden opened the debate with a raspy, soft voice, and stumbled over his words throughout the evening. At one moment, Mr. Trump said, “I don’t know what you just said, and I don’t think you do either.” It led to laughter in the Weld County room of Mr. Trump’s supporters.
The opponents couldn’t even agree on golf. Mr. Biden claimed to have had a 6 handicap at some point — a score of 78 on a 72-par course. “You couldn’t hit the ball 50 yards,” Mr. Trump said. “I’ve seen your swing.”
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, who two days earlier had routed five opponents in the 4th District primary election for Congress, was in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
“President Trump dominated this debate from start to finish, while pathetic Joe Biden couldn’t finish most of his sentences,” Boebert said.
On his post-debate show, Fox’s Sean Hannity replayed some of those instances, which he said were endless. In Weld County, one person described Mr. Biden as a “warped, frustrated, old man,” a reference to George Bailey’s description of Mr. Potter in “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Many national commentators noted Mr. Biden’s blank, angry stares at times during the debate. One national columnist said the winner of the night was California Gov. Gavin Newsome, a suggested Mr. Biden could be removed from the race for Newsome.
“Americans saw a clear contrast in leadership from a President who is ready to lead again, versus someone who just needs to be put to bed,” Boebert said. “This debate wasn’t close and this race won’t be close in November when we elect President Donald J. Trump!”
In his opening monologue, Hannity described the debate as failure for Mr. Biden.
“Biden’s performance was the single biggest disaster I have ever seen in a televised debate in the history of this country,” he said. “It was a complete and total train wreck, from his opening words he sounded awful and he looked even worse.”