Six ways to prepare for the first presidential debate

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.” James 3:13

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have been preparing for their debate on June 27. We should be preparing, too. The pundits keep weighing in about their expectations and questions for the debate. Here are six of mine from a moral and even theological perspective.

1. Truth. Look for who is telling the truth. I have repeated Jesus’ teaching, in the Gospel of John, at virtually every book event for The False White Gospel: “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.” I have said at each town hall meeting and in my column that Jesus helps us understand that the opposite of truth is not just lies, but captivity. Millions of Americans are captive to the lies about the 2020 election, the upcoming 2024 election, the whole electoral process and even the judicial system. In Trump, we have  a presidential candidate who says everything is “rigged” unless he wins every election and is found innocent in every trial, despite mountains of evidence to the contrary. We need more than “fact checks”on this debate; we will need deeper “truth checks.” Who is more committed to the truth and who is trying to undermine the truth in order to gain power?

2. Character. The character of the person running for the highest office in the most powerful nation in the world really does matter. Character matters — not just political philosophy, ideology, and policy positions. Who the candidate is as a person – as a human being – must be core to our voting in this election. How they speak about and treat others, how they respect and want to serve citizens who differ from them, how they treat their fellow citizens as neighbors not enemies, and how their personal and family life reveals their core values. Who they are and what they are is as important as what they propose to do.

3. Benefits. The question people always raise in these debates is if will you be better off with one candidate over the other – especially economically. “It’s the economy stupid!” is a well worn phrase repeated over and over by both political parties. “What are the kitchen table issues,” pundits often ask, which will always determine the outcome of elections. But I want to propose a radically different question for people of faith: “It’s what will happen to the poor, believer!” At least that’s what the Bible says: rulers, kings, and, yes, presidents, will be judged by God, the prophets say, by how the most vulnerable are doing in their midst. Whose kitchen tables are you concerned about? Just your own? Or also other people’s too? That is a faith question that we must examine in the debate. 

4. Dignity. Human dignity is a religious issue, and is at the theological core of democracy, coming right from the first chapter in the first book of the Bible. In Genesis 1:26 God says that all humankind is made in the image and likeness of God. Do we believe that or not? That we all, everyone watching the debate, every voter, and even those who don’t or won’t vote, are created in the image of God, and are of equal worth, value and dignity. Listen to the candidates for any such references or just respect for that human dignity for everyone.  

5. Wisdom. We will need great wisdom for leadership in the days ahead. We will have two presidential candidates before us. Each is the likely nominee of their party’s political convention this summer. Like it or not, they are the candidates American citizens will have to focus upon this fall. Would any of us make different choices if we had the chance? Honestly, many Americans would. Both are old, Biden will be 81 on election day, Trump 78. Neither is as fit or as fast as they used to be.  And both, in their elder years, should have more wisdom to bring to the office of President of the United States. Watch for wisdom tonight. James 3:13 says: “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.”

6. Prayer. We should be praying for this debate. Praying for  the nation’s listening with  the right questions in mind and heart, and for the public responses to the outcomes of the debate will be very important. Pray, listen, pray some more, and then let’s all pray with our feet in the 130 days until the election.

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