Sorry, not falling for the drama and the crocodile tears of the Democrats after Thursday’s presidential debate. The Dems are teeing up for a change of candidate and needed all of America to see the pathetic state of President Joe Biden to justify their move.

Within minutes of the debate between Biden and President Donald Trump, I got the suspicion that something wasn’t right. First, Biden stuttered and appeared weak in his opening comments, which made me think that whatever he was given for past high profile speeches and debates, was curiously absent.

On top of that, what reality have we fallen into when CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash allowed Trump to make most of his points without cutting him off? The moderators even allowed Trump to get in some choice stingers that left marks on Good Old Joe.

I texted some friends during the debate that Dems are setting the stage for a new candidate and that post-debate pundits would begin the narrative that Biden must be replaced. Hardly a revelation to anyone paying attention.

As soon as the debate ended, the narrative began. Whether it was CNN, CBS, Fox, or any of the other alphabet networks, the refrain was the same: Biden looked terrible.

Not to take anything away from Trump, because he did a great job. He was measured, sharp, and impassioned. My only criticism of the night was his handling of the question about J6. It was the only answer he gave of the night that seemed parsed.

But with that said, I have to ask: Did CNN get orders to stand down? The moderators allowed Scranton Joe to look weak to all the American people. There were no attempts to talk over Trump or echo the lies Biden attempted to counter-punch with, such as those associated with Trump over Charlottesville, or January 6.

Instead, CNN left Biden flailing, allowing viewers the spectacle of a doddering, dementia-addled president that now has the whole country worried about his fitness for the job. After this debate debacle, conservatives are no longer the only Americans questioning Biden’s competency; now even the most dedicated Democrats can’t gaslight this one.

And that, dear readers, is exactly what those pulling Biden’s strings want. By the weekend, this narrative—that has been building since the G7 meeting and the Hollywood fundraiser where former President Barack Obama had to lead Biden off stage—will be a full-blown crescendo, allowing the Dems to justify a change of candidate.

To paraphrase, “We love you Joe, but for the good of the country and democracy (meaning our power) , you gotta go.”

Dex Bahr blogs at The Discerning Pundit. His newest book, American Christian: A Treatise of Spiritual, Cultural and Political Discernment is on sale at Amazon. He is also the author of the book, No Christian Man is an Island: Leading the Spiritual Quest in America’s Culture Wars, also on sale and Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Image: YouTube video screen grab.