10.Oct 2016 — In the post-Presidential-debate/2 coverage on CBS, last night, veteran anchorman, Bob Schieffer, was asked to comment on the debate:

“How… have we come to this?! This is supposed to be a campaign for the most powerful office in the land.” … “This is what they do in banana republics.” … “America can do better than what we have seen here, tonight… this was just disgraceful.” … “This is wrestlemania! This was not about Presidential politics.” — Bob Schieffer

I culled his words down to the words that match, pretty closely, a thought I’ve been expressing, for months. (Schieffer’s more complete quote is at the bottom). First, let me indulge myself as I recall some of my other comments from the past months, because they are still apropos to this mess,

• Debate/2: I was going to purposefully avoid watching, altogether, but, like a car wreck, I couldn’t help but watch. —10 Oct
• That, for the first time in this country’s history, not a single major newspaper has endorsed a major party’s candidate, should say something. That so many die-hards of this candidate’s own party have disavowed him, should say something. Yet we are still at realistic risk that he could win the power seat… what does that say?!! —8 Oct
• I can understand the “it’s just words” attitude, but since he hasn’t really done anything, that’s all we have to go on. And since he has flip-flopped on nearly everything substantive that might actually be achievable, we are left with trying to judge his character and I only have his words to go by. I can go by what others who have deep insight into his psyche, like his autobiographer (who doesn’t have good things to say), but I’d rather judge him for myself… so I can only go by his words. — 8 Oct
• I’ve been saying, for quite some time, the damage that Trump has done to this country has already been done. That he can take a candidacy for the “most powerful” position in the world and treat it with such disrespect and disregard; in itself, reflects to the world how little we value our own leadership (regardless of who takes office, even after these candidates are long gone). He has already weakened the national security and stability of this country. And this has been done, not with thoughtful intelligent intent, but with ignorant, uniformed, immature behavior, during his constant attempt to appeal to the lowest common, least thoughtful, denominators of society. — 7 Oct
• re: Debate/1: I’m thinking about avoiding this reality-show waste of time, altogether. I doubt it will change anyone’s impression of either of them and and doubt anyone will learn anything new. It will appeal to America’s lowest common denominators, as does most reality shows. Go watch BrainDead for a better description of what is going on. — 26 Sept
• I am sure that many take him seriously. We can only hope that no one acts on it. Trump doesn’t even realize that despite his anti-terrorist rhetoric, he’s fostering home-grown terrorists. —9 Aug
• …And the danger is that Trump’s public substantiation of those attitudes has given greater support, aggression, and confidence to those who already shared those views. So even when we stop hearing from Trump, those people will still carry that strength and confidence and continue to express it more vocally than before. It might even encourage more with his attitude to run for public offices, in the future. 
  I’m sure that you have seen some of the worst of society (more so, than I have). I am by no means saying it did not exist before. Trump has made it worse. 
  Anyway, I share your hope about the future of Trump. I’ve had to give up predicting when that will happen because, last year, I had told many (and I would have placed money on the fact) that no one would hear Trump’s name by February and he wouldn’t get anywhere near the Whitehouse. I hope your optimism holds true. Then, at least, the last part of my prediction will still be true (he is too close already!) —24 Jun
• True or not, the damage to America is already done. 1) As, now he has shown that a candidate for one of the most prestigious jobs in the world can act with such disregard and disrespect. 2) He has emboldened those sharing his marginal perspective to continue their sociopathic beliefs — even without him in office, this country will continue to suffer the divisive contention at a higher pitch. —23 Jun
• re: Republican debate: A bunch of bickering kids on TV. That’s the example we want to set for our people and the upcoming generations, as we watch those vying for leadership in this world. —3 Mar
• Appreciate that all you foreigners have objectivity and the right hope… Living here, I am not so confident in my “fellow Americans”, so I fear that I may need to join my foreign friends, and not live here anymore. Last autumn, I confidently predicted that by February we wouldn’t even be talking about Trump anymore. It is February, and we still are. That, in itself, is a deeply distressing and embarrassing reflection of Americans and therefore America. —17 Feb

“How… have we come to this?! This is supposed to be a campaign for the most powerful office in the land. Here, we are, marching in, women–into the hall–who are supposed to have some relationship with one of the candidate’s spouses… what is that supposed to prove? Over and over… ‘If I’m elected, I’m going to put you in jail!’ This is what they do in banana republics. This is the United States of America. People keep asking me, have I ever seen anything like this; and I keep saying, ‘No.’ And I just hope to God, I don’t see another campaign like this one. America can do better than what we have seen here, tonight… this was just disgraceful.” … “This is wrestlemania! This was not about Presidential politics.” —Bob Schieffer