The conventional wisdom holds that debates seldom shift opinions; they only solidify opinions, but last week’s historic debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden was an earthquake for presidential politics. Never before has a modern presidential debate caused one party to publicly doubt the ability of their nominee to continue. Biden’s performance was so pathetic and poor that many Democrats are openly calling for Biden to step aside. That is an astounding development, but there are many questions and revelations here that should acutely aggravate and greatly concern the American people.

Republicans and conservative media have been sounding the alarm on Biden’s precipitous cognitive decline for years only to be repeatedly scolded by Democrats and the mainstream media for mean spirited hyperbole. That all changed last Thursday when Biden dropped the mask. His frail incoherent performance shocked CNN viewers and many Democrats as if Biden suddenly aged twenty years in 90 minutes, but why are Democrats and the media surprised? Democrat handlers have been hiding him and media apologists have been covering for him; they all knew just like anyone who has been watching.

Average Americans and particularly rank and file Democrats should be incensed and insulted that the Democrat Party and mainstream media have been lying to them about Biden for years. The first big take away for voters is that the Democrat Media Complex cannot be trusted on anything; they are all bold-faced liars!

The media and people in power all knew that Biden is essentially incapacitated and in no way capable of being president, so why would they ignore or hide it? One answer is that Biden was a terrible candidate in 2020, but Democrats got him the most votes in history campaigning from the basement anyway. Arguably always a buffoon over his half century mediocre career, the Democrat machine expects to get him re-elected one way or another. They only need him to remain upright through election day.

If Biden had not agreed to debate Trump because he is a convicted felon, why wouldn’t the 2020 playbook work again? Why did the Biden Campaign take this huge risk? Perhaps they wanted to shore up his sagging poll numbers, but we are learning his closest aides knew Biden would probably crater. There has never been a presidential debate earlier than September. Whether a test or a setup, Democrats agreed to the earliest ever presidential debate so that the DNC would have enough time before their August convention to replace Biden.

Whether it’s Biden’s weakness or Trump’s strength, there are obviously a substantial segment of Democrat power brokers led by the media seriously doubting Biden can win. They literally shoved Biden over the cliff to see if he could fly. He couldn’t, can he be replaced?

The first problem is Biden is stubborn and thus far refusing to step aside or at least Dr Jill Biden is insisting he stay in the race. Not surprising, Hunter Biden is strongly encouraging his father to remain in the race because he knows if the rule of law returns to the DOJ, he and other Biden family members are very likely facing prison time. They need his pardons.

The second problem is Vice President Kamala Harris is less popular than Biden and even considered less competent if that’s possible, so a Harris candidacy does not allay any angst over beating Trump. However, Harris is furious she is not being considered the presumptive successor, so she will not go quietly.

The third problem if not Harris, is who? Gavin Newsom has destroyed California. Gretchen Whitmer might deliver Michigan but likely little else. Americans are tired of DEI hires like Pete Buttigieg. Michelle Obama really doesn’t like politics and is not interested. However, this is perhaps not a problem for Democrats because it’s not the candidate that wins for them, it’s the Democrat machine that wins for Democrats. Democrats only need an avatar.

Therein lies the second and most troubling takeaway from last Thursday. Suspicions have abounded his entire term, but Joe Biden is already just an avatar for the office of president! So, who is and has been running the country?!

Speculation runs rampant. Is it Barack Obama? Jill Biden? The Chinese Communist Party? Or, does the federal leviathan run on automatic? Starting with Obama, federal agencies have been weaponized for political purposes. The DOJ, EPA, FBI, Homeland Security, IRS and others have abused their powers to persecute political opponents which happen to all be conservatives. Former Joint Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, admitted to undermining then Commander-in-Chief, President Trump. There is now hard evidence the CIA has been manipulating elections, like the 51 Intelligence officials that publicly claimed Hunter’s laptop was “Russian Disinformation” and the FBI coercing social media to censor it.

Whoever is pulling Biden’s strings, they were not elected and therefore not accountable to the voters. The inescapable conclusion is that our Constitutional Republic has become a cynical charade! This is a Constitutional crisis! Whoever these faceless nameless oligarchs are, we the people must take our republic back!

That brings us back to Donald Trump. Call it the “deep state” or the oligarchy, but they absolutely fear Trump because he will expose them and take their power. That’s why every lever of federal power has aggressively and overtly targeted Trump. Trump has proven he is our only champion that can hope to drain the putrid Washington swamp.

Really not surprising but Americans were stunned by Biden’s indisputable decline. However, they should be enraged with all the lies and incredibly disturbed that we do not know who is running our country. Democrats may only need an avatar, but Americans need a president. Donald Trump is the only choice to restore our Constitutional Republic.

“If a ruler listens to falsehood, all his officials will be wicked” (Proverbs 29:12).

Pete Riehm is a conservative activist and columnist in south Alabama. Email him at peteriehm@bellsouth.net or read all his columns at http://www.renewamerica.com/.