Gianficaro: After Biden's town hall performance, Trump supporter sees the light

Phil Gianficaro
The Intelligencer
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's impressive town hall performance should cause concern among Donald Trump supporters as their debate nears.

The server at the diner early Friday morning handed Dot Ehrlich a menu. “Just coffee and a toasted bagel with butter,” she said, waving off the menu. “I’m not much for breakfast.”

A different type of hunger was sated the night before.

The Bucks County resident was in northeastern Pennsylvania visiting her sister who lives about 10 minutes from Moosic, near Scranton, where Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden held a televised town hall Thursday night.

“Did you watch him?” asked Ehrlich, of Upper Black Eddy pecking her face toward me for emphasis from a nearby table, as we struck up a conversation. “He had answers to every question, solutions. He showed he has a heart and cares about people. He wants to heal the country.”

Ehrlich’s sister interrupted.

“He acted like a grown-up,” Maribeth said. “We need a grown-up. I’ve been trying to tell her for a long time now that’s what we need. The guy we have now isn’t a grown-up.”

The sisters have always been close. They enjoy gardening and golf and visiting wineries. Very much alike. Except for their politics.

Maribeth is a Democrat.

Dot is a Republican.

“I voted for Trump last time,” Dot said. “He was different, not a career politician. I thought we needed that.”

“How’s that worked out for you?” her sister teased.

“Even with all his issues that gave me pause, I just couldn’t vote for Hillary,” Dot explained.

Maribeth poked again.

“And how’s that worked out for you?” she asked, chuckling.

“Live and learn,” Dot said with a shrug. "I'm not saying I'm going to switch parties or anything like that. Maybe in 2024 the Republicans will run a traditionalist, and I'll probably vote for him or her. But I've seen enough. I can't give Trump my vote again."

I grew up a long tee shot from Moosic. I visited my hometown late last week as we continue preparing to sell our late mother’s home. She died in April from complications related to COVID-19.

It is revealed in Bob Woodward’s new best-selling book, “Rage,” which details 18 recorded interviews he conducted on the record with Donald Trump this year, that the president admitted he downplayed the deadly nature of the coronavirus to the American people from the start, opting to prevent what he wrongly believed would be panic instead of being forthright and transparent. Trump once again believing he knows better than us, better than infectious disease experts, better than military generals, the list goes on. How unfortunate. How crippling. Trump as president. How?

Mom was 88 and being treated for cancer when she contracted COVID-19. Although she had underlying health issues, her doctors were confident she would have beat cancer if not for the virus. I’ll always see a bit of her blood on his hands.

Biden showed himself once again as presidential. As Trump supporters watched the former vice president’s performance at the town hall, their guts must have been tied in knots.

What they witnessed, even if they are reluctant to admit it, was what they and Trump feared. Biden was calm, confident, on point, and, as Dot Ehrlich, a lifelong Republican, noted, delivered answers to every question. What they saw was not one who divides for personal gain, not one who name-calls, and not one who spouts hair-brained conspiracy theories with no supporting evidence.

Rather, they witnessed a leader with a plan and vision to improve and heal Trump's America. They saw what Dot Ehrlich's sister and the rest of us saw:

A grown-up.

Columnist Phil Gianficaro can be reached at 215-345-3078, pgianficaro@theintell.com, and @philgianficaro on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Intelligencer: Gianficaro: After Biden's town hall performance, Trump supporter sees the light