Trump's big message after the debate: Look how good I am at golf

There are a lot of conclusions one might draw from the debate Thursday night between President Joe Biden and convicted felon Donald Trump.

Some say Biden delivered a disappointing performance in which he seemed old and frail. Others say Trump delivered a terrifying performance in which he lied through his teeth every time he opened his mouth. 

But apparently, if you are Trump, the main message is about golf.

Just after midnight, as Trump world was flying high on what it considered a triumphant debate win, Trump posted a video of both Biden and Trump golfing. And then, to really drive the message and theme of the debate home, he posted another one: a four-minute video of him golfing.

Here he is swinging his golf club. There he is swinging. Swinging, swinging, swinging away for four minutes, as the music builds and builds. It’s the kind of music you’d expect to hear in a campaign ad playing over a montage of a candidate doing presidential things like signing bills, kissing babies, and shaking the hands of world leaders.

Except it’s just Trump golfing.

There was a moment during Thursday’s debate when Trump and Biden actually debated their golfing abilities. Yes, it was weird and awkward and all kinds of cringe. 

But that’s all Trump had. Trump never nailed Biden on some outrageous lie. He never delivered the great zinger that perfectly summarizes how unfit his opponent is for the job. He didn’t demonstrate his impressive command of facts or policy. He didn’t share his vision of how to make the country better. He spouted incoherent, dishonest nonsense for an hour and a half—loudly and confidently—but for Trump, his winning moment in the debate was about golf.

That might qualify him for the role he occupies: Florida retiree who lives on a golf course. But it doesn’t qualify him for the office he seeks.