Political leaders and 5-year-olds are apparently, the same thing

Through a haze of dogmatic Instagram posts, and peremptory campaign ads, the 2020 presidential election spotlighted America’s embarrassingly dysfunctional leaders. Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s debates were more like Saturday Night Live segments than presidential discourse. Since we all obviously miss watching the Cheeto-in-Chief and Uncle Joe bicker, why not run it back and rate their most “legendary” quotes?

Trump:

"To be blunt, people would vote for me. They just would. Why? Maybe because I'm so good looking."

Personally, I rate this quote a 10/10 because he just states what we are all thinking. If everyone had Trump’s confidence, even with a toupée and botched spray tan, the world would be a better place.

New York Times, 19/9/99

"If Hillary Clinton can't satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?"

I can’t even rate this one.

Twitter, 16/4/15

In Corpus Christi, Texas, Trump said to hurricane survivors “What a crowd, what a turnout.”

I would rate this a 2/10, he’s just stating the obvious. This is why game show hosts should not become presidents.

Texas, 29/8/17

Biden:

Biden when he addresses a deceased Senator at a press conference “Jackie, are you here? Where’s Jackie?”

This is a -10/10. I’ll cut him some slack because we all have rough days and accidentally mistake a person who has died (in a widely broadcasted and gruesome car crash that happened only three months ago) to be alive.

White House, 09/28/22

We hold these truths to be self-evident: all men and women are created, by the, you know the, you know the thing.

Relatable. I would rate this one a 9/10 because it encompasses how I feel when I attempt to speak in Spanish or try to explain physics.

Texas, 03/2/20

Biden tells Missouri Senator Chuck Graham, who is in a wheelchair, to “Stand up Chuck, let 'em see you. Oh, God love you.”

This one is an 11/10. Biden violated Chuck Graham without even trying. Old age has its perks; you can say things out of pocket and people cannot get mad because you are elderly.

Missouri, 09/9/08

It’s astonishing. Out of 332 million people, we the American people have elected Trump and Biden to hold such a high level of responsibility and power within our federal government. First, we vote for a leader whose narcissistic behavior divides people into chaos, then when the 2020 election turns around, we desperately vote for a man that can’t walk up a flight of stairs to save his life. The worst part is, Trump and Biden’s most offensive and racist quotes are not included in this article.

As midterms arrive, the upcoming election remains yet another reminder that individuals hold a great responsibility for changes made in American government through political involvement. Voting is a crucial political right citizens ought to exercise, as numerous high school students are now eligible to vote. Nevertheless, simple engagement in civic life is just as imperative to maintaining a democratic republic. Whether that be posting on Instagram, attending a protest, or simply paying attention in history class, it is the younger generation’s responsibility to use education and political rights to mold a better nation—for our future. A better nation that inhabits qualified and competent leaders. A nation where its politics are engaging rather than laughable.