I’m relieved this morning after watching President Biden deliver the State of the Union message (also a campaign speech) last evening. I’m relieved because it was clear that he still has what it takes to be president, fire in the belly, intellectual acuity, moral clarity, understanding of American history and policy, a grasp of the many issues confronting America in this dangerous era of anti-democratic demagoguery at home and abroad, and common decency, integrity and respect for others.

By nature, as a liberal, I know I’m not alone in being concerned, nervous, disturbed and confused by Biden’s low approval ratings despite his significant legislative and international accomplishments and despite the respect with which he is held as the leader of the free world by America’s allies. My general nervousness that Trump could be reelected remains given what is likely to be a very close election determined by 6 or 7 swing states. But, Biden’s primary weakness – his advancing age – doesn’t concern me that he can’t do the job of president though much of the public’s perception of his age concerns others.

Yes, Biden is old – but clearly he still intellectually has what it takes to lead the country. He also has smart and decent domestic and foreign advisors around him, and his long governmental and lived experience and the wisdom he has gained over many decades gives him a unique perspective to understand where we are along the arc of American history and where he wants to lead us. Like President Obama before him, Biden’s administration is remarkably devoid of corruption and scandal. Not so, of course, with Trump whose administration is likely the most corrupt in all of American history. The old adage that the fish stinks from the head is true with Trump.

When I compare Biden with Trump I’m amazed that any thinking and decent person can support Trump given his massive deficiencies in character, his autocratic disrespect for the law, his responsibility for the insurrection on January 6, his rape and fraud convictions, the many indictments against him waiting adjudication, his massive hostility to the constitutional order and his indecency as a human being. The contrasts between Biden and Trump are so vast that they boggle the mind. I understand that good people will disagree about policy choices made by Joe Biden. That’s normal in a democracy and so I can understand classic Republicans choosing not to vote for Biden or Trump in the general election, though there are conservatives like Liz Cheney who will hold her nose and vote for Biden because she understands that the future of American democracy requires her to do so.

A few years ago, I compiled a list of adjectives used by journalists, op-ed writers, psychiatrists and historians to describe Trump’s character. I counted 170 words and posted them here in a blog. As this presidential campaign heats up, I’m re-posting that list again. Taken individually and together they constitute a sweeping condemnation of a man who has caused millions of Americans to lose their independent judgment, to set aside their courage to resist immorality, to fear a vicious president who will stop at nothing to destroy them personally and publicly when they challenge him, and to compel them to bow down and kiss the ring of a fascistic leader.

Here is that list. If there’s a word you’ve heard about Trump that doesn’t appear here, please send it to me and I’ll gladly add it for the next time I post the list:

“Twice-impeached, convicted rapist, convicted fraud, one-man-crime-wave, corrupt, unprecedented, pathological liar, dishonest, deceitful, grifter, denier, deceptive, insincere, untrustworthy, duplicitous, hypocritical, angry, argumentative, oppositional, divisive, aggressive, mob-boss-like, cyber-bully, intimidating, threatening, vindictive, superficial, uncontrollable, theatrical, unsure, arrogant,  bravado, show- off, rage-filled, controversial, outrageous, arrogant, entitled, intolerant, insensitive, uncaring, hardhearted, indecent, disrespectful, shameless, craven, hostile, hateful, ruthless, cruel, mean, malevolent, dystopian, dark, base, low, abhorrent, decrepit, egoistical, egotistical, self-centered, narcissistic, malignant, unwell, mentally ill, delusional, pathological, unhinged, nihilistic, self-serving, selfish, chaotic, unpredictable, childish, cowardly, manipulative, ignoble, shameful, deplorable, discreditable, licentious, lecherous, reprehensible, sexist, misogynist, racist, white supremacist, Islamophobic, homophobic, poisonous, odious, toxic, evil, bad, criminal, wrong-doer, amoral, immoral, ignominious, worst, catastrophic, chaotic, calamitous, ruinous, disastrous, devastating, damaging, destructive, back-stabbing, double-crossing, two-faced, unfaithful, faithless, loser, weak, morally profligate, sacrilegious, soulless, disloyal, cheater, thief, fraudulent, scandalous, despicable, rancid, grievous, churlish, rude, ill-mannered, bad-tempered, cynical, appalling, profligate, ignorant, foolish, stupid, inflammatory, degenerate, debauched, imprudent, alarming, clownish, reckless, dangerous, murderous, violent, extremist, unworthy, unfit, dysfunctional, incompetent, ineffective, irresponsible, unaccountable, culpable, failed, subversive, illiberal, authoritarian, fascistic, anti-democratic, anti-constitutional, dictatorial, lawless, autocratic, seditious, traitorous, treasonous, insurrectionist, un-American.”