Trump will get the final word during closing statements

Vahe H Apelian

 

President Biden and former president Trump will hold their presidential debate this week.  I read that this debate will see major shifts from prior telecasts. Biden and Trump have both agreed to the rules, which include: no live audience, muted microphones when it’s not their turn to speak, no prewritten notes are allowed, they will stand behind their lecterns the entire time, limiting their mobility — with Biden on the right and Trump on the left. There will be no opening statements from either candidate AND Trump will get the final word during closing statements, as determined recently by a coin flip.

The fact that Trump got to have the final word by the flip of a coin is an ominous sign for me and for those who will not vote for him but will vote for Biden because where I come from, Lebanon, the final appearance is reserved for the more popular singer. But there is something Biden could do, much like Levon Katerjian did when he shared the stage with another icon of the Armenian music in their days.  But I doubt that Biden will do it.

I quote the incident as Boghos Shahmelikian wrote in the book I translated and my cousin Jack Chelebian edited - "The Dawn of Armenian Pop Music".

“"Shortly after Adiss Harmandarian’s phenomenal rise, Levon Katerjian produced a number of records that also became very popular but with older audiences. Levon Katerjian formerly sang as soloist in choirs. If remnants of Turkish music had remained in the community, Levon Katerjian helped to eradicate them. The ensuing onslaught of Armenian songs by Adiss and Levon completely changed the landscape of Armenian pop music and ushered it away from its Ottoman influences. 

Adiss interpreted mostly estradayin (pop) songs  instead of ashoughayin (folk) songs. Levon, on the other hand, interpreted more of the latter than the former. In spite of their different and distinct singing styles, the emergence of these two talented popular singers around the same time gave way to an Adiss and Levon competition. 

The beneficiary of their artistic competition became the Armenian pop music and the public, although at times it became amusing. Both brought their services to the community by singing at community fund raising events free of charge. Among such fundraising events I note the one that the Sardarabad Gomideh of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) had organized in Bourj Hammoud, in the Kermanig Hall  that can accommodate up to 2000 persons. 

The hall was filled to capacity to hear the two prominent singers. The concert was held mid-week at 9 p.m. It was scheduled to end by 11 p.m. Each singer was to perform for one hour. After much debate Levon relented and agreed to appear on stage first. It was commonly understood that a concert ended with the more popular musician performing last. The implied message of the order of their appearances was obvious, if not to the audience, but to the performing artists.  

Levon, instead of ending his songs in one hour, continued to sing past the 11th hour time slot, well into past midnight. By the time Adiss came on stage most of the audience had already left the hall to get to sleep for their next day’s routine. Adiss thus ended up singing a few songs to an almost empty hall!”

I doubt that Biden will entertain such a move. 

I also am not sure if Trump will abide by the rule of standing behind his lectern the entire time, and not move around. 

We shall find out on Thursday evening when the debate will be televised.