The news reports are that the Earth is spinning more slowly on its axis. Some reports even say that it is spinning backwards. I admit to not really knowing what that means or how that affects us. But I must say that it doesn’t sound good.

In fact, there is not a lot that sounds good these days. But there is one thing that does, the increasing probability that Donald Trump will lose his attempt to retake the presidency. And we can only hope that the current trajectory continues and that nothing happens to disturb Kamala Harris’ move towards victory.

It’s quite amazing. Two weeks ago, we were all down in the dumps because we didn’t like either of the presidential candidates, and we were afraid that, because the Democrats were so demoralized by the possibility of Joe Biden running and losing (or even running and winning), and that it seemed that Democrats would stay home, and Independents be tempted to vote Republican and that Trump was destined to win.

The pressure for Biden to withdraw was growing, but Biden himself seemed to be impervious to the hints that he should leave the race. He was on a mission and he, like his putative opponent, Biden seemed to think that “only he could fix it”, and that (was this a sign of mental deterioration?) that only he could beat Trump.

But then something happened to change his mind. I actually think that the thing that changed his mind was Covid. When he was diagnosed with Covid, a number of things happened. First, he had to slow down, get off the treadmill, sit and relax. That broke his momentum. Second, he had time to think and to listen to the increasing number of people, people very close to him, suggesting it was time for him to leave the race. Third, he had time to listen to himself in recent appearances, to watch himself on recent videos. Fourth, he was in contact with his doctors, although we don’t know what they told him, or suggested to him. Finally, he had to face his own mortality and realize how he felt as an 81 year old who was sick.

What am I saying? I am suggesting that, had Covid not struck the President, he might still be in the race, destined to lose.

As an aside, I do feel quite bad for Biden. Two weeks ago, he was running for president. Now, he is the lamest of lame ducks, and has been told by virtually everyone who previously supported him that he made the right choice to get out, that he was not physically or mentally strong enough to continue. There doesn’t seem to be anyone telling him anything else, and the “too old and too decrepit” mantra seems to be repeated everywhere and often. He can’t turn on a TV, or look at a newspaper or at social media, without hearing it over and over. He must feel awful. He has been abandoned by most of his political allies, and probably most of his friends.

Not only that, but he is still president. He says he has things to do over his last six months in office (remember, even though the election is in November, he is in office until January 20), like bringing peace to the Middle East, bringing down consumer prices, and reforming the Supreme Court, either through law or through a Constitutional amendment. Of course, he won’t accomplish any of these things. That’s in part because they are impossible things for anyone to accomplish. But, it is also true (I think) that no one is paying any attention to Biden anymore. As I said, he is the lamest of lame ducks, and he must know that.

Another part of this situation is equally fascinating. Only a few weeks ago, Democrats who wanted Joe Biden to step down were suggesting a number of potential replacement candidates. Most of those Democrats suggested people other than Kamala Harris, and the most interesting articles were about timing and process.

Well, timing and process turned out to be a bit too complicated to contemplate, it appears, and the Democrats, knowing that they needed a candidate and certainly not wanting to highlight internal disagreements or fights between “progressive” and more middle of the road Democrats, came together quickly and settled on Kamala Harris, someone already on the proposed ticket, the sitting Vice President, as the rightful, and the only practical, candidate, whether or not she was anyone’s actual first choice.. Suddenly, there appeared to be no opposition to her and endorsements kept coming in. Democratic party dissension was not going to be a problem.

And then? Then, something miraculous happened. All of a sudden, Harris was the perfect candidate. Experienced, charismatic, Black, female, smart, funny, upbeat……absolutely everything you would want in a candidate. And Democratic dismay turned into Democratic excitement, Democratic lethargy turned into Democratic activity. Money began pouring in, volunteers began signing up, and polls, especially polls in the six or seven states that really matter in this presidential election, began to turn (quickly turn) from Trump to Harris. This is something that no one foresaw.

And then there’s Israel.

As all of America’s attention has turned to this riveting race, the world continues to fester in so many spots. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu gave a speech before the American Congress that deepened, but did not change, the views of individual Americans as to what was happening in and around Israel, and what should be done about it. IDF attacks into Gaza continued, settler/Arab unrest on the West Bank continued, armed drones kept arriving from Lebanon and from Yemen, over 100 hostages remained under Hamas control in Gaza (assuming they are still alive), and ceasefire/hostage release negotiations continued to drag (really drag) on. Then, a Hezbollah rocket kills 12 Druze children in the Golan Heights, and Israel retaliates by targeting and killing a very high level Hezbollah official in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. The same day, or maybe it was the next day, the Israelis kill one of the highest ranking Hamas political officials, a man they were negotiating with to get the hostages released and reach a ceasefire agreement, and what is more, they killed him by shooting a rocket into Tehran, the capital of Iran, where he was a guest during the installation of Iran’s new president.

Tonight, Prime Minister Netanyahu gets on Israeli TV and says (my usual paraphrase): tough times are ahead of us; we will be united; we will win in the end.

I have no doubt that the United States will support Israel in whatever type of conflagration arises. But tonight, listening to Netanyahu speak, I thought of something else. For months (in some respects for years), we have been saying that Hamas (and that means Iran as well) does not want a ceasefire, does not want a temporary or “final” peace treaty, because they are playing a long game, and believe that in the end, no matter how far in the future the end is, they will succeed in wiping Israel (at least as an independent nation) off the map. If Arabs die in the process, so be it. They become martyrs, and after all we all have to die sometime.

But today, I wondered if it might be possible that Netanyahu and his followers are (at least now) of the same mindset. That they want a war, even if it’s a terrible war, because they are confident in their (and our) strength, and they are confident that they will win such a war and destroy the enemies on their borders and in their neighborhood. And to the extent Israelis die or suffer in the process, it will be worth it in the long run.

Neither side wants a stalemate. Each side wants a victory. How can you possibly have a victory without having a war. So, Netanyahu is saying, bring it on, Ayatollah! The next move is yours.

It will be a challenge for our current president and our next president, whoever that may be. Maybe Israel can win such a war. But maybe, at the same time, the cost that they will have to pay isn’t worth it.