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Reader question: Please explain "down for the count", as in "Donald Trump is down for the count." My comments: Oh, a boxing term. They are probably talking about Trump's poll numbers. Donald Trump, the American President, has fumbled - bigly, to use his word - the coronavirus pandemic test and in consequence seen his poll numbers taking a dive. Trump, a Republican, trails Joe Biden, a Democrat, by double digits, 10, 12, even 16 percent in various polls. Historically, few people, if any, have been able to come back to win after falling behind by such margins. That's why they say he's down for the count, meaning he's failing badly, probably never to recover. Let me explain. In boxing, when a boxer is knocked down, down to the canvas or mat or, in plain English, the floor, the referee will step in to prevent him from being further attacked. The referee will order the other fighter to return to his corner, then administer the count. He counts out loud, one, two, three... Usually, the referee counts to eight before the fighter on the floor gets back on his feet. Then the referee calls for play to resume. If the fighter on the floor fails to get to his feet by the count of eight, meaning eight seconds, then the referee waves his hands and declares "game over". The fighter who's been knocked down to the floor is declared the loser, the opponent who has thrown the knock-down punch declared the winner. | 
