Thank you. I could not agree more. I guess I've been triangulating for years as media outlets get new CEOs/owners. I can't believe what the NYT and WaPo have been running lately; it is so discouraging. That's why I'm here. Truth and facts matter.
Donald trump needs to step down. A convicted criminal in cognitive decline should not be at the top of the ticket. Where is the NYT, TNR, Ezra Klein, and so on?
Advice to Joe Biden: don't wear mittens to a cat fight. Let the Nazis know what you think of them. The gQp and pmurt are owned and operated by Vladimir Putin and fascist Russia.
I'm pretty sure campaigns are allowed to donate funds to other campaigns. When I look at donor lists for various candidates at all levels of government, I often see donations from campaign committees of other candidates in their party.
Sean, President Biden is not stepping down. He had a bad night. That is it. How could you even consider after all the things he has gotten done for our country! It was impossible to fact check the over 50 lies spewed one after the other by felon trump. The monitors also let trump go on when he wasn't answering the exact questions. But Biden was not on his game. Sean I suggest you look at the speech President Biden just gave in North Carolina 6-28-24. He had a misstep, but he got right back up! He can still get it done and I choose the man working for Americans over the sociopath working to keep himself out of jail for his crimes!
I’m not staking a position for or against his continued candidacy. It was a technical question about campaign finance rules, not a provocation.
I’m supporting downballot and GOTV work and will continue to donate to and work on behalf of the Dem presidential nominee, whoever that is. Right now the mission is to close out the quarter fundraising on a strong note, and I’m of course good with that.
Sean.. these questions are totally fine.. also, to Tamara's point..this is not about to stutter or not to stutter.. i thought O'bama did not make a full throated Biden no matter what endorsement or something he could not revise.. neither did Jeffries.. It's our responsibility to ask the tough questions till we are fully confident in understanding " the task at hans" and why that path is the best one to defeat Trump.. thx
It depends on how much he has designated as general election funds. My understanding is that general election funds have to be refunded if the campaign ends prior to the convention. I think he has quite a bit of general election funds, but I’m not sure on that. I think he could keep a shadow campaign going through the convention to avoid the refund process while the replacement candidate started a campaign on a parallel path. I think this could be legit if Biden said “I’m pausing my campaign for now and reserving the right to start back up if needed”.
I believe all other funds could be transferred to the party and PACs and the party would likely then pick up the current campaign apparatus. This could get messy if Biden or some of his campaigners are reluctant to play along. It could also be smooth if Biden is very much behind the transition. In any case, the party would be heading the campaign rather than the candidate. That would be interesting.
I think we will know within a week. The polling today doesn’t look horrible, but doesn’t look great either. He likely took a 2-3 point hit as of now. That’s my guess looking at Data For Progress, Leger and SUSA. The Biden campaign and the DNC are likely trying to determine if those voters - nearly all swing voters - are permanently lost for Biden. If so, I think he exits.
I stand ready regardless of what transpires. We need to rally. I will do everything in my power to stop Trump. Give money. Be vocal. Fight like hell!
I’m frustrated that I am not seeing anywhere, other than Dr. Richardson’s letter post debate, that Trump literally admitted being in bed with Putin. He knew Putin’s plans (aka “dreams) for Ukraine. This to me is the most critical outcome of this debate (of which there should be no more). Where is this being reported?? It seems like a dangerous statement from a presidential candidate.
Where are the calls for Trump to withdraw from the race? His admission is damning! His pathological lying and refusal to promise to respect the election should disqualify his candidacy. And since when is it acceptable for America to have a candidate, let alone a president, who is a convicted felon, is an adjudicated rapist and a fraudster, and who violently tried to overthrow an election and prevent a peaceful transfer of power?
Excuse my Texan, but in calling for Biden to withdraw while giving Trump a free pass the New York Times publisher and editors are ... full of shit.
Tsk tsk, Arctic, don’t you know Democrats are bound to obey Murc’s Law? Only Democrats have agency! Republicans are but a force of nature that cannot be controlled or reasoned with, only worked around.
I agree with your second paragraph, 100%. Maureen Dowd must have been passing out the edibles again and they all got to the paranoid side of high.
Agreed, but I think it's simpler than that, more akin to a law of the jungle, and a reminder that we aren't as far removed from the caves as we think. Republicans are perceived as strong, Democrats are perceived as weak. People don't tend to question the behavior of the strong because the "strong are just being the strong" (a rationalization for the true reason they're less critiqued: fear). Those perceived as weak are the ones second-guessed and criticized because they have to be perfect to even have a right to exist. A challenge for Dems: to change this perception without losing our souls (like the Repos have)
True, perception is not reality, but bullies persist and often succeed because others aren't willing to call them out or stand up to them, and every time they don't, the bully just gets stronger. In my opinion, Dems often fight with both hands tied behind their backs. They go low, we go high? Sorry, Michelle, but this ain't beanbag. There are certainly things Republicans do that we shouldn't--cheating, for example--but that still leaves a lot of options available that we often don't take. We look scared, and we get treated that way.
"Last night’s debate makes it clear that a withdrawal from the race is warranted, and I urge convicted felon Donald Trump to do so as soon as possible."
I’m gonna say the inevitable - Trump literally being in bed with Putin is the kind of p*rn I would pay to NOT watch.
Trump has been a known Russian asset for decades. Whether or not the “pee pee tape” exists, we do know that Trump is thoroughly controlled and compromised by Russia.
Note that two+ years ago, Kremlin minutes were leaked to the Guardian (documents that Russia experts considered highly likely to be genuine) that referred to "kompromot" the Russian government had on Trump as a result of things he did on the trip to Moscow when the pee tape was (allegedly) made. Naturally this news disappeared without a
a ripple in our media, other than a predictable evidence- and logic-free dismissal by Eric Wemple of WaPo. I will never, ever forget--even beyond the grave--the Times' headline the day after Barr's plainly dissembling summary of the Mueller Report: "Dark Cloud Lifts Over Trump Administration"
Yes, in all the "shock" and outrage over Trump's congratulations to Putin on the invasion, nobody seemed to notice that he offered those congrats *two days before* the invasion (at a time when Zelenskyy and others were still insisting it would not happen or at least was not imminent). How did he know? As far as I know, nobody in the media asked that question.
Even sincere, thoughtful journalists have a core problem when dealing with Trump’s lies and outrageous statements. When he is "flooding the zone with shit" – as Steve Bannon advises – how do you focus on individual turds?
You figure out which of them the public finds most outrageous and you focus on those (I'm working on a top 100 on a platform that allows up-voting, down-voting, ana adding to figure out what those are; you could also focus on his lies about things we know voters care the most about, like inflation or immigration)--and/or you focus on a specific set of them the public is familiar with (like everything he said in the debate) and hammer those. Calling him a liar is too abstract, esp.in a world where people believe all politicians lie, and Stalin explained well why adding them up doesn't work. You have to get and stay specific, like the Republicans did vis a vis the only thing Barack ever said they could plausibly claim was a lie: "you can choose your own doctor."
Thursday nights debate was disappointing, however, I would vote for a lady 🐞 if it was running against Trump. I know he is a danger to our society. I share Liz Cheney’s views about him. To me, he proves it every time he opens his mouth!! I don’t need to see commercials or write ups. I guess with the way people carry on about Trump, with all the flags and boats in the water and people waving flags in the street, we have to collect money. I do wonder how this money is used. I guess for rallies? Buses and equipment? I don’t need convincing. I don’t want Trump running my country!!
President Biden and Vice President Harris have had our backs for the last 3.5 years and we will have their backs in November! There’s no turning back now. Democracy is on the ballot. Plain and simple! If I could vote tomorrow, I would! I am 10 toes down and I refuse to go back in time. Come hell or high water! If I have to walk barefoot over broken glass to vote for them. I would. Remember good people - 4 years ago we voted like our lives depended on it in the middle of a once in a lifetime pandemic against the former, twice-impeached deranged convicted felon. That shows us the strength of the American people. If we did it then, we will do it again! LFG!
Sorry but my loyalty is to our country not to any specific candidate. We are not a cult of personality like the Republicans. We are fighting for our democracy. We cannot let Trump win. We have to have a serious discussion about what gives us the best chance to win. Neither option is perfect but we don’t owe loyalty to Biden and Harris. We owe loyalty to our country.
There’s no need to say sorry, Stan. My loyalty is to our country as well. Yes, you are correct. We cannot let the convicted felon win again. We elected President Biden at 78 years old along with his speech disorder and he’s been the most legislatively successful president in our lifetime. I wholeheartedly believe that if he himself didn’t feel as though he was able to physically or mentally be able to handle the job again, he wouldn’t have launched his reelection campaign last year because of his cognitive decline. He’s told us time and time again, that he will always be honest with us and tell us the truth and I take him at his word. I understand the concerns. He had a bad night and isn’t the same 3 years ago. He admitted that yesterday, so he is aware of our concerns as well. Furthermore, he has a Cabinet, advisors and aides that are right there with him. Plus, God forbid if something happens to him, Vice President Harris is more than capable of being President. Additionally, Newsome, Moore and Shapiro, or whoever we think should replace him, are all behind him. We can’t replace him with an unknown person this late in the race. That would guarantee that traitor a victory. Last year, maybe this would’ve been a better idea, but not 5 months before the election.
I am relieved to hear that the debate had little significant effect on the polls. I am not surprised at the low numbers who watched. Thank you for posting Lawrence O'Donnell's remarks.
As I read comments on the substacks and newspapers about the call for Biden to step aside because his age is showing (e.g. NYT Editorial Board), I consider this fact. Joe Biden's motivation to remain in office is not about power or to prevent himself from going to jail or pay fines for crimes he has been convicted for as is true for his opponent. Instead , he is motivated by a drive to serve his country and its people. In addition, e has been very deliberate in choosing his team. He has excellent people administering the agencies which benefits every America. That is why he should not step aside. It would only leave a void. Remember 1968.
I totally agree with you. People forget that Lyndon Johnson, saddled with Vietnam and declining health, decided not to run which led to the election of Nixon, more Vietnam, and Watergate. Biden needs to stay strong and come back from a bad debate performance.
People *knew* Biden’s age in 2020. They chose him out of a multitude of others. They even picked him over Howard Schulz! 😮 It seems that the debate moved the needle very little except amongst the people who talk about elections, who Ross Douthat *snerk* thinks are a Very Important Bloc of Voters. I note that the NYT and other major papers were never happy with the idea of Joe Biden being POTUS in the first place; the NYT endorsed both Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar. I surmise they are beating the “He’s Too Old” drum as a kind of ToldjaSo to the dumb masses.
Sorry pundits but nope, no, nix, nay, on replacing Joe Biden unless he becomes actually incapacitated.
I believe though, if Bobby Kennedy had lived and been nominated he would have beat Nixon handily. So there's always an asterisk there; my mom loved Hubert Humphrey, but he just didn't have it. And Nixon was no trump; a former VP with some foreign policy chops, he may have been funny looking and creepy, but he had nothing on trump in terms of sheer pathology.
I wasn’t around then, but from what I’ve read and heard from people who were there, Bobby Kennedy would have won easily. The problem, of course, is that he was dead. And at that time, candidates were nominated, not elected, and the party nominated Hubert Humphrey, who the voters did not really want. I think it was 1968 that made the nomination process more streamlined and firm.
The thing is, whatever Biden’s age, we don’t have a Bobby Kennedy caliber candidate. (Insert any number of jokes about RFK the Lesser here.) And part of the problem with 1968 was the lack of party unity. What we need now, more than anything else, more than a new candidate, is party unity. We need to look like a strong, cohesive party, not a shambles in disarray which would make us laughing stocks and give Republicans, even the terrible Senate candidates, an opening.
In 1968 both anti-war and civil rights issues (WITHIN the party - see Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party) were going strong and there was a draft. Eugene McCarthy (MN senator) challenged incumbent LBJ with an anti-war platform (RFK initially refused the invitation to do so). RFK entered the race after NH. Eugene McCarthy had the plurality of votes going into the convention. Humphrey was a strong progressive and probably would have made a good president, but he was not winning the primaries, McCarthy and RFK were, plus impact of segregation on Dem politics.
That’s a good point - and why we as a party need to be united. It seems that the 1968 Democratic Party was very splintered even without the Dixiecrats and the backlash from LBJ’s Great Society and civil rights.
Hubert Humphrey, like Hillary Clinton, would have made a good President, but he was more foisted upon the voters and that was a problem. It’s why you don’t coronate one candidate *when there is no incumbent.*
And speaking of segregation, 1968 was one year when a third party candidate - George Wallace in this case - peeled off a sizable percentage of voters. I recall reading he made a very strong showing, thanks to Dixiecrats and non-Southerners who were against civil rights.
1968 was an absolute shitshow, I think even by the standards of the 21st century.
Although there was the bright moment of nominating candidate Pigasus. I just reread some of the transcript of the Chicago 7 trial - if you need some levity take a look.
Acting like that was only a bad debate performance is absurd. That was a candidate who was unable to put together coherent thoughts. We can’t attack Republicans for refusing to accept the truth and then act like what we saw Thursday night was just a bad night, no big deal. Come on folks.
Stan, I didn’t watch the debate, only read commentary (including overly emotional verbal handwringing). Are you worried that Joe is going to push the red button? If not, concern about his age and health is immaterial. It’s now a binary choice between a wanna be dictator and convicted felon and a good hearted accomplished person who you think is bumbling. He has a competent VP ready to take his place. The choice is clear to me.
Here is an article about Allan Lichtman’s prediction for the 2024 Presidential Election. Lichtman has famously used his "Thirteen Keys" to accurately predict nine of the last ten elections. His prediction now, post-debate: Joe Biden is most likely to win re-election. In fact, 9 of the 13 keys favor Biden!
There is a lengthy video embedded that I found worth watching. Lichtman argues that presidential debates have virtually zero impact on who wins the election. He points out that President Reagan lost his first debate to Walter Mondale, and likewise that President Obama got trounced by Romney in their first debate.
Furthermore, Lichtman believes it would be a serious mistake for Biden to withdraw. That would "flip" several keys, including the advantage of incumbency, and most likely hand the election to Trump.
(Bonus point: Senator John Fetterman also lost a debate, yet won election!
Fetterman also had some pretty sharp words for the people hoping Biden would drop out, calling them “vultures.”
I also cannot resist pointing out that Hillary Clinton won all her debates, but lost the Electoral College anyway. I don’t know that debates are watched nearly as much as the commentary afterwards is. Like people who go to ball games just to have tailgate parties in the parking lot and never see the actual game.
And Fetterman. I ascribe his victory partly to the creative ways he relentlessly mocked Dr. Oz, really bringing voter attention to the fact that he was a carpetbagger.
By the way, kudos to the Biden-Harris Rapid Response Team for their brilliant mocking of Trump, not least on Trump’s very own social media site, "Truth Social".
If last Thursday nights debate was about lying with a straight face then in that category trump racked up the most points. Basically Trump was ahead in the mafia boss category.
If last Thursday nights debates were about being astonished at once opponents, nonsensical and credulous denials of the travesty that he is committed, and that have been witnessed by those around him, then President Biden, wins the “calling out malarkey award”.
At times, and unfortunately, early on in the debate President Biden stumbled and has delivery. However, what he delivered was true what President Biden has delivered is guiding our country on a more prosperous path and making the world a safe place to live unfortunately, the debate format allowed Trump to never answer questions about policy or what he would do about problems, but instead, he always tried to go back and support a previous lie or embellish a previous untruth that he said in the previous paragraph. Hopefully each voter will sit down and think who they want on the “ships bridge “for the next four years.
hopefully they want a captain who can sell our ship through stormy seas and late is executive team in an effective manner. Trump being a mafia boss was simply blame all his failures what she will continue to have on members of his staff who he chooses to fire and sacrifice, Trump achieved little and his four years, but tried to take credit for all the things that other members of society provided him, including the treatments for Covid, which he tries to take credit for. The only treatment he suggested was bleach.
Hilary Clinton won both debates against Trump, even put him on tilt when she called him Putin's puppet. I keep the memories of November 2016 close to top of mind right now, along with a deep commitment to get every uncommitted voter I can off the sidelines.
Yes, and I imagine President Biden’s motivation to run again is partly informed by the institutional failure to remove T***p’s ability to run for office again. When Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were inaugurated in January 2021, I breathed a huge sigh of relief, thinking our relief from TFG’s presidential ambitions would be permanent. On that day, I truly did not imagine, and could not have foreseen, the T***p side of this rematch. (Who on our side did?)
I feel the same way. I am hoping for some sort of jail term for Trump when he’s up for sentencing, or for the hand of God to call him to account, but ultimately, we are the only ones who can defeat him and the ballot box is the place to do it.
Agree with you totally. Wrote an email to the NYT to express my disgust with their editorial. Just ridiculous that they wrote what they did without any consideration to suggesting that trump step down for his “serial lying”
Simon - I agree that the campaign needs to be bloodless as they evaluate how it all went so wrong on Thursday. It was a bad decision and there's no way to sugarcoat that.
What I saw Friday in NC is what we should see every damn day from here to November. I hate to quote a TV show, but Let Biden Be Biden. One of the many reasons that this debate likely just won't have a huge impact is because Pres. Biden is a good guy and voters instinctively know that and so they give him some slack. His comments about not being young anymore but knowing right from wrong should be a commercial everywhere today.
The campaign from now on should be two things: 1. Trumps is a rapist, felon and wants to be a dictator - it's up to all of us to defeat him and 2. Biden's plan for the future - positive, working for us, etc.
Thursday night, the Dem operative world panicked and then got on board Friday. All the panic I am seeing/reading now is from former R's and it makes me mad. These are the same guys who circled the wagons around George W. Bush every time he made a mistake. But now their advice is jettison all of it 8 weeks from the convention. The numbers are holding or even getting better and like you, I think the polls significantly understate D support.
This is the fight of our lives and retreating is no option. Let Biden Be Biden and get him out there doing what he did in NC Friday.
I agree. If it's just a venue for Trump to lie without being stopped by moderators, then there is no point in being there. A computer could have just asked the questions rather than two CNN anchors.
Exactly. Joe was set up on CNN with no fact checking of the fire hose of lies in real time of his opponent. He had just returned from an international trip and was sick and exhausted. I know I am exhausted after a trip overseas and I am much younger. Joe Biden’s strategists and W.H. operatives need to treat him as the Leader of the free world he is and not throw him to the wolves’ “debates” just because he was invited.
Ok, that might make sense. And perhaps this whole mic thing didn’t work in Biden’s favor. Felt like by the time it got back to him, after the rapid barrage of lies that came out of Trump’s mouth, he wasn’t sure what to tackle first - lies, truths, next question. It wasn’t a good look but man, I’m only 70 and I’d be looking the same way.
I don’t necessarily disagree with you. But a better, controlled debate would be good. The easy part to me is that Trump repeats his lies and boasts of things others did (like Obama and the vet bill HE signed) so JRB can actually respond. I thought this last one would be a better controlled setup, but I think it didn’t work for our president at all. And fact checkers. And really excellent moderator(s).
I agree with you. As Pope Francis says: One must not dialogue with the devil. No to debates with the likes of CNN, Fox, Sinclair ABC stations, etc. who appear to be chummy with Putin.
A friend of mine likes to use the phrase “criminally insane” to describe Trump, as in this text she sent me last night: “The candidate who should be loudly called upon to step aside is the criminally insane convicted felon.”
I don’t think she has this copyrighted. If she does, I’m going to owe her money because I’ve been copying and pasting it in choice locations on Facebook and substacks. Her message, with its description of Trump as criminally insane, needs to be spread far and wide.
I have another comment in this thread where I say that we can actually turn this into a winning moment. All the angst about Thursday, but normal people also saw Trump lie and obfuscate through. the whole 90 minutes. He didn't win anyone over to his side.
Yup. From the looks of things, there is an uptick for Biden and a downtick for Trump. I learned today that donations to Team Biden took a big jump overnight. Yay. That says something right there.
Nor is she the only one to say something along that line! I saw several in my perusal of my news sources today. Ha, including one on X, during my brief visit to watch the Biden-Team's excellent postings. Clever move.
Another great reason to view the Lawrence O’Donnell clip is he reviews the insanity of the “replace Biden” idea. It is the fourth quarter of the game, folks. This is not happening and time spent on that conversation is destructive to our critical cause and wastes the precious time we have to beat Trump. Great to see Joe Biden showing up so forcefully in North Carolina. Now, let’s show up for him!!
So right. Does it not seem that many people have to succumbed to believing that life is like a microwave oven? Instant gratification. Honestly, it makes me sick.
I agree! “Just replace the incumbent President. It’s so easy! Like upgrading your smartphone!”
I am not going to go all Kids These Days etc., but, I wonder if getting to see politics as a spectator sport via social media - if politics is your jam as an interest or a sport - makes the process seem much less complicated and difficult than it is. Also the rise of gaming, and the popularity of shows like West Wing. Presidents are not interchangeable widgets, nor are they Broadway actors with understudies waiting in the wings if they should fall ill - incapacitated or dead, yes, that is one of the functions of the VP - but you can’t just snap your fingers and replace Current President with New President and presto!
“My heart is broken! I’m afraid! I’m looking to get Canadian citizenship! Bawl! Wail! Pee myself! This is a signal for everyone in hearing or typing range to gather around, soothe, comfort and validate me!”
Get outta here with that middle school crapola. If you’re afraid, go write postcards or donate to a campaign or something. Don’t demand that other people wash your bedsheets. (If you are truly in danger, because you have a trans child, for instance, then take steps to get concrete help, contact your local LGBT organization or the Trevor Project, don’t just trauma dump in a message board that is not specific to your concern.)
It is only the fourth quarter because we as a party refused to face up to Biden’s vulnerabilities even as they became clear to others (Ezra Klein etc.)
I apologize for the second comment, but now is the time to get this right.
The campaign now has the opening to take on Pres. Biden's age head on. He did it Friday and now it's time for a full roll out. Expand on what he said Friday. "I am not a young man anymore but I know right from wrong". "I don't communicate as well as I used to, but I know how to make good decisions and that starts by putting a great team of people around me". "The presidency is not a solo job, you surround yourself with smart people, you take their very best advice and then as president, you make the decision". "I know how to make good decisions and I will always put what's best for America ahead of what's best for me or my family". "You know that with Trump, he only cares about himself"
There is a huge opportunity here to take this perceived negative and make it a positive and the campaign should embrace it.
I got an invitation because I have been volunteering with the coordinated campaign as well as Durham Democrats. Once you get started on Mobilize you'll get more invitations. Thanks!
Yes, I’m kind. But I speak the truth. I think your ideas are spot on, make sense to the “every person.” In addition, if done well, could be a true “teachable moment” for folks who are unaware of the way a President works with his/her team. Well, normal presidents do.
It's funny you mention that. I have a contact that is on the National Finance Committee and I did send it to her. I am sure that they are inundated with all sorts of suggestions, and I trust their strategy. Thursday was not a good night, but it's only June. And Trump gets sentenced in 12 days.
President Biden is good at telling his folksy stories. If he really has to debate again, and in the same format, which is not to his benefit, my husband and I have come up with a suggestion - as if we are experts ☺️ President Biden did seem overprepared and exhausted. He tried to say everything he knew as fast as possible and then lost his train of thought.
Next time, don’t rush and try to jam information into two minutes. Call out Trump for being the criminal that he is and then tell a story like: Folks, I know people are feeling the effects of grocery prices, some of which comes from corporate greed. Corporations inflated prices during Covid and have not brought them down, instead taking huge profits. This felon, after handling Covid so poorly that we had more deaths than other developed nations, left me a terrible mess in the economy. I’ve been working hard to change that. Right now our economy is the best in the developed world and our stock market is at its highest. There are more jobs than ever, and we are creating more. I’m working to make sure everyone can take part in this. That you and everyone benefit, not just the rich. My opponent, who is a convicted fraudster, felon and rapist, is only out for himself, to pardon himself and help his super rich friends with big tax cuts while you pay more.
Just take it easy and don’t stoop to his level yet be strong and sure.
I simply add that mocking the great mendicant might be an effective strategy. Christopher Buckley’s guest essay in NYT a few days ago was hilarious and painfully “right on” with actual truth telling.
I felt distraught until I watched 24 hours after comments by Lawrence O'Donnell, highly recommended! Look it up if they strip the shortcut link from this comment.
I just want to chime in here. I’m 80 years old and still actively working my second career. I can identify so much with Joe Biden and I would have had the same reaction he did in the “debate.” I would have been profoundly overwhelmed by tRump’s full-faucet spewing of lies, misinformation and attacks and would’ve been rendered almost speechless thinking “where do I begin? Do I try to rebut or ignore and answer the question?” I could just feel Biden’s brain churning while being attacked with untruths. It had nothing to do with his age or mental acuity. It was overwhelm. I hope there will be no second “debate” because we don’t need to give 45 another platform like he got this time. Biden was dynamic at the rally here in Raleigh. We need more of that!!!
Bravo! Keep on keeping on! The world needs folks like you and Biden - and so many other old people who remain healthy and cognitively alert to provide the wisdom, and frankly, courage, that we so plainly need. Thank you.
Biden has been fighting a severe stutter his entire life. His efforts to suppress or work around it often lead to "freezes" or "gaffes", something Biden's been known for his entire political career.
Here's a good article on this from 2020, after Sanders staffers were accusing Biden of having "cognitive decline":
Yes, Biden's expression in the beginning of the debate I read as incredulous at T's insanity. If a person isn't feeling well, standing next to T holding forth, first reaction might be 'am I in some kind of bizarro nightmare?'
Speaking of drugs.... Why is Trump falling asleep at some times, and acts like he is on speed at others? I ask because he has a well-entrenched tendency to accuse others of what he himself does.
Simon, as you, Lawrence, and the Lincoln Project show, Trump was the real "loser" in the debate, as far as insane lying rambling goes, and very few actual voters saw the debate or changed their minds anyway. I will stay strong and hopefully, most pro-Democracy voters hang tight and keep their heads together. Onwards and upwards...
I heard one commentator say that undecided Latino voters were turned off by Trump. They didn’t like his lies, his bullying, and his meanness. They were leaning towards Biden.
And as I recall (have done too much reading today so details are fuzzy), the commentator who made that statement is Latino, with wide connections in many Latino communities.
Thank you. I could not agree more. I guess I've been triangulating for years as media outlets get new CEOs/owners. I can't believe what the NYT and WaPo have been running lately; it is so discouraging. That's why I'm here. Truth and facts matter.
Donald trump needs to step down. A convicted criminal in cognitive decline should not be at the top of the ticket. Where is the NYT, TNR, Ezra Klein, and so on?
They can’t quit the clicks. I’m just sayin, they are not the good guys anymore.
And who’s stepping up? You want a bloody primary in July? What a ridiculous idea. That hands the election to Trump.
Advice to Joe Biden: don't wear mittens to a cat fight. Let the Nazis know what you think of them. The gQp and pmurt are owned and operated by Vladimir Putin and fascist Russia.
Simon - I have a logistical question for which I can’t seem to find a straight answer.
If Biden steps down as candidate, what happens to the money he’s already raised?
I'm pretty sure campaigns are allowed to donate funds to other campaigns. When I look at donor lists for various candidates at all levels of government, I often see donations from campaign committees of other candidates in their party.
There will be time to discuss this in the coming days. Let's stay focused on the task at hand.
Sounds good. Thanks.
Sean, President Biden is not stepping down. He had a bad night. That is it. How could you even consider after all the things he has gotten done for our country! It was impossible to fact check the over 50 lies spewed one after the other by felon trump. The monitors also let trump go on when he wasn't answering the exact questions. But Biden was not on his game. Sean I suggest you look at the speech President Biden just gave in North Carolina 6-28-24. He had a misstep, but he got right back up! He can still get it done and I choose the man working for Americans over the sociopath working to keep himself out of jail for his crimes!
Biden's done this before, it's just a manifestation of his lifelong efforts to control his stutter:
https://nieman.harvard.edu/articles/biden-stutter/
Check out his 2020 debates. This has never been his strength.
I’m not staking a position for or against his continued candidacy. It was a technical question about campaign finance rules, not a provocation.
I’m supporting downballot and GOTV work and will continue to donate to and work on behalf of the Dem presidential nominee, whoever that is. Right now the mission is to close out the quarter fundraising on a strong note, and I’m of course good with that.
Sean.. these questions are totally fine.. also, to Tamara's point..this is not about to stutter or not to stutter.. i thought O'bama did not make a full throated Biden no matter what endorsement or something he could not revise.. neither did Jeffries.. It's our responsibility to ask the tough questions till we are fully confident in understanding " the task at hans" and why that path is the best one to defeat Trump.. thx
Huh?
Lawrence did a segment on this a few months ago. It's complicated and one of the main arguments against stepping aside.
It depends on how much he has designated as general election funds. My understanding is that general election funds have to be refunded if the campaign ends prior to the convention. I think he has quite a bit of general election funds, but I’m not sure on that. I think he could keep a shadow campaign going through the convention to avoid the refund process while the replacement candidate started a campaign on a parallel path. I think this could be legit if Biden said “I’m pausing my campaign for now and reserving the right to start back up if needed”.
I believe all other funds could be transferred to the party and PACs and the party would likely then pick up the current campaign apparatus. This could get messy if Biden or some of his campaigners are reluctant to play along. It could also be smooth if Biden is very much behind the transition. In any case, the party would be heading the campaign rather than the candidate. That would be interesting.
I think we will know within a week. The polling today doesn’t look horrible, but doesn’t look great either. He likely took a 2-3 point hit as of now. That’s my guess looking at Data For Progress, Leger and SUSA. The Biden campaign and the DNC are likely trying to determine if those voters - nearly all swing voters - are permanently lost for Biden. If so, I think he exits.
I stand ready regardless of what transpires. We need to rally. I will do everything in my power to stop Trump. Give money. Be vocal. Fight like hell!
Extremely solid post. Thank you.
Checking reply.
I’m frustrated that I am not seeing anywhere, other than Dr. Richardson’s letter post debate, that Trump literally admitted being in bed with Putin. He knew Putin’s plans (aka “dreams) for Ukraine. This to me is the most critical outcome of this debate (of which there should be no more). Where is this being reported?? It seems like a dangerous statement from a presidential candidate.
After they read Heather’s Substack? Where the h**l are the real journalists?
Dead?
You could be right sadly.
Where are the calls for Trump to withdraw from the race? His admission is damning! His pathological lying and refusal to promise to respect the election should disqualify his candidacy. And since when is it acceptable for America to have a candidate, let alone a president, who is a convicted felon, is an adjudicated rapist and a fraudster, and who violently tried to overthrow an election and prevent a peaceful transfer of power?
Excuse my Texan, but in calling for Biden to withdraw while giving Trump a free pass the New York Times publisher and editors are ... full of shit.
Tsk tsk, Arctic, don’t you know Democrats are bound to obey Murc’s Law? Only Democrats have agency! Republicans are but a force of nature that cannot be controlled or reasoned with, only worked around.
I agree with your second paragraph, 100%. Maureen Dowd must have been passing out the edibles again and they all got to the paranoid side of high.
Agreed, but I think it's simpler than that, more akin to a law of the jungle, and a reminder that we aren't as far removed from the caves as we think. Republicans are perceived as strong, Democrats are perceived as weak. People don't tend to question the behavior of the strong because the "strong are just being the strong" (a rationalization for the true reason they're less critiqued: fear). Those perceived as weak are the ones second-guessed and criticized because they have to be perfect to even have a right to exist. A challenge for Dems: to change this perception without losing our souls (like the Repos have)
In my experience, the bully is *always* a pathetic weakling.
True, perception is not reality, but bullies persist and often succeed because others aren't willing to call them out or stand up to them, and every time they don't, the bully just gets stronger. In my opinion, Dems often fight with both hands tied behind their backs. They go low, we go high? Sorry, Michelle, but this ain't beanbag. There are certainly things Republicans do that we shouldn't--cheating, for example--but that still leaves a lot of options available that we often don't take. We look scared, and we get treated that way.
Michelle Obama famously said: "When they go low, we go high."
Absolutely right – "When they go for the gut punch, we go for the jugular!"
Mark Jacob is on it !
https://x.com/MarkJacob16/status/1806693453830451492
"Last night’s debate makes it clear that a withdrawal from the race is warranted, and I urge convicted felon Donald Trump to do so as soon as possible."
– Mark Jacob
The Philadelphia Inquirer called for Trump to withdraw from the race.
I’m gonna say the inevitable - Trump literally being in bed with Putin is the kind of p*rn I would pay to NOT watch.
Trump has been a known Russian asset for decades. Whether or not the “pee pee tape” exists, we do know that Trump is thoroughly controlled and compromised by Russia.
Note that two+ years ago, Kremlin minutes were leaked to the Guardian (documents that Russia experts considered highly likely to be genuine) that referred to "kompromot" the Russian government had on Trump as a result of things he did on the trip to Moscow when the pee tape was (allegedly) made. Naturally this news disappeared without a
a ripple in our media, other than a predictable evidence- and logic-free dismissal by Eric Wemple of WaPo. I will never, ever forget--even beyond the grave--the Times' headline the day after Barr's plainly dissembling summary of the Mueller Report: "Dark Cloud Lifts Over Trump Administration"
Yes, in all the "shock" and outrage over Trump's congratulations to Putin on the invasion, nobody seemed to notice that he offered those congrats *two days before* the invasion (at a time when Zelenskyy and others were still insisting it would not happen or at least was not imminent). How did he know? As far as I know, nobody in the media asked that question.
Even sincere, thoughtful journalists have a core problem when dealing with Trump’s lies and outrageous statements. When he is "flooding the zone with shit" – as Steve Bannon advises – how do you focus on individual turds?
Trump and the administration are one vast Gish Gallop. There is no way to focus on one turd when there are thousands coming out the firehose at once.
You figure out which of them the public finds most outrageous and you focus on those (I'm working on a top 100 on a platform that allows up-voting, down-voting, ana adding to figure out what those are; you could also focus on his lies about things we know voters care the most about, like inflation or immigration)--and/or you focus on a specific set of them the public is familiar with (like everything he said in the debate) and hammer those. Calling him a liar is too abstract, esp.in a world where people believe all politicians lie, and Stalin explained well why adding them up doesn't work. You have to get and stay specific, like the Republicans did vis a vis the only thing Barack ever said they could plausibly claim was a lie: "you can choose your own doctor."
Excellent! Yes, this needs to be concrete, obvious and utterly damning.
Thursday nights debate was disappointing, however, I would vote for a lady 🐞 if it was running against Trump. I know he is a danger to our society. I share Liz Cheney’s views about him. To me, he proves it every time he opens his mouth!! I don’t need to see commercials or write ups. I guess with the way people carry on about Trump, with all the flags and boats in the water and people waving flags in the street, we have to collect money. I do wonder how this money is used. I guess for rallies? Buses and equipment? I don’t need convincing. I don’t want Trump running my country!!
If you read the transcript of the debate rather that watch their bodies or listen to their voices, Biden comes off much better: https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/27/politics/read-biden-trump-debate-rush-transcript/index.html
Many thanks for that link.
I hope Simon posts that link on his front page.
President Biden and Vice President Harris have had our backs for the last 3.5 years and we will have their backs in November! There’s no turning back now. Democracy is on the ballot. Plain and simple! If I could vote tomorrow, I would! I am 10 toes down and I refuse to go back in time. Come hell or high water! If I have to walk barefoot over broken glass to vote for them. I would. Remember good people - 4 years ago we voted like our lives depended on it in the middle of a once in a lifetime pandemic against the former, twice-impeached deranged convicted felon. That shows us the strength of the American people. If we did it then, we will do it again! LFG!
Sorry but my loyalty is to our country not to any specific candidate. We are not a cult of personality like the Republicans. We are fighting for our democracy. We cannot let Trump win. We have to have a serious discussion about what gives us the best chance to win. Neither option is perfect but we don’t owe loyalty to Biden and Harris. We owe loyalty to our country.
There’s no need to say sorry, Stan. My loyalty is to our country as well. Yes, you are correct. We cannot let the convicted felon win again. We elected President Biden at 78 years old along with his speech disorder and he’s been the most legislatively successful president in our lifetime. I wholeheartedly believe that if he himself didn’t feel as though he was able to physically or mentally be able to handle the job again, he wouldn’t have launched his reelection campaign last year because of his cognitive decline. He’s told us time and time again, that he will always be honest with us and tell us the truth and I take him at his word. I understand the concerns. He had a bad night and isn’t the same 3 years ago. He admitted that yesterday, so he is aware of our concerns as well. Furthermore, he has a Cabinet, advisors and aides that are right there with him. Plus, God forbid if something happens to him, Vice President Harris is more than capable of being President. Additionally, Newsome, Moore and Shapiro, or whoever we think should replace him, are all behind him. We can’t replace him with an unknown person this late in the race. That would guarantee that traitor a victory. Last year, maybe this would’ve been a better idea, but not 5 months before the election.
I like your style, girlfriend!
I am relieved to hear that the debate had little significant effect on the polls. I am not surprised at the low numbers who watched. Thank you for posting Lawrence O'Donnell's remarks.
As I read comments on the substacks and newspapers about the call for Biden to step aside because his age is showing (e.g. NYT Editorial Board), I consider this fact. Joe Biden's motivation to remain in office is not about power or to prevent himself from going to jail or pay fines for crimes he has been convicted for as is true for his opponent. Instead , he is motivated by a drive to serve his country and its people. In addition, e has been very deliberate in choosing his team. He has excellent people administering the agencies which benefits every America. That is why he should not step aside. It would only leave a void. Remember 1968.
I totally agree with you. People forget that Lyndon Johnson, saddled with Vietnam and declining health, decided not to run which led to the election of Nixon, more Vietnam, and Watergate. Biden needs to stay strong and come back from a bad debate performance.
People *knew* Biden’s age in 2020. They chose him out of a multitude of others. They even picked him over Howard Schulz! 😮 It seems that the debate moved the needle very little except amongst the people who talk about elections, who Ross Douthat *snerk* thinks are a Very Important Bloc of Voters. I note that the NYT and other major papers were never happy with the idea of Joe Biden being POTUS in the first place; the NYT endorsed both Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar. I surmise they are beating the “He’s Too Old” drum as a kind of ToldjaSo to the dumb masses.
Sorry pundits but nope, no, nix, nay, on replacing Joe Biden unless he becomes actually incapacitated.
I believe though, if Bobby Kennedy had lived and been nominated he would have beat Nixon handily. So there's always an asterisk there; my mom loved Hubert Humphrey, but he just didn't have it. And Nixon was no trump; a former VP with some foreign policy chops, he may have been funny looking and creepy, but he had nothing on trump in terms of sheer pathology.
I wasn’t around then, but from what I’ve read and heard from people who were there, Bobby Kennedy would have won easily. The problem, of course, is that he was dead. And at that time, candidates were nominated, not elected, and the party nominated Hubert Humphrey, who the voters did not really want. I think it was 1968 that made the nomination process more streamlined and firm.
The thing is, whatever Biden’s age, we don’t have a Bobby Kennedy caliber candidate. (Insert any number of jokes about RFK the Lesser here.) And part of the problem with 1968 was the lack of party unity. What we need now, more than anything else, more than a new candidate, is party unity. We need to look like a strong, cohesive party, not a shambles in disarray which would make us laughing stocks and give Republicans, even the terrible Senate candidates, an opening.
In 1968 both anti-war and civil rights issues (WITHIN the party - see Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party) were going strong and there was a draft. Eugene McCarthy (MN senator) challenged incumbent LBJ with an anti-war platform (RFK initially refused the invitation to do so). RFK entered the race after NH. Eugene McCarthy had the plurality of votes going into the convention. Humphrey was a strong progressive and probably would have made a good president, but he was not winning the primaries, McCarthy and RFK were, plus impact of segregation on Dem politics.
That’s a good point - and why we as a party need to be united. It seems that the 1968 Democratic Party was very splintered even without the Dixiecrats and the backlash from LBJ’s Great Society and civil rights.
Hubert Humphrey, like Hillary Clinton, would have made a good President, but he was more foisted upon the voters and that was a problem. It’s why you don’t coronate one candidate *when there is no incumbent.*
And speaking of segregation, 1968 was one year when a third party candidate - George Wallace in this case - peeled off a sizable percentage of voters. I recall reading he made a very strong showing, thanks to Dixiecrats and non-Southerners who were against civil rights.
1968 was an absolute shitshow, I think even by the standards of the 21st century.
Although there was the bright moment of nominating candidate Pigasus. I just reread some of the transcript of the Chicago 7 trial - if you need some levity take a look.
Acting like that was only a bad debate performance is absurd. That was a candidate who was unable to put together coherent thoughts. We can’t attack Republicans for refusing to accept the truth and then act like what we saw Thursday night was just a bad night, no big deal. Come on folks.
Stan, I didn’t watch the debate, only read commentary (including overly emotional verbal handwringing). Are you worried that Joe is going to push the red button? If not, concern about his age and health is immaterial. It’s now a binary choice between a wanna be dictator and convicted felon and a good hearted accomplished person who you think is bumbling. He has a competent VP ready to take his place. The choice is clear to me.
Here is an article about Allan Lichtman’s prediction for the 2024 Presidential Election. Lichtman has famously used his "Thirteen Keys" to accurately predict nine of the last ten elections. His prediction now, post-debate: Joe Biden is most likely to win re-election. In fact, 9 of the 13 keys favor Biden!
https://politicalpulse.net/us-politics/alan-lichtmans-prediction-for-2024/
There is a lengthy video embedded that I found worth watching. Lichtman argues that presidential debates have virtually zero impact on who wins the election. He points out that President Reagan lost his first debate to Walter Mondale, and likewise that President Obama got trounced by Romney in their first debate.
Furthermore, Lichtman believes it would be a serious mistake for Biden to withdraw. That would "flip" several keys, including the advantage of incumbency, and most likely hand the election to Trump.
(Bonus point: Senator John Fetterman also lost a debate, yet won election!
Great share. Thanks.
Fetterman also had some pretty sharp words for the people hoping Biden would drop out, calling them “vultures.”
I also cannot resist pointing out that Hillary Clinton won all her debates, but lost the Electoral College anyway. I don’t know that debates are watched nearly as much as the commentary afterwards is. Like people who go to ball games just to have tailgate parties in the parking lot and never see the actual game.
Excellent point about Hillary!
And Fetterman. I ascribe his victory partly to the creative ways he relentlessly mocked Dr. Oz, really bringing voter attention to the fact that he was a carpetbagger.
By the way, kudos to the Biden-Harris Rapid Response Team for their brilliant mocking of Trump, not least on Trump’s very own social media site, "Truth Social".
Could you share details or provide a link? I'd like to see that.
This link allows you to see Biden-Harris HQ’s Tweets without having to join or go via Xitter (Twitter):
https://nitter.poast.org/bidenhq
And here is the link to Biden-Harris HQ on Trump’s Truth Social. You need not join, just ignore the prompts and scroll down.
https://truthsocial.com/@BidenHQ
Notice how both proudly embrace the Dark Brandon theme.
Thank you!
Kerry did too. He was excellent.
If last Thursday nights debate was about lying with a straight face then in that category trump racked up the most points. Basically Trump was ahead in the mafia boss category.
If last Thursday nights debates were about being astonished at once opponents, nonsensical and credulous denials of the travesty that he is committed, and that have been witnessed by those around him, then President Biden, wins the “calling out malarkey award”.
At times, and unfortunately, early on in the debate President Biden stumbled and has delivery. However, what he delivered was true what President Biden has delivered is guiding our country on a more prosperous path and making the world a safe place to live unfortunately, the debate format allowed Trump to never answer questions about policy or what he would do about problems, but instead, he always tried to go back and support a previous lie or embellish a previous untruth that he said in the previous paragraph. Hopefully each voter will sit down and think who they want on the “ships bridge “for the next four years.
hopefully they want a captain who can sell our ship through stormy seas and late is executive team in an effective manner. Trump being a mafia boss was simply blame all his failures what she will continue to have on members of his staff who he chooses to fire and sacrifice, Trump achieved little and his four years, but tried to take credit for all the things that other members of society provided him, including the treatments for Covid, which he tries to take credit for. The only treatment he suggested was bleach.
Yeah, "vultures" is a better word than the ones I used last night and this morning to describe them.
Hilary Clinton won both debates against Trump, even put him on tilt when she called him Putin's puppet. I keep the memories of November 2016 close to top of mind right now, along with a deep commitment to get every uncommitted voter I can off the sidelines.
Yes, and I imagine President Biden’s motivation to run again is partly informed by the institutional failure to remove T***p’s ability to run for office again. When Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were inaugurated in January 2021, I breathed a huge sigh of relief, thinking our relief from TFG’s presidential ambitions would be permanent. On that day, I truly did not imagine, and could not have foreseen, the T***p side of this rematch. (Who on our side did?)
I feel the same way. I am hoping for some sort of jail term for Trump when he’s up for sentencing, or for the hand of God to call him to account, but ultimately, we are the only ones who can defeat him and the ballot box is the place to do it.
Agree with you totally. Wrote an email to the NYT to express my disgust with their editorial. Just ridiculous that they wrote what they did without any consideration to suggesting that trump step down for his “serial lying”
Thank you for doing that. I don't subscribe to NYT, so glad to see you (and I hope others) are talking back to them. They need to hear it.
Simon - I agree that the campaign needs to be bloodless as they evaluate how it all went so wrong on Thursday. It was a bad decision and there's no way to sugarcoat that.
What I saw Friday in NC is what we should see every damn day from here to November. I hate to quote a TV show, but Let Biden Be Biden. One of the many reasons that this debate likely just won't have a huge impact is because Pres. Biden is a good guy and voters instinctively know that and so they give him some slack. His comments about not being young anymore but knowing right from wrong should be a commercial everywhere today.
The campaign from now on should be two things: 1. Trumps is a rapist, felon and wants to be a dictator - it's up to all of us to defeat him and 2. Biden's plan for the future - positive, working for us, etc.
Thursday night, the Dem operative world panicked and then got on board Friday. All the panic I am seeing/reading now is from former R's and it makes me mad. These are the same guys who circled the wagons around George W. Bush every time he made a mistake. But now their advice is jettison all of it 8 weeks from the convention. The numbers are holding or even getting better and like you, I think the polls significantly understate D support.
This is the fight of our lives and retreating is no option. Let Biden Be Biden and get him out there doing what he did in NC Friday.
And no need for another debate in my opinion. They are clearly worthless.
I agree. If it's just a venue for Trump to lie without being stopped by moderators, then there is no point in being there. A computer could have just asked the questions rather than two CNN anchors.
Exactly. Joe was set up on CNN with no fact checking of the fire hose of lies in real time of his opponent. He had just returned from an international trip and was sick and exhausted. I know I am exhausted after a trip overseas and I am much younger. Joe Biden’s strategists and W.H. operatives need to treat him as the Leader of the free world he is and not throw him to the wolves’ “debates” just because he was invited.
I disagree. We should have a Debate No.2 – but contingent on live fact-checking!
I think you and I are saying the same thing. Without fact checking, it's useless
Wouldn’t you love to see a big old buzzer sound every time Lie-Guy lies.🧨
Rhetorical.
That buzzer ought, perhaps, be combined with a shock collar that delivers shocks of increasing voltage if lies continue in rapid succession.
I like the way you think! ⚡️
Nah. I think it is a good idea. But some days I'm like that, and today is definitely one. I'm really disgusted with CNN.
Ok, that might make sense. And perhaps this whole mic thing didn’t work in Biden’s favor. Felt like by the time it got back to him, after the rapid barrage of lies that came out of Trump’s mouth, he wasn’t sure what to tackle first - lies, truths, next question. It wasn’t a good look but man, I’m only 70 and I’d be looking the same way.
I agree. And I think debate 1 made clear T's unfitness.
Team JRB can't - mustn't - retreat for Round 2.
JRB will rally and win.
I don’t necessarily disagree with you. But a better, controlled debate would be good. The easy part to me is that Trump repeats his lies and boasts of things others did (like Obama and the vet bill HE signed) so JRB can actually respond. I thought this last one would be a better controlled setup, but I think it didn’t work for our president at all. And fact checkers. And really excellent moderator(s).
Not a chance. Do not let Biden debate Trump again. Put Biden in scripted appearances only.
I agree with you. As Pope Francis says: One must not dialogue with the devil. No to debates with the likes of CNN, Fox, Sinclair ABC stations, etc. who appear to be chummy with Putin.
A friend of mine likes to use the phrase “criminally insane” to describe Trump, as in this text she sent me last night: “The candidate who should be loudly called upon to step aside is the criminally insane convicted felon.”
I don’t think she has this copyrighted. If she does, I’m going to owe her money because I’ve been copying and pasting it in choice locations on Facebook and substacks. Her message, with its description of Trump as criminally insane, needs to be spread far and wide.
I have another comment in this thread where I say that we can actually turn this into a winning moment. All the angst about Thursday, but normal people also saw Trump lie and obfuscate through. the whole 90 minutes. He didn't win anyone over to his side.
And I agree with you and your friend completely.
Yup. From the looks of things, there is an uptick for Biden and a downtick for Trump. I learned today that donations to Team Biden took a big jump overnight. Yay. That says something right there.
Nor is she the only one to say something along that line! I saw several in my perusal of my news sources today. Ha, including one on X, during my brief visit to watch the Biden-Team's excellent postings. Clever move.
Right on, Tim!
Another great reason to view the Lawrence O’Donnell clip is he reviews the insanity of the “replace Biden” idea. It is the fourth quarter of the game, folks. This is not happening and time spent on that conversation is destructive to our critical cause and wastes the precious time we have to beat Trump. Great to see Joe Biden showing up so forcefully in North Carolina. Now, let’s show up for him!!
So right. Does it not seem that many people have to succumbed to believing that life is like a microwave oven? Instant gratification. Honestly, it makes me sick.
I agree! “Just replace the incumbent President. It’s so easy! Like upgrading your smartphone!”
I am not going to go all Kids These Days etc., but, I wonder if getting to see politics as a spectator sport via social media - if politics is your jam as an interest or a sport - makes the process seem much less complicated and difficult than it is. Also the rise of gaming, and the popularity of shows like West Wing. Presidents are not interchangeable widgets, nor are they Broadway actors with understudies waiting in the wings if they should fall ill - incapacitated or dead, yes, that is one of the functions of the VP - but you can’t just snap your fingers and replace Current President with New President and presto!
"My tummy hurts! Make me feel better! Preferably in under 60 seconds! And add some butter!"
“My heart is broken! I’m afraid! I’m looking to get Canadian citizenship! Bawl! Wail! Pee myself! This is a signal for everyone in hearing or typing range to gather around, soothe, comfort and validate me!”
Get outta here with that middle school crapola. If you’re afraid, go write postcards or donate to a campaign or something. Don’t demand that other people wash your bedsheets. (If you are truly in danger, because you have a trans child, for instance, then take steps to get concrete help, contact your local LGBT organization or the Trevor Project, don’t just trauma dump in a message board that is not specific to your concern.)
This: “Time spent on that conversation is destructive to our critical cause and wastes the precious time we have to beat Trump.”
Hear, hear, Janet!
It is only the fourth quarter because we as a party refused to face up to Biden’s vulnerabilities even as they became clear to others (Ezra Klein etc.)
I apologize for the second comment, but now is the time to get this right.
The campaign now has the opening to take on Pres. Biden's age head on. He did it Friday and now it's time for a full roll out. Expand on what he said Friday. "I am not a young man anymore but I know right from wrong". "I don't communicate as well as I used to, but I know how to make good decisions and that starts by putting a great team of people around me". "The presidency is not a solo job, you surround yourself with smart people, you take their very best advice and then as president, you make the decision". "I know how to make good decisions and I will always put what's best for America ahead of what's best for me or my family". "You know that with Trump, he only cares about himself"
There is a huge opportunity here to take this perceived negative and make it a positive and the campaign should embrace it.
💙 Wish I’d realized it was gonna happen. I wanna get to say Durham Joe⭐️.
I got an invitation because I have been volunteering with the coordinated campaign as well as Durham Democrats. Once you get started on Mobilize you'll get more invitations. Thanks!
You are brilliant! I hope the right people are listening!
Thank you for the kind words. I just think there's a real opportunity to flip this around and make it a strength.
Yes, I’m kind. But I speak the truth. I think your ideas are spot on, make sense to the “every person.” In addition, if done well, could be a true “teachable moment” for folks who are unaware of the way a President works with his/her team. Well, normal presidents do.
And Trump won’t adjust and the Biden team can,
I agree completely
Agreed!
Send this to the White House and the Biden campaign! If you don’t, I will!
It's funny you mention that. I have a contact that is on the National Finance Committee and I did send it to her. I am sure that they are inundated with all sorts of suggestions, and I trust their strategy. Thursday was not a good night, but it's only June. And Trump gets sentenced in 12 days.
There are already memes circulating.
President Biden is good at telling his folksy stories. If he really has to debate again, and in the same format, which is not to his benefit, my husband and I have come up with a suggestion - as if we are experts ☺️ President Biden did seem overprepared and exhausted. He tried to say everything he knew as fast as possible and then lost his train of thought.
Next time, don’t rush and try to jam information into two minutes. Call out Trump for being the criminal that he is and then tell a story like: Folks, I know people are feeling the effects of grocery prices, some of which comes from corporate greed. Corporations inflated prices during Covid and have not brought them down, instead taking huge profits. This felon, after handling Covid so poorly that we had more deaths than other developed nations, left me a terrible mess in the economy. I’ve been working hard to change that. Right now our economy is the best in the developed world and our stock market is at its highest. There are more jobs than ever, and we are creating more. I’m working to make sure everyone can take part in this. That you and everyone benefit, not just the rich. My opponent, who is a convicted fraudster, felon and rapist, is only out for himself, to pardon himself and help his super rich friends with big tax cuts while you pay more.
Just take it easy and don’t stoop to his level yet be strong and sure.
I simply add that mocking the great mendicant might be an effective strategy. Christopher Buckley’s guest essay in NYT a few days ago was hilarious and painfully “right on” with actual truth telling.
GT, I fully agree! David Dayen has an excellent article on Biden’s overpreparation and his team’s faulty debate strategy.
https://prospect.org/politics/2024-06-28-bidens-inner-circle-deserves-blame-debate/
President Biden could, with great advantage, emulate FDR’s beloved Fireside Chats.
I felt distraught until I watched 24 hours after comments by Lawrence O'Donnell, highly recommended! Look it up if they strip the shortcut link from this comment.
https://youtu.be/GgjyHwQOUoo?feature=shared
I agree with you Will. It took the edge off a bit.
I just want to chime in here. I’m 80 years old and still actively working my second career. I can identify so much with Joe Biden and I would have had the same reaction he did in the “debate.” I would have been profoundly overwhelmed by tRump’s full-faucet spewing of lies, misinformation and attacks and would’ve been rendered almost speechless thinking “where do I begin? Do I try to rebut or ignore and answer the question?” I could just feel Biden’s brain churning while being attacked with untruths. It had nothing to do with his age or mental acuity. It was overwhelm. I hope there will be no second “debate” because we don’t need to give 45 another platform like he got this time. Biden was dynamic at the rally here in Raleigh. We need more of that!!!
Bravo! Keep on keeping on! The world needs folks like you and Biden - and so many other old people who remain healthy and cognitively alert to provide the wisdom, and frankly, courage, that we so plainly need. Thank you.
Biden has been fighting a severe stutter his entire life. His efforts to suppress or work around it often lead to "freezes" or "gaffes", something Biden's been known for his entire political career.
Here's a good article on this from 2020, after Sanders staffers were accusing Biden of having "cognitive decline":
https://nieman.harvard.edu/articles/biden-stutter/
Sanders staffers? That’s rich. Not that I think Bernie Sanders is declining cognitively, but, he’s the same age as Joe Biden! Pot, kettle.
Bernie is 82.
Yes, Biden's expression in the beginning of the debate I read as incredulous at T's insanity. If a person isn't feeling well, standing next to T holding forth, first reaction might be 'am I in some kind of bizarro nightmare?'
Yes! Astonished, in disbelief
yes, that's what I saw!!!
Speaking of drugs.... Why is Trump falling asleep at some times, and acts like he is on speed at others? I ask because he has a well-entrenched tendency to accuse others of what he himself does.
Simon, as you, Lawrence, and the Lincoln Project show, Trump was the real "loser" in the debate, as far as insane lying rambling goes, and very few actual voters saw the debate or changed their minds anyway. I will stay strong and hopefully, most pro-Democracy voters hang tight and keep their heads together. Onwards and upwards...
I heard one commentator say that undecided Latino voters were turned off by Trump. They didn’t like his lies, his bullying, and his meanness. They were leaning towards Biden.
And as I recall (have done too much reading today so details are fuzzy), the commentator who made that statement is Latino, with wide connections in many Latino communities.