102 Comments

We've often referred to diehard Trump supporters (okay, I have) as being in a "cult". However, I now have to ask the same question with respect to diehard Biden supporters. I know what I saw at the debate. What are they seeing that I am missing? Alternatively, what am I seeing that they are missing?

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Good question. It does feel sadly familiar.

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I’m voting for Biden because I believe his team will put together a better administration.

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It seems like increasing numbers of voters in swing states disagree with you.

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That may be true but it doesn’t change how I plan to vote.

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Yes, but that will not convince all the undecided folks out there. Nor does it actually inspire the majority of Democrats who saw the unmistakable signs of Biden's physical and mental frailty at the debate. I'm a longtime Democrat and happily voted for Biden in 2020, but I cannot ignore that Biden is far from our best candidate. I'm disappointed in Biden's stubborn insistence that he's the only one who can win. I'm frustrated and saddened by the campaign staffers, aides, and fellow Democrats who tell me that what I saw, and continue to see with my own eyes, is not true. I'll vote for Biden again, but not because I think he can do the job for four more years.

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You’ve correctly referred to them as a cult. I usually say, ignorantly uninformed cult.

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I don’t understand it, I must be missing something. This per Scott Dworkin: “After all of this nonsense 193/213 House Dems, 46/47 Dem Senators and all 23 Dem Governors still support Biden. Over 91% of these key Dems. Have a great Thursday!’ I interpret this to mean that Biden still has a lot of support. Yet, we are hearing from leadership that they feel Biden should drop out.

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The politicians are not the voters. With each failed response, I fear that malaise sets in among the double haters.

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Follow Mary Trump as well and she, Brian Karem, Waj, Tara Setmayer state that what they see on the ground, people are still behind the Biden/Harris ticket. They are claiming we were being gaslit by the media.

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Just my opinion, but most elected pols don't want to come out publicly against Joe. There is affection for him, and it's just a bad look to be leading the charge. So Dworkin's summary of public positions - even if accurate- doesn't mean much. Funding is drying up. Over 70% in polls say Joe is unfit. You can't win with those numbers. Polls can be off, but not by that much. It's very tough now for Ds in November no matter what Joe does. But if he stays in, I'm afraid it's hopeless and may be a landslide for Rs across the board.

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I agree with this. I understand and get it, what I find confusing and missing something is that all it takes is to keep abreast of the news, do some research and you may find that it wasn’t “one bad night” and yet, this is what people actually think. Look, it’s more than one bad night, some bad polling, etc., the money is drying up as well. As much as I like Biden, think he was a great president and who we needed to help stabilize the country, so to speak, he needs to step aside.

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Exactly right

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I should add that I don’t know much about Scott Dworkin.

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Hi, Chris. The comments section definitely turns against you whenever you write about Biden's political reality and you're often not the most popular person Twitter.

I know criticism (almost all of it undeserved) comes with the territory of being a public figure, but how do you deal with it as a human being and not let it overwhelm you or ruin your self esteem?

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A fantasy here: Let's assume Joe Biden drops out and takes Kamala Harris with him (as opposed to endorsing her as his heir apparent), who would you pick to be the ideal President/VP combo who could actually defeat Trump/Vance in November?

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Some on “So What” have posited that Adam Kinzinger would make a great VP pick alongside a Democratic presidential candidate. Two part question here:

1. Do you think the Democrats would make such an offer, and

2. Do you think Kinzinger would accept such an offer?

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One of your headlines this week declared that the GOP is dead. With that in mind, what do you think the chances are that folks like Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and other pols who find themselves without a political home, band together to create a legitimate third party that could actually be competitive in a future presidential race?

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Is DeSantis the biggest loser of the Vance pick as far as getting leap-frogged for 2028?

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I agree with you that when (not if) Biden is pulled from the ticket, Harris has to be th replacement. A name that is getting a lot of traction for VP is Mark Kelly from AZ. He is intriguing in that he represents a swing state, is a former fighter pilot/astronaut, and of course the unfortunate fact that his wife was a victim of political violence. As someone who follows this for a living, do you think he has the personality traits needed to be on a national ticket?

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I think the real issue with Kelly wouldn’t be his personality so much as the personal decision of whether he would want to expose his wife to a national campaign and all the rigors — and the dangers — such a campaign would entail.

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LOVE that suggestion! I never thought of Kelly till now!

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And there’s a Democratic governor there to appoint a Senate replacement. Genius!

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founding

Joe Manchin

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Lots of talk about Mark Kelly. Your thoughts?

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Lynne, what have I missed? What's the talk?

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Hi Chris

How would you compare and contrast the MAGA movement with the Tea Party movement? Thanks again for your hard work!

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What do you think of Trump and other GOP politicians who are claiming that God saved Trump from being assassinated? If you believe that, aren't you also forced to believe that God allowed the innocent bystander firefighter to die in the process? I can't wrap my mind around that logic.

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It's the same God that allows women with problem pregnancies to suffer instead of receiving appropriate treatments.

It's the same God that hasn't ended the hundreds of years of strife and warfare in the Middle East.

It's the same God that permits starving children to exist throughout Africa and India.

It's the same God that allows for the unchecked rise of dictators and oppressive regimes, that inflict misery and suffering upon millions of people.

Organized religion is a cult that's larger than MAGA, and millions of people are sucked in and are unable to escape.

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A-freaking-men

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An even better question is: why would God save Trump but let children die in school shootings like Sandy Hook and Uvalde?

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We can't even get some people to believe that Sandy Hook actually happened.

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Sad but true

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Well Chris, It appears to be a rather boring time in American politics right now. Not much to see and report on...How do you spend your spare time these days?

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Kamala could shake it ALL up by picking a V.P. candidate that would allow her to show the other side what the word UNITY really means.

Adam Kinzinger.

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Hi Chris! Putting aside whether President Biden remains the nominee. What are your thoughts on his proposal announced this week to make changes at SCOTUS like term limits, enforceable code of ethics, and reversing the immunity decision? Would that have the potential to bring actionable change at the SC? Or is it more of a political move to try to gain points with Democratic voters? And another quick but unrelated question - did you get past the 3,000 paid subscribers mark this week? Thanks for all you do!

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I was wondering about this scenario: What If Biden resigns, let's say this week. Harris becomes President. That solves most of the problems with the convention and delegates, doesn't it?

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Chris-

Is it just me or does it seem like the Democrats response to everything that comes from the Republicans is " well, that's gonna be the end of democracy!" After a while it seems they begin to tune people out with that hair on fire response. Your thoughts.....

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Is there any reason that "Mayor Pete" hasn't been mentioned as a candidate for Pres or VP? He won Iowa in 2020 and gives some of the best campaign speeches I have heard.

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What is with rhe chasm between the projection on 538 (52% chance of a Biden win) and almost everyone else projecting Trump is approaching landslide territory???

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