The worry should be, he makes it through based on your scenario and we get to September and this happens again, then too late to make a change, he loses by 10+ and all the Dems can say was "well he tried his hardest." Is that good enough when democracy and the country literally hang in the balance?
As I continue to try to read the tea leaves I came across this about house Dems internal discussions:
One Democratic member of the House from a swing district, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation, said that “everyone’s dealing with the issue of having to outperform the top of the ticket.”
“So the question is do we take back the House?” the member said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) met with a group of swing district Democrats early this morning to hear where they stood on Biden.
When asked if there is consensus on Biden the member said, “Everyone understands he’s got to make that decision.”
It doesn't look like their going to be willing to take the risk of pushing Biden out.
Exactly. And given how quickly his health appears to be changing, that is almost guaranteed to happen. Not even mentioning that he has yet to start making 1/ his case 2/ the case against trump.
This is utter insanity. Joe Biden will get a participation trophy while America dies.
I got this wrong too. But that's more because Biden and his wife are selfish and delusional, and I thought party leaders would insist he step down. When Biden goes down to defeat -- or somehow wins but is unable to do his job -- much of the blame for this debacle will rightly be placed with the Speaker of the House and Majority Leader. Neither profiles in courage.
It wasn't just a bad debate. I'll refer you to the recent article in The Atlantic by Dr. Emmanuel. He says that he's met people in their 80s with strong cognitive skills but Biden isn't one of them. Sanjay Gupta is another who has expressed concerns.
Both parties have failed the public. It's disappointing.
I have been wondering if BIden stays in should I support Senate candidates in tight races. Right now I am too angry that they are such cowards. I did give money to my rep, Angie Craig, who has been one of the few to speak out.
If Trump wins, (God forbid) it's so important that have a check on his Supreme Court Justices with the Senate, and a check on his bills with the House. I worry that having Biden at the top of the ticket will give MAGA full control! It's more important than ever that we vote blue. I'm in Michigan, and I know, no matter what happens, I need to vote straight ticket Dems from President to local seats.
It’s all terrifying to me. Watching the debate was excruciating and painful, my heart ached for Biden. Walked around stunned and shocked. Last week, I came to terms with the fact that I thought he would be stepping aside. Yesterday, I started feeling that he is not going to step aside and started feeling down for him staying. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster. All that being said, I am afraid that he will be the nominee and we lose in a landslide. Or, another episode and it will be too late to do anything about.
It’s been a long time coming, I remember how disappointed I was the day President Biden announced he was running for reelection. I thought — no, please leave with this very successful term as your legacy. Retire with dignity and let someone else defeat Trump this time. But here we are.
Yes, I was disappointed that he would run again. I certainly didn’t expect the Biden from 4 years ago, however, thought he would do an okay job The bar was low and figured he’d be able to clear it and hopefully surpass it by a bit. I was not expecting just how bad he was.
I lean left but try and keep myself aware of what is going on. I don’t feel as though I have my head in the sand and tend to look at things from the left and the right and figure the truth is somewhere in the middle. I have felt that Biden was the right guy for the job in 2020 as we needed a steadying leader after Trump. I did not think he should be the nominee for 2024 due to his age. Saw some decline and know he has a stutter problem that he controls for the most part but can still get tripped up. I have seen him and I know he looks older and walks slower. The slow walk onstage at the debate did not startle me but once he started talking and the split screen was just awful.
I couldn't make myself watch the debate, because I knew it was going to be a disaster. I figured Trump would blather, and Biden wouldn't be quick enough to counterattack.
I buy into the theory that Biden is nowhere near home free from being forced to step down. There is something to be said for timing. He is not going to host the NATO Summit as a lame duck, so even if he were vaguely entertaining exiting the race, he would not do it before his speech on Thursday. Also, Trump will name a VP on Monday as the RNC commences in Milwaukee. Dropping out sometime next week would be a cannonball dive into the GOP convention bounce (scrambled metaphors, sorry). Even those elected officials voicing support seem unenthused and in ransom video mode.
The tide seems to have shifted and not enough dem leaders are stepping up. Maybe I'll start hoping for another major Biden screw up before the convention to force him out.
Congress just got back to work yesterday. Give them time to strategize, so that all goes as smoothly as possible with a Biden withdrawal. I've loved Joe Biden for many years, but his time is over. He is in high denial...a family intervention may be necessary, in conjunction with Congress.
I see this is a matter of Joe Biden’s ego. He is making this fight based on input from Jill and Hunter. If he was really serious about doing the best thing for the country, he would be calling in a huge round table of people to give him honest advice to which he would be open to listening to, and not staying in his bubble. I don’t see that happening. He is making himself more important than anything else, and that bears a slight resemblance to the other guy.
President Biden still has no clear message against his extremely flawed opponent with unpopular policies.
Biden says he is fighting against those who doubt him — but should be SHOWING the American people that he, unlike Trump, is intelligent, stable, honest and surrounded by great people. He should demonstrate that he can be a great leader for everyone, including his critics.
Joe Biden may become the Democrat’s official nominee, but his current strategy won’t earn the votes of the people he needs to win.
There is nothing in the polling to suggest either a massive falling of support for President Biden OR that any voters will switch from Biden to Trump. That just isn't going to happen. So the issue is, simply put, will enough Biden voters stay home so the election is thrown to Trump. I'm guessing no, that won't happen. We all know Trump will say multiple amazingly stupid things between now and election day. We also see abundant evidence that herd journalism is alive and well. Yes, the Biden story is serious and legit. But, also yes, there have been very few original thoughts on the topic from the mainstream media. Trump will have multiple opportunities for big lies in Milwaukee and he won't be able to resist. We'll find out if those lies change the media narrative, huh?
I hear you. But I don’t think the media’s job is to come up with original thoughts. It’s to report on and possibly analyze current events. Anything else is activism.
This is just inside baseball / not what matters. What matters is if he's the best realistically available option, and he plainly isn't. Time making it easier to keep the nomination also makes it harder to win, as he's obviously not going to go another few months without more 'senior moments' that cost him more votes.
Great perspective, Chris. I wonder if this could turn out to be a game changer, in a very twisted and chaotic way, in terms of breaking the narrative of this campaign. For months, it was Trump, Trump, Trump, every day. And Biden talking with what felt like no one listening. Nothing changed. Then the debate, the fallout and Biden turning fiery as he fought for his political life. Maybe that can be sustained. I have serious doubts, but I guess we’ll see. It’s a huge risk. If he gets nominated at the convention, and then something happens that he can’t recover from, I don’t know what the protocol would be to replace him at that point.
If President Biden continues to deny what is obvious to everyone else, and continues to put his personal ambitions ahead of the country’s, the best case scenario is for him to have another disastrous public display of his frailties so that there is no doubt that he needs to step aside. He is not going to get better.
Every time Biden speaks is a disaster waiting to happen so you find yourself listening for slip-ups and not paying attention to anything he is saying. Combine that with his low energy campaign strategy and it becomes obvious why a new nominee is needed, one who can hit the ground running and be out there all of the time. Come on, Joe. One last patriotic career move is in order.
Like I said in the video, I don't think it's a good idea for Democrats to stick by Biden. I just think it's more likely they are going to do so today than it was a week ago.
There’s another interesting dynamic to consider. The 9 Congressional Democrats that have openly come out to ask Biden to step down, may be reflecting their concerns of their constituents and the need for a strong leader. Republican or Democrat. They care less perhaps. Threats from China may be uppermost in their minds rather than a woman’s right to choose. I think that’s why the Congressional Black Caucus is publicly supporting Biden. Trump is more of an existential threat to them. If you are a white man you care about different things. Even if you are a democrat. If true, this shows a path for Biden. Arrogance. Attack, attack, attack, refusal to stand down are all positive traits those white men want to see.
The worry should be, he makes it through based on your scenario and we get to September and this happens again, then too late to make a change, he loses by 10+ and all the Dems can say was "well he tried his hardest." Is that good enough when democracy and the country literally hang in the balance?
Totally agree. It is a MASSIVE risk.
As I continue to try to read the tea leaves I came across this about house Dems internal discussions:
One Democratic member of the House from a swing district, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a private conversation, said that “everyone’s dealing with the issue of having to outperform the top of the ticket.”
“So the question is do we take back the House?” the member said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) met with a group of swing district Democrats early this morning to hear where they stood on Biden.
When asked if there is consensus on Biden the member said, “Everyone understands he’s got to make that decision.”
It doesn't look like their going to be willing to take the risk of pushing Biden out.
They don't have the power to push Biden out, and they know it.
Exactly. And given how quickly his health appears to be changing, that is almost guaranteed to happen. Not even mentioning that he has yet to start making 1/ his case 2/ the case against trump.
This is utter insanity. Joe Biden will get a participation trophy while America dies.
I got this wrong too. But that's more because Biden and his wife are selfish and delusional, and I thought party leaders would insist he step down. When Biden goes down to defeat -- or somehow wins but is unable to do his job -- much of the blame for this debacle will rightly be placed with the Speaker of the House and Majority Leader. Neither profiles in courage.
It wasn't just a bad debate. I'll refer you to the recent article in The Atlantic by Dr. Emmanuel. He says that he's met people in their 80s with strong cognitive skills but Biden isn't one of them. Sanjay Gupta is another who has expressed concerns.
Both parties have failed the public. It's disappointing.
both parties are being led by their leader — and they place him over the needs of their constituents.
I have been wondering if BIden stays in should I support Senate candidates in tight races. Right now I am too angry that they are such cowards. I did give money to my rep, Angie Craig, who has been one of the few to speak out.
If Trump wins, (God forbid) it's so important that have a check on his Supreme Court Justices with the Senate, and a check on his bills with the House. I worry that having Biden at the top of the ticket will give MAGA full control! It's more important than ever that we vote blue. I'm in Michigan, and I know, no matter what happens, I need to vote straight ticket Dems from President to local seats.
It’s all terrifying to me. Watching the debate was excruciating and painful, my heart ached for Biden. Walked around stunned and shocked. Last week, I came to terms with the fact that I thought he would be stepping aside. Yesterday, I started feeling that he is not going to step aside and started feeling down for him staying. Talk about an emotional rollercoaster. All that being said, I am afraid that he will be the nominee and we lose in a landslide. Or, another episode and it will be too late to do anything about.
It’s been a long time coming, I remember how disappointed I was the day President Biden announced he was running for reelection. I thought — no, please leave with this very successful term as your legacy. Retire with dignity and let someone else defeat Trump this time. But here we are.
Yes, I was disappointed that he would run again. I certainly didn’t expect the Biden from 4 years ago, however, thought he would do an okay job The bar was low and figured he’d be able to clear it and hopefully surpass it by a bit. I was not expecting just how bad he was.
I lean left but try and keep myself aware of what is going on. I don’t feel as though I have my head in the sand and tend to look at things from the left and the right and figure the truth is somewhere in the middle. I have felt that Biden was the right guy for the job in 2020 as we needed a steadying leader after Trump. I did not think he should be the nominee for 2024 due to his age. Saw some decline and know he has a stutter problem that he controls for the most part but can still get tripped up. I have seen him and I know he looks older and walks slower. The slow walk onstage at the debate did not startle me but once he started talking and the split screen was just awful.
I couldn't make myself watch the debate, because I knew it was going to be a disaster. I figured Trump would blather, and Biden wouldn't be quick enough to counterattack.
Guess I wasn't far off.
We couldn’t keep it on. I did participate in Chris’s chat that evening but we turned it off. After about 30 minutes we couldn’t handle it.
I buy into the theory that Biden is nowhere near home free from being forced to step down. There is something to be said for timing. He is not going to host the NATO Summit as a lame duck, so even if he were vaguely entertaining exiting the race, he would not do it before his speech on Thursday. Also, Trump will name a VP on Monday as the RNC commences in Milwaukee. Dropping out sometime next week would be a cannonball dive into the GOP convention bounce (scrambled metaphors, sorry). Even those elected officials voicing support seem unenthused and in ransom video mode.
The tide seems to have shifted and not enough dem leaders are stepping up. Maybe I'll start hoping for another major Biden screw up before the convention to force him out.
Thank you for pointing that out. Glad somebody did.
Congress just got back to work yesterday. Give them time to strategize, so that all goes as smoothly as possible with a Biden withdrawal. I've loved Joe Biden for many years, but his time is over. He is in high denial...a family intervention may be necessary, in conjunction with Congress.
His family is encouraging him to stay and "fight".
Ah...that is what we are told. There is more to this than meets the eye...
I see this is a matter of Joe Biden’s ego. He is making this fight based on input from Jill and Hunter. If he was really serious about doing the best thing for the country, he would be calling in a huge round table of people to give him honest advice to which he would be open to listening to, and not staying in his bubble. I don’t see that happening. He is making himself more important than anything else, and that bears a slight resemblance to the other guy.
President Biden still has no clear message against his extremely flawed opponent with unpopular policies.
Biden says he is fighting against those who doubt him — but should be SHOWING the American people that he, unlike Trump, is intelligent, stable, honest and surrounded by great people. He should demonstrate that he can be a great leader for everyone, including his critics.
Joe Biden may become the Democrat’s official nominee, but his current strategy won’t earn the votes of the people he needs to win.
There is nothing in the polling to suggest either a massive falling of support for President Biden OR that any voters will switch from Biden to Trump. That just isn't going to happen. So the issue is, simply put, will enough Biden voters stay home so the election is thrown to Trump. I'm guessing no, that won't happen. We all know Trump will say multiple amazingly stupid things between now and election day. We also see abundant evidence that herd journalism is alive and well. Yes, the Biden story is serious and legit. But, also yes, there have been very few original thoughts on the topic from the mainstream media. Trump will have multiple opportunities for big lies in Milwaukee and he won't be able to resist. We'll find out if those lies change the media narrative, huh?
I hear you. But I don’t think the media’s job is to come up with original thoughts. It’s to report on and possibly analyze current events. Anything else is activism.
This is just inside baseball / not what matters. What matters is if he's the best realistically available option, and he plainly isn't. Time making it easier to keep the nomination also makes it harder to win, as he's obviously not going to go another few months without more 'senior moments' that cost him more votes.
Great perspective, Chris. I wonder if this could turn out to be a game changer, in a very twisted and chaotic way, in terms of breaking the narrative of this campaign. For months, it was Trump, Trump, Trump, every day. And Biden talking with what felt like no one listening. Nothing changed. Then the debate, the fallout and Biden turning fiery as he fought for his political life. Maybe that can be sustained. I have serious doubts, but I guess we’ll see. It’s a huge risk. If he gets nominated at the convention, and then something happens that he can’t recover from, I don’t know what the protocol would be to replace him at that point.
If President Biden continues to deny what is obvious to everyone else, and continues to put his personal ambitions ahead of the country’s, the best case scenario is for him to have another disastrous public display of his frailties so that there is no doubt that he needs to step aside. He is not going to get better.
Yes, and as soon as possible. Today would be good.
Every time Biden speaks is a disaster waiting to happen so you find yourself listening for slip-ups and not paying attention to anything he is saying. Combine that with his low energy campaign strategy and it becomes obvious why a new nominee is needed, one who can hit the ground running and be out there all of the time. Come on, Joe. One last patriotic career move is in order.
I would SO like for there to be a presidential candidate that I could be excited about again.
With the Republican convention next week, don’t you think every speaker will have something to say about Joe Biden’s age and the debate?
yes 1000%
Like I said in the video, I don't think it's a good idea for Democrats to stick by Biden. I just think it's more likely they are going to do so today than it was a week ago.
JOURNALISM!
They have no choice. Biden is staying in. They have no power to remove him. He's their nominee, and so they have no choice but to back him.
There’s another interesting dynamic to consider. The 9 Congressional Democrats that have openly come out to ask Biden to step down, may be reflecting their concerns of their constituents and the need for a strong leader. Republican or Democrat. They care less perhaps. Threats from China may be uppermost in their minds rather than a woman’s right to choose. I think that’s why the Congressional Black Caucus is publicly supporting Biden. Trump is more of an existential threat to them. If you are a white man you care about different things. Even if you are a democrat. If true, this shows a path for Biden. Arrogance. Attack, attack, attack, refusal to stand down are all positive traits those white men want to see.
It's like watching a live version of the Emperor's New Clothes. Just with a bit more on the line.
I agree with some pundits debating that the longer Biden remains, the more harm he does to the Dems chances in November.
Somehow the Republicans have managed to convince themselves that Trump is their best candidate (everyone can play the Emperor' New Clothes game).
Does that mean the Dems have to do the same?
Let’s just hope we don’t have another incident after he is formally nominated.