Friday Talking Points -- More Cracks In The Democratic Dam
The political message of this week was that Republicans are unified behind their presidential nominee Donald Trump. Meanwhile, Democrats are increasingly fractured, unsure of who they even want at the top of their ticket.
The Democratic dam didn't exactly break today, but it is getting a whole lot weaker as time goes by. A third sitting Democratic senator called for President Joe Biden to step aside and make way for someone else to run, in addition to nine more Democratic House members -- the largest one-day total yet. To date, a full 35 congressional Democrats have now done so. Biden is currently quarantining at his home in Delaware (suffering from his third case of COVID-19), and so far shows no signs of heeding the call to turn the reins of the campaign over to anyone else.
[Note: while writing this column, two more Democrats joined the call for Biden to step down, including a fourth Democratic senator, Sherrod Brown. This puts the total at 37, as we write this.]
The Democratic discord was largely tamped down for most of the week, in the wake of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump and during the Republican National Convention, but now it has broken out into public view once again in a big way. This is all unprecedented -- a growing public vote of "no confidence" in the party's leader so close to a presidential election, which will either seriously undermine his candidacy or force him to end his bid. An organized group (Pass The Torch) will soon be running television ads in the Delaware (Rehoboth Beach) market calling on Biden to step down -- which is a very public way of appealing to him that has never been seen before.
Calling for a presidential candidate to step down at this point in the race is incredibly risky, of course. But the 37 Democrats in Congress who have now done so have figured that switching horses in midstream is actually less risky than watching Biden soldier on only to lose in November. Part of this is self-preservation, as Democrats are now worried that Biden will be such a drag on the ticket that he will wind up losing not just the White House but control of both houses of Congress as well. This is backed up by polling, which increasingly shows that Biden is now not only losing the critical battleground states but also might lose states that have become Democratic strongholds -- places like New Mexico and Virginia. One poll appeared this week which showed that 65 percent of Democratic voters nationwide want someone else at the top of the ticket. That is almost two-thirds of the party's base.
Several party heavyweights have now apparently lined up against Biden continuing in the race, if the press leaks can be believed. Barack Obama and Chuck Schumer both are reported to have serious doubts that Biden can win, and Nancy Pelosi seems to be urging more and more House members to come out publicly with their call for Biden to drop his bid.
Joe Biden has a personal history of overcoming the odds and beating expectations in elections, which has led him to believe that he will do so again this year. The real race doesn't even start until Labor Day, he insists, and once the campaign season gets into full swing, his polling numbers will improve and he'll beat Donald Trump just like he did the last time. Stepping down would be an admission of failure before anyone has even cast a ballot. If everyone just calms down and lets him tough it out, he'll show all of them that their doubts were unfounded. That's what Biden truly believes, from all accounts.
Of course, he could be wrong. That's the message that more and more Democrats are desperately trying to send -- that things aren't going to magically improve, and that continuing with Biden means a sure loss whereas rolling the dice with some other candidate might at least have a chance of victory.
Biden has recently tried some conventional ways of boosting his campaign, rolling out new policy objectives in an effort to show how he is looking forward to the next four years. But proposing to cap rent increases and reform the Supreme Court only goes so far when the base is unconvinced that Biden will get the chance to do any of it. If Biden loses, it doesn't really matter what policies he would have liked to implement, because Donald Trump will be in the White House once again.
The uncertainty has spread to the deep-pocket Democratic donors as well. Some even came up with a catchy slogan: "No more dough until no more Joe." This, more than the bad poll numbers, might actually get through to Biden -- a vote of no-confidence from the people bankrolling the effort to elect him and other Democrats. But at this point it is hard to tell how much of all this is getting through to Biden. He is surrounded by people who are trying to protect him, which has led to a feeling elsewhere in the party that Biden's "bubble" is shielding him from the hard, cold reality and just needlessly dragging the whole process out.
Again, these are all uncharted waters. A political party so unconfident of their nominee that many of them are publicly calling on him to step aside is completely unprecedented. At this point, Biden stepping down is not what we'd call an inevitability, but as more and more Democrats join the chorus things certainly seem to be heading in that direction. If Biden can't even convince members of his own party that he both deserves another term in office and that he will win then how is he going to convince enough voters to make it happen? Especially when two-thirds of Democrats already want him to step aside.
Of course, even if Biden does eventually see the light and come to the conclusion that stepping aside would be best for his party, the question of "What next?" will be paramount. The best scenario seems to be Biden throwing his weight behind the passing of the torch to his own vice president, Kamala Harris. For Biden to step aside, he would have to release his delegates to the Democratic convention, which would allow them to vote for someone else. If Biden makes it clear that he favors them all moving en masse to get behind Harris, he might just guarantee her the victory. If a little more than half of his delegates followed his advice and coalesced behind Harris then she would already have enough delegates to win -- which would foreclose any sort of open-convention fight between her and any other ambitious Democrats. Instead, there would be an intense race to see who would join Harris as her vice-presidential running mate. This would allow for plenty of drama while still allowing the party to unify behind Harris, which might be the best thing for the party right now.
Biden stepping down would indeed inject some excitement into the presidential race in a big way. All of a sudden it wouldn't just be "the same two guys" running against each other again, instead America would be faced with a brand-new choice. Whether this is Harris or some other Democrat, the entire dynamic of the campaign would change into something new. It would be an enormous gamble, since Election Day is not that far away. The Democratic nominee would only have a short time to make their case to the public and try to rally voters behind electing someone other than Donald Trump. But enough time does remain to do so -- at least if Biden doesn't stubbornly hang on for very much longer.
Meanwhile, the Republicans wrapped up their convention last night with an hour-and-a-half-long speech from Donald Trump. The first part of his acceptance speech was unique in a number of ways, since he recounted what it was like to survive an assassination attempt where his ear was grazed by a bullet. To state the obvious, that's not a normal thing to talk about at a political convention.
Another big way Trump's speech was unique was that he delivered at least the first parts of it in a remarkably (for him) subdued manner. He was soft-spoken -- a term we don't think has ever honestly been applied to a Trump speech before. He seemed genuinely humbled by the experience -- another term never previously used to describe a Trump speech. It was reported before the convention even began that Trump was going to try to appeal for unity and for toning the political rhetoric down, and while some speakers throughout the week did do so, others did not. Trump played it both ways, really -- he began his speech humbly, and did use the word "unity." But then at some point the gloves came off and Trump reverted to form. The remainder of his speech was a standard-fare Trump stump speech, full of dire warnings about the fate of the country under Democratic rule. There was fear-mongering, immigrant-bashing, lots and lots and lots of lies, and the glorious promise that Trump would turn everything around on Day One. The speech went on for far too long and rambled all over the political landscape, and Trump got more and more animated as time went on.
What the GOP convention proved beyond a shadow of a doubt was that the Republican Party is now the Party of Trump, period. They, at least, are unified. They have purged those within its ranks who did not wholeheartedly support Trump and will head into the rest of the campaign solidly behind their nominee.
Democrats, meanwhile, remain in Limbo (or perhaps Purgatory?). The uncertainty as to who will be at the top of their ticket has frozen the entire campaign. We have to admit, this waiting game is excruciating. There is nothing more we would love than to return to commenting on politics-as-usual here every Friday, but at the moment it seems entirely pointless to treat the current situation in any sort of normal fashion. We do apologize for this column not reverting to form and presenting Democrats with talking points to use in the coming week, but with the biggest question in the campaign still unanswered it just seems ridiculous to pretend things are hunky-dory. Because they're not.
Joe Biden is a weakened candidate, and we say that not in reference to his physical stamina, his age, or his current bout with COVID. Biden has been weakened politically -- and at this point we really don't see how he's ever going to successfully turn things around. The calls for him to step aside and give Democrats some sort of fighting chance are just growing louder and more widespread. The longer Biden hangs on, the worse this is going to get.
We are fully aware of how risky replacing Biden on the Democratic ticket truly would be. It would be an untested method of choosing the standard-bearer. It would happen without the direct input of Democratic primary voters. It would be a monumental gamble. But at this point it seems like the party's best chance to defeat Donald Trump. The Trump campaign has been centered largely on how unfit Joe Biden is for the job, but if Biden bows out they're going to have to shift their gears in a big way. This will present an opportunity for a fresh face to change the entire dynamic of the race and to prosecute the case against electing Trump again. Joe Biden is pretty obviously not up to this task right now. Sure, it would be the biggest "Hail Mary" pass ever in modern American politics -- and there is no guarantee it would work. But the alternative is even worse. So we sincerely hope that Joe Biden does get to the point where he can gracefully step aside and end his political career on a high note, passing the torch to a younger generation. It might not work -- Trump might win anyway -- but someone new would have a much better chance than Biden.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say once again: "It's time for Joe to go."
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid. stupid.
forcing Joe out would be twenty times the disaster of allowing him to stay, not just in this election cycle but probably the next three. even if he loses, it's a much better long term bet to take your lumps and prepare for the next fight. plus there's always the chance that Donald self destructs when given the chance, which a new candidate to attack wouldn't.
i reiterate: stupid.
Couldn't agree more, Joshua.
Very stupid, indeed.
I hope Joe has the last laugh ... if you know what I mean and I'm sure that you do!
Speaking of Joe, allow me one prediction if he does indeed leave the ticket ... and building.
When he makes his exit announcement, if he does so in front of the feeding frenzy press, his last words to them will be a sardonic...Thanks a LOT!!!
As for his fellow Democrats who may yet succeed in stupidly pushing him out, I'll bet he keeps his choice words for them private.
as things stand right now, i have Trump beating Biden 296-242, but there's a lot of possible recovery space with a strong showing in the fall. Kamala Harris or some less seasoned candidate i have down 348-190, with maybe the chance to eventually get back to where Joe started.
the reason for this can be summed up in 3 words: class class class.
working and middle class Americans would rather have someone they can count on, warts and all, over someone shinier and newer, selected by the coastal intelligentsia, what they call the "elite"
Joe may be old and speech impaired, but people across the whole country know what and whom he stands for. that can't be said of Kamala or any other candidate who might replace him.
why do you think Trump selected JD Vance? it wasn't because he was concerned about winning Ohio or Kentucky, it's because the guy has a scruffy working class story and wrote a book about it, much like Obama did. for all his many faults, Donald has an outstanding salesman's knack for understanding what his customers want. Joe Biden may have his problems, but he's real, and as distant as the possibility seems now, that's the only quality that has a prayer to halt the return of Donald's trump to the presidency.
It's a risk, but I have read many Reddit threads of young people really, really disappointed in the age and mental decline of both candidates. It really depends who is the replacement candidate but it could infuse enthusiasm in to the race. I think forcing Kamala as the replacement would be a huge mistake. It needs to be an open convention. If Kamala is chosen, then so be it but she needs to be chosen by the delegates, not the top democratic leadership. Plus the unusual nature of the situation might just make the convention must watch TV which would help with enthusiasm.
It could be played in an educational and positive light. I have had a father go down in cognitive decline as well as a mother in law and step father currently going through it. I seriously doubt I am alone in this. It is a major modern problem affecting many families across the nation. Dealing with it in such a public space could shine some badly needed light on the problem and possibly money and good legislation as well.
If Biden continues he will need to pull off some of his better state of the union level speeches not only at the convention but all the way into November. I'm not sure he is up to that over that long a haul...
Bashi,
I'm not sure he is up to that over that long a haul...
Biden should take better advantage of incumbency and the fact that he lives in the WH. He doesn't need to do a lot of traveling - though Air Force One isn't exactly a hardship - if he does more short announcements, mini speeches on any number of hot topics from the oval or other parts of the WH, impromptu visits to the podium in the WH press room, etc.
Yeah, he needs to interact with voters but that doesn't always have to happen alongside big rallies - more intimate settings are more his style and could do just as much good as a rally speech.
He could even say out loud that this is more to his liking as an old guy!
Will he do any of this? I'm not holding my breath.
Will ANY Democrat take the all-important economic mantle away from the Republicans? Ditto.
This is backed up by polling, which increasingly shows that Biden is now not only losing the critical battleground states but also might lose states that have become Democratic strongholds -- places like New Mexico and Virginia.
Polling that has ZERO predictive qualities four months out —
people this is FACT!
What has changed? Tell us, Chris, which block of voters has swung to Trump due to these last four months?
C’mon Chris aren’t you getting tired of having to wear Depends 24/7?
Or even these last four WEEKS?
[4]
@
poet
Dude, the polls are irrelevant thus far out.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say once again: "It's time for Joe to go."
Not normal for me, but I still haven't formulated an opinion regarding what Democrats should do/not do, but I will say (without going into too much detail), I do not like the way this entire saga has played out in the press. Be that as it may, whatever decision they make/take, it had better be one hell of a bold move that unites and ignites their Party.
nypoet22
1
stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid. stupid.
Exactly right, and ten "stupids" requires one hell of a bold move in order to justify the sheer ignorance of it all.
Elizabeth Miller
2
Very stupid, indeed.
I know, right!? Somebody better have one hell of a plan to justify the absolute batshit crazy of the spectacle of it all that is playing out in the press.
If Biden is going to "go" or "step down" in favor of Kamala Harris (not saying he should, but if he does), he should definitely make a huge move like resigning the presidency. Seriously. Biden could call a huge press conference and explain to the world that Donald Trump will never be the 47th President of the United States because Biden will simply not allow that to happen. Then he should announce that Kamala Harris will be "47" and that she is being sworn in [insert date]. Biden should then announce that he has chosen the running mate of President Harris, his good friend Michelle Obama... or another female powerhouse that would energize the electorate and knock the press back on their heels. I realize Obama says she isn't interested, but if her dang husband is going to assist in pushing out the current president because of the "existential nature" of the race, then she could suck it up and make the sacrifice and run for Vice President at Biden's request and for the good of the nation.
That's right: Run two women against the GOP. They'll naturally begin their usual routine of slut shaming, and it won't help them one iota because Donald Trump is obviously a dirty old manwhore.
Who's the old man now!?
According to this morning's headlines, President Biden is NOT giving up.
Interestingly, both Sen. Sanders AND Rep. AOC have publicly berated those who are calling for Biden's head. That certainly puts Chris and other progressive chatters in a bind: full steam ahead or recalibrate because their heroes are contradicting them.
If Biden does step down, I'm not sure what to call it.
* California Coup - as AOC rightly noted, it is the 'elites' who are telling Biden to step aside, NOT the millions of voters who cast their ballot in this spring's primaries.
* Press Putch - since the debate debacle, EVERY news outlet that I usually consult has sounded out every possible Democratic politician, seemingly daily. (HuffPost today helpfully provides a 'list so far' of those who have stabbed Biden in the back.)Once again, it seems that the media have become bloodhounds in search of a 'scoop' without regard to the damage to our democracy.
Third week without a single talking point. At what point do we insist that Chris rename the column - or stop checking in on Friday?
My nominations for this week should come as no surprise:
MIDOW: Alexandria Ocasio Cortez for saying what many of us believe.
'She says "elites" in the party want to force both President Biden and Vice President Harris off the Democratic ticket.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2024/07/19/aoc_party_elites_trying_to_remove_biden_also_want_to_remove_kamala_harris_from_the_democratic_ticket.html
"People don't love our options," she said. "The debate didn't change much at all... in terms of peoples' perceptions and where the electorate is at. Going into the debate, I'm sure most people know that the president is old. The president is very old. Donald Trump is also very old... and a neo-Nazi -- but I'm not going to talk about Trump right now."
"This class of donors, decision-makers, and power players started to waver after the debate... and saying they need to jump ship," she said. "I'm not entirely convinced by that argument."
MDDOW: Rep. Adam Schiff. I fail to understand what Schiff hoped to accomplish - other than boost to his national profile. Does he think publicly adding fuel to fire helps Biden make the decision? Did Schiff first speak to Biden privately and Biden didn't take his advice? Is this payback somehow for Schiff's censure by the Republican-controlled house?
'In the statement, Schiff, who is currently running for Senate in California, called on Biden to “pass the torch” and “secure his legacy of leadership” by allowing Democrats to defeat Donald Trump.
...
Schiff is the highest-profile Democrat to call for Biden to drop out.'
https://www.npr.org/2024/07/17/nx-s1-5042492/schiff-biden-step-aside
@JL
Why the hell do I refer to you as 'JL'???
Anyways...
do you even read what you post? none of what you quoted reads like a promise not to run again. not a lie.
If President Trump had said those exact words and then ran, ya'all would be SCREAMING about lies!! :D Don't bother denying it because we both know it's factually accurate...
Having said that, I did a deeper dive on the issue..
But the report most cited by those who believe a one-term promise was in place was from Politico in December 2019. “Biden’s top advisers and prominent Democrats outside the Biden campaign have recently revived a long-running debate whether Biden should publicly pledge to serve only one term, with Biden himself signaling to aides that he would serve only a single term,” reported Ryan Lizza. “While the option of making a public pledge remains available, Biden has for now settled on an alternative strategy: quietly indicating that he will almost certainly not run for a second term while declining to make a promise that he and his advisers fear could turn him into a lame duck and sap him of his political capital.”
Lizza would go on to quote “four people who regularly talk to Biden” who said “it is virtually inconceivable that he will run for reelection in 2024.” One “prominent adviser to the campaign” said explicitly, “he won’t be running for reelection.” That same advisor said that by signaling this one-term run, it would make the candidate a “good transition figure.”
That “transition” line is important, because it’s one Biden himself used publicly and on the record. “I view myself as a transition candidate,” Biden said at an online fundraiser in April 2020. In March of that year, at a rally where his eventual VP pick Kamala Harris was by his side, he used similar language: “I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else.”
And then there are these FACTS....
Former Vice President Joe Biden has reportedly indicated that he would only serve for one term if elected to the presidency.
Several sources within the Biden campaign told Politico that the 2020 Democratic candidate would not run for reelection in 2024, when he would be 82 years old.
"If Biden is elected, he's going to be 82 years old in four years and he won't be running for reelection," a prominent adviser to the campaign told Politico.
A 2020 front-runner, Biden, has faced questions about his age and fitness to serve in the White House.
Campaign advisers argue that announcing his intention to only serve one term and signaling that he will choose a younger running mate and cabinet would increase Biden's chances of being the Democratic nominee.
"This makes Biden a good transition figure," the adviser said, while another said Biden wants to find a running mate that he "can turn things over to after four years."
"He's going into this thinking, 'I want to find a running mate I can turn things over to after four years but if that's not possible or doesn't happen then I'll run for re-election.' But he's not going to publicly make a one term pledge," another adviser told Politico.
So, the FACT is Basement Biden all but promised he would only be a one-term POTUS...
Regardless of whether you accept these facts are not, the simple fact remains..
If Basement Biden "promises", if elected, to step down after a few months and let Headboard Harris take over, there will be TENS of MILLIONS of American voters who will say, "Yea, but you promised to only be a 'transitional' figure and be a one-term POTUS. So, we don't believe you now when you say you will step down after a few months.."
It is for this reason that I believe that your idea to have Basement Biden make ANOTHER pledge simply won't work..
We need to face reality here.. Basement Biden has lost ANY shred of credibility he may have had..
What with his senility, his dementia and his constant lying about EVERYTHING, no one is going to believe ANYTHING Basement Biden says...
show-trials in dictatorships don't have randomly selected juries that the defense can challenge or disqualify.
Sure they do..
The Constitution of Russia stipulates that, until the abolition of the death penalty, all defendants in a case that may result in a death sentence are entitled to a jury trial. Jurors are selected by the prosecution and defense from a list of 30-40 eligible candidates.
That's just one example..
You need to accept the reality that Basement Joe Biden is right up there with Vladimir Putin, Fidel Castro, Pol Pot, Idi Amin and Joseph Stalin.
All (so-called) "leaders" who had their political opponents arrested and tried in a kangaroo trial where the verdict was pre-ordained.
The FACT is that Basement Biden has more in common with Putin than President Trump ever could..
Donald broke a LOT of laws, some more serious than others. many criminals get off on technicalities
He didn't break any more laws than anyone else who has been in big business for decades..
The fact is, Democrats wouldn't have said ANYTHING about those laws if it had been anyone else but President Trump..
The mere fact that ALL the persecutors tried to cut corners to speed things up to get these trials in before the election PROVES that all of this was nothing but lawfare persecutions..
Com'on, JL.. You show enough integrity to concede that President Trump isn't the threat to our democracy that the Democrats say he is...
You have just GOT to know that all these lawfare persecutions have one goal and one goal only... To prevent or hinder President Trump's election as our next President Of The United States..
No other logical or rational reason exists for such low brow piddley-assed persecutions..
And, NOW, since ALL of those lawfare persecutions have not only failed to accomplish the goal, they have actually HELPED President Trump, we see the Navalny option rolled out...
while the crime that put our country's intelligence people's lives at risk was dismissed on a technicality,
You mean the crime that Basement Biden ALSO committed?? Is THAT the crime you are referring to???
Here's the thing on that.. President Trump had a RIGHT to keep those documents... Senator and VP Basement Biden did NOT have that right..
So Basement Biden's crime is so much worse... Funny how THAT fact is ignored, eh?? :^/
And the **ONLY** reason that Basement Biden is not being prosecuted for HIS much more serious crimes is that his own DOJ determined he was not mentally competent to stand trial.
Lucky Basement Biden, eh? :^/
as the priest said to the nudist, I'm happy to see you, but would be even happier to see a little bit less of you.
You will... I am on my 3 day weekend and then it's back to 12 hr shifts.. 2 days on, 2 days off etc etc...
So, while it might not seem that way for the next couple days, ya'all will be seeing less of me.. :D
I live to make you happier, JL.. :D
Well, what can I say...
I called this back when Basement Biden started his campaign...
No one with more than 2 brain cells to rub together would honestly and seriously believe he could actually run a whole campaign..
Hell, Basement Biden couldn't run a whole campaign in 2020!!!
As much as I hated when President Trump didn't win in 2020, I think it worked out for the best..
It showed the American people how utterly corrupt and incompetent Democrats are at governance... It showed the American people who Democrats are simply the Party of hate and bigotry...
President Trump's next 4 years in office is going to be the best years America will ever have!! :D
And then it will pave the way for President JD Vance in 2028...
Life is good, eh people?? :D
One thing to keep in mind as well...
If Basement Biden is dropped from the ticket, he will also have to resign as POTUS.. I mean, look at it..
If Basement Biden is too old and senile and dementia riddled to be the CANDIDATE then, by default, he is too old and senile and dementia riddled to be the POTUS.
This is REALLY going to decimate the Democrat Party...
The total implosion of the Democrat Party.. :D It wasn't on my bucket list, but I'll take it!!! :D
You know, I've been thinking ...
Biden is in a remarkably advantageous position now. He's got nothing to lose - especially in the sense of having to please the big elite donors - when it comes to some of the issues he is at odds with voters.
Take the US-empowered Israeli blunderbuss in Gaza as just one great example. Netanyahu is scheduled to speak to a joint session of Congress this week, having been invited by both the Republican and Democratic leadership.
If Biden wants to take full advantage of this and rally the voting public behind him, then this is a golden opportunity to break with the Israeli leadership who have just voted to discard the two-state solution and occupy the Palestinian territories long enough to empty Gaza of Palestinians and re-develop prime beachfront real estate.
I mean, Biden has already lost the elite donors, anyways, right?
Knesset passes resolution against establishment of Palestinian state
So, do I expect him to get real on this issue? Sadly, no.
If Biden wants to take full advantage of this and rally the voting public behind him, then this is a golden opportunity to break with the Israeli leadership who have just voted to discard the two-state solution and occupy the Palestinian territories long enough to empty Gaza of Palestinians and re-develop prime beachfront real estate.
That would probably be the WORST move that Basement Biden could make..
At least, worse move for the Democrats..
It would guarantee a President Trump landslide even more so than it already is...
Break with Israel??? That would basically hand the election to President Trump..
Again, even more so than it already has been handed over..
http://mfccfl.us/headmove.jpg
Yep... Yep... Yep..
That's exactly factually accurate..
On another note, what is with the posting problems here??
Is it just me?? Some sort of restriction??
I have to leave a comment within a few seconds or I am auto-logged out and have to re-login...
I also get THIS FORM IS NOT SECURE error messages all the time..
It's weird... Anyone else having these issues??
Did I say break with Israel? No, I did not.
No posting problems here.
Liz,
Did I say break with Israel? No, I did not.
Yea, you kinda did..
then this is a golden opportunity to break with the Israeli leadership
The Israeli leadership IS Israel in the here and now...
The average American voter won't make the distinction you apparently want to make...
Further, the break with Israel in favor of Palestinians is the WORST possible move here...
Doing so would REWARD Hamas' terrorism and simply invite more of the same..
While I acknowledge that the Palestinians DO have legitimate grievances, it is also undeniable that Palestinians NEGATE any legitimacy with their commission and support of terrorism..
The US should whole-heartedly and enthusiastically support Israeli leaderships goal to totally eradicate Hamas & Hezbollah with finality...
If Basement Biden wants to actually HELP his candidacy, THAT would be the best step he could take..
No posting problems here.
Ahhh… What browser do you use???
@m [20],
agree 100%
[18],
if Donald wins, we'll see whether his near death experience spurs him on to see the straight line from the bank to the bullet, become a true Jacksonian and reform the Fed - or whether it further stokes his tendency to give the military illegal orders to attack his political opponents. I'm not being glib here, it's a sincere question.
[17],
JL are my initials, Joshua Lynn Eisenstein, and sometimes how i sign my posts.
Biden didn't initially intend to run at all, and maybe was considering bowing out after one term if he thought Kamala was ready, but he never explicitly said so. presumably he didn't feel she was, and indicated fairly early that he would stand for re-election.
you're still reaching way up your own posterior on the legal stuff. i do believe that there is an appearance of political motivation behind the prosecution, but that doesn't make the man innocent. to be blunt, he did all the things they say he did.
@m[24],
yup.
@caddy,
i wasn't discussing polls, just predicting electoral college results based on the way i see each state race shaping up at the moment.
Well, there are other less contentious issues that Biden could take the lead on and advantage of given the extraordinary position he finds himself in.
It's kind of like being the proverbial lame duck president but it's actually much better than that! :)
JL,
JL are my initials, Joshua Lynn Eisenstein, and sometimes how i sign my posts.
Ahh yea... That's right... I remember now.. Thanx :D
Biden didn't initially intend to run at all,
Yes, exactly.. And, according to reports, it was President Trump saying that "Nazis were very fine people" in Charlottesville that prompted Basement Biden to decide to run again..
But, as SNOPES has revealed, the claim that President Trump said that nazis are very fine people was a lie...
So, Basement Biden based his running for a 2nd term on a LIE...
Don't you find that so ironic?? :D
, but that doesn't make the man innocent. t
Oh com'on.. What politician is actually innocent??
You think Basement Biden is "innocent"?? If Basement Biden wasn't found to be mentally incompetent by his own DOJ, he would be prosecuted as soon as he left office.
Would you support such a prosecution??
to be blunt, he did all the things they say he did.
Nope... Not even close.. Even the "felonies" that President Trump allegedly committed were actually only misdemeanors...
The law has been twisted and reshaped to fit a political agenda.. This is undeniably fact..
Liz,
I don't think Jill wants to be a 'lame duck' POTUS.. :D
So, the FACT is Basement Biden all but promised he would only be a one-term POTUS...
All but...so he did not lie by your own admission. He changed his mind...
You need to accept the reality that Basement Joe Biden is right up there with Vladimir Putin, Fidel Castro, Pol Pot, Idi Amin and Joseph Stalin.
He got convicted in a state court initiated by a state attorney general.
Trump on the other hand is actively threatening to be just like your examples...
No other logical or rational reason exists for such low brow piddley-assed persecutions..
Sure there is. He committed the crimes. Should he be above the law purely because you worship him?
Elizabeth Miller
19
Biden is in a remarkably advantageous position now.
He definitely has more power today than he did in the past, as would anyone else in the office he holds, due to the ruling of the Supreme Court wherein he was granted immunity for official acts and a surprisingly broad definition regarding what would constitute an official act.
He's got nothing to lose - especially in the sense of having to please the big elite donors - when it comes to some of the issues he is at odds with voters.
He's still got a great deal to lose depending on how he handles things, keeping his actions "official" being the obvious best course of action.
Take the US-empowered Israeli blunderbuss in Gaza as just one great example.
It seems there is nothing happening in the wide world that you aren't willing and/or eager to blame on the United States... for whatever reason.
If Biden wants to take full advantage of this and rally the voting public behind him, then this is a golden opportunity to break with the Israeli leadership...
Not sure why you believe the "voting public" would "rally" around any president who would do any such thing. The US supports Israel; the Israeli electorate chooses their own leaders. The United States supports our allies and generally leaves it up to their electorate to choose their own leaders. That generally works the same way in England, France, etc.
I mean, Biden has already lost the elite donors, anyways, right?
Not all of them. Whatever Biden chooses to do with the awesome power he holds will definitely involve donors, and it isn't possible -- never has been, never will be -- to please them all. Your suggestion would be a surefire rapid way to lose an abnormally large chunk of them.
Just keeping it real. :)
nypoet22
5
why do you think Trump selected JD Vance?
Because he is a narcissist who saw a younger clone of himself whom he believed he had converted to his side with the charm he obviously believes he possesses. It never occurred to the toxic narcissist who believes he possesses the charm to win over anyone, that James David Vance isn't so much a "convert" as he actually is a younger clone of Trump: An opportunist who will say and do whatever it takes to achieve his desired outcome... facts be damned.
Vance had discussed with GOP strategist Mike Murphy that he wanted to run for Senate in Ohio as a never-Trump candidate. Long story intentionally shortened: Murphy advised Vance via Trumpsplaining, and Vance ultimately reinvented himself as a "Republican populist" -- a Never Trumper turned pro-Trumper -- in order to achieve his objective. I mean, the guy who described Trump as "America's heroin" and opined that "Trump's promises are the needle in America's collective vein," and "to every complex problem, he promises a simple solution," pretty much described Trump to a proverbial "T," and Trump was clearly vain enough to believe in his own power that he converted Vance into a true believer. It'd be hysterically funny if it weren't so pathetically obvious.
it wasn't because he was concerned about winning Ohio or Kentucky, it's because the guy has a scruffy working class story and wrote a book about it, much like Obama did.
Yep. And Trump refers to this as "Central Casting." Anyway, Vance apologized to Trump for his past statements and blamed "the media," and it appears that Trump enamored of his own perceived ability to turn Vance into a Trumpkin simply failed to factor into the equation that Vance actually was "the media" in the flesh who trashed Trump. It appears it never occurred to Trump that Vance is/was "the media" who did a whole lot of Trump trashing, Vance being one of the "original OG never Trumpers" and frequent media trashers. Repeat after Vance: "America's Hitler."
Reminds me a lot of Tucker Carlson, another of "the media," who was outed in the Dominion litigation and had to apologize and reinvent himself to Trump:
for all his many faults, Donald has an outstanding salesman's knack for understanding what his customers want.
So you're saying he's a shapeshifter? Trump isn't just a con artist but tragically a narcissist who buys into his own bullshit to the point of not being able to objectively weigh obvious facts because his constant need for praise and his ego simply cannot allow it.
A funny pic making the rounds of an American flag digital backdrop at the RNC with something like 80 stars. What states are we adding? Man, the GOP are sloppy with graphic design. How unpatriotic is it to screw up the flag that bad? And it's far from their first blatant mistake...
It also has only 12 stripes. Did they kick off New York for convicting him?
@kick,
not a shape shifter, an idiot savant. he probably has no clue why he's making the decision, it just feels right, and frequently is.
BashiBazouk
31
All but...so he did not lie by your own admission. He changed his mind...
Biden originally described why he was running in 2020:
Biden said he was running in 2024 to "finish the job."
Sure there is. He committed the crimes. Should he be above the law purely because you worship him?
I used to think the Trump apologists in the cult of personality simply "swallow the Kool-Aid," but thanks to J.D. Vance and his stated beliefs and astute observations, I'm convinced they actually mainline it like "cultural heroin," Vance's description of Trump, not mine.
Biden will do himself a favour if he just ignores foreign policy during the rest of the campaign. That's what most of the media does while they give him a pass on his administration's failing record. Now there is one thing I thought I'd never say in a million years about my favourite living US pol. But, there it is.
The reality is that the Biden administration has been a complete failure on the Israel-Gaza-Palestinian file. Biden promised aid would get into Gaza. That has never happened in any substantial or effective way. Recall that pier the US built to transport aid from the sea and then had to repair it and repair it again before it was dismantled. No significant aid ever reached the people of Gaza from this failed effort. So, there's that.
The Israeli peace plan that Biden announced but that the Israeli's never supported has gone nowhere. And, yet Biden says he's done more for the Palestinians than any other president. Amusing.
And, the US is now rather isolated as the World Court has ruled against Israel and its occupation of the Palestinian territories and upheld the commonly held notion that Israeli settlements there violate international law. On this, the US, UK and Israel are isolated from the rest of the world. So, there's that on top of that.
https://www.theguardian.com/law/article/2024/jul/19/why-icj-ruling-against-israel-settlement-policies-hard-to-ignore-occupation-palestinian-territories
Then there is Ukraine. Another long war not going well with Zelensky still demanding hundreds of F16 fighter jets though there are few Ukrainian pilots and no infrastructure in Ukraine to operate, support and maintain them. NATO support is decreasing. It's a mess.
I had such high hopes for a Biden presidency BECAUSE of what I believed he was capable of in terms of prosecuting an effective US foreign policy that operated on the principle that the US leads best by the power of its example rather than by the example of its power. Those high hopes were further elevated when Biden tapped one of my favourite US statesmen to head up the CIA in Bill Burns. But, alas, those hopes have been decidedly dashed.
No one can make Biden step aside. Whether he does so will depend only on how he prioritizes keeping himself in denial versus keeping Trump out of office.
No one can make Biden step aside. Whether he does so will depend only on how he prioritizes keeping himself in denial versus keeping Trump out of office.
According to latest reports, Basement Biden is intending to stay on the ticket...
Current and former aides of Basement Biden are saying that his persistent regret and frustration over Democrats dissuading him from running in 2016 is driving his resolve to remain in the 2024 race.
They are saying Basement Biden is so bitter about how he was treated in 2016 that he is determined to stay in the race simply out of spite..
This isn't an election between President Trump and Basement Biden!! It's a grudge match with Basement Biden against Barack Hussein Odumbo!!! :D
Damn!! I shoulda bought stock in Orville Reddenbauchers!!! :D
If Biden plans to stay in he needs to do a speech, press conference or interview and unscripted as possible ASAP. Too many news stories and rumors swirling around at the moment.
On the other hand Trump seems to see that Project 2025 is a serious weakness. He needs to be hit hard on that. A good one line rallying cry for the rest of the election...
On the other hand Trump seems to see that Project 2025 is a serious weakness. He needs to be hit hard on that. A good one line rallying cry for the rest of the election..
Except President Trump has already disavowed Project 2025 and the ONLY thing tying President Trump to 2025 is guilt by association... And if Democrats are stoopid enough to go down THAT road.... Well.. :D
No, this sounds more like desperation along the same lies as the "Trump said Nazis were fine people" BS.... Nothing but lies and BS as far as the eye can see...
The BEST option Democrats have is to cede the Oval Office to President Trump and concentrate their efforts and their money on the House & Senate...
And I know MANY Democrats who agree with that..
Except President Trump has already disavowed Project 2025 and the ONLY thing tying President Trump to 2025 is guilt by association... And if Democrats are stoopid enough to go down THAT road.... Well.. :D
Association of a huge number of people in his administration and likely in his next one if he wins. Plus there is video of him praising it. He can try but it's likely to stick to him like fly paper.
Sorry, buddy, we have the receipts...
Keep on pushin' that desperate plan..
You DO realize it's not going to do any good, right??
You DO realize that President Trump is your next President Of The United States...
I mean, look at it Bashi... You have some weird desperate non existent link between President Trump and a fringe plan that no one believes..
And President Trump has a Democrat Civil War and a POTUS who is senile and dementia-riddled and is over-staying his welcome...
Seriously, who would YOU put your money on??
ESPECIALLY since it's obvious to anyone with more than 2 brain cells to rub together that President Trump has learned a LOT about Democrat Modus Operandi and has sanded his rough edges..
I mean, it's really cute that you think Democrats actually have a chance here.. :D :D
And it gets even worse.
Now we're seeing blue on blue (word) violence...
“Can we all just remember for a minute that these same people who are trying to push Joe Biden out are the same people who literally gave us Donald Trump? In 2015, Obama, Pelosi, Schumer pushed Biden aside in favor of Hillary; they were wrong then, and they are wrong now.”
-Biden Source
Camp Basement Biden is blaming his Dem detractors for getting President Trump elected in 2016...
Aaahhhh yes... The sweet sound of Democrat in-fighting.. It's music to my ears.. :D
I mean, com'on!! When a Democrat loses the media ya'all GOTS to know that the fat lady has sung, packed up, went home to her cats and is sound asleep with a tub of ice cream in front of the TV...
But hay... I hope Basement Biden holds on for a couple more months.. :D
In other interesting news, fully one third of Democrats and Trump/America haters think that President Trump faked the assassination attempt. :^/
This is totally awesome!!! :D
You are the one sounding desperate. It's not even the August silly season yet. Much can happen between now and November. Plus you were making the same assurances this time four years ago...
Trump has praised Project 2025. His people have praised Project 2025 and some are behind writing it. He gets to own it. And he lies constantly. You and your fellow cult members may believe his disowning but the rest of America? We will see...
Lets not forget that Trump's cabinet seriously talked about removing him via the 25th amendment, twice. Are you sure your guy is going to make it to November? He is sounding more and more like a doddering bitter old man.
But you have not answered the most important question: would you prefer to die by electrocution or eaten by a shark.
"Amazing. Everything you said just there was wrong."
-Luke Skywalker
Whatever you have to tell yourself to make it thru your day...
Basement Biden is history... Democrats are history.. Even CW recognizes this fact.. :D
Same thing you were spewing 4 years ago. Yawn.
Like I said...
Whatever you have to tell yourself to make it thru your day... :D
You seem to be on a much stronger dose of copium than me...
Well, I am not a druggie..
I prefer reality over drug-induced hallucinations, but to each their own....
Definitely live in Portland, the druggie capital of the US..
Enjoy your copium...
:eyeroll:
So much copium you have forgotten you took it. Not a good sign...
Ah, I see you're projecting your copious copium consumption onto me.
Maybe it's time for a reality check.
Or just a stronger prescription??
:eyeroll:
Though it is interesting how quickly you jump to trying to crap us out and dismissal rather than defending your points. Losing it or don't really believe it?
Facts are facts...
They require no defense..
Like the FACT that Basement Biden is history...
JUST as I predicted over a year ago... :D
I hate being factually accurate all the time.. :D
Ah yes, fact FACT and FACT. Your history with that word is not as stellar as you would like it to be...
Biden is stepping aside as of 2 pm EDT.
"Biden is staying in.." "Joe Biden is in this race to win.." "Joe Biden will never quit.." "Joe Biden will beat Trump!!"
-Biden Campaign All Weekend
"Joe Biden is DEFINITELY not dropping out of the campaign."
-Press Secretary Jean Claude Damn
"I can't beat Trump. I failed. I quit"
-Basement Joe Biden, 21 Jul 24
BBBBWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
And, if reports are accurate, Basement Biden is NOT going to endorse Headboard Harris.. :D
DEMOCRAT CIVIL WAR!!!
FILM AT 11!!!
This is a VERY good day.. :D
Biden drops out. Now Trump is the doddering old guy...
@Bashi
Ah yes, fact FACT and FACT. Your history with that word is not as stellar as you would like it to be...
Ah, indeed!
Unlike some, I actually believe in the radical notion of facts. They tend to have a pesky habit of sticking around, unlike certain political promises.
Like "I am staying in this race!!" and "I am in it to win it!!!"
:D
Biden drops out. Now Trump is the doddering old guy...
Who can dodge bullets
BBBBWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
You won't be able to make THAT laughable charge stick...
But even a doddering old guy is better than Headboard Harris..
The town bimbo who only got to where she is by laying on her back and being on her knees... :D
How misogynistic. Is that the GOP platform?
Oops.. Jumped the gun.. Basement Biden DID endorse Headboard Harris.. :D
How misogynistic. Is that the GOP platform?
Nope.. Once again.. Just stating the facts..
It's a well known fact that Headboard Harris slept her way to her positions..
Sorry you have such a luser Democrat bench, Bashi... :D
So much for the claim that it was "Just One Debate"!! :D
It was the debate that ended Basement Joe Biden...
His legacy will be forever that he is a quitter... :D
Aw yes, your usual misrepresentations disguised as "facts"... Definitely not a stellar relationship with that word.
But just wait, every time Trump rambles off into whatever weird tangent he will be compared to Biden and misogynistic insults will be referred to Project 2025...
Plus this whole drama is a hell of a lot more entertaining that the snooze fest of the GOP convention...
Already a major plot twist and we haven't even entered the silly season yet...
Once again... Whatever you have to think to make it thru your day... :D
Democrats have lost..
They are just too stoopid to know it.. :D
They know it.
Time will tell...
My phone is ringing off the hook, and I am ending each "session" by interrogating the caller in between peals of uncontrollable laughter.
So you've spent nigh on two years prattling on and on to the electorate regarding the pitfalls of selecting a doddering senescent to lead our nation, and so I cannot stop myself from asking two things:
(1) What is that saying about being hoisted by your own petard? Rhetorical question, obviously... and
(2) Who's the old man now!?