Donald Trump and JD Vance are a grave threat to American liberty, but those concepts have been left undefended by the selfishness and delusions of a small group of men and women clinging to power instead of their duty.
As a human being, I never intentionally want to hurt someone’s feelings. That being said, there’s a fine line between honesty and hurtful. It’s difficult to decide the right choice for the Democratic Party because the stakes are so high for our country. The only sure thing for me is that we cannot give Trump the victory. The party leaders appear to be listening finally that the American voters have never wanted this race. And I hear what you hear in Biden’s resistance. Like Trump, he has made this personal. It’s time for Joe to retire, because it is not about his future, but the future of this country and our children’s future.
We have Joe Biden’s back if he can stick this out. He has to weather this storm and come out even stronger. Otherwise he will have to support Harris and that is the only way.
This defies common sense. This is not about Joe Biden's back. It's about stopping Trump, and he is obviously not the person to do it, which voters have been saying for years now. He needs to appreciate the long career he's had and get over his ego - which is pretty off-putting- to put the country first.
Read all the posts here and not a word about the accelerating hard set dementia clearly revealed by Steve's words. Guess the cheerleaders in here have decided to pick and choose what facts to entertain based on their own inner emotional reactions--the reality of rational facts be damned. Certainly ignoring the reality than Biden's inability to cope on just about any level is now recognized not only by two thirds of the country's Democrats but more importantly by his tribal preatorians--Pelosi and Schumer, who represent his last real life boat. Many claim it is too late. That is an absolutist conclusion. I do not consider this claim as anything more than projection from a fortress of fear--again from an emotional base. Also distrust it since MAGA echoes it often because they want Biden to run for obvious post debate reasons. I believe that this country desperately wants a brand new candidate not spent to senility, and would enthusiastically respond with true hope, not the lame loyalty they cling to, but to hope made alive by change. Who is it? The whole Democratic apparatus needs to sit and meet, willing to abandon all the old established decorums of rank and next-in-liners, and recognize the coup creeping under their doors. They need to recognize it is up to them to stretch, reconsider, shuck the old costumes and customs, produce someone from the ranks that is above all vibrant and energetic.
May, so is she calling Jeffries an "Uncle Tom", going along with his white mentor Palosi, because last I saw, he's a man of color. And is she saying Pelosi is some kind of "She-Man", propping up a white male democrat establishment? WOW! I think this woman is an hysterical Karen out there spewing some questionable stuff. These people, Pelosi, Schumer, and Jeffries are VERY!! concerned about down ballots. That the way the Biden situation is going, there is grave concern that Democrats down ballot will lose their races for the house and senate, and if this happens then the MAGAs will have a super majority all around.
The real problem for the democratic leaders is that she is not an isolated voice. If you look away from the glare of the fancy news room and check out the anxious voices out in the periphery of those same people who were the ones showed up for Biden after the debate, you would be troubled by the leaders’ move. If they can’t get the grassroots to back them up no matter how big the donor check from the Wall Street or Hollywood they are holding up, the argument will not pass the test of the angry defenders of Biden. I haven’t seen an alternate candidate that, for one, who will not fracture the party, number two, who has the poll number to back them up. Let me know if you have one who can. I will be all for it. I am an extreme moderate. I have no allegiance but to my own conscience.
This just out from the Atlantic. An open convention or some similar process can include Harris along with others competing for the top spot. This article is interesting. BTW, I've read that just within the past few days, Obama is in the background saying maybe Biden should reconsider his candidacy. Last I saw, Obama is a man of color too. Because Obama is a practical man, I'm fairly sure he will be utilized to help the black voters come to terms with a jettisoned Biden/Harris ticket. There's lots going on behind the scenes. Everyone is just waiting for Joe and Jill's final decision before more info about this would-be process and the willing prospective candidates is and are enumerated.
I do want to say, at the danger of getting yelled at, that this positon is not just strategic, but also a threat. That is to say, anything other than Biden or Harris will result in a mass exodus from the cause, and willingness to let the fascists win. OK, it is what it is then.
The enthusiasm for Biden Harris from the crucial minority blocks is undeniable.They are neither brain washed nor blind. Their support for Biden aftermath of the disastrous debate has been organic and strong. No democrat can win this very close election without their support.
Correct. And what I've heard coming from those leaders is very, very clear as you just said. And I consider that to also be a threat. This is very difficult. I mean, let's say I believe that neither Biden nor Harris can win, but George Clooney or Taylor Swift would win easily. And we're talking about staving off Fascism, right? But then this group here says lookit, if you go with anyone other than Biden or Harris, we're out and the Fascists can win, what should I do? I'm saying I'll go along. One reason is the Democratic party has built their own bunker this way. For my whole life, they tell these minority blocks that the country is at stake, and the minority blocks don't feel their lives changing whether it was Reagan/Bush, or Clinton or even Obama. That's on the party. And now for the first time they see SOME movement. And so I get the reasons and reasoning. But I also think they might not win.
Yes true, if you are watching https://youtu.be/TTKKE8pw3T4?si=Ka3a5sg73MkzQSoq then you obviously will feel some kind of blindsided fear. The parallel mirrored reaction to the non-white democrats who feel cynically that the elite white men are trying to jam down their throat their own pick of the nominees instead of the will of the people. Biden even without Harris has always spoken to and for these folks and now it includes women. I for one was disappointed and turned off by the Clinton brand of democrats before, but Biden has personally earned my vote.
The demonstration in front of the Wite House by manufactured outrage is only prove that there are now elections deniers on both sides of the aisle. There is no other candidate polling decisively better either.
Besides Kamala, there are a half-dozen respected Democratic governors who have a good chance of beating Trump. Biden has almost zero chance. I'd think Whitmer, Shapiro, and Newsom are right now thinking of when to step forward. They're waiting for Biden to step aside graciously first.
Gosh I hope you are right ! I like Shapiro a lot .... I so wanted Hillary to win... I don't think the country is ready for a woman... And I don't want to take the chance with Trump running . It would give these dreadful maga people feelings of glee running against a woman.
I agree, sadly and with profound respect for what Biden has accomplished. His comment that he brought order from chaos is true, and telling. He did that the first year of his presidency. But this campaign is different. He cannot rest or campaign on what he has accomplished. This election is about no less than our future. I, for one, have no desire to live in a fascist country, or even a country aiming to be fascist. Joe must go.
Joe Biden, bless his heart, allowed this to happen with his disastrous choice of Merrick Garland as Attorney General. Trump should have been investigated, tried and incarcerated years ago. Instead he was unleashed upon this nation, emboldening the corrupt Supreme Court justices and allowed to roam the nation spouting his non stop lies and grievances.
If Adam and other Democrats insist Biden must step down, then get on with it. And if they’re if so intent on cleaning house, please get rid of that useless, empty suit, Chuck Schumer - the consummate idiot who refused to fund Tim Ryan’s campaign for the Senate in Ohio. Now we have the Musk/Thiel shapeshifting, mendacious pet as the Vice President nominee of the Project 2025 Party. We Democrats are the stupidest, most self destructive collective on earth. We can’t defeat ourselves fast enough. Democrat leadership, stop playing whack-a-mole with the Biden situation. Get your act together and for the sake of this country - do it fast!
Thank God for former anti MAGA Republicans who seem to be the only ones that have a firm grasp on the obvious.
Yeah, I never understood the Merrick Garland appointment. I didn't really get the connection between "highly respected Judge and intellectual" and "best choice for Attorney General," which is of course largely an administrative job. Or at least setting the agenda for a massive adninistrative function. I mean, I think it was be a Judge or maybe an author or teacher.
Actually I'll answer my own question. It was the exact same issue we are having now with the President. Merrick Garland got hosed, he took the beating, and Biden felt he needed to be "loyal" to him. And he couldn't renominate him for the Supreme Court because, given the new playbook, he was too old and not diverse enough (just saying). So....let's see.....you're a "law guy"...how about AG? I mean, that was NOT a good enough reason, but here we are. And now with the President we are faced with the same question.
Merrick Garland successfully prosecuted Tim McVeigh and Oklahoma bombing. He knows much more than we do about the entirety of this MAGA movement. Trump didn't start in WACO for nothing.
AG Garland has been a forthright Judge. I expected the clean prosecution and not prosecuting in public opinion. His challenge to get an appeal proof case and without hinderance of due process claims anticipated and its currently all up in the air with inane motions supported by "friends" of DJT.
I admit - I NEVER expected the high dollar rollers to put so much bullsh!t motions in against the process and the repetitive court of public opinion by DJT - to the level of insanity. Ed Meese topped the cherry of insanity with his Amicus brief.
Not ONE Attorney General was prepared to fight a cabal of SCOTUS, Former AG Meese - and their MAGA ilk hell bent on subverting our country's foundation for power. I see the fangs out for the evil perpetuated as power and money. Law and Order of SOTH lies - My F'n a$$. Its everything for DJT fans and the law for the rest. Again - Fascists are at the gate.
Absolutely concur! Biden’s shortcoming, even when his brain was still working and energy intact, was too “nice”, too naive, too much of a compromiser. He really has never been leadership material, in my view. The way he immediately backed down and compromised with Putin—his appeasement response to a great bully, and timid, minimalist support for Ukraine caused uncountable suffering and loss for its people, and only postponed and made far worse a problem that our country and Nato will inevitably have to deal with later. Putin’s aggressions and sabotaging efforts across Europe and here are not the kind problem that can be solved by ignoring it or reframing it as somehow ok. It is a disease like cancer—Aggressors like this must be stopped quickly and by means of bold and courageous actions.
The theory is that had he not been so reluctant to proceed against Trump and his high level accomplices, things might have unfolded very differently. I'm not sure he ever would've gone after Trump if the J6 committee hadn't shown the evidence first. Definitely a failure on his part IMO.
It matters not that any concur with your analysis but the perception is spot on. The fact that he has contracted Covid presents an opportunity to gracefully bow out and whether we at the voting level agree or not it certainly appears to be the consensus at the upper echelon. The time is now and there will not be another.
I agree, and believe he will announce in the next couple of days that, "due to advise from his physician", he has decided to heed the call to step aside.
It's not exactly what the Dems had in mind when they promised aggressive counter-programing on Thursday eve. It would certainly add one more sharp contrast to the MAGA hype. I feel for Joe, but am also beyond exasperated.
“Winning is all that matters, and Joe Biden can’t be in. It’s over. Joe must go, and anyone who maintains the “I’m With Joe” charade is really a spoiler and a quitter who cares little about the dangers that we face, or the future of the country.”
Steve, you had me at hello! I’ve been in your camp from the beginning. We all saw the catastrophe of the debate; you can’t unsee it! It was heartbreaking to watch, and I felt humiliated for supporting the man right up until the debate, while whispers of his mental decline were circulating for almost a year.
We all gave Joe and his advisers the benefit of the doubt. And like MAGA, they proved Lincoln’s famous quote (although it may be incorrectly attributed):
“If you want to test a man’s character, give him power!”
Biden proved he’s an egocentric narcissist, with delusions of grandeur. His advisors proved they are nothing but a bunch of hideous pond scum, trying to cling to power. And to add insult to injury, Biden is now getting his best advice from Hunter (no commentary necessary).
If Biden acquiesces, there is an opportunity for democrats to gain all the oxygen in the room, and deny Trump the type of media attention he seeks for the remainder of the election cycle. Remember, 65-70% of Americans would prefer that both Trump or Biden step down.
It may be a Hail Mary pass, but keeping your star quarterback in the game after he suffered a major concussion, is still worse than bringing in the backup; especially given this is the Super Bowl. And the only difference is this election will have lasting consequences for decades to come.
Well done. It's a relief not to get castigations anymore from Democrats. This, that has heartened me and that I keep sharing, was culled from the net awhile back: "A significant number of voters don't want to vote for either of these candidates…You take Biden out of this race, suddenly voters don't have much of a rationale to vote Trump and a new candidate wins pretty easily…I believe the party that replaces their candidate will be the party that wins in November."
The ability to shift gears when you follow the facts is a true sign of intellect. We can’t keep fighting the only Biden battle any longer. Let’s all just hope that the knowledge that he is going to drop out has been shaping the Democrats plan for awhile and they have a plan in place. Trump and Vance are a horrifying prospect. That said, I also believe that Trump, because he’s such a damaged,weak narcissist, is ultimately going to feel threatened by Vance who is younger, better looking and a much more skilled duplicitous lying piece of shit. Trump will sabotage his own campaign out of vanity and jealousy. Vance knows he’s dealing with a moron.
Totally agree with you. Right now trump is just a useful tool. The Musk/Thiel oligarchy boys will offer him lots of money to go away after a fake “time for me to pass the MAGA torch” to appease his idiot worshippers. Then their shapeshifting, order-taking, “Omen-eyed” boy will take over just as planned. The trump may have already agreed to this…..look at his face during all the creepy, lying speeches last night….especially during the speech of the fat cheeked, bearded face of Project 25.
I have been struggling with all of this. I am afraid that it is too late. Not sure we will win with him and stepping down at this late date feels like a losing cause. Biden should not have run again, but here we are.
I did trust Biden when he chose to run again- not sure I agreed, but I figured you have to give him the benefit of the doubt given that he has been a great President...
Even now I'm not sure we have anyone who will do any better.
Of course we don’t “know”, can’t be sure that choosing a new team for this fight will succeed, but it is the best strategy we have. To embrace it boldly and enthusiastically would be a heartening and attractive proposition. Whereas hopelessly sticking with a person who has rapidly diminishing capacities, and is unable to stand up to the fight and the course ahead, is as delusional as we like to point out the Maga people are. They are delusional but one thing they understand a lot better than we seem to—that winning comes first. I think we can be a lot more competitive than they are, and attractive to the majority, if only we stop playing defense until we are backed up to our goal, and move out strongly onto offense!
Our perceptions could not be more distant, but consider that in poll analysis this morning, the math is that if Trump were to win every state where he's currently leading (significantly enough to be at least a "lean Trump" he would be at 330 electoral votes. He may ultimately lose some of those states, though the trajectory is against Biden. This is not anywhere close to a dead even race. If you're looking at national numbers that are within 2-3 points, that doesn't tell you who is best positioned to win, since we don't elect by popular vote. If you're a Biden die-hard, you will discount that as well as his clear physical and mental decline. I prefer our chances with someone much younger and who can inject some much-needed life into this campaign.
I think we could stir some excitement in the party and with outsiders to take attention off of JD and Trump. Then let the debates begin. I haven’t given $$$ to the Biden campaign but I and others would if we had someone to believe in. I’d rather lose the battle trying then by despair and frustration with the current administration. I have no hope with Biden. I do have hope with another candidate.
I agree with this. I have given 0 to Biden campaign because I have no hope in it. Please for the love of God and Country and our World as we know it, Joe step aside! Put aside the belief that only You can salvage our democracy. We need a team Captain and you don't have a team!
It is a sad moment. It did not have to be this way. I don’t know if a change will win this election, but my gut tells me it will be a catastrophic loss without one.
Very inciteful reorting and opinion. I've written directly to the White House requesting President Biden not seek reelection and support VP Harris. She can do the job and keep moving forward.
I’ve been with you since you first started writing about Biden’s run at a 2nd term. Truer words have not been spoken and so here is America at the doorstep of the 2 most vile Republicans who will certainly win on Nov 5. And yet some of your readers are standing beside their man Joe and vowing to vote for him come hell or high water. If he doesn’t abandon his plan to run, the US will pay heavily for his stubbornness and women in particular will lose all that they have won over the last 70 years and be relegated to a Taliban-like role in society. The time is now and the urgency is real.
I get everything you’re sayin. My biggest concern is that changing near election is going to be a big problem. If u don’t choose K. Harris you will lose the black vote and many of the womens vote! Make sure u know WTF you’re doing. At this point I’m disgusted that dirty laundry is showin and this should have been descided before the primaries. I guess I’m upset that we have lived on the concept of your vote counts and seems it dosnt! Disgusted! Get your crap together if u don’t want boomers anymore. This is a perfect example of why we are losing in polls because u have sowed doubt in all Dems. Come on man!
DNC has a long history of pushing their preferred candidates through against voters wishes. They pushed Clinton through over Bernie with their superdelegate votes, and she lost. (So, now they don’t have superdelegates) They pressured everyone not to primary Biden. The theory being we didn’t want to weaken the incumbent who would surely be the nominee anyway. Then they told people who urged Biden to step aside that they had their chance to primary him and missed it. Not sure when DNC will learn that the party is strongest when they have candidates voters freely support in the first place and not under duress.
The black vote will not let Trump win, even if Harris is left out. It just won't happen, especially if everyone gets behind exposing Project 2025. Black women will not let a JD Vance/Project 2025 win over their autonomous bodies. They just won't let it happen no way no how.
It’s past time. I feel terrible for Joe Biden. As we grow older, it’s not uncommon for people to feel left out, irrelevant, ignored. Some become bitter,impatient, and can lash out at others. And of course, most of us don’t go through this as POTUS. He has every reason to be proud of his time in office, his myriad accomplishments. I have supported him without serious reservations, but his time has come. He must step aside before it’s too late.It seems like a critical mass has been reached.
Steve, we cannot just call for Biden to step down without a strategy and a proposal for something better. That is anarchy. I propose a Kamala Harris - Josh Shapiro ticket. He is the Jewish governor of PA and offers a chance to win a key swing state. She could inspire higher turnout among blacks, women, and young people in WS, GA, AZ and possibly Michigan. If you don't like this idea, propose something better. Gov. Whitmer of MI has already said she is not running. What else you got?
I agree Steve, and I share both great respect for Joe Biden and his presidential accomplishments, as well as profound sadness at his inability to recognize the reality that it is time for him to “pass to torch”. I hope he will recognize this sooner rather than later. Further, I’d like to comment about JD Vance’s self-portrayal and his RNC acceptance speech. Vance’s portrayal (including in his book) of living in the midst of Appalachia in Middleton, Ohio is penultimate horse crap. I used to go to Middleton in the summer as a boy in the early 1960s as my dad traveled Ohio selling Wrangler jeans to retail store owners. Even then Middleton was becoming a bedroom community to Cincinnati. It is not in Appalachia. In fact it’s also a university town (Miami University). That doesn’t mean only Appalachian towns can have addiction problems, towns like Middleton can have them too. Look at a map. If Middleton is in Appalachia, then so is Cincinnati (my home town), which is of course not true. This is all made up horse manure. Now, based on Vance’s speech last night, it sounds as if he may have kin from Kentucky, parts of which are in Appalachia. And maybe some of them migrated to Middleton for work. But that doesn’t make Vance a native of Appalachia as he portrays. He’s a Midwesterner, a Buckeye (like me) from Ohio. That’s it, period. Like everything the MAGA GOP says, it’s a myth and a lie.
As Bidens decline accelerates it becomes increasingly obvious that he can not win. He is, undoubtably, losing more of the double-haters... and low information voters...every day. That said, the recent YouGov poll showing Dem senate candidates outperforming Biden by 5-10 points indicates that the votes are there to take down the MAGA- fascist ticket. (other polls indicate that a Dem not named Biden can win against Trump). If JB won't step aside, he must forcibly removed. One would hope that, when presented with that prospect the Biden family would choose to exit the noble,way. Lets hope. We have a Republic to save.
Re: gap between Biden and Senate races, these historically tend to tighten so there's not much divergence. I'm assuming private polling by the candidates shows this, hence the growing apprehension.
I will vote for Joe if he is a top of the Democratic ticket or whether he is on life support or lying in State at the rotunda because no one else is stepping up to replace him. Donald Trump will never get my vote even if he runs unopposed. However, I wish the Democratic party would be more decisive and either back a new candidate or get behind Joe Biden and prop him up or use A I technology whenever Joe has to appear on TV as a replacement for the real Joe.
I basically said the very same thing to my neighbor a few minutes ago. I said I would vote for a dead dog if that’s what’s on the ballot, but never Trump. Having said that, if Joe remains on ticket, there in lies the “dead dog”. Every time he’s shown on TV he looks worse. Please Joe, for all of us, retire, it’s time.
Patrick, there just might be a lot more going on behind the scenes regarding possible replacements than the public has been made aware of. Everyone is just waiting for Joe and Jill to finally come to terms with Joe's human biology limitations at this point before any other announcements about replacements are made.
As a human being, I never intentionally want to hurt someone’s feelings. That being said, there’s a fine line between honesty and hurtful. It’s difficult to decide the right choice for the Democratic Party because the stakes are so high for our country. The only sure thing for me is that we cannot give Trump the victory. The party leaders appear to be listening finally that the American voters have never wanted this race. And I hear what you hear in Biden’s resistance. Like Trump, he has made this personal. It’s time for Joe to retire, because it is not about his future, but the future of this country and our children’s future.
Well said.
I as a minority voter am hearing a very different version of this story. https://www.youtube.com/live/aqYZ8EGuMB8?si=l7smTI1obiBsc_Na
We have Joe Biden’s back if he can stick this out. He has to weather this storm and come out even stronger. Otherwise he will have to support Harris and that is the only way.
This defies common sense. This is not about Joe Biden's back. It's about stopping Trump, and he is obviously not the person to do it, which voters have been saying for years now. He needs to appreciate the long career he's had and get over his ego - which is pretty off-putting- to put the country first.
Thank You ! It is not about Biden's back.
Read all the posts here and not a word about the accelerating hard set dementia clearly revealed by Steve's words. Guess the cheerleaders in here have decided to pick and choose what facts to entertain based on their own inner emotional reactions--the reality of rational facts be damned. Certainly ignoring the reality than Biden's inability to cope on just about any level is now recognized not only by two thirds of the country's Democrats but more importantly by his tribal preatorians--Pelosi and Schumer, who represent his last real life boat. Many claim it is too late. That is an absolutist conclusion. I do not consider this claim as anything more than projection from a fortress of fear--again from an emotional base. Also distrust it since MAGA echoes it often because they want Biden to run for obvious post debate reasons. I believe that this country desperately wants a brand new candidate not spent to senility, and would enthusiastically respond with true hope, not the lame loyalty they cling to, but to hope made alive by change. Who is it? The whole Democratic apparatus needs to sit and meet, willing to abandon all the old established decorums of rank and next-in-liners, and recognize the coup creeping under their doors. They need to recognize it is up to them to stretch, reconsider, shuck the old costumes and customs, produce someone from the ranks that is above all vibrant and energetic.
There is considerable angst, understandably, right now.
May, so is she calling Jeffries an "Uncle Tom", going along with his white mentor Palosi, because last I saw, he's a man of color. And is she saying Pelosi is some kind of "She-Man", propping up a white male democrat establishment? WOW! I think this woman is an hysterical Karen out there spewing some questionable stuff. These people, Pelosi, Schumer, and Jeffries are VERY!! concerned about down ballots. That the way the Biden situation is going, there is grave concern that Democrats down ballot will lose their races for the house and senate, and if this happens then the MAGAs will have a super majority all around.
The real problem for the democratic leaders is that she is not an isolated voice. If you look away from the glare of the fancy news room and check out the anxious voices out in the periphery of those same people who were the ones showed up for Biden after the debate, you would be troubled by the leaders’ move. If they can’t get the grassroots to back them up no matter how big the donor check from the Wall Street or Hollywood they are holding up, the argument will not pass the test of the angry defenders of Biden. I haven’t seen an alternate candidate that, for one, who will not fracture the party, number two, who has the poll number to back them up. Let me know if you have one who can. I will be all for it. I am an extreme moderate. I have no allegiance but to my own conscience.
This just out from the Atlantic. An open convention or some similar process can include Harris along with others competing for the top spot. This article is interesting. BTW, I've read that just within the past few days, Obama is in the background saying maybe Biden should reconsider his candidacy. Last I saw, Obama is a man of color too. Because Obama is a practical man, I'm fairly sure he will be utilized to help the black voters come to terms with a jettisoned Biden/Harris ticket. There's lots going on behind the scenes. Everyone is just waiting for Joe and Jill's final decision before more info about this would-be process and the willing prospective candidates is and are enumerated.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/i-think-it-s-happening/ar-BB1qehbv?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=db5a9a2ab1cb466282ca3076bed4bd8e&ei=20
Very good. Hope we can come out of this stronger and find a way to galvanize the democrats. We need Biden to help us regardless.
I do want to say, at the danger of getting yelled at, that this positon is not just strategic, but also a threat. That is to say, anything other than Biden or Harris will result in a mass exodus from the cause, and willingness to let the fascists win. OK, it is what it is then.
The enthusiasm for Biden Harris from the crucial minority blocks is undeniable.They are neither brain washed nor blind. Their support for Biden aftermath of the disastrous debate has been organic and strong. No democrat can win this very close election without their support.
Correct. And what I've heard coming from those leaders is very, very clear as you just said. And I consider that to also be a threat. This is very difficult. I mean, let's say I believe that neither Biden nor Harris can win, but George Clooney or Taylor Swift would win easily. And we're talking about staving off Fascism, right? But then this group here says lookit, if you go with anyone other than Biden or Harris, we're out and the Fascists can win, what should I do? I'm saying I'll go along. One reason is the Democratic party has built their own bunker this way. For my whole life, they tell these minority blocks that the country is at stake, and the minority blocks don't feel their lives changing whether it was Reagan/Bush, or Clinton or even Obama. That's on the party. And now for the first time they see SOME movement. And so I get the reasons and reasoning. But I also think they might not win.
Yes true, if you are watching https://youtu.be/TTKKE8pw3T4?si=Ka3a5sg73MkzQSoq then you obviously will feel some kind of blindsided fear. The parallel mirrored reaction to the non-white democrats who feel cynically that the elite white men are trying to jam down their throat their own pick of the nominees instead of the will of the people. Biden even without Harris has always spoken to and for these folks and now it includes women. I for one was disappointed and turned off by the Clinton brand of democrats before, but Biden has personally earned my vote.
The demonstration in front of the Wite House by manufactured outrage is only prove that there are now elections deniers on both sides of the aisle. There is no other candidate polling decisively better either.
Has anyone heard what the alternative is?
Besides Kamala, there are a half-dozen respected Democratic governors who have a good chance of beating Trump. Biden has almost zero chance. I'd think Whitmer, Shapiro, and Newsom are right now thinking of when to step forward. They're waiting for Biden to step aside graciously first.
Gosh I hope you are right ! I like Shapiro a lot .... I so wanted Hillary to win... I don't think the country is ready for a woman... And I don't want to take the chance with Trump running . It would give these dreadful maga people feelings of glee running against a woman.
I agree, sadly and with profound respect for what Biden has accomplished. His comment that he brought order from chaos is true, and telling. He did that the first year of his presidency. But this campaign is different. He cannot rest or campaign on what he has accomplished. This election is about no less than our future. I, for one, have no desire to live in a fascist country, or even a country aiming to be fascist. Joe must go.
he cannot rest or campaign on what he has accomplished
Why are those still suggesting Biden stay in the race unable to grasp this?
THEY are not suffering from dementia and or other cognitive issues. What am I missing here?
Joe Biden, bless his heart, allowed this to happen with his disastrous choice of Merrick Garland as Attorney General. Trump should have been investigated, tried and incarcerated years ago. Instead he was unleashed upon this nation, emboldening the corrupt Supreme Court justices and allowed to roam the nation spouting his non stop lies and grievances.
If Adam and other Democrats insist Biden must step down, then get on with it. And if they’re if so intent on cleaning house, please get rid of that useless, empty suit, Chuck Schumer - the consummate idiot who refused to fund Tim Ryan’s campaign for the Senate in Ohio. Now we have the Musk/Thiel shapeshifting, mendacious pet as the Vice President nominee of the Project 2025 Party. We Democrats are the stupidest, most self destructive collective on earth. We can’t defeat ourselves fast enough. Democrat leadership, stop playing whack-a-mole with the Biden situation. Get your act together and for the sake of this country - do it fast!
Thank God for former anti MAGA Republicans who seem to be the only ones that have a firm grasp on the obvious.
Yeah, I never understood the Merrick Garland appointment. I didn't really get the connection between "highly respected Judge and intellectual" and "best choice for Attorney General," which is of course largely an administrative job. Or at least setting the agenda for a massive adninistrative function. I mean, I think it was be a Judge or maybe an author or teacher.
Actually I'll answer my own question. It was the exact same issue we are having now with the President. Merrick Garland got hosed, he took the beating, and Biden felt he needed to be "loyal" to him. And he couldn't renominate him for the Supreme Court because, given the new playbook, he was too old and not diverse enough (just saying). So....let's see.....you're a "law guy"...how about AG? I mean, that was NOT a good enough reason, but here we are. And now with the President we are faced with the same question.
Stop!
Not the time to hash and rehash what Biden should have done.
Let’s concentrate on where we are right now. Can’t undo anything. Unity is what is important now.
Trump must be defeated!
Merrick Garland successfully prosecuted Tim McVeigh and Oklahoma bombing. He knows much more than we do about the entirety of this MAGA movement. Trump didn't start in WACO for nothing.
AG Garland has been a forthright Judge. I expected the clean prosecution and not prosecuting in public opinion. His challenge to get an appeal proof case and without hinderance of due process claims anticipated and its currently all up in the air with inane motions supported by "friends" of DJT.
I admit - I NEVER expected the high dollar rollers to put so much bullsh!t motions in against the process and the repetitive court of public opinion by DJT - to the level of insanity. Ed Meese topped the cherry of insanity with his Amicus brief.
Not ONE Attorney General was prepared to fight a cabal of SCOTUS, Former AG Meese - and their MAGA ilk hell bent on subverting our country's foundation for power. I see the fangs out for the evil perpetuated as power and money. Law and Order of SOTH lies - My F'n a$$. Its everything for DJT fans and the law for the rest. Again - Fascists are at the gate.
Absolutely concur! Biden’s shortcoming, even when his brain was still working and energy intact, was too “nice”, too naive, too much of a compromiser. He really has never been leadership material, in my view. The way he immediately backed down and compromised with Putin—his appeasement response to a great bully, and timid, minimalist support for Ukraine caused uncountable suffering and loss for its people, and only postponed and made far worse a problem that our country and Nato will inevitably have to deal with later. Putin’s aggressions and sabotaging efforts across Europe and here are not the kind problem that can be solved by ignoring it or reframing it as somehow ok. It is a disease like cancer—Aggressors like this must be stopped quickly and by means of bold and courageous actions.
Agreed. Always a deal maker, never a leader. Time to turn the page and salvage what we can.
Amen
Nancy, how was the appointment of Merrick Garland the cause of all of this? What am I missing?
The theory is that had he not been so reluctant to proceed against Trump and his high level accomplices, things might have unfolded very differently. I'm not sure he ever would've gone after Trump if the J6 committee hadn't shown the evidence first. Definitely a failure on his part IMO.
OK. Not in agreement, but OK.
That's what free speech is all about.
Yup.
It matters not that any concur with your analysis but the perception is spot on. The fact that he has contracted Covid presents an opportunity to gracefully bow out and whether we at the voting level agree or not it certainly appears to be the consensus at the upper echelon. The time is now and there will not be another.
I agree, and believe he will announce in the next couple of days that, "due to advise from his physician", he has decided to heed the call to step aside.
We can only hope!
I think during Trump's acceptance speech would be fine timing: Breaking news from Rehobeth . . .
It's not exactly what the Dems had in mind when they promised aggressive counter-programing on Thursday eve. It would certainly add one more sharp contrast to the MAGA hype. I feel for Joe, but am also beyond exasperated.
This was published today in "The Hill":
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4779902-biden-covid19-health-rnc/
NanceeM, Meagan McCain has the same idea:
https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-donald-trump-rnc-2024-election-1927207
“Winning is all that matters, and Joe Biden can’t be in. It’s over. Joe must go, and anyone who maintains the “I’m With Joe” charade is really a spoiler and a quitter who cares little about the dangers that we face, or the future of the country.”
Steve, you had me at hello! I’ve been in your camp from the beginning. We all saw the catastrophe of the debate; you can’t unsee it! It was heartbreaking to watch, and I felt humiliated for supporting the man right up until the debate, while whispers of his mental decline were circulating for almost a year.
We all gave Joe and his advisers the benefit of the doubt. And like MAGA, they proved Lincoln’s famous quote (although it may be incorrectly attributed):
“If you want to test a man’s character, give him power!”
Biden proved he’s an egocentric narcissist, with delusions of grandeur. His advisors proved they are nothing but a bunch of hideous pond scum, trying to cling to power. And to add insult to injury, Biden is now getting his best advice from Hunter (no commentary necessary).
If Biden acquiesces, there is an opportunity for democrats to gain all the oxygen in the room, and deny Trump the type of media attention he seeks for the remainder of the election cycle. Remember, 65-70% of Americans would prefer that both Trump or Biden step down.
It may be a Hail Mary pass, but keeping your star quarterback in the game after he suffered a major concussion, is still worse than bringing in the backup; especially given this is the Super Bowl. And the only difference is this election will have lasting consequences for decades to come.
IMHO!..:)
Well done. It's a relief not to get castigations anymore from Democrats. This, that has heartened me and that I keep sharing, was culled from the net awhile back: "A significant number of voters don't want to vote for either of these candidates…You take Biden out of this race, suddenly voters don't have much of a rationale to vote Trump and a new candidate wins pretty easily…I believe the party that replaces their candidate will be the party that wins in November."
Mr. Jaffee, Spot on!
We gave them the benefit of the doubt, didn't expect them to be like the others, and lie to US/us about his health.
Not an honest broker in the bunch. :-)
The ability to shift gears when you follow the facts is a true sign of intellect. We can’t keep fighting the only Biden battle any longer. Let’s all just hope that the knowledge that he is going to drop out has been shaping the Democrats plan for awhile and they have a plan in place. Trump and Vance are a horrifying prospect. That said, I also believe that Trump, because he’s such a damaged,weak narcissist, is ultimately going to feel threatened by Vance who is younger, better looking and a much more skilled duplicitous lying piece of shit. Trump will sabotage his own campaign out of vanity and jealousy. Vance knows he’s dealing with a moron.
Totally agree with you. Right now trump is just a useful tool. The Musk/Thiel oligarchy boys will offer him lots of money to go away after a fake “time for me to pass the MAGA torch” to appease his idiot worshippers. Then their shapeshifting, order-taking, “Omen-eyed” boy will take over just as planned. The trump may have already agreed to this…..look at his face during all the creepy, lying speeches last night….especially during the speech of the fat cheeked, bearded face of Project 25.
What is the plan?
Kamala Harris. Sorry.
I have been struggling with all of this. I am afraid that it is too late. Not sure we will win with him and stepping down at this late date feels like a losing cause. Biden should not have run again, but here we are.
I hope we have a good plan.
I did trust Biden when he chose to run again- not sure I agreed, but I figured you have to give him the benefit of the doubt given that he has been a great President...
Even now I'm not sure we have anyone who will do any better.
Me too.
The polls say otherwise and an open convention will attract the attention of the nation rather than the Lie/Hate MAGA Festival in Milwaukee!!!
I hope it's not an open convention.
Of course we don’t “know”, can’t be sure that choosing a new team for this fight will succeed, but it is the best strategy we have. To embrace it boldly and enthusiastically would be a heartening and attractive proposition. Whereas hopelessly sticking with a person who has rapidly diminishing capacities, and is unable to stand up to the fight and the course ahead, is as delusional as we like to point out the Maga people are. They are delusional but one thing they understand a lot better than we seem to—that winning comes first. I think we can be a lot more competitive than they are, and attractive to the majority, if only we stop playing defense until we are backed up to our goal, and move out strongly onto offense!
The representatives don't think Biden can win, so...
There really isn't any choice.
I hope we win.
Could anyone do worse?
absolutely.
The election is still, even after all of this chaos, dead even.
Our perceptions could not be more distant, but consider that in poll analysis this morning, the math is that if Trump were to win every state where he's currently leading (significantly enough to be at least a "lean Trump" he would be at 330 electoral votes. He may ultimately lose some of those states, though the trajectory is against Biden. This is not anywhere close to a dead even race. If you're looking at national numbers that are within 2-3 points, that doesn't tell you who is best positioned to win, since we don't elect by popular vote. If you're a Biden die-hard, you will discount that as well as his clear physical and mental decline. I prefer our chances with someone much younger and who can inject some much-needed life into this campaign.
It looks like Biden is going to quit, so you have your wish.
But the race is even right now.
https://www.270towin.com/maps/538-forecast-2024-presidential-election
I think we could stir some excitement in the party and with outsiders to take attention off of JD and Trump. Then let the debates begin. I haven’t given $$$ to the Biden campaign but I and others would if we had someone to believe in. I’d rather lose the battle trying then by despair and frustration with the current administration. I have no hope with Biden. I do have hope with another candidate.
I agree with this. I have given 0 to Biden campaign because I have no hope in it. Please for the love of God and Country and our World as we know it, Joe step aside! Put aside the belief that only You can salvage our democracy. We need a team Captain and you don't have a team!
Me too
It is a sad moment. It did not have to be this way. I don’t know if a change will win this election, but my gut tells me it will be a catastrophic loss without one.
Very inciteful reorting and opinion. I've written directly to the White House requesting President Biden not seek reelection and support VP Harris. She can do the job and keep moving forward.
"Inciteful" is right.
I’ve been with you since you first started writing about Biden’s run at a 2nd term. Truer words have not been spoken and so here is America at the doorstep of the 2 most vile Republicans who will certainly win on Nov 5. And yet some of your readers are standing beside their man Joe and vowing to vote for him come hell or high water. If he doesn’t abandon his plan to run, the US will pay heavily for his stubbornness and women in particular will lose all that they have won over the last 70 years and be relegated to a Taliban-like role in society. The time is now and the urgency is real.
I get everything you’re sayin. My biggest concern is that changing near election is going to be a big problem. If u don’t choose K. Harris you will lose the black vote and many of the womens vote! Make sure u know WTF you’re doing. At this point I’m disgusted that dirty laundry is showin and this should have been descided before the primaries. I guess I’m upset that we have lived on the concept of your vote counts and seems it dosnt! Disgusted! Get your crap together if u don’t want boomers anymore. This is a perfect example of why we are losing in polls because u have sowed doubt in all Dems. Come on man!
DNC has a long history of pushing their preferred candidates through against voters wishes. They pushed Clinton through over Bernie with their superdelegate votes, and she lost. (So, now they don’t have superdelegates) They pressured everyone not to primary Biden. The theory being we didn’t want to weaken the incumbent who would surely be the nominee anyway. Then they told people who urged Biden to step aside that they had their chance to primary him and missed it. Not sure when DNC will learn that the party is strongest when they have candidates voters freely support in the first place and not under duress.
We're losing in the polls because people don't want Biden. The greater risk is in not making a change, regardless of the choice.
The black vote will not let Trump win, even if Harris is left out. It just won't happen, especially if everyone gets behind exposing Project 2025. Black women will not let a JD Vance/Project 2025 win over their autonomous bodies. They just won't let it happen no way no how.
It’s past time. I feel terrible for Joe Biden. As we grow older, it’s not uncommon for people to feel left out, irrelevant, ignored. Some become bitter,impatient, and can lash out at others. And of course, most of us don’t go through this as POTUS. He has every reason to be proud of his time in office, his myriad accomplishments. I have supported him without serious reservations, but his time has come. He must step aside before it’s too late.It seems like a critical mass has been reached.
Steve, we cannot just call for Biden to step down without a strategy and a proposal for something better. That is anarchy. I propose a Kamala Harris - Josh Shapiro ticket. He is the Jewish governor of PA and offers a chance to win a key swing state. She could inspire higher turnout among blacks, women, and young people in WS, GA, AZ and possibly Michigan. If you don't like this idea, propose something better. Gov. Whitmer of MI has already said she is not running. What else you got?
I agree Steve, and I share both great respect for Joe Biden and his presidential accomplishments, as well as profound sadness at his inability to recognize the reality that it is time for him to “pass to torch”. I hope he will recognize this sooner rather than later. Further, I’d like to comment about JD Vance’s self-portrayal and his RNC acceptance speech. Vance’s portrayal (including in his book) of living in the midst of Appalachia in Middleton, Ohio is penultimate horse crap. I used to go to Middleton in the summer as a boy in the early 1960s as my dad traveled Ohio selling Wrangler jeans to retail store owners. Even then Middleton was becoming a bedroom community to Cincinnati. It is not in Appalachia. In fact it’s also a university town (Miami University). That doesn’t mean only Appalachian towns can have addiction problems, towns like Middleton can have them too. Look at a map. If Middleton is in Appalachia, then so is Cincinnati (my home town), which is of course not true. This is all made up horse manure. Now, based on Vance’s speech last night, it sounds as if he may have kin from Kentucky, parts of which are in Appalachia. And maybe some of them migrated to Middleton for work. But that doesn’t make Vance a native of Appalachia as he portrays. He’s a Midwesterner, a Buckeye (like me) from Ohio. That’s it, period. Like everything the MAGA GOP says, it’s a myth and a lie.
www.tomthedemocratist.com
As Bidens decline accelerates it becomes increasingly obvious that he can not win. He is, undoubtably, losing more of the double-haters... and low information voters...every day. That said, the recent YouGov poll showing Dem senate candidates outperforming Biden by 5-10 points indicates that the votes are there to take down the MAGA- fascist ticket. (other polls indicate that a Dem not named Biden can win against Trump). If JB won't step aside, he must forcibly removed. One would hope that, when presented with that prospect the Biden family would choose to exit the noble,way. Lets hope. We have a Republic to save.
Re: gap between Biden and Senate races, these historically tend to tighten so there's not much divergence. I'm assuming private polling by the candidates shows this, hence the growing apprehension.
I will vote for Joe if he is a top of the Democratic ticket or whether he is on life support or lying in State at the rotunda because no one else is stepping up to replace him. Donald Trump will never get my vote even if he runs unopposed. However, I wish the Democratic party would be more decisive and either back a new candidate or get behind Joe Biden and prop him up or use A I technology whenever Joe has to appear on TV as a replacement for the real Joe.
I basically said the very same thing to my neighbor a few minutes ago. I said I would vote for a dead dog if that’s what’s on the ballot, but never Trump. Having said that, if Joe remains on ticket, there in lies the “dead dog”. Every time he’s shown on TV he looks worse. Please Joe, for all of us, retire, it’s time.
Patrick, there just might be a lot more going on behind the scenes regarding possible replacements than the public has been made aware of. Everyone is just waiting for Joe and Jill to finally come to terms with Joe's human biology limitations at this point before any other announcements about replacements are made.
I hope you are right but either way I will not vote for Trump. He is not an option.
I hear you on that.