Quite a few people have called for Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race, but I'm surprised that so few have taken the logical next step: urging him to resign immediately.
At the risk of being overly earnest, this is not—or shouldn't be—a matter of partisan politics. It's not about who's most likely to beat Trump in November. It's about whether Biden is mentally fit to be president. On that score, recent reporting has done nothing but confirm the evidence of our own eyes and ears from last Thursday: obviously he's not. Even if, optimistically, he only performs that badly for a few hours once a week, it's simply not safe to have a commander-in-chief with that kind of cognitive deficit.
So he needs to leave the Oval Office and let Kamala Harris take over. It doesn't matter if you like Harris or not. She's plainly fit for the office, and that's all that counts right now. November's election is the time to choose candidates based on whether you like them or not.
There's no telling how Biden's resignation would affect either the race in general or Donald Trump's chances of winning reelection, but that's not what should be guiding us. Biden's fitness is. He needs to resign.
Biden should go see a neurologist. If it turns out the debate was a fluke and the other reports we're getting are wrong and he's actually fine, he can use the doctor's testimony to reassure the public; if it turns out he's truly not fine, he'll know how bad it is and have a solid idea of what his next steps should be. Either way he'll be better off for having done so.
As someone older than Biden, I know there are good days and not so good days. So it's conceivable to me that he's okay now, but won't be sometime in the next 4 plus years, Further, if he's elected , he'll be the lame-duck president whose capabilities are declining, not aa good formula for attracting good people to the administration, or leading them effectively even if hired.
So I agree, best resign now.
The Iceman Cometh. In my twenties I did three-digit multiplication in my head as a matter of course. Now I'm down to two a routine digits. So it goes.
What is this nonsense
One, that your mental abilities degrade with age two, the person losing it can be painfully losing it, and three for a great many mental tasks this degradation doesn't really interfere with performance. Pay attention to number three. Now, were you born stupid or is this a recent and age-related thing for you?
Kamala Harris may be the one person who would do worse against Trump's Gish gallop than Biden did.
Not that she isn't a great office holder, but she's almost the definition of a standard Democrat --great office holder, terrible campaigner.
Previous posts on this subject were merely demented. This one is bonkers insane.
I think we've been witnessing how otherwise intelligent people become... well, one of those other kinds of people who are susceptible to/already lured in by right wing nonsense, or nonsense that aids the right wing.
So sad to see such a steep decline. And no, I'm not talking about Joe Biden.
See? Now "drop out of the race but remain POTUS" becomes the moderate compromise.
+1
What is the evidence that Biden is unfit? It's mostly a few minutes of incoherence in one debate. What Americans have been subjected to is a mass of propaganda from Republicans, supported by the "liberal" media which have continually put the issue of Biden's age ahead of the abundant evidence that Trump in unfit on many grounds. Look at the headlines in the major papers - Biden's age and fitness almost always lead and Trumps lies and incoherence are an afterthought.
Does America need an effective President or someone who can win debates by outshouting and outlying his opponent? Apparently this is what it would take for anyone to "win" a debate against Trump or his likely running mate for that matter. We now have actual evidence of fitness and ability from two administrations, but instead of making the decision about actual performance in office and coherence of policy, where Biden wins hands down, the media relentlessly focus on the age issue, which does not actually favor Trump.
At this point, after the national atmosphere has essentially been poisoned by the emphasis on age and lack of focus on real issues, it may be best for Biden to step down. But the idea that this would magically improve the Democrat's chances has no support in evidence. Republicans would find some other issue than age to use against any other candidate, and there is no reason to expect the MSM not to give full publicity to any such issues as Republicans frame them.
It is the months and months of reports that have been coming out that Biden might be slipping. These have been dutifully disregarded by most of us (DEFINITELY BY ME) as unfair attacks/narrative from GOP hacks.
Then the debate was a pretty strong confirmation that at times (evenings??) Joe Biden is easily confused and unable to keep up with a back and forth, contentious conversation.
There's no magic to be had by replacing him or him resigning. It may just be the better of two sh!++y options
You - & most of the pundits & reporters - imply or state that he was sundowning, but he didn't just appear much better the next day, he appeared in front of numerous people shortly after the debate - & was clearly speaking much better on that video than during the debate.
That is not what I would expect of someone who is "sundowning."
He had teleprompters at those post-debate events.
I don't know what exactly was wrong with him. I don't know what circumstances trigger it.
All I know is that he reminded me of my father and grandfather when they were beginning to slip badly and we all had to come to grips with it.
That was a pretty high profile event to exhibit "sundowning-like" behavior, especially coming on the heels of multiple claims of his decline.
The evidence is his age. Plain and simple. Doesn't matter if the debate was a one off. He's 81, would be 86 by the time he's through. What do you think the chances are he has another episode? Pretty high.
Hard disagree.
Politics ain't beanbag.
"It's not about who's most likely to beat Trump in Novem..."
Lol, sorry, my brain's WTF filter won't let me read any further.
+1
+1
Its all about who can beat Trump in November, FULL STOP.
To admit you now have significant cognitive decline, and have been running the country like that, would be suicidal for the Democrats. It would be far more face saving if he withdraws from the campaign, stating that he does not believe he can be President for 4 more years.
Biden will loose in November, and I don't really know who would do better, but I'd rather roll the dice than fold up the table. Most people hate Trump, except for the cult members. An alternative who's not Trump and not 80 years old could win.
+1
Still on that horse, eh, Mr Drum? Sure, you feel bad about your general condition and latest diagnoses, but burning down the rest of the world won't make it better.
-1
-10
sugi-ma pula.
keep it classy honey
https://en.bab.la/dictionary/romanian-english/sugi-pula
Poor taste.
I live in a neighborhood with lots of elderly. They have very short term thinking too.
Biden isn’t going to listen to you, me, or Mr. Drum, but if he’s unqualified to run then he’s unqualified to serve today. So whatever your view, I think this is the right answer. Resign or go all in.
It’s a shit show.
Delete this
That was unbelievably cruel, not to mention idiotic.
If you notice yourself using someone else's illness as the basis of a "clever" roast, take a step back and think about what kind of person you want to be.
i liked this.
you brought a flamethrower.
To Salamander: I can't believe you said this. To attribute Kevin's reasoned opinions to his unfortunate disease, which he has valiantly fought for years, is simply repugnant.
I know that if my medical problems were as severe as Kevin's, I would not be trying to inform people by writing a blog. Hell, I probably wouldn't be reading one either.
You know what happens if Biden resigns and Harris becomes President?
1) The House absolutely refuses to confirm any nominee for Vice President. They probably pull a full McConnell and refuse to hold any hearings on the nomination.
2) That puts Mike Johnson in line to replace Harris as President.
3) Every militia nutcase in America loads a sniper rifle and heads to DC.
The House doesn't confirm presidential nominations; the Senate, which is held by the Democrats, does.
+1, for a clear and concise takedown of a really dumb comment.
Man, there are a lot of dumb comments here today, at least this far into my reading.
25th Amendment: "Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress."
It's not like a normal Presdiential appointment, where it's Senate only. Gerald Ford had to be approved by both chambers. Ditto for Rockefeller, when he became Ford's appointment.
"Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress."
https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/amendment-25/section-2/
No. Needs both houses
for example, Nixon replacing Agnew
Section 2 of the 25th Amendment gives the President the power to name a new Vice President, if that office became vacant, with the permission of Congress.
Nixon nominated Ford, who was the House minority leader, to take Agnew's position on October 12, 1973.
The Senate voted 92 to 3 to confirm Ford on November 27, 1973, and on December 6, 1973, the House confirmed him by a vote of 387 to 35.
Well, FWIW most people expect both chambers to flip so that Harris would have a Dem House and a GOP Senate. Which is bad for confirmation but no problem with the VP anyway: The VP is elected, not nominated, no way the Senate can mess with the VP. Harris would have to pick someone.
25th Amendment, Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
I'm more used to reading comments like this - confidently wrong, proving either the author didn't make even the most elementary effort to check them or they are deliberately lying- at sites like Breitbart.
Steve M at No More Nice Blog has a good run down on this (https://nomoremister.blogspot.com/2024/07/heres-what-would-really-happen-if-biden.html), with the additional point that with a VP (and with Senate Republicans presumably refusing to let the President Pro Tem sub in), the election cortication gets delayed/blocked.
The House doesn't confirm presidential nominations; the Senate, which is held by the Democrats, does
This is wrong, as others have pointed out.
That said, the #1 priority is beating Trump. If it makes sense for Biden to resign, fears of a Mike Johnson presidency shouldn't enter into it. Kamal Harris is extremely unlikely to die in the next six months. I'm still officially agnostic on the "odds" question, but I am beginning to lean toward Kevin's position. I think the "this was just one bad debate" line is absurd, and I don't see how Biden gets through the rest of the campaign. There will be enormous pressure for him to engage in unscripted events. There will be pressure on him to undergo tests. He was already behind in the swing state polls, so realistically he needs to make up ground.
I also think it's possible Democrats can come up with a VP nomination that Republicans will pay a political price to oppose.
I wish I knew what magic could make Republicans pay a political price for anything, So far, they aren't paying a price for idiocy (MTG), public lewdness (Boebert), criminality (TFG), or craven bootlicking (Stefanik, Cruz, T. Scott and, oh hell, all Republicans but the handful who were driven from office by their own party).
So let’s assume Biden resigns. Harris is no longer the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. So, do you think a GOP Senator will break ranks and approve Harris’ nominee for VP??
Besides being wrong Kevin has not thought this through.
Democrats have 51 votes in the Senate now. No tie-breaker needed.
Wat?
Dems hold 51 seats - all 4 indies caucus with the dems. Harris is not the tie breaking vote
And just how “reliable” are all the indies? Besides that, I’ve seen from others how the House must approve also…
Why would the Senate have to confirm a candidate for an election?
Kevin is calling for Biden to resign. That makes Harris president, and necessitates her nominating a VP to finish-out the current term.
"It's not about who's most likely to beat Trump in November."
No! That is absolutely what it is about. Still, KD is right that if Biden needs to bow out resignation is the way to do it.
If he needs to go (I'm not yet convinced, but Biden sure hasn't been doing what he needs to do to recover) it is a huge blow to the Democrats. They look like fools supporting a guy who admits he can't do the job. The main Republican attack line is vindicated. Democrats look weak.
The best counter is strength. Biden annouces his health has lately declined and with the deepect regret he must resign because he puts his country above himself. Kamala Harris will be great. Pretty heroic, actually. A sharp contrast against the most selfish president ever. Kamala runs as the incumbent, the chances of the convention descending to factional warfare is greatly reduced.
It puts all our marbles on Kamala Harris. That ain't great, our fate hinges on a politician rising to the occasion, a politician who has not always risen to the occasion. But it is least bad. It isn't some fantasy where Leo McGarry gets Jed Bartlet to make a great speech and the Party unites behind a generational political talent played by Jimmy Smits.
Sorry, Biden is still doing his job and he can serve out his term. He is not that far gone. But I would be fine with Biden resigning immediately if this enabled Trump to be beat. I think Biden would agree too. But it’s a crap shoot regarding who can beat Trump.
A practical problem with Biden resigning immediately is that with Harris as president, doesn't this make it far more difficult for Democrats to pick someone other than her to run for president? She becomes the heir apparent and is also the first female president. I doubt anyone would challenge her. Problem is, she is not that popular, her personality can be rather dull for a leader, and thus she may not be able to beat Trump.
It's already difficult to pick someone other than her. She can take over the campaign and its money. Everyone else would have to start from scrap, fundraising, hiring, developing policies etc. etc.
We don't know who would be the best pick. The time to figure that out was the primaries, and the big Dems did not run.
I think we have no choice but to place our best on Kamal should Biden step down. The damage of a contested convention is too great, it platys directly into Republican bnarratives of infighting Democrats, the far left pulling the strings, etc. I wish I could trust our side to keep their eyes on the ball and refrain from doing things that alienate moderates and conservatives, but I don't.
It will be really bad no matter what, Kamala is the least bad path if Joe cannot step up and show he is undiminished.
I'm starting to think this too. Plus, she will gain the stature of already being the president.
Well, Olbermann makes a compelling case for Biden stepping aside,
https://omny.fm/shows/countdown-with-keith-olbermann
Kamala Harris is not Donald Trump and for around half the country his ugly face is the only campaign ad she'll ever need.
Of course, why Biden in a coffin wouldn't be a better choice for anything at all than a criminal psychopath who wants to destroy NATO and surrender to Russia is beyond me.
It is about who can beat Trump in November. That really is the most important job.
Agree, absolutely. Americans need and deserve a President who is "with it". Biden has shown he is not. People argue that the polls are not that bad. Wait until the Trump team starts running clips from the debate, over and over again. I find Kamala Harris to be a deeply unimpressive politician, but she should be able to run the country until the next inauguration. Maybe being in charge will bring out something in her I haven't seen. I hope so.
You're not wrong. Biden should resign.
But he should resign AFTER he wins the presidential election, not before.
A race of Trump vs Harris would mean the end of the Republic.
I would put Biden's decision this way: Does he think he's more abled to receive that 3 a.m. call than Kalama Harris? With hypersonic weapons, a POTUS has a handful of minutes, not 15-30 to make a decision.
I'm sure Harris assumed Biden was a one-term president as most of us did. As such, she was preparing to take the pole position, learning on the job what the job entailed in the time she had. Remember this from 2019?
*Kamala ????
So much for this type of journalism (talking to "sources", not naming them and interpreting them in unaccountable ways). Biden was crystal clear in 2020: He would run for a second term. Period.
I think you're misreading what he said. Back in 2020, he didn't say he was going to run again in 2024. He said he left the possibility wide open. Go back to that 2020 interview w/ ABC News:
Now, reread that portion where he and his aides didn't want to make his administration a lame duck from day 1.
He never said he was going to run; he said it was an open possibility if he won in 2020.
Anybody who believed Biden woudn't run for a second term if his health permitted has demonstrably terrible political judgement. Their views about the current situation can safely be ignored.
“I view myself as a transition candidate." -- Joe
Which means what it says, nothing more.
I appreciate Kevin's honesty and wilingness to take an unpopular position. However, I don't agree with him on this. The greatest danger to the country is if Trump wins. The most important consideration is how can dems beat him. Its not going to be easy. Biden needs to step aside soon and dems need to unite behind Harris. There could be an open process of delegates having a role in helping her choose her running mate. Whoever can communicate the best dem vision for the future and mostly attack Trump effectively. If at the convention it looks like she is going to lose, she throws a hail mary and picks a republican running mate.
I read the blog because Kevin is usually the voice of reason...what the hell happened? The debate is in no way proof that Biden is unfit to be President. I have been involved with competitive debate for years, I have seen plenty of people say things that make no sense when they are under time pressure. Biden actually answered quite a few questions really well, and certainly demonstrated a better understanding of policy than Trump.
It's also REALLY hard to debate someone who just shamelessly lies when you have a time limit to try to deal with all the bullshit. The person who is certainly unfit to be president is Trump who either is a shameless liar or completely delusional and has no ability to actually answer a question without just blaming his opponents or bragging about how great he is.
I don't know how much Biden has declined and neither does Kevin. Maybe he should resign, but the debate alone certainly is not evidence he can't carry out his duties.
I also fundamentally disagree that it's not about beating Trump. Of course it is!
+1
No, -6. That's how much Biden trails Trump in today's NYT Siena poll.
What happened is that he's become a radical centrist.
The debate alone is not proof Biden is not up to the job, but it is evidence.
More evidence is Biden since the debate, he isn't out there showing us he is undiminished, the deabate was a fluke.
Everey day he limits public contact, every interview he doesn't do, everyavoided unscripted event, more evidence.
I know you don't see it this way, but you don't matter, you will vote for Biden in a coma, as will I.
The voters we need, the apolitical, the double haters, they want vigor.
Harris's husband, Doug Emhoff, left his law firm to become a much less paid visiting professor at Georgetown, to avoid even the appearance of conflicts of interest, as of the moment she joined the Biden campaign in 2020. Almost nobody knows that but I think people will like what they see when she becomes more visible. He's also Jewish but differentiates that from Israel, making Harris perhaps uniquely capable of resolving the Gaza conflict. She's no great communicator but against Trump good enough.
Whether or not Biden resigns, withdraws his candidacy or stubbornly continues, I think the Dems have to go all in for Harris now. Not many people are convinced he will make it to 2028 so the more they like the veep, the better in all cases. For Biden too. Someone has to tell him to let Harris blanket the airwaves. Including with campaign funds.
also: first (step)daughter ella emhoff. zwing!
secret service will have to have centristmadness ("porno matt") under round the clock surveillance.
Absolutely, if they cannot put Kamala out there loud and proud we have more problems than Biden's age.
Hard to see someone's mind slip so fast. What the hell happened to you Kevin?
Having a different opinion than yours is evidence of mind slippage? Well, of course it is!
What arrogance/stupidity!
I think Joe Biden is still capable of handling the job and should see his term through. He has much more difficulty with extemporaneous speech than he used to, though. That makes him less effective at campaigning. Also, he is likely to develop more health concerns over the next four years. He needs his heir apparent to run in this election. Kamala Harris is the best choice.
Doesn't resigning leave one less succession buffer against Mike J ?
If Biden resigned now that would take her vote out of the Senate, leaving it tied if they don't approve a successor.
"If" the House of Reps don't approve a successor???
My guess is the speed of GOP approval will be right up there with debate on the immigration bill, but probably not as fast as the senate approved Obama's last SCOTUS nominee.
Read the previous comments. Dems currently have a 51-49 majority without Harris.
Every one the next Kyrsten Synema?
“It’s not about who's most likely to beat Trump in November. It's about whether Biden is mentally fit to be president.”
There’s been a lot of dumb commentary since the debate, but that one sentence may be the single dumbest thing anyone has said.
So, to be clear. If Biden drops out, Trump wins.
Kevin has, therefore, now written a half dozen blog posts since the debate actively utilizing his platform to promote a Trump victory. And in doing so he has discredited himself in what might be an irreparable manner. I don’t think there’s any coming back from that level of stupid. But, on the other hand, the stupid can always get worse:
“There's no telling how Biden's resignation would affect either the race in general or Donald Trump's chances of winning reelection, but that's not what should be guiding us.”
I recall that I previously enjoyed reading intelligent analysis by someone named Kevin Drum. But the person who wrote the above sentence must be someone else.
We know exactly how Biden’s resignation would affect the 2024 election. Trump would win. How do we know this? I don’t think it takes much analysis. Whereas many highly esteemed politicians (senators or governors) flame out on the national stage, Biden has already shown himself capable of beating an incumbent President in 2020. Biden himself is now the incumbent presiding over a booming economy. He already has a massive campaign and fundraising operation successfully underway and has outpaced Trump in campaign donations all year. Those are six advantages that Biden currently has over any other Democrat, and if he steps down the Democrats throw each one of those advantages away. Trump then wins, possibly in a genuine landslide.
In fact, if Biden steps down now, it’s not just the presidency at stake. The odds of Republicans winning the Senate and maintaining control of the House also dramatically improve. So Kevin is basically advocating for the conquest of Ukraine, the abolition of the ACA (Obamacare), the evisceration of both the IRS and the EPA, the confirmation of MAGA judges to courts all over the country, the end of NATO, and the recalibration of our economy (through tax cuts and other means) to favor the rich.
Or, Biden could just remain President until he wins reelection and then resign as and when necessary. WOW, that’s a hard one.
No one can continue making comments as dumb as what Kevin has written here and still expect to be taken seriously or even expect to be considered sane.
I wish him well during his medical treatment, but if there’s any chance his health is playing a role in the disappearance of his intelligence, he really should take a break.
Because when it comes to calling out Biden for cognitive performance, this blog post indicates that Kevin is a very big pot that just noticed how black the kettle is.
Didn't Regan's final months have very long periods of "glazed over"?
Things don't fall apart if the pres has good advisors aids and an understanding with the VP, another reason why the prospect of Tweeto terrifies me
@ OldFlyer:
Yes. Though I will admit to not having read a biography of Raegan (I just so much do not like him), nevertheless most of the news I have read about his second term indicates that he was fairly far gone by the end of his Presidency.
And, indeed, the world didn’t end. Which makes it all the more intellectually insulting and ethically unconscionable for fallen intellectuals like Kevin Drum to repeatedly advocate for a Trump victory rather than promote a Biden reelection.
I think you are not reading Kevin correctly. He is someone who tends to say "calm down" when everybody's hair is on fire; this is not his first "calm down" comment about this election or the surrounding Supreme Court decisions. Or you may remember his reaction to the "lead in drinking water" scandal in Flint.
On the other hand when everybody is calm he tends to be alarmist, e.g. about AI or the lead/crime hypothesis (about which I am convinced he is right).
“It’s not about who's most likely to beat Trump in November" is dumb.
So is "So, to be clear. If Biden drops out, Trump wins."
Way too certain.
@tomtom502:
Advocating for Biden's immediate resignation is historically dangerous sophistry that's trying and failing to masquerade as mature and dispassionate analysis.
Pointing out that Trump will win if Biden resigns or withdraws is reasonably sound analysis based on a wealth of historical precedent.
If Kevin still had all his faculties about him, he would realize how deeply ashamed he should be. So it might simply be a mercy that he has apparently lost his damn marbles.
So, to be clear. If Biden drops out, Trump wins.
That's not in the least bit "clear." That's your assessment of the odds. The latest polling shows Harris performing more strongly against Trump than Joe Biden does.
Nobody has a crystal ball, and we can't know how the campaign will transpire if Biden continues on. But my strong sense is that the Trump campaign is very nervous he's going to drop out. They feel (rightly) they have the edge; they feel (rightly) that edge is likely expanding; and they feel (rightly) that things are going well for them and don't wish to change the status quo,
I strongly suspect the Trump team even as we speak is taking a long hard look at its running mate decision, and is likely to pass on Doug Bergum precisely because they fear the spectacle of running against a significantly younger Democratic ticket. It'll be Vance or Rubio or someone else (someone under 60, maybe under 50).
I like and admire this president, but the truth is he's not the optimal choice for nominee at this point, and I view this as an opportunity to reset the terms of the campaign.
@Jasper_in_Boston
From your post:
"That's not in the least bit 'clear.' That's your assessment of the odds."
It's quite clear. We can be about as certain of this as it's possible to be certain about anything in the future: if Biden drops out, Trump wins.
More from your post:
"I like and admire this president, but the truth is he's not the optimal choice for nominee at this point"
I'm tired of repeating myself, so here's Stuart Stevens from the Atlantic Mag, "The Absurdity of the Dump-Biden Uprising":
"I never saw anything as ridiculous as the push, in the aftermath of last week’s debate, to replace Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee ... The last time a party held on to the White House without the benefits of incumbency was 36 years ago. Recent polls show none of the fantasy replacement Democrats beating Trump. There are polls showing Biden defeating Trump ... What are the Dump Biden Democrats thinking? That Trump’s mob-boss takeover of his party gave them an unfair edge, so it’s only sporting for them to emulate him?"
And here's Charles Blow (someone who, admittedly, I do not typically agree with) from the now forever-infamous NYT, "Forcing Biden Out Would Have Only One Beneficiary: Trump":
"The fact that an 81-year-old is increasingly showing signs of being an 81-year-old doesn’t panic me; what Trump has signaled he’ll do with another term does ... Instead of clearing the way for victory, liberals may well be paving the way for defeat."
Anyone and everyone asking Biden to resign or withdraw from the race should be fully cognizant of the fact that they are thereby fully promoting a Trump victory. If they recognize this fact but they still want to push Biden out, they may as well be working for the Trump campaign. But if, like you, they simply refuse to accept this fact at all, they are the dumbest sort of self-destructive fools imaginable.
Opinions are not facts, not even if you find a commentator here or there who agrees with them.
Agreed with the above. "He should drop out" is a reasonable discussion to have, "he should resign" is hyperbolic absurdity. Anyone saying this is being a sucker and helping out the fascists. He's perfectly capable of finishing his term at the very, very least, and staking out a position like this demonstrates clearly impaired judgment.
Honestly, I know Drum does this as a hobby, so there's nothing financial at stake, but still, it looks like he should hang up his blogging spurs at this point.
You are underestimating how bad Biden dropping out makes the Democrats look. It vindicates their main attack line. The Democrats look like weak fools.
The best way to counter this is to be strong. If Biden resigns claiming a recent health downturn, well, life happens, old people sometimes suddenly decline. Dems look less foolish, Biden was fine, now he isn't.
Kamala runs as an incumbent. The Dems will not tear themselves apart at the convention. Lefty Dems, wonderful people but obliviousl about how they come off to the voters we need, stay out of the limelight.
Biden hanging on a a lame duck who admits he cannot run is catnip for Republican attack ads. Kamala, provided she rises to the occasion, attacks ferociously and reminds us all that being real old is a problem.
It just seems like a stronger way to run inthe event Biden cannot do it.
Kamala Harris will wonderfully motivate the party of all corruption all the time.
The key problem is de-motivating them.
Reagan ran the country with Alzheimer’s….
No he didn't.
Nancy and his advisers ran the country in his second term.
Please share a video of Regan that is comparable to Biden’s debate performance.
Polls keep showing that voters don't want Trump or Biden and here is a chance to act on that. Democrats do best with youngish candidates anyway and maybe the democrats should be the ones with the chaos card to play. Kamala could choose a governor not up for another term like Janet Mills from Maine, but more probably someone from a more populous state.
I've admired Biden's competence and feel really awful this is happening now, but addressing the problem is likely better than expecting voters to unsee the debate.
Yes. A very good article by Anne Applebaum in the Atlantic today. (It should be a gift article so you can read it)
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/07/replace-biden-strategic-plan/678884/?gift=2YNNq6Keyf3IIpU3SjFQNDUh90R6jQFoFLPy4-1h3rg
"Every stumble, every forgotten word will reinforce the impression created by the debate. Biden is polling behind Trump now. If he remains the candidate, he is likely to lose But this is July. The election is in November. Can anything be done?"
"Yes. Britain is about to finish a whole election campaign in six weeks. When the final round of voting is held on Sunday, France’s current election campaign will have lasted three weeks. The delegates to the Democratic National Convention don’t need to sleepwalk into catastrophe. They can demand that Biden release them from their pledge to support him. They can tear up the rule book, just like political parties do in other countries, and carry out a cold-blooded analysis."
...............
"The Democrats can hold a new round of primary debates, town halls, and public meetings from now until August 19, when the Democratic National Convention opens. Once a week, twice a week, three times a week—the television networks would compete to show them. Millions would watch. Politics would be interesting again. After a turbulent summer, whoever emerges victorious in a vote of delegates at the DNC can spend the autumn campaigning in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania—and win the presidency. America and the democratic alliance would be saved."
..........
"There are risks. The Democrats could gamble and lose. But there are also clear benefits. The Republican convention, due to take place in less than two weeks, would be ruined. Trump and other Republicans wouldn’t know the name of their opponent. Instead of spending four days attacking Biden, they would have to talk about their policies, many of which—think corporate subsidies, tax cuts for the rich, the further transformation of the Supreme Court—aren’t popular. Their candidate spouts gibberish. He is also old, nearly as old as Biden, and this is his third presidential campaign. Everyone would switch channels in order to watch the exciting Democratic primary debates instead."
...............
"By contrast, the Democratic convention would be dramatic—very, very dramatic. Everyone would want to watch it, talk about it, be there on the ground. Tickets would be impossible to get; the national and international media would flock there in huge numbers. Yes, I know what happened in 1968, but that was more than half a century ago. History never repeats itself with precision. The world is a lot different now. There is more competition for attention. An open, exciting convention would command it."
"Millions would watch. Politics would be interesting again."
Once again a media member makes the election all about their entertainment and ignores the possibility that it ends in disaster. Dumb article.
The only way to get voters to unsee what they saw is for Biden to really get out there and show us all it was truly an anomaly. So far he isn't.
It is not crazy to surmise he isn't fixing the damage because he can't. Time is running out for Biden to show his stuff.
We had a bargain, somthing like "I don't get out as much as used to but I always come through in the pinch.' Well, he did not come through in the punch. Coming back now demands more, we'll see if he has it in the next week.
Kevin, you usually are the one counseling that everyone take a deep breath and examine the data. In this case, there is almost no data to examine yet! Yet you call for reaching an irrevocable conclusion as if there were.
If Biden sees a neurologist and the report is made public, you will have some data. Until then you're just overreacting.
Actually, a test like that could also give Biden, and Jill, some objective feedback on his state. Perhaps they are working on this now. Seems the only responsible thing to do for the sake of the country given that there are questions about his mental capacity.
We have our eyes and ears and watched the debate.