Biden weighing whether to drop out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Biden is the only one weighing whether to drop out.

Big Donors and influential Dems concluded he needed to drop out from the first 5 minutes of that debate. He was toast from that moment, people, even if he didn't know it.

The problem is that he needs to be persuaded, otherwise he's so stubborn that he'll dig in his heels and it will become very unpleasant for everyone.

His family is not helping either, unfortunately. They too, need to be treated with kid gloves. As well as his very insular group of closest aides, who have been propping him up for years, and who stand to benefit most from a second term.

Biden WILL have to step aside at some point. Someone has to get through to his family, and his aides, that: we can do this the hard way, or we can do this the easy way.

But it will get done.

It sounds like big donors are putting the screws on. Pains me to be happy that they have a better chance of getting through than the voters but here we are.

There will also be a lot of hand wringing over Democratic Party eating its own but I’m hoping the situation is dire enough and time is short enough that it will be an exciting transition.

Part of the problem is that polls are lagging indicators, so by the time the polling gap widens, it will be too late. This is why it's tricky, because obviously Biden aides are going to point to their internal (way too positive) polling and pretend they can still win.

This is why with such a short window to switch, yes, Big Donors, former Speakers, Presidents, former aides, and elected reps, are invaluable and act as proxies for the American public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bipartisan ticket… Harris and Lynn Cheney?

No way in hell

Lynn Cheney is 82 and no political experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bipartisan ticket… Harris and Lynn Cheney?

No way in hell

Lynn Cheney is 82 and no political experience.

And LIZ Cheney is 57 and would be a great pick, but doubtful she'd agree.

[Anonymous]

Since there is a growing consensus that Biden must be removed from the nomination - both for the good of the nation and the party's prospects in November - I believe they may 25th Amendment him if the Biden family continues to resist. It would solve a lot of problems. Biden would be gone. 75 percent of the country thinks he is unfit to be president so it wouldn't be anything controversial. The vast majority of Americans will agree to it and see it as the responsible thing to do.

And it puts Kamala Harris into the presidency and resolves the question of who the nominee should be, thereby avoiding a democratic civil war if it becomes a free for all at the convention. And this scenario works within established constitutional frameworks. And it conveys legitimacy.

Problem solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since there is a growing consensus that Biden must be removed from the nomination - both for the good of the nation and the party's prospects in November - I believe they may 25th Amendment him if the Biden family continues to resist. It would solve a lot of problems. Biden would be gone. 75 percent of the country thinks he is unfit to be president so it wouldn't be anything controversial. The vast majority of Americans will agree to it and see it as the responsible thing to do.

And it puts Kamala Harris into the presidency and resolves the question of who the nominee should be, thereby avoiding a democratic civil war if it becomes a free for all at the convention. And this scenario works within established constitutional frameworks. And it conveys legitimacy.

Problem solved.

Disagree. Biden is extremely touchy about his dignity and his legacy. It's what he cares most about. the 25th is the worst humiliation in the world for a sitting President. Using the 25th would traumatize everyone in the party because he and his aides would fight it tooth and nail, and Harris would be put in the most awkward spot. She's supposed to defend him, she's part of the administration, PP! She can't survive that, it will destroy her candidacy.

Which is why Trump's camp is clamoring for it, naturally: two birds with one stone

We need to do this behind closed doors, with strategic leaks to bring just the right amount of pressure, and specific people with the most credibility and influence in the eyes of the Biden aides and relatives, saying what needs to be said.

The goal is to have main logistical, operational and financial hurdles figured out before making a joint Biden/Harris announcement. And then Harris will publicly announce her VP pick (but really it will have been a group selection).

I was hoping for those annoucements to be made next week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Biden is the only one weighing whether to drop out.

Big Donors and influential Dems concluded he needed to drop out from the first 5 minutes of that debate. He was toast from that moment, people, even if he didn't know it.

The problem is that he needs to be persuaded, otherwise he's so stubborn that he'll dig in his heels and it will become very unpleasant for everyone.

His family is not helping either, unfortunately. They too, need to be treated with kid gloves. As well as his very insular group of closest aides, who have been propping him up for years, and who stand to benefit most from a second term.

Biden WILL have to step aside at some point. Someone has to get through to his family, and his aides, that: we can do this the hard way, or we can do this the easy way.

But it will get done.

It sounds like big donors are putting the screws on. Pains me to be happy that they have a better chance of getting through than the voters but here we are.

There will also be a lot of hand wringing over Democratic Party eating its own but I’m hoping the situation is dire enough and time is short enough that it will be an exciting transition.

Part of the problem is that polls are lagging indicators, so by the time the polling gap widens, it will be too late. This is why it's tricky, because obviously Biden aides are going to point to their internal (way too positive) polling and pretend they can still win.

This is why with such a short window to switch, yes, Big Donors, former Speakers, Presidents, former aides, and elected reps, are invaluable and act as proxies for the American public.

Biden can’t in his heart of hearts believe that he did well at his July 4 events today. He doesn’t need polls or aides to tell him that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since there is a growing consensus that Biden must be removed from the nomination - both for the good of the nation and the party's prospects in November - I believe they may 25th Amendment him if the Biden family continues to resist. It would solve a lot of problems. Biden would be gone. 75 percent of the country thinks he is unfit to be president so it wouldn't be anything controversial. The vast majority of Americans will agree to it and see it as the responsible thing to do.

And it puts Kamala Harris into the presidency and resolves the question of who the nominee should be, thereby avoiding a democratic civil war if it becomes a free for all at the convention. And this scenario works within established constitutional frameworks. And it conveys legitimacy.

Problem solved.

Disagree. Biden is extremely touchy about his dignity and his legacy. It's what he cares most about. the 25th is the worst humiliation in the world for a sitting President. Using the 25th would traumatize everyone in the party because he and his aides would fight it tooth and nail, and Harris would be put in the most awkward spot. She's supposed to defend him, she's part of the administration, PP! She can't survive that, it will destroy her candidacy.

Which is why Trump's camp is clamoring for it, naturally: two birds with one stone

We need to do this behind closed doors, with strategic leaks to bring just the right amount of pressure, and specific people with the most credibility and influence in the eyes of the Biden aides and relatives, saying what needs to be said.

The goal is to have main logistical, operational and financial hurdles figured out before making a joint Biden/Harris announcement. And then Harris will publicly announce her VP pick (but really it will have been a group selection).

I was hoping for those annoucements to be made next week.

And this is why the Democrats are headed for a certain defeat this November.

[Anonymous]

I love Joe Biden and think he’s a great president, and I also trust him to do the right thing for the country, like he has always done. He’ll probably endorse Harris shortly. We can’t do this for weeks, we don’t have weeks, and unless he’s prepared to get out on the trail and work like a much younger man, he can’t recover from all of this. I expected a much more aggressive posture this week after the debate, didn’t get it. Maybe he knows he’s not up for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love Joe Biden and think he’s a great president, and I also trust him to do the right thing for the country, like he has always done. He’ll probably endorse Harris shortly. We can’t do this for weeks, we don’t have weeks, and unless he’s prepared to get out on the trail and work like a much younger man, he can’t recover from all of this. I expected a much more aggressive posture this week after the debate, didn’t get it. Maybe he knows he’s not up for it.

Because the dirty secret, which is obvious to people who aren't hardcore partisans, is that Joe Biden is not terribly bright and has a big ego. Second to last place in his law school class, he was a third rate senator from a safe seat who lucked into the VP slot because Obama wanted a court jester who'd always make him look good by comparison (never forget what Obama said about Biden). Biden has a long history of boastful lies and making up stories about himself and his accomplishments. He certainly has an ego. People who hunger for the throne don't make it without an ego. And once you have the power, it's devilishly hard to give it up. All the media talk about how he's as sharp as tack are blatantly lies as we now know.

Then add to it that his family must be terrified of the prospects of a Trump DOJ getting investigative powers.

I don't know what he will do or what the Democrats will do. But no one is coming out smelling of roses, either the party or Biden, and the election is pretty much lost now. You don't lie to the American public for years like this and get away with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Joe Biden and think he’s a great president, and I also trust him to do the right thing for the country, like he has always done. He’ll probably endorse Harris shortly. We can’t do this for weeks, we don’t have weeks, and unless he’s prepared to get out on the trail and work like a much younger man, he can’t recover from all of this. I expected a much more aggressive posture this week after the debate, didn’t get it. Maybe he knows he’s not up for it.

Because the dirty secret, which is obvious to people who aren't hardcore partisans, is that Joe Biden is not terribly bright and has a big ego. Second to last place in his law school class, he was a third rate senator from a safe seat who lucked into the VP slot because Obama wanted a court jester who'd always make him look good by comparison (never forget what Obama said about Biden). Biden has a long history of boastful lies and making up stories about himself and his accomplishments. He certainly has an ego. People who hunger for the throne don't make it without an ego. And once you have the power, it's devilishly hard to give it up. All the media talk about how he's as sharp as tack are blatantly lies as we now know.

Then add to it that his family must be terrified of the prospects of a Trump DOJ getting investigative powers.

I don't know what he will do or what the Democrats will do. But no one is coming out smelling of roses, either the party or Biden, and the election is pretty much lost now. You don't lie to the American public for years like this and get away with it.

But Trump. The man from the Apprentice who by total luck was elected. A reality show. Who is totally corrupt, devoid of a moral compass, total narcissist. Trump lies all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Joe Biden and think he’s a great president, and I also trust him to do the right thing for the country, like he has always done. He’ll probably endorse Harris shortly. We can’t do this for weeks, we don’t have weeks, and unless he’s prepared to get out on the trail and work like a much younger man, he can’t recover from all of this. I expected a much more aggressive posture this week after the debate, didn’t get it. Maybe he knows he’s not up for it.

Because the dirty secret, which is obvious to people who aren't hardcore partisans, is that Joe Biden is not terribly bright and has a big ego. Second to last place in his law school class, he was a third rate senator from a safe seat who lucked into the VP slot because Obama wanted a court jester who'd always make him look good by comparison (never forget what Obama said about Biden). Biden has a long history of boastful lies and making up stories about himself and his accomplishments. He certainly has an ego. People who hunger for the throne don't make it without an ego. And once you have the power, it's devilishly hard to give it up. All the media talk about how he's as sharp as tack are blatantly lies as we now know.

Then add to it that his family must be terrified of the prospects of a Trump DOJ getting investigative powers.

I don't know what he will do or what the Democrats will do. But no one is coming out smelling of roses, either the party or Biden, and the election is pretty much lost now. You don't lie to the American public for years like this and get away with it.

Oh for heaven’s sake, what is it “with lying for years”? Biden is clearly aging, but it is probably fairly recently that he declined this precipitously. Aging is not a straight line. It is declines and plateaus.

Biden exaggerates but he cannot begin to compete with Trump in terms of lying. So why not hold Trump accountable for his lying to the American public for years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since there is a growing consensus that Biden must be removed from the nomination - both for the good of the nation and the party's prospects in November - I believe they may 25th Amendment him if the Biden family continues to resist. It would solve a lot of problems. Biden would be gone. 75 percent of the country thinks he is unfit to be president so it wouldn't be anything controversial. The vast majority of Americans will agree to it and see it as the responsible thing to do.

And it puts Kamala Harris into the presidency and resolves the question of who the nominee should be, thereby avoiding a democratic civil war if it becomes a free for all at the convention. And this scenario works within established constitutional frameworks. And it conveys legitimacy.

Problem solved.

Disagree. Biden is extremely touchy about his dignity and his legacy. It's what he cares most about. the 25th is the worst humiliation in the world for a sitting President. Using the 25th would traumatize everyone in the party because he and his aides would fight it tooth and nail, and Harris would be put in the most awkward spot. She's supposed to defend him, she's part of the administration, PP! She can't survive that, it will destroy her candidacy.

Which is why Trump's camp is clamoring for it, naturally: two birds with one stone

We need to do this behind closed doors, with strategic leaks to bring just the right amount of pressure, and specific people with the most credibility and influence in the eyes of the Biden aides and relatives, saying what needs to be said.

The goal is to have main logistical, operational and financial hurdles figured out before making a joint Biden/Harris announcement. And then Harris will publicly announce her VP pick (but really it will have been a group selection).

I was hoping for those annoucements to be made next week.

And this is why the Democrats are headed for a certain defeat this November.

Primaries are over, PP, what good would it do to have Dem candidates fighting in public? None, unless you're on the other side. It's a sop to Biden's ruffled feathers to be seen to introduce the new nominee and their VP to the world. That way he thinks he still has some worth and control. If you shove him aside and have a fight for the next candidate, it will weaken the party considerably.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Joe Biden and think he’s a great president, and I also trust him to do the right thing for the country, like he has always done. He’ll probably endorse Harris shortly. We can’t do this for weeks, we don’t have weeks, and unless he’s prepared to get out on the trail and work like a much younger man, he can’t recover from all of this. I expected a much more aggressive posture this week after the debate, didn’t get it. Maybe he knows he’s not up for it.

Because the dirty secret, which is obvious to people who aren't hardcore partisans, is that Joe Biden is not terribly bright and has a big ego. Second to last place in his law school class, he was a third rate senator from a safe seat who lucked into the VP slot because Obama wanted a court jester who'd always make him look good by comparison (never forget what Obama said about Biden). Biden has a long history of boastful lies and making up stories about himself and his accomplishments. He certainly has an ego. People who hunger for the throne don't make it without an ego. And once you have the power, it's devilishly hard to give it up. All the media talk about how he's as sharp as tack are blatantly lies as we now know.

Then add to it that his family must be terrified of the prospects of a Trump DOJ getting investigative powers.

I don't know what he will do or what the Democrats will do. But no one is coming out smelling of roses, either the party or Biden, and the election is pretty much lost now. You don't lie to the American public for years like this and get away with it.

But Trump. The man from the Apprentice who by total luck was elected. A reality show. Who is totally corrupt, devoid of a moral compass, total narcissist. Trump lies all the time.

It wasn't luck. He hired a competent group of campaign managers and focused on winning key swing states.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/11/trumps-road-to-victory/507203/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love Joe Biden and think he’s a great president, and I also trust him to do the right thing for the country, like he has always done. He’ll probably endorse Harris shortly. We can’t do this for weeks, we don’t have weeks, and unless he’s prepared to get out on the trail and work like a much younger man, he can’t recover from all of this. I expected a much more aggressive posture this week after the debate, didn’t get it. Maybe he knows he’s not up for it.

Subjectivity is the best metric.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Joe Biden and think he’s a great president, and I also trust him to do the right thing for the country, like he has always done. He’ll probably endorse Harris shortly. We can’t do this for weeks, we don’t have weeks, and unless he’s prepared to get out on the trail and work like a much younger man, he can’t recover from all of this. I expected a much more aggressive posture this week after the debate, didn’t get it. Maybe he knows he’s not up for it.

Because the dirty secret, which is obvious to people who aren't hardcore partisans, is that Joe Biden is not terribly bright and has a big ego. Second to last place in his law school class, he was a third rate senator from a safe seat who lucked into the VP slot because Obama wanted a court jester who'd always make him look good by comparison (never forget what Obama said about Biden). Biden has a long history of boastful lies and making up stories about himself and his accomplishments. He certainly has an ego. People who hunger for the throne don't make it without an ego. And once you have the power, it's devilishly hard to give it up. All the media talk about how he's as sharp as tack are blatantly lies as we now know.

Then add to it that his family must be terrified of the prospects of a Trump DOJ getting investigative powers.

I don't know what he will do or what the Democrats will do. But no one is coming out smelling of roses, either the party or Biden, and the election is pretty much lost now. You don't lie to the American public for years like this and get away with it.

But Trump. The man from the Apprentice who by total luck was elected. A reality show. Who is totally corrupt, devoid of a moral compass, total narcissist. Trump lies all the time.

Not total luck. The Democrats did plenty to help him.