US Politics, July 2024 - "Will you just drop out, man?"

Regardless of Biden's actual cognitive state and how that will affect him in a second term, my main concern remains whether he can persuade people to vote for him when he can barely string a sentence together at times and there is now intense scrutiny around the issue. Before the debate, I had been cautiously optimistic that Trump's lead in the polls might turn around deeper into the campaign when more voters were paying attention to both candidates, but now I don't see how that would benefit Biden. The best I can hope for is that the anti-Trump coalition is already large enough that the Democratic candidate doesn't matter, but it sure would be nice to have a candidate who could more effectively make the case and not give voters cause to worry about their capacity to do the job.

Schumer’s consulting his imaginary family.

Like, if you're a swing voter who is frustrated by the seeming inability of politicians in Washington to take actions that have a meaningful positive effect on your life, does Biden inspire confidence that he's the guy who will change the dynamic and get things done?

Not only “get things done” but unite the country, which = lol.

Like, if you're a swing voter who is frustrated by the seeming inability of politicians in Washington to take actions that have a meaningful positive effect on your life, does Biden inspire confidence that he's the guy who will change the dynamic and get things done?

Biden has gotten an incredible amount of shit done — again, domestically speaking, he's the best president of my lifetime. None of that has broken through to "swing voters," for a variety of reasons that include messaging malpractice on the part of the administration but also include press hostility and people's general inability to understand anything beyond "eggs expensive" and "gas expensive" (even when it's not).

Honestly, I'm about ready to give up on this election and start making concrete plans for life in a fascist country that's about to hurl itself off an economic cliff with protectionism, tariffs, entirely unbalanced tax cuts, the wholesale destruction of environmental policies and what remains of the social safety net, and every other kind of pig-eyed, hateful stupidity. It's gonna be a Brexit-level calamity.

the seeming inability of politicians in Washington to take actions that have a meaningful positive effect on your life

I understand the risks of changing candidates here — or I can kind of imagine the risks, it's hard to say anyone "understands" them because this hasn't happened before so everything is guesswork — but for all the dangers of it looking chaotic or messy desperate, I think there are potential upsides that go directly to this point.

The most consistent polling result about the Biden-vs-Trump rematch is that people cannot fucking believe we have to choose between these two guys again. The MAGA minority aside, there is mostly very little enthusiasm for these guys, and Biden's enthusiasm gap has obviously gotten worse since the debate. There is a strong and persistent sentiment out there for "Please give us anyone else."

So a candidate change would actually be responsive to that. It would be one of the two parties saying, we hear you, we get it, we are going to take action to address this. I think that's a positive! People like action, decisiveness looks leaderly (ahem, Schumer — it's not just a title, it's supposed to include actual leadership). I don't know how wide or deep the benefits of that would go, but I think they would be real and would offset whatever "Dems in disarray" storylines would come with it.

Plus let's face it, the Dems are already in disarray, disarray is what's happening right now. It's not a secret.

Yeah, I'm gradually coming around to the tipsy viewpoint here (not that it matters)

“We love Joe and all the things he’s accomplished for the country and after discussing with his family and loved ones has decided that stepping aside is what’s best the the country now. Meanwhile the republicans continue to support a man rhat has not plan or care for anything other than himself, they do not care about this country the way us democrats do”

Just something to that effect is all they need

James Fallows, who was a speechwriter for Carter before he became a journalist, imagined a speech that Biden could give:

https://fallows.substack.com/p/a-presidential-address-for-this-moment

First thought that popped into my head:

After Fallows departed in 1979, Hertzberg became Carter's chief speechwriter. Hertzberg was an author of President Jimmy Carter's July 15, 1979, speech on energy conservation, widely known as the "Malaise Speech"...

(I'm with Dorothea in 20th Century Women--I like the Malaise Speech. But maybe not ideal for galvanizing support, so glad it wasn't Fallows.)

Biden was on the phone with msnbc all hopped up this morning and doubling down on staying in the race

yeah not looking good for a switch, all I can say is Biden better be 100% sure he's up to this, otherwise his legacy is gonna be worse than RBG's

I still think if polls decisively show Biden losing but Kamala winning that he'll step aside. we'll know in a couple weeks I guess. I kinda suspect they'll both perform about the same though, because this country is insane

This letter is correct at the end. The issue needs to be resolved soon.

BREAKING: President Biden sends lengthy letter to congressional Democrats defending himself. “Despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump.” pic.twitter.com/MyI1BO3Dpk

— Matt Viser (@mviser) July 8, 2024

If I understand correctly if he stands down, then all the megabucks he has raised so far has to be returned to the donors, every last cent. So it probably isn't happening.

I don't think that's true.

Nope. It goes to Harris if she's the nominee.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/heres-what-happens-to-bidens-campaign-funds-if-he-withdraws-152819051.html

My algorithm coughed this up this morning. Aging is a fucking nightmare. The first two minutes of Biden explaining himself here vs what we've seen the last 10 days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opVaEC_WxWs

I can't remember who I heard saying it, some former U.S. Attorney who is probably massively pro-Biden.

ah I see, the funds can go to the VP only

Yeah, that's one of the reasons people have coalesced around Harris rather than other candidates

My algorithm coughed this up this morning. Aging is a fucking nightmare. The first two minutes of Biden explaining himself here vs what we've seen the last 10 days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opVaEC_WxWs

― the talented mr pimply (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, July 8, 2024 9:27 AM (four minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

sheesh. *that* man would win in a landslide, I think. this sucks.

Still think plan ‘do it for Joe’ is the right messaging.

Spending 12+ days in the heart of the general election campaign defending yourself from your own party is probably fatal.

Even if the bleeding ends today no one is going to believe what Joe's surrogates say about him from now on.

xxp suzy otm

Normal:

https://twiter.com/EugeneDaniels2/status/1810311337295143332?s=19

President Joe Biden on Morning Joe daring those that doubt him: "I'm getting frustrated by the elites in the party, 'Oh, they know so much more.' Any of these guys that don't think I should run, run against me. Announce for president, challenge me at the convention."

— Eugene Daniels (@EugeneDaniels2) July 8, 2024

Release your delegates then.

god, that letter.

"do we now just say this process doesn't matter? that the voters don't have a say?"

gee, thanks joe

He’s going to stay in and give us a parting gift of a 55-45 Trump victory.

3/4s of the voters think you're senile Joe

laff break

Opinion | Tim Scott must be upfront with voters about his sexual orientation.

by Lindsey Graham and Josh Hawley

— New York Times Pitchbot (@DougJBalloon) July 7, 2024

Hahahahahahaha omg

I'm absolutely convinced this latest clusterfuck is going to result in Trump winning, with some help from the Supreme Court in at least one key swing state. Even given the low bar of the Dems, this is a colossal fuck-up that will easily surpass the RBG thing.

Is it just me or does Graham look terrible to you guys these days?

(by "fuck-up" I mean not having any sort of succession plan in place until they started thinking about it AFTER the debate)

maybe i'm naive but i seriously do not think he's gonna win

I just think this debate clusterfuck is the icing on the cake. This was the Dems election to lose and I think they've managed to just about do that. Tt's basically a perfect storm here - historically unpopular incumbent, poor messaging, the youth vote who are (understandably) going to sit out because of how Gaza has been handled by this administration, the media completely in the tank for Trump, the Supreme Court - the sum total concerns the shit out of me. Please prove me wrong America.

We need to call in a hostage negotiator at this point

wouldn't he be James Clyburn

On the positive side, whatever happened to unleash the torrent of info about Project 2025 has been nice to see. I've heard some really politics averse acquaintances even talking about it, worriedly, in the past week or so.

Also, fuck yourself Joe

Jon OTM, Project 2025 has really started to catch people’s attention in the last week or so

most searched-for wikipedia term, yeah?

Mostly people trying to find out where to send their resumes

at least it’s a plan

Schedule F is something that really worries me. It will devastate the DC regional economy and does the Project 2025 crew really think that an army of 20 year old groypers will leave their parents' basement to come work in DC?

read that as "gropers" and why not