Thanks to HCR for this! Historian Jon Meacham puts Biden's decision in historical perspective, says the 2024 election is the most important one since 1860, and reflects on “empathy as the oxygen of democracy.” https://jimbuie.substack.com/p/joe-biden-drops-out-historian-jon
Thank you Heather, I especially appreciated hearing Hunter's words in support of his father. As a parent of twins, one who is sailing through life and the son who is struggling to find his footing.... To hear what the son said about the father is everything good that Biden is. I can support his decision now, GO Kamala❤️!
Thank you HCR. You had the tears flowing. Goodness, I love that man. He will go down as one of our most brilliant and accomplished presidents ever. It’s up to us now.
I’m hoping you will come up with a bio on Harris. I love Biden and appreciate his efforts(age is such a sticky wicket)but I never could warm up to Kamala. I trust you and your opinion and hope you can shed light on her, warts and all so I can feel good about voting for her. Thank you in advance!
My 30-something son wanted Bernie in 2016 and Harris in 2020. I am really encouraged by the positive energy for Harris among young people. And, Biden has demonstrated the ability to put together an amazing team, with a sense of how to use people's strengths for the good of our country. He thinks Harris is the right person who can lead our country during these challenging days/years, and I look forward to voting for her.
I was also a Bernie fan in 2016, but of course I voted Hilary. My Beagle girl Garcie and I both went to the Women's March from the Capitol in Olympia, WA. It was a day of hope. Little did we know the horror that lay ahead in the person of the bombastic bloviator, but I now believe that much better lies ahead.
I haven’t looked at this yet but I wanted one written by Heather as fair and researched portrait. I trust her opinion about events. She is even keeled and unbiased.
I think President Biden did the right thing, and it was a courageous self-sacrifice for the good of the country. Democratic leadership & governors seem to lining up to endorse Kamala Harris, so she appears to be the de facto replacement for Biden. I like her, but I’m not sure if an open convention with several competing candidates would be a better approach. At any rate, if Harris is the candidate, I would vote her without reservations. I’m 66-years-old and have voted in many elections. Until 2016, for me, elections were about things like spending priorities and tax policies. Some aspects of foreign policy might be an issue in a given election. But since 2016, elections have felt like extinction-level events, where maintaining democracy itself was on the ballot. I often wonder, how did we get here?
Let's hope there are enough people with common sense to vote for any democrat who is given the nomination. Let's also hope it is a true democrat and not someone pretending to be one.
President Biden is a true patriot. The contrasts amplified by his commitment to service above self as opposed to the narcissistic Orange Mussolini who only cares about himself. One can only hope the 4th rail of democracy--freedom of the press will get their crap together, tough when 5 mega-conglomerates control all levers of media. Like you shared last week on your Red Wine & Blue webinar on the clear & present danger of Project 2025, Agenda 47, Repugnant Platform there is no white knight riding in to save us. Only WE can do it. Thanks for your continued passion to share your vast command of history. Democracy is truly at stake
My daughter encouraged me to begin reading you over a year ago. I ultimately became a paying member. I CONSIDER YOUR WORK TO BE EXCEPTIONAL. I
AM THANKFUL FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. YOU ARE A BLESSING IN MY LIFE. YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE IS PRICELESS.
THIS EXCEPTIONAL GIFT I AM ABLE TO ENJOY EVERY DAY IS BECAUSE OF THE CONTENT THAT YOUR PREPARATION AND STEADFASTNESS AND EXCELLENT WRITING SKILLS PRODUCES FOR ALL OF US. Your intelligence, insightful reminders of historically significant events and your sharing of your mental gifts is a gift we thankfully accept. Thank You for sharing yourself.
As an anti-Trump Republican, I look at a Trump win as not only the end of our democracy, but a world order changing event as he withholds aid to Ukraine and cripples NATO, leaving friend Putin a free hand at the destruction of Europe. The Putin/Trump/Fox team has had 4 years to poison the waters around Harris, even to those that wouldn't watch Fox if their life depended on it. With Kamala at the top, you will lose a very significant number of that critical vote, and increase the pro Trump energy. Please pick someone less contaminated.
Jerry, yesterday I would have agreed with you, but today with so many Democratic leaders rallying around the VP, I believe that the former prosecutor is going to win the election, wipe the floor with the felon and send the hatred that has emerged in this country back into the shadowy holes from which it has emerged.
Me, too. "yesterday" I thought no no no to Harris as candidate. Not that she couldn't handle the job if senior citizen Biden dropped dead. After all, she was first in line.
I just thought no way voters will rally behind an "ethnic" female. Then when Biden stepped down, within an hour I had sent quintuple my usual donation to Actblue for Harris.
I expect it to be very refreshing and just know that she is tougher than Trump or Biden. She would have to be, given the ethnic female thing.
Changed my mind now that I have seen her. Really good impression. Still damaged by 4 years of attacks, but if she can bring on the left without driving the moderate Republicans away, I now have high hopes for her also. Funny "what a difference a day makes" - a quote from somewhere.
Somehow the air in the country completely changed. Kamala: from "whomever"...to "Absolutely Perfect" in no time flat. Trump thinks God sent him.....Nope, If one could believe in God: he/she/it sent Kamala......let's hope we rise to this gift and do everything we can to make it work.
Arthur, I hope you're right. In their optimism, I think the democrats are not seeing that Kamala will be running against Putin and arguably the best intelligence/propaganda organization In the world. If Trump wins, Ukraine, then much of the rest of Europe is Putin's oyster. Trump winning will be his highest priority.
You are right Jerry about my optimism and about Putin too, but remember Biden won despite the foreign interference. Counterintelligence although far from perfect is more prepared today. Many independents and Democrats have started or increased donations through ActBlue and that is just the small donors. I'm going to remain optimistic until Trump has me arrested.
Contaminated? With what? I think she will pick a tough law-and-order-type VP like Shapiro and crush Trump and his loathsome vermin like bugs. There was a succession plan for Biden, and Harris naturally succeeds to the nomination. In almost all polls she scores better than Biden, sometimes quite a bit better.
Immigration and a far left image put out by Fox/Putin/Trump media - that has spilled out into the antiTrump Republicans. Wrongly, I understand, but still there. Seeing her yesterday convinced me to change my mind, but she will be watched by that group to see she will be more middle of the road than the painted image.
Shapiro...Law and Order, sure but, also, because of the Israel/Gaza problem and the "Lobby". She will be the first female and he will be the first Jew.
Heather, could we have your excellent emergency mini-Politics Chat from yesterday (7/21) posted to YouTube soon? Some of us don’t go on Facebook. Many thanks!
Doesn't this prove that, at least Democrats have learned some history lessons? In the lead up to the 1968 election, LBJ put out that he would not be a candidate. That lead to RFK seeking the office and his subsequent assassination while campaigning. The summer prior to the election was absolutely crazy including the Democrat convention (held in Chicago) and voters were extremely concerned. The good news was that Democracy survived.
Talk about burying the lead. Biden has dementia and the liberal elite, and press, who have been working overtime to hide this fact, could no longer pull the wool over America's eyes after his poor debate performance. Their snow job did continue to convince one person though, Joe Biden. Who hung on tenaciously for a few weeks, as the elite mounted pressure until he took the only option they offered him.
This whole week has been about the power brokers, whose undemocratic pulling of strings, got themselves backed into an unwinnable position. Now with poor aging, browbeaten Joe stepping down, the Democratic party machine will rev up again. The big question is whether they've learned their lesson, and will actually open the field to competition and let the voters decide the nominee. Or keep the decision making behind closed doors, and rely on their cunning, money and spin to stamp out their next nominee.
Thanks to HCR for this! Historian Jon Meacham puts Biden's decision in historical perspective, says the 2024 election is the most important one since 1860, and reflects on “empathy as the oxygen of democracy.” https://jimbuie.substack.com/p/joe-biden-drops-out-historian-jon
Thank you Heather, I especially appreciated hearing Hunter's words in support of his father. As a parent of twins, one who is sailing through life and the son who is struggling to find his footing.... To hear what the son said about the father is everything good that Biden is. I can support his decision now, GO Kamala❤️!
Thank you HCR. You had the tears flowing. Goodness, I love that man. He will go down as one of our most brilliant and accomplished presidents ever. It’s up to us now.
I’m hoping you will come up with a bio on Harris. I love Biden and appreciate his efforts(age is such a sticky wicket)but I never could warm up to Kamala. I trust you and your opinion and hope you can shed light on her, warts and all so I can feel good about voting for her. Thank you in advance!
My 30-something son wanted Bernie in 2016 and Harris in 2020. I am really encouraged by the positive energy for Harris among young people. And, Biden has demonstrated the ability to put together an amazing team, with a sense of how to use people's strengths for the good of our country. He thinks Harris is the right person who can lead our country during these challenging days/years, and I look forward to voting for her.
I was also a Bernie fan in 2016, but of course I voted Hilary. My Beagle girl Garcie and I both went to the Women's March from the Capitol in Olympia, WA. It was a day of hope. Little did we know the horror that lay ahead in the person of the bombastic bloviator, but I now believe that much better lies ahead.
https://www.arte.tv/en/videos/099969-000-A/arte-reportage/
I haven’t looked at this yet but I wanted one written by Heather as fair and researched portrait. I trust her opinion about events. She is even keeled and unbiased.
Kamala Bio
I think President Biden did the right thing, and it was a courageous self-sacrifice for the good of the country. Democratic leadership & governors seem to lining up to endorse Kamala Harris, so she appears to be the de facto replacement for Biden. I like her, but I’m not sure if an open convention with several competing candidates would be a better approach. At any rate, if Harris is the candidate, I would vote her without reservations. I’m 66-years-old and have voted in many elections. Until 2016, for me, elections were about things like spending priorities and tax policies. Some aspects of foreign policy might be an issue in a given election. But since 2016, elections have felt like extinction-level events, where maintaining democracy itself was on the ballot. I often wonder, how did we get here?
Let's hope there are enough people with common sense to vote for any democrat who is given the nomination. Let's also hope it is a true democrat and not someone pretending to be one.
President Biden is a true patriot. The contrasts amplified by his commitment to service above self as opposed to the narcissistic Orange Mussolini who only cares about himself. One can only hope the 4th rail of democracy--freedom of the press will get their crap together, tough when 5 mega-conglomerates control all levers of media. Like you shared last week on your Red Wine & Blue webinar on the clear & present danger of Project 2025, Agenda 47, Repugnant Platform there is no white knight riding in to save us. Only WE can do it. Thanks for your continued passion to share your vast command of history. Democracy is truly at stake
Well reported. Just reporting not comments or judgments. Thank you....
My daughter encouraged me to begin reading you over a year ago. I ultimately became a paying member. I CONSIDER YOUR WORK TO BE EXCEPTIONAL. I
AM THANKFUL FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. YOU ARE A BLESSING IN MY LIFE. YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE QUALITY OF MY LIFE IS PRICELESS.
THIS EXCEPTIONAL GIFT I AM ABLE TO ENJOY EVERY DAY IS BECAUSE OF THE CONTENT THAT YOUR PREPARATION AND STEADFASTNESS AND EXCELLENT WRITING SKILLS PRODUCES FOR ALL OF US. Your intelligence, insightful reminders of historically significant events and your sharing of your mental gifts is a gift we thankfully accept. Thank You for sharing yourself.
As an anti-Trump Republican, I look at a Trump win as not only the end of our democracy, but a world order changing event as he withholds aid to Ukraine and cripples NATO, leaving friend Putin a free hand at the destruction of Europe. The Putin/Trump/Fox team has had 4 years to poison the waters around Harris, even to those that wouldn't watch Fox if their life depended on it. With Kamala at the top, you will lose a very significant number of that critical vote, and increase the pro Trump energy. Please pick someone less contaminated.
Jerry, yesterday I would have agreed with you, but today with so many Democratic leaders rallying around the VP, I believe that the former prosecutor is going to win the election, wipe the floor with the felon and send the hatred that has emerged in this country back into the shadowy holes from which it has emerged.
Me, too. "yesterday" I thought no no no to Harris as candidate. Not that she couldn't handle the job if senior citizen Biden dropped dead. After all, she was first in line.
I just thought no way voters will rally behind an "ethnic" female. Then when Biden stepped down, within an hour I had sent quintuple my usual donation to Actblue for Harris.
I expect it to be very refreshing and just know that she is tougher than Trump or Biden. She would have to be, given the ethnic female thing.
Changed my mind now that I have seen her. Really good impression. Still damaged by 4 years of attacks, but if she can bring on the left without driving the moderate Republicans away, I now have high hopes for her also. Funny "what a difference a day makes" - a quote from somewhere.
Somehow the air in the country completely changed. Kamala: from "whomever"...to "Absolutely Perfect" in no time flat. Trump thinks God sent him.....Nope, If one could believe in God: he/she/it sent Kamala......let's hope we rise to this gift and do everything we can to make it work.
Arthur, I hope you're right. In their optimism, I think the democrats are not seeing that Kamala will be running against Putin and arguably the best intelligence/propaganda organization In the world. If Trump wins, Ukraine, then much of the rest of Europe is Putin's oyster. Trump winning will be his highest priority.
You are right Jerry about my optimism and about Putin too, but remember Biden won despite the foreign interference. Counterintelligence although far from perfect is more prepared today. Many independents and Democrats have started or increased donations through ActBlue and that is just the small donors. I'm going to remain optimistic until Trump has me arrested.
Seen her on the news and have changed my mind. She has a chance if she doesn't turn off the moderate anti Trump Republicans. Fingers crossed.
Contaminated? With what? I think she will pick a tough law-and-order-type VP like Shapiro and crush Trump and his loathsome vermin like bugs. There was a succession plan for Biden, and Harris naturally succeeds to the nomination. In almost all polls she scores better than Biden, sometimes quite a bit better.
Immigration and a far left image put out by Fox/Putin/Trump media - that has spilled out into the antiTrump Republicans. Wrongly, I understand, but still there. Seeing her yesterday convinced me to change my mind, but she will be watched by that group to see she will be more middle of the road than the painted image.
Shapiro...Law and Order, sure but, also, because of the Israel/Gaza problem and the "Lobby". She will be the first female and he will be the first Jew.
All to the good.
I disagree. We have to fight for the MISSION for democracy to survive. That's a vote for Kamala! And a NO VOTE for Trump
Heather, could we have your excellent emergency mini-Politics Chat from yesterday (7/21) posted to YouTube soon? Some of us don’t go on Facebook. Many thanks!
I agree. I need a way to send that extraordinary video to a friend who isn’t on Facebook.
You’re the best Heather.
“It is a far far better thing that I do , than I have ever done”
A Tale of Two Cities,
Charles Dickens
Doesn't this prove that, at least Democrats have learned some history lessons? In the lead up to the 1968 election, LBJ put out that he would not be a candidate. That lead to RFK seeking the office and his subsequent assassination while campaigning. The summer prior to the election was absolutely crazy including the Democrat convention (held in Chicago) and voters were extremely concerned. The good news was that Democracy survived.
Talk about burying the lead. Biden has dementia and the liberal elite, and press, who have been working overtime to hide this fact, could no longer pull the wool over America's eyes after his poor debate performance. Their snow job did continue to convince one person though, Joe Biden. Who hung on tenaciously for a few weeks, as the elite mounted pressure until he took the only option they offered him.
This whole week has been about the power brokers, whose undemocratic pulling of strings, got themselves backed into an unwinnable position. Now with poor aging, browbeaten Joe stepping down, the Democratic party machine will rev up again. The big question is whether they've learned their lesson, and will actually open the field to competition and let the voters decide the nominee. Or keep the decision making behind closed doors, and rely on their cunning, money and spin to stamp out their next nominee.