Bravo! You nailed it many times over. Your points regarding Trump's pathological lying and the media's embrace of stage performance over substantive issues hit home to me. I hope this piece of acute insight gets wide circulation.
Yes, Trump was Trump. Lied like he always does. But this was Biden‘s night too convince worried Democrats and independents that he has everything in hand. He didn’t. I cried when I saw him. He was just the guy for me in 2020. All the 82 year-old people I know are in better shape than he is. He is pulling an RBG. He should just tell us he loves us, he loves a country, he’ll have our backs, and exit the stage.
I would never vote for Trump. I believe his candidacy is an existential threat to this country. However, Candidate Biden's performance (in contrast to his performance as President) was horrifying. I am not a pundit. I am simply an everyday person. I cared for elders. I know that (in contrast to children) elders do not gain skills as they age. Elders lose skills day by day. And the presidency is a grueling, difficult job. My wish would be that Biden/Harris put the country before their own egos and find someone else to take the reins
Mine as well. The one issue Trump has going for him is Biden's age and fitness to serve. If the Dems pick a prime-age candidate like Whitmer or Newsom, that issue disappears, and Trump must campaign on his past record, character, and prospective platform, all of which are abominations. The cost of fresh produce would likely triple if he followed through on his threat to deport 11 million immigrants. "Native-born" Americans simply don't want to do the hot, heavy work of picking fruits and vegetables.
trumpers don't realize that a tariff added to all goods will raise the price of goods not reduce them. We know that businessmen are in business to make money not lose it. For the prices to remain the same (never mind be reduced) businessmen would have to swallow the tariff prices.
A while back there was a 'experiment" with college/high school kids working in the field. Some lasted a week or two. NONE made it through the entire summer.
Thank you, Heather. I really appreciate your focus on the positive facts with regard to last night’s debate.
I’m really disappointed that his campaign did not give supporters a heads up about his severe cold. We all felt very blindsided, which was really unfair and yes, it absolutely made him look awful.
Cancelling because of a cold would have been awful, but I think it would’ve been better than yesterday what we experienced last night.
I’m reminding everyone to remain focused steadfast on Biden and his record economic growth, and that the alternative to Biden is becoming a dictator lead authoritarian fascist regime where rapists select the mothers of their children, girls as young as ages 9-10, there would be mandatory military service required, oh and yes, the collapse of democracy and economies of the world.
Trump was clearly using the Gish gallop debate strategy and if people don’t know what that is, I hope they’ll Google it. It’s essentially debate bulldozing and chaos.
Today I’ve been posting in socials my dismay we were not aware Biden has a cold, but we must support Biden, calling on everyone to join me by donating to his campaign as well as down ballot Democratic Party candidates wherever you live, reminding everyone of Biden’s solid presidential record and sharing out the fact checking from the debate. 💙
Democracy does not depend on one person. It depends on all of us working together like a system, and if it fails, it fails because parts of the system are benefiting at the system's expense, which is Trump's MO.
It's easy to say that Biden should step down, but I don't know how you do that without ignoring the possibility that doing so might increase the odds that Trump will win. I don't know how to make that assessment myself, but I trust Heather's judgment. And I don't just trust. I trust and verify by listening to other trustworthy experts.
Who heard Gov. Shapiro's message to Democrats this morning? Stop worrying and start working.
I don't know if anything will change anyone's mind, but I'm suggesting that everyone should watch these two videos to the end while reserving judgment till that end.
One thing I know for sure is that an individual's failure to challenge their own assumptions guarantees that the assumptions are going to distort how the individual interprets what they are observing.
Thanks for the links! Informative. Really good! Dems need to take a few deep breaths. Calm Down. Focus. I am not all that familiar with all the members of Team Biden, but whoever they are... Hello! Give us your best ideas. Tell us how we can make the difference in how we support, how we stand for the DEMS. I am reminded of a quote from one of my favorite authors, Kurt Vonnegut. Pull up your socks and hang on to your hats, we may end up miles from here.
Bravo! Sadly, I did not hear O'Donnell's message. My feelings are that 'it ain't over, 'til it's over! I do believe Biden needs help with his messaging and presentation. It's always been up to the people. Sure, there can be messaging flops, but it's up to each of us to work toward better governance. How much do you care? What do you want? I believe we have time to shift.
I will take middle ground between the two other comments. No--it certainly isn't right to compare the performance of a man with a bad cold and some memory issues to that of a convicted felon and proven psychopath and liar. But Biden's performance, based on the clips I have heard, does raise some legitimate concerns about his ability to live through and carry out another term. The actuarial odds of his surviving another term are, I believe, only about 50%, and there is an additional chance of his suffering severe physical or mental impairment short of death. He really is too old for the job. So was RBG in her last year or two, and the nation would have been better served had she stepped down during the Obama years and allowed a decent President to pick a decent replacement for her.
I could say a great deal, but I will confine myself to two points. At the next debate, the media will definitely be on trial as well as the candidates. It is imperative that there be an on-the-spot fact-checking protocol, with the possibility of cutting off the mike for repeated lies. There also needs to be a way to evaluate the media's post-debate performance. . .so that something approaching an accurate appraisal of the event gets out.
Finally, the evening underscores the need for the Democrats to develop a Plan B--ASAP. There is a non-negligible chance that Biden could die or become disabled or severely impaired prior to the election. The Democrats need to have a plan ready in case that happens. And here, for the first time since I started reading your columns, Heather, I am going to have to disagree with you. This election situation is in no way comparable to that of 1968. Johnson actually dropped out much earlier than this. The reason why the Democrats lost that election was the deep division in the party between peaceniks and party regulars. The one candidate who might have overcome that division was Bobby Kennedy, but he had been shot. The choice of Humphrey led many progressives and young anti-war types (including yours truly) to stay home on Election Day. After the Chicago Police Riot, in particular, I and many of my friends found it impossible to vote for a candidate who at the very least appeared to condone the Chicago police force's actions, and who had continued to support the war right through to the convention. The loss of the election had nothing to do with Johnson's leaving the ticket (which he chose to do). Had he been the candidate, the result would likely have been the same, or even worse. People like me who couldn't vote for Humphrey certainly wouldn't have been able to vote for Johnson.
Had the party been united, there would have been plenty of time for a new candidate to become established. Johnson stepped down seven months before Election Day. This time, the issue isn't whether the party is united--it is, much more so in fact than the Republicans. The issue is whether, four months before Election Day, there is enough time for a new candidate to become established. I believe there is, but it would be a tough challenge. Nonetheless, given the public perceptions around Biden's age and fitness, it is a challenge that must be considered. A Plan B is as necessary for the Democrats in this election as liability insurance would be for someone commencing a long road trip. Not to sound too grisly, but it would be entirely possible for Biden's cold to turn into pneumonia. . .etc. . .etc. He has spectacularly outperformed expectations during his first term, but he really is too old for the job. There is a reason why, prior to Biden, no one ever 70 was ever elected to a first term. That is really old enough. To expect someone to continue performing well at the most difficult job in the world into his mid-80s, an age which only a small percentage of American presidents have even reached, may be asking just a bit too much.
I hope you’ll watch the campaign stop that Biden is delivering an address to right now in North Carolina because he’s incredible obviously feeling much better than he did last night.
I'm glad to hear that, but it doesn't negate any of the points I've made. Biden should never have been anything but a single-term President. He should have made it clear, no later than the mid-terms, that he would not be running again, to allow the party ample time to pick a successor. Gretchen Whitmer and Gavin Newsom are two very good possibilities, even now. A Whitmer-Warnock or Whitmer-Jeffries ticket could cream Trump.
I have friends who are very wealthy and participate financially in campaigns. They recently told me that Newsome was currently unwilling to run. Perhaps during the next round. It seems to me that the future president's team is extremely important. The kind of people he pulls in. I believe Biden is capable of choosing well.
Gavin Newsome has already told prominent big money backers he won't run this time. From what I'm hearing the debate had very viewers. I'm going to put out some feelers and see if I can find out anything more.
MSNBC announced that very few people tuned in to watch the debate. I feel as if I'm standing on the corner of hope and despair. Gen Z and the Millennials have been saying they'll be voting, but I just don't have a handle on which way they'll go.
That could be just as well. . .fewer people to see Biden's embarrassing display. I'm sure not sorry I missed it, being instead at a launch party for a radio play I was in, and drinking beer with and hugging my fellow players.
Gavin Newsome was awesome on the news this morning. His response to Biden debate performance was.. 'so what'. What matters now is how fast, and how strong Biden will show up today. ps big money donors report that Newsome has stated he will not run this round....Next. maybe. If Biden is the nominee, we need currently need rapid response to shift the focus to who he really is. About his integrity, and his determination. We need some ads about Trump lies. We need publicity about the famous who stumbled and got right back up. The ball is in the hands of the Dems!
As one often mentioned as a potential candidate, Newsom had no choice but to say what he has said--otherwise he would have looked too much like Cassius with a lean and hungry look. The fact is that the Dems need to come up with, if not a new candidate, at least a Plan B. Anything less is irresponsible.
I believe it’s important to remind ourselves of our own responsibilities at this time. I am curious.. what would you suggest as a Plan B? Thoughtful ideas are always welcome, Jon!
Alternate presidential and vice-presidential candidates waiting in the wings. Admittedly this is unusual, but it is also unusual to have a presidential candidate over 80. In fact, it has never happened before!
Yes, it is unusual. But it seems to me that, in recent years, unusual has become the norm. I'm refraining from judging Biden. I have a feeling he will rally for the next debate. No matter what, am not voting for his opponent who I see as dangerous. I am not Christian. Closer to being Buddhist and an avid nature lover. That said, as a child, I remember reading in the Bible about people who supposedly lived well past 100. The thing about Biden is he's done extensive work in so many areas, and in ways that affirm life. He's not obstreperous like Mr. T, nor does he disrespect women. I was blessed to grow up close to the wild places and my biggest current concern is supporting and helping to turn human relations to nature into a love story. I suspect T. has never ever gone for a nature walk. I'm going to trust that Biden has a good team. Team work is SO important. I wasn't around for FDR, but I believe he is one of the best America ever had and he did it from a wheelchair! That said, these are very unusual times.. Rare times.
Respectfully HCR, I disagree with your analysis. CNN’s post-debate pundits did repeatedly mention that Trump lied continuously and failed to answer the questions put to him.
The call for Biden to step down after last night’s incoherent debate performance isn’t a referendum on his leadership, it’s a reluctant acknowledgement that he won’t be able to convince enough swing voters in AZ, GA, and PA to support him.
I am deeply grateful to Joe Biden (and the millions of us 2020 voters) for booting Trump out of office. I will definitely vote for him again if he stays on the ticket in 2024.
But there are tens of thousands of people in very specific areas of the country who are not diehard supporters. These are the people who may be swayed (by a cruel meme, by a shuffling incoherent performance, by the slack-jawed failure to confront a firehouse of lies) to either vote for Trump or RFK, or to just stay home because they think Biden is not ‘up’ to the job.
Biden needs to gracefully acknowledge that time has caught up with him. It comes for us all, if we are lucky. By staying in the race he is placing his political legacy—which is already a thing to be proud of!—above the good of the country.
I woke up disappointed today, not in Biden, but in the media and in all of the people who are echoing the media’s flaccid and demonstrably superficial analysis of the debate.
The truth of the matter is Biden should never agreed to debate Trump. Trump is a liar. He showed that last night as he spewed out one deceit after another. He lied about his accomplishments, he lied about things he has said in the past, he lied about abortion and immigration and the economy and even his golf games. How do you debate a liar? Without a fact checker on hand, I have no idea.
Biden, on the other hand stuck to verifiable facts about what he has done as our president, and that, dear friends, is what counts: actual performance, not the score of some game on a bogus stage that has no referee. This isn’t the World Wrestling Championships.
I am ashamed of those people who turn around and say President Biden should drop out of the race simply because he did not perform as they had hoped. The Presidency is not about how one debates a liar, it is about getting work done to help this nation prosper and be more healthy in all ways. Over the last 3.5 years Biden as President has signed into law more major legislation than any other president in recent history. As a result crime rates are lowering, the unemployment rate has dropped to the lowest in history, we did not fall into the recession predicted by all forecasters, we have an ardent defender of human and reproductive rights and the right for people to marry who they want, and you have an ardent protector of our environment.
You are playing with fire when you start saying we should change horses. We’ve got a good, experienced, compassionate and passionate president. Did he perform well in a debate? Not as well as I had hoped. But you try debating someone who has no relationship with honesty or integrity, you try to keep your cool under that situation, try to maintain your decency and self-respect, try to show that you are in fact a leader when all you are doing is being bombarded by the asinine lies of a bombastic fool.
Biden is a leader, he demonstrates that everyday. Trump is the crap I wipe off the bottom of my shoe when I’m walking though the dog park. Defend our President, fight for him. He is the only chance you have to beat a man who wants to be King.
Thank you HCR for your take. Anyone who has ever had a stutter will understand that debates are not our strong place. To not stutter you need time to think first before talking and take your time speaking.
The fact that Biden is perfectly understood in speeches is much more important than in a debate when the other party is spewing outrageous lies.
I'd never ever vote for that repugnant tRump thing.
Joe biden on the other may have appeared a bit off last night but he knows how shit works and surrounds himself with people that do, as well, and gets stuff done the Democratic way.
So bad of the Media to not call tRump out on his LIES! In 2020 it caused me to withdraw all support for Public Radio here in Maine since they too were playing into the tRump drama consistently and not calling him out on his lies. Fortunately they have swung away from tRump and his lies, yet as you said, so well, (as always) they have not been calling out the tRump lies.
Thanks again for another concise view of the US Political world.
Consider this possibility... with trumps extreme narcissism he will view this as an overwhelming win, reinforced by his echo chamber. It is likely that with that mindset, he will engage in more and more autocratic and dysregulated behavior. Thinking that he has already won, will engage in behavior that can only highlight his unsuitableness for the presidency.
Biden could be on Ecmo and I will vote still for him over a lying criminal grifter.
Last night I fell asleep worrying about a truly good man who performed badly, being overshadowed by that liar, with the help of the media. All of the media!
Today I woke up. Put on my big girl pants, and committed to getting Biden elected in spite of the horrible media outlets that viewers in this country will have to stomach.
The issue isn't with people like us, committed Democrats who have likely never voted for a Republican for President in their lives and certainly wouldn't start with Trump. The issue is with uncommitted voters, especially young voters (who may never have voted before), who saw Biden's performance and may have decided that if a bumbling 80-year-old is the best the Dems can put up against Trump, they will stay home on Election Day. It may not be right, it may not be fair, but perceptions of this sort do matter. And that is why I think Biden needs to step down now, to allow a successor as much time as possible to prepare for the campaign. I never thought he should be anything but a one-term President, and this has reinforced my belief. The Presidency is not the job for someone over 80. He would be 86 at the end of a second term--an age that only about 15% of all U.S. Presidents have even reached. Like many another before him--RBG comes to mind, and so does Willie Mays--he doesn't know when to step down. This could cost us all big-time in November. If Biden steps down and is replaced by someone like Whitmer or Shapiro, Trump's one big issue--Biden's age and fitness to govern--disappears. Trump is left to defend his record, his character, and his potential platform, all of which are utter abominations. This should be a no-brainer.
I think Joe Biden will go down as one of our greatest presidents since the Civil War along with Lincoln and FDR. Sadly, even if it was only a "bad evening", far too many voters saw Biden stumble and bumble last night. Like me, millions stopped watching after about the first 15 minutes or so. And I'm a Biden-supporting politics nerd! My overwhelming sadness for Biden plus the fear and dread of Trump's possible winning the election forced me to look away. As for those "not so nerdy" who stopped watching, the deal was closed. Lots of people who would have voted for Biden, if only to stop Trump, will now stay home on election day. A member of an Arizona focus group of Independents on MSNBC said last night after watching it all, "Trump?: 'No way'" and while watching Biden struggle, thought "Oh, no!!"
Joe has to do the right thing. Bow out and support the California team of Gavin Newsom for president and Kamala Harris as VP. Some will say it's her turn. Maybe so, but she cannot win the presidency in today's political climate. I'm not a sexist, I am a realist. This is no time for being worried about bruised egos or whose turn it is. Newsom would take Trump apart like a large puppy attacking a down-filled pillow.
Again, I am very, very sad to say this but it's impossible to ignore the obvious as pointed out by former Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) last night as she said (approximately) "President Biden had one job tonight, assuring the American people that he is still up to the job. He failed." Several millions of people very likely stopped watching the debate after about 15 minutes so they didn't see Biden's "improvement". I'm still a Biden voter if he remains on the ticket, but I turned the debate off myself. Just a train wreck. Couldn't get to sleep until about 5:00am, then tossed and turned in my nightmares.
Maybe President Biden can win the next debate (if there is one). Maybe President Biden is still capable of governing for an additional 4 years. Maybe President Biden can convince enough voters to win the election. But during this existential crisis for our country, "Maybe" isn't good enough. We need a Democratic ticket that will crush Trump's chances. We cannot afford to gamble the future on a "Maybe".
Gavin Newsom for president is the obvious choice. He's smart and quick on his feet. He projects strength, competence and honesty. As for Kamala Harris, I think she needs to move away from her advisors' version of "political speech" she has adopted and just be herself by embracing her inner California Attorney General and "prosecute" the hell out of Trump every time she talks about him. A very effective tactic and it is missed. Again. Not sexist here, just a realist. Newsom-Harris is the team that can win it.
The "California team" cannot be. The Presidential and Vice-Presidential nominees cannot be from the same state, according to the Constitution. But a Newsom-Whitmer or Whitmer-Newsom ticket would be dynamite. As is the rest of your post.
Bravo! You nailed it many times over. Your points regarding Trump's pathological lying and the media's embrace of stage performance over substantive issues hit home to me. I hope this piece of acute insight gets wide circulation.
Yes, Trump was Trump. Lied like he always does. But this was Biden‘s night too convince worried Democrats and independents that he has everything in hand. He didn’t. I cried when I saw him. He was just the guy for me in 2020. All the 82 year-old people I know are in better shape than he is. He is pulling an RBG. He should just tell us he loves us, he loves a country, he’ll have our backs, and exit the stage.
to
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Thank you. Siri can be really stupid sometimes.
I would never vote for Trump. I believe his candidacy is an existential threat to this country. However, Candidate Biden's performance (in contrast to his performance as President) was horrifying. I am not a pundit. I am simply an everyday person. I cared for elders. I know that (in contrast to children) elders do not gain skills as they age. Elders lose skills day by day. And the presidency is a grueling, difficult job. My wish would be that Biden/Harris put the country before their own egos and find someone else to take the reins
Mine as well. The one issue Trump has going for him is Biden's age and fitness to serve. If the Dems pick a prime-age candidate like Whitmer or Newsom, that issue disappears, and Trump must campaign on his past record, character, and prospective platform, all of which are abominations. The cost of fresh produce would likely triple if he followed through on his threat to deport 11 million immigrants. "Native-born" Americans simply don't want to do the hot, heavy work of picking fruits and vegetables.
trumpers don't realize that a tariff added to all goods will raise the price of goods not reduce them. We know that businessmen are in business to make money not lose it. For the prices to remain the same (never mind be reduced) businessmen would have to swallow the tariff prices.
A while back there was a 'experiment" with college/high school kids working in the field. Some lasted a week or two. NONE made it through the entire summer.
That doesn't surprise me. American kids are not trained to do that kind of hot, heavy work.
Thank you, Heather. I really appreciate your focus on the positive facts with regard to last night’s debate.
I’m really disappointed that his campaign did not give supporters a heads up about his severe cold. We all felt very blindsided, which was really unfair and yes, it absolutely made him look awful.
Cancelling because of a cold would have been awful, but I think it would’ve been better than yesterday what we experienced last night.
I’m reminding everyone to remain focused steadfast on Biden and his record economic growth, and that the alternative to Biden is becoming a dictator lead authoritarian fascist regime where rapists select the mothers of their children, girls as young as ages 9-10, there would be mandatory military service required, oh and yes, the collapse of democracy and economies of the world.
Trump was clearly using the Gish gallop debate strategy and if people don’t know what that is, I hope they’ll Google it. It’s essentially debate bulldozing and chaos.
Today I’ve been posting in socials my dismay we were not aware Biden has a cold, but we must support Biden, calling on everyone to join me by donating to his campaign as well as down ballot Democratic Party candidates wherever you live, reminding everyone of Biden’s solid presidential record and sharing out the fact checking from the debate. 💙
Democracy does not depend on one person. It depends on all of us working together like a system, and if it fails, it fails because parts of the system are benefiting at the system's expense, which is Trump's MO.
It's easy to say that Biden should step down, but I don't know how you do that without ignoring the possibility that doing so might increase the odds that Trump will win. I don't know how to make that assessment myself, but I trust Heather's judgment. And I don't just trust. I trust and verify by listening to other trustworthy experts.
Who heard Gov. Shapiro's message to Democrats this morning? Stop worrying and start working.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnXRodjqs_U
Who heard Lawrence O'Donnell's message back in February about what he referred to as the "dump Biden fantasy."
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9vsivYrC4U
I don't know if anything will change anyone's mind, but I'm suggesting that everyone should watch these two videos to the end while reserving judgment till that end.
One thing I know for sure is that an individual's failure to challenge their own assumptions guarantees that the assumptions are going to distort how the individual interprets what they are observing.
Thanks for the links! Informative. Really good! Dems need to take a few deep breaths. Calm Down. Focus. I am not all that familiar with all the members of Team Biden, but whoever they are... Hello! Give us your best ideas. Tell us how we can make the difference in how we support, how we stand for the DEMS. I am reminded of a quote from one of my favorite authors, Kurt Vonnegut. Pull up your socks and hang on to your hats, we may end up miles from here.
Bravo! Sadly, I did not hear O'Donnell's message. My feelings are that 'it ain't over, 'til it's over! I do believe Biden needs help with his messaging and presentation. It's always been up to the people. Sure, there can be messaging flops, but it's up to each of us to work toward better governance. How much do you care? What do you want? I believe we have time to shift.
I will take middle ground between the two other comments. No--it certainly isn't right to compare the performance of a man with a bad cold and some memory issues to that of a convicted felon and proven psychopath and liar. But Biden's performance, based on the clips I have heard, does raise some legitimate concerns about his ability to live through and carry out another term. The actuarial odds of his surviving another term are, I believe, only about 50%, and there is an additional chance of his suffering severe physical or mental impairment short of death. He really is too old for the job. So was RBG in her last year or two, and the nation would have been better served had she stepped down during the Obama years and allowed a decent President to pick a decent replacement for her.
I could say a great deal, but I will confine myself to two points. At the next debate, the media will definitely be on trial as well as the candidates. It is imperative that there be an on-the-spot fact-checking protocol, with the possibility of cutting off the mike for repeated lies. There also needs to be a way to evaluate the media's post-debate performance. . .so that something approaching an accurate appraisal of the event gets out.
Finally, the evening underscores the need for the Democrats to develop a Plan B--ASAP. There is a non-negligible chance that Biden could die or become disabled or severely impaired prior to the election. The Democrats need to have a plan ready in case that happens. And here, for the first time since I started reading your columns, Heather, I am going to have to disagree with you. This election situation is in no way comparable to that of 1968. Johnson actually dropped out much earlier than this. The reason why the Democrats lost that election was the deep division in the party between peaceniks and party regulars. The one candidate who might have overcome that division was Bobby Kennedy, but he had been shot. The choice of Humphrey led many progressives and young anti-war types (including yours truly) to stay home on Election Day. After the Chicago Police Riot, in particular, I and many of my friends found it impossible to vote for a candidate who at the very least appeared to condone the Chicago police force's actions, and who had continued to support the war right through to the convention. The loss of the election had nothing to do with Johnson's leaving the ticket (which he chose to do). Had he been the candidate, the result would likely have been the same, or even worse. People like me who couldn't vote for Humphrey certainly wouldn't have been able to vote for Johnson.
Had the party been united, there would have been plenty of time for a new candidate to become established. Johnson stepped down seven months before Election Day. This time, the issue isn't whether the party is united--it is, much more so in fact than the Republicans. The issue is whether, four months before Election Day, there is enough time for a new candidate to become established. I believe there is, but it would be a tough challenge. Nonetheless, given the public perceptions around Biden's age and fitness, it is a challenge that must be considered. A Plan B is as necessary for the Democrats in this election as liability insurance would be for someone commencing a long road trip. Not to sound too grisly, but it would be entirely possible for Biden's cold to turn into pneumonia. . .etc. . .etc. He has spectacularly outperformed expectations during his first term, but he really is too old for the job. There is a reason why, prior to Biden, no one ever 70 was ever elected to a first term. That is really old enough. To expect someone to continue performing well at the most difficult job in the world into his mid-80s, an age which only a small percentage of American presidents have even reached, may be asking just a bit too much.
I hope you’ll watch the campaign stop that Biden is delivering an address to right now in North Carolina because he’s incredible obviously feeling much better than he did last night.
I'm glad to hear that, but it doesn't negate any of the points I've made. Biden should never have been anything but a single-term President. He should have made it clear, no later than the mid-terms, that he would not be running again, to allow the party ample time to pick a successor. Gretchen Whitmer and Gavin Newsom are two very good possibilities, even now. A Whitmer-Warnock or Whitmer-Jeffries ticket could cream Trump.
I have friends who are very wealthy and participate financially in campaigns. They recently told me that Newsome was currently unwilling to run. Perhaps during the next round. It seems to me that the future president's team is extremely important. The kind of people he pulls in. I believe Biden is capable of choosing well.
I would rather have Whitmer, anyway. She with an African-American male running mate (Warnock or Jeffries) would be hard to beat.
Gavin Newsome has already told prominent big money backers he won't run this time. From what I'm hearing the debate had very viewers. I'm going to put out some feelers and see if I can find out anything more.
MSNBC announced that very few people tuned in to watch the debate. I feel as if I'm standing on the corner of hope and despair. Gen Z and the Millennials have been saying they'll be voting, but I just don't have a handle on which way they'll go.
That could be just as well. . .fewer people to see Biden's embarrassing display. I'm sure not sorry I missed it, being instead at a launch party for a radio play I was in, and drinking beer with and hugging my fellow players.
Thank you for your insightful analysis.
Gavin Newsome was awesome on the news this morning. His response to Biden debate performance was.. 'so what'. What matters now is how fast, and how strong Biden will show up today. ps big money donors report that Newsome has stated he will not run this round....Next. maybe. If Biden is the nominee, we need currently need rapid response to shift the focus to who he really is. About his integrity, and his determination. We need some ads about Trump lies. We need publicity about the famous who stumbled and got right back up. The ball is in the hands of the Dems!
As one often mentioned as a potential candidate, Newsom had no choice but to say what he has said--otherwise he would have looked too much like Cassius with a lean and hungry look. The fact is that the Dems need to come up with, if not a new candidate, at least a Plan B. Anything less is irresponsible.
I believe it’s important to remind ourselves of our own responsibilities at this time. I am curious.. what would you suggest as a Plan B? Thoughtful ideas are always welcome, Jon!
Alternate presidential and vice-presidential candidates waiting in the wings. Admittedly this is unusual, but it is also unusual to have a presidential candidate over 80. In fact, it has never happened before!
Yes, it is unusual. But it seems to me that, in recent years, unusual has become the norm. I'm refraining from judging Biden. I have a feeling he will rally for the next debate. No matter what, am not voting for his opponent who I see as dangerous. I am not Christian. Closer to being Buddhist and an avid nature lover. That said, as a child, I remember reading in the Bible about people who supposedly lived well past 100. The thing about Biden is he's done extensive work in so many areas, and in ways that affirm life. He's not obstreperous like Mr. T, nor does he disrespect women. I was blessed to grow up close to the wild places and my biggest current concern is supporting and helping to turn human relations to nature into a love story. I suspect T. has never ever gone for a nature walk. I'm going to trust that Biden has a good team. Team work is SO important. I wasn't around for FDR, but I believe he is one of the best America ever had and he did it from a wheelchair! That said, these are very unusual times.. Rare times.
Respectfully HCR, I disagree with your analysis. CNN’s post-debate pundits did repeatedly mention that Trump lied continuously and failed to answer the questions put to him.
The call for Biden to step down after last night’s incoherent debate performance isn’t a referendum on his leadership, it’s a reluctant acknowledgement that he won’t be able to convince enough swing voters in AZ, GA, and PA to support him.
I am deeply grateful to Joe Biden (and the millions of us 2020 voters) for booting Trump out of office. I will definitely vote for him again if he stays on the ticket in 2024.
But there are tens of thousands of people in very specific areas of the country who are not diehard supporters. These are the people who may be swayed (by a cruel meme, by a shuffling incoherent performance, by the slack-jawed failure to confront a firehouse of lies) to either vote for Trump or RFK, or to just stay home because they think Biden is not ‘up’ to the job.
Biden needs to gracefully acknowledge that time has caught up with him. It comes for us all, if we are lucky. By staying in the race he is placing his political legacy—which is already a thing to be proud of!—above the good of the country.
Yes, every article I read today bashed Trump for his preposterous lies. Also, people are scared and should be.
I woke up disappointed today, not in Biden, but in the media and in all of the people who are echoing the media’s flaccid and demonstrably superficial analysis of the debate.
The truth of the matter is Biden should never agreed to debate Trump. Trump is a liar. He showed that last night as he spewed out one deceit after another. He lied about his accomplishments, he lied about things he has said in the past, he lied about abortion and immigration and the economy and even his golf games. How do you debate a liar? Without a fact checker on hand, I have no idea.
Biden, on the other hand stuck to verifiable facts about what he has done as our president, and that, dear friends, is what counts: actual performance, not the score of some game on a bogus stage that has no referee. This isn’t the World Wrestling Championships.
I am ashamed of those people who turn around and say President Biden should drop out of the race simply because he did not perform as they had hoped. The Presidency is not about how one debates a liar, it is about getting work done to help this nation prosper and be more healthy in all ways. Over the last 3.5 years Biden as President has signed into law more major legislation than any other president in recent history. As a result crime rates are lowering, the unemployment rate has dropped to the lowest in history, we did not fall into the recession predicted by all forecasters, we have an ardent defender of human and reproductive rights and the right for people to marry who they want, and you have an ardent protector of our environment.
You are playing with fire when you start saying we should change horses. We’ve got a good, experienced, compassionate and passionate president. Did he perform well in a debate? Not as well as I had hoped. But you try debating someone who has no relationship with honesty or integrity, you try to keep your cool under that situation, try to maintain your decency and self-respect, try to show that you are in fact a leader when all you are doing is being bombarded by the asinine lies of a bombastic fool.
Biden is a leader, he demonstrates that everyday. Trump is the crap I wipe off the bottom of my shoe when I’m walking though the dog park. Defend our President, fight for him. He is the only chance you have to beat a man who wants to be King.
Thank you HCR for your take. Anyone who has ever had a stutter will understand that debates are not our strong place. To not stutter you need time to think first before talking and take your time speaking.
The fact that Biden is perfectly understood in speeches is much more important than in a debate when the other party is spewing outrageous lies.
I'd never ever vote for that repugnant tRump thing.
Joe biden on the other may have appeared a bit off last night but he knows how shit works and surrounds himself with people that do, as well, and gets stuff done the Democratic way.
So bad of the Media to not call tRump out on his LIES! In 2020 it caused me to withdraw all support for Public Radio here in Maine since they too were playing into the tRump drama consistently and not calling him out on his lies. Fortunately they have swung away from tRump and his lies, yet as you said, so well, (as always) they have not been calling out the tRump lies.
Thanks again for another concise view of the US Political world.
Consider this possibility... with trumps extreme narcissism he will view this as an overwhelming win, reinforced by his echo chamber. It is likely that with that mindset, he will engage in more and more autocratic and dysregulated behavior. Thinking that he has already won, will engage in behavior that can only highlight his unsuitableness for the presidency.
You are accurate in your analysis, as usual. And you help me be less discouraged; thank you
Biden could be on Ecmo and I will vote still for him over a lying criminal grifter.
Last night I fell asleep worrying about a truly good man who performed badly, being overshadowed by that liar, with the help of the media. All of the media!
Today I woke up. Put on my big girl pants, and committed to getting Biden elected in spite of the horrible media outlets that viewers in this country will have to stomach.
The issue isn't with people like us, committed Democrats who have likely never voted for a Republican for President in their lives and certainly wouldn't start with Trump. The issue is with uncommitted voters, especially young voters (who may never have voted before), who saw Biden's performance and may have decided that if a bumbling 80-year-old is the best the Dems can put up against Trump, they will stay home on Election Day. It may not be right, it may not be fair, but perceptions of this sort do matter. And that is why I think Biden needs to step down now, to allow a successor as much time as possible to prepare for the campaign. I never thought he should be anything but a one-term President, and this has reinforced my belief. The Presidency is not the job for someone over 80. He would be 86 at the end of a second term--an age that only about 15% of all U.S. Presidents have even reached. Like many another before him--RBG comes to mind, and so does Willie Mays--he doesn't know when to step down. This could cost us all big-time in November. If Biden steps down and is replaced by someone like Whitmer or Shapiro, Trump's one big issue--Biden's age and fitness to govern--disappears. Trump is left to defend his record, his character, and his potential platform, all of which are utter abominations. This should be a no-brainer.
I think Joe Biden will go down as one of our greatest presidents since the Civil War along with Lincoln and FDR. Sadly, even if it was only a "bad evening", far too many voters saw Biden stumble and bumble last night. Like me, millions stopped watching after about the first 15 minutes or so. And I'm a Biden-supporting politics nerd! My overwhelming sadness for Biden plus the fear and dread of Trump's possible winning the election forced me to look away. As for those "not so nerdy" who stopped watching, the deal was closed. Lots of people who would have voted for Biden, if only to stop Trump, will now stay home on election day. A member of an Arizona focus group of Independents on MSNBC said last night after watching it all, "Trump?: 'No way'" and while watching Biden struggle, thought "Oh, no!!"
Joe has to do the right thing. Bow out and support the California team of Gavin Newsom for president and Kamala Harris as VP. Some will say it's her turn. Maybe so, but she cannot win the presidency in today's political climate. I'm not a sexist, I am a realist. This is no time for being worried about bruised egos or whose turn it is. Newsom would take Trump apart like a large puppy attacking a down-filled pillow.
Again, I am very, very sad to say this but it's impossible to ignore the obvious as pointed out by former Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) last night as she said (approximately) "President Biden had one job tonight, assuring the American people that he is still up to the job. He failed." Several millions of people very likely stopped watching the debate after about 15 minutes so they didn't see Biden's "improvement". I'm still a Biden voter if he remains on the ticket, but I turned the debate off myself. Just a train wreck. Couldn't get to sleep until about 5:00am, then tossed and turned in my nightmares.
Maybe President Biden can win the next debate (if there is one). Maybe President Biden is still capable of governing for an additional 4 years. Maybe President Biden can convince enough voters to win the election. But during this existential crisis for our country, "Maybe" isn't good enough. We need a Democratic ticket that will crush Trump's chances. We cannot afford to gamble the future on a "Maybe".
Gavin Newsom for president is the obvious choice. He's smart and quick on his feet. He projects strength, competence and honesty. As for Kamala Harris, I think she needs to move away from her advisors' version of "political speech" she has adopted and just be herself by embracing her inner California Attorney General and "prosecute" the hell out of Trump every time she talks about him. A very effective tactic and it is missed. Again. Not sexist here, just a realist. Newsom-Harris is the team that can win it.
The "California team" cannot be. The Presidential and Vice-Presidential nominees cannot be from the same state, according to the Constitution. But a Newsom-Whitmer or Whitmer-Newsom ticket would be dynamite. As is the rest of your post.