# Biden considering dropping out (Update: Biden drops out) **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [July 3, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690 "2024-07-03T16:50:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 105
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2090 "2024-07-21T14:18:36Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > You can expect there’s a mountain on Kamala ready to be dumped. Fer sure. And they are doing polling to see which aspects of that mountain of shit they can throw has any chance of sticking, or at least distracting from the focus on Trump’s flaws and the very different visions of the future. What they don’t have is recent real world experience with what is the best line to take. Or a leader with the discipline to focus the attack on things other than her laugh. Likely the strongest attack line will be immigration. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2091 "2024-07-21T14:49:36Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Apparently, donations to Biden’s campaign have plummeted. And meanwhile the GOP has reported its strongest fundraising month in June since the “stop the steal” days of 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2092 "2024-07-21T15:31:06Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Likely the strongest attack line will be immigration. I agree this will be a good attack line against her. It’s also why I think Mark Kelly would be a great running mate. Having a border state Senator on the ticket would hopefully allow the Dems to counter any attacks from Trump/Vance. Would love to see Kelly challenge Vance (and Trump) on why he didn’t support the bi-partisan border bill from earlier this year. There are plenty of videos and statements from Kelly showing passionate support for the bill at a time when Republicans ran from it due to Trump’s urging. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2093 "2024-07-21T15:56:40Z")
And an agree right back atchya! The counter has to be that the dysfunctional GOP House, under Trump’s direction, blocked the bipartisan solution. And then get the conversation focused on reproductive rights and the vision of project 2025. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2094 "2024-07-21T15:57:37Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > - Biden’s team will announce a new medical concern/diagnosis (not serious enough for hospitalization) > - Biden will retreat home to Delaware to discuss things privately with family These two have already happened, right? He’s in Delaware recovering from COVID. ETA: My point being it wouldn’t be too shocking for this particular bout with COVID to leave him unable to campaign effectively for some time, perhaps even causing a doctor to advise against extensive travel, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2095 "2024-07-21T16:05:28Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > ETA: My point being it wouldn’t be too shocking for this particular bout with COVID to leave him unable to campaign effectively for some time, perhaps even causing a doctor to advise against extensive travel, etc. This situation would be a gift to Republicans. Remember how insane they were about masks and any other covid restrictions? How they started bringing up “fear” (= weakness) as the only reason people would follow expert medical advice, particularly around covid? It is entirely possibly that Biden’s mild covid turns serious, or has serious consequences. I hope not for his sake, but also for ours. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2096 "2024-07-21T16:08:39Z")
Manchin tried to lay out a path of how to frame it. Basically, Biden cannot both campaign _and_ be President. Campaigning is extremely hard. But Biden can be a good President for 5 more months. This walks the tight line of whether Biden should be President (if he’s withdrawing his nomination). Biden quite literally went campaigning to prove he was up to the task and got sick with Covid. Not sure if I buy it, but it’s something plausible. Then you have to frame the replacement process. Because it must plausibly be a democratic process. Since, you know, you’re accusing the other guy of being a threat to democracy and anti-democratic. That’s quite the tight-rope. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2097 "2024-07-21T16:21:35Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > This situation would be a gift to Republicans. Hm, really? I guess I don’t see why Biden being unable to campaign due to a health issue would feed into the anti-precaution narrative. > [@CoolHandCox](#): > > Manchin tried to lay out a path of how to frame it. Basically, Biden cannot both campaign _and_ be President. Right, this is the tack I would take. Just doesn’t have the strength and stamina to do both jobs well, so for the good of the country is going to focus on the Presidency for the next 5 months. The biggest problem is that ultimately it will be undemocratic, so the convention needs to be framed as “Biden delegates determining who the best candidate will be”. It is definitely a throw-back to how conventions used to be (before primaries were the thing they are today). But maybe there is a way to spin it positively and actually turn the DNC into something like a newsworthy event. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2098 "2024-07-21T16:42:11Z")
My thoughts are that they would use it to drive home the narrative that Democrats are weak snd fearful as evidenced by choosing a leader that’s so afraid of covid that he withdrew. I realize that sounds stupid, but their technique is word association and ad hominem attacks, not rational arguments. “Biden got covid! Trump would never get covid!” The fact that Trump’s covid was well documented would cut no ice. I don’t know. It’s hard to get into the minds of that crowd, but I just sense that Biden’s withdrawal due to covid would become part of their superiority narrative. ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2099 "2024-07-21T16:43:44Z")
The covid story is pretty much over. Biden is over it. He does need to appear in person pretty soon. ---
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2100 "2024-07-21T16:55:27Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > In real life, political consultants maintain piles of opposition research on everybody. You can expect there’s a mountain on Kamala ready to be dumped. > > And I would want to add, if a plan depends on Republicans going “ah geez, now we have to admit our guy is too old if we don’t want to look like hypocrites”, I have some unfortunate news for you. On both points, you seem to be reacting to what you think you read rather than what I wrote. 1. On your first point, I’m well aware of the amounts of oppo-smear material on every conceivable candidate, but I wrote that it will take time to decide which bit of oppo-BS they want to emphasize and more time to barrage every undecided voter with that bit, as they have been hitting Biden with “old, feeble, senile” for years now. Doing it for mere weeks is not nearly as effective. 2. On your second, it’s not the GOP who I expect to display humility and shame for their hypocrisy, but rather all the voters who’ve been complaining for months and months that they dislike having to choose between two elderly and often incoherent men. Now there will be only one elderly and incoherent man in the race, making their complaint into a clear choice for them. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2101 "2024-07-21T16:59:05Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > Congressman Clyburn supports Biden…unless Biden changes his mind. Real profile in courage there from Clyburn. Of course, he’s one of the old fossils that simply will not go away that got us into this mess. Two whole generations don’t care what you did a decade or more before they were born. ---
**Author:** ![GailForce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dfb087/32.png) [@GailForce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GailForce)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2102 "2024-07-21T17:03:22Z")
Doesn’t it make sense that Biden and all his camp will be denying vociforously the possibility that he will step until the second he actually announces it? I can’t understand why people keep citing “he denies it” as evidence of anything. If he weren’t denying it as forcefully as possible, that would in itself be strong evidence that he intends to step down. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2103 "2024-07-21T17:13:10Z")
I think you are probably on the right track. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2104 "2024-07-21T17:20:37Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > (Or, as someone said, this election is a choice between an 81-year old who behaves like he’s 100 versus a 78-year old who behaves like he’s 10.) Haha, yes! I’ve worked in marketing and advertising for a long time. One problem that is often faced is that a rival band has staked out a message or image for itself, and it is very hard to claim that you are better in that regard, even if you are. So if Tide is the “premium” detergent with all the bells and whistles, then it’s damn hard to take a current brand or bring a new one to market and occupy that same brand space. So it has gone with Biden’s age. The smear–now backed up by reality, sadly–was that he was old and dottering. The fact that Trump is almost as old year-wise and exhibiting paraphasia and other signs of dementia matters not one fucking bit. Since Biden is old–Trump automatically is not! Bring in Harris, and suddenly all the age stuff will stick to Trump. People will finally _see_ the reality. The change will be stark–and very good for our side, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2105 "2024-07-21T17:33:20Z")
If Biden steps aside, I can get excited about: Harris, Whitmer, Buttgieg or any governor that can almost assure a blue-state for a battleground state. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2106 "2024-07-21T17:34:26Z")
Good lord, I know it’s only one poll, but it’s continuing the horrifying trend: [Trump now leads Biden in all geographic regions of Michigan, including Metro Detroit.](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4784328-trump-significant-lead-biden-michigan-poll/) Joe, read the room. This is a state that Democrats won the governorship, AG, SoS and both chambers of the legislature just two years ago. And now you’re losing statewide to a convicted felon rapist who tried to overthrow the government less than four year ago. [Meanwhile, Trump and Vance held a rally in Grand Rapids with 12,000 people in attendance yesterday.](https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/07/21/5-takeaways-from-trumps-rally-in-grand-rapids/74446909007/) ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2107 "2024-07-21T17:52:24Z")
Biden just dropped out. > ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2108 "2024-07-21T17:54:28Z")
Ninja’d by one minute. Not resigning the presidency. Just standing down from re-election. Let the madness begin. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2024, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690/2109 "2024-07-21T17:57:48Z")
What an insane week. One week ago, Trump in Butler, PA, and today Biden steps aside. It could have been a Haley vs. Harris race by this point. Meanwhile, I’m wondering what would have happened if the June debate had never happened. Without that cold/sickness, maybe Biden would have turned in a decent performance in September’s debate and he’d still be the nominee. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690.md?page=104) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/biden-considering-dropping-out-update-biden-drops-out/1003690.md?page=106)