# President Joe Biden and the runup to the 2024 election **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 15, 2021, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384 "2021-11-15T14:54:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 77
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1533 "2024-06-28T03:00:01Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > But in the end, what I keep thinking is that everyone seems to be saying, there _has_ to be someone better. Why are they so sure? Frankly, there’s never been a single election where there wasn’t _someone_ better. Problem is, that _someone_ chose not to seek the nomination. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1534 "2024-06-28T09:16:07Z")
The great Democratic panic is annoying but entirely predictable. The same thing happened after the first debate in '12. Obama sucked and it really had no impact at all on the race. Biden may have sucked here (at least at first - he definitely got stronger as the night went on) but we have no idea if this will impact the race at all. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1535 "2024-06-28T12:38:44Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The same thing happened after the first debate in '12. Obama sucked and it really had no impact at all on the race. Yeah, but Obama wasn’t fighting against the idea that he was a weak old man. Biden was, and he just lost that fight. I’m terrified that we saw American democracy die last night. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1536 "2024-06-28T12:49:40Z")
Maybe. Or maybe lots of stuff will happen in the next few months and the second debate will go better and no one will care about this one. Panicking does no good for anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1537 "2024-06-28T12:51:17Z")
Panicking is good if it drives people to the polls. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1538 "2024-06-28T12:58:08Z")
Then you have my permission to panic. I see this as the same old same old; but it’s easy to find reasons (each and every time) to insist “this time it’s different”. Let’s see what happens in the next few months. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1539 "2024-06-28T12:59:13Z")
Note that I said “if”. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1540 "2024-06-28T13:04:26Z")
For all those saying, “This is just Democrats panicking!” all I can say is, “Yes. Good.” There’s been a fair amount of whistling past the graveyard by some Biden supporters (including some on this board). Trump is displaying obvious cognitive decline! He’s going to self-immolate in the debate! Polling showing him up in nearly every swing state is flawed! I’m not saying to dump Biden, but Democrats need to face the reality that he’s in a hole. His average approval rating for this point in his Presidency is the lowest of all time. He needs to shake up this race, and you need a little panic to shake a politician out of doing things the way he or she is comfortable with. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1541 "2024-06-28T13:07:02Z")
I think a wake-up call is fine – polls indicate this is a close race and Biden could definitely lose. I’m just pointing out that panic after the first debate is very common, and it’s also very common that the first debate ends up meaning nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1542 "2024-06-28T13:09:59Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Panicking is good if it drives people to the polls. I fear it may do just the opposite. People who think both candidates suck\* will not have had their minds changed by last night, and a lot of them may decide it’s not worth voting. Which not only hurts Biden but plenty of down-ticket Dems as well. (\*An exact quote from someone I spoke to yesterday, pre-debate.) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1543 "2024-06-28T13:33:03Z")
I think the Dems have to switch to very strong messaging of what the Biden admin has accomplished, the competent people who surround him, and the manner in which that reflects democratic principles. While contrasting that to Trump’s proven dishonesty, history of surrounding himself with incompetents and worse, and clear intention to move the US towards an autocracy. Basically de-emphasize Biden as an individual. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1544 "2024-06-28T13:49:47Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > While contrasting that to Trump’s proven dishonesty, They need to see that Biden looked the best last night when he just flat-out said, “Everything he just said was a lie!” You can’t get into the details of each lie, because there’s just too many of them, and even trying puts you in second place almost automatically. He did this a few times, but they need to start doing it _every time_. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1545 "2024-06-28T13:54:04Z")
Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign strategist **[Stuart Stevens could be whistling past the graveyard](https://x.com/stuartpstevens/status/1806528635391631485)**, sure. But his takes are still a useful reframing of recent events. > "Don’t day trade politics. It’s a sucker’s game. A guy from Queens out on bail bragged about overturning Roe v. Wade, said in public he didn’t have sex with a porn star, defended tax cuts for billionaires, defended Jan. 6th. and called America the worst country in the world. > > That guy isn’t going to win this race." … and this old saw: > ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1546 "2024-06-28T14:13:11Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > > A guy from Queens out on bail bragged about overturning Roe v. Wade, said in public he didn’t have sex with a porn star, defended tax cuts for billionaires, defended Jan. 6th. and called America the worst country in the world. > > > > That guy isn’t going to win this race." The real issue here is, were people listening to _what_ was said, or _how_ it was said? In terms of content, Biden was clearly far out in front. He had actual answers to many of the questions he was asked, while Trump just ignored the questions almost entirely, and trotted out all his usual lies and bluster. But at the same time, Biden stumbled on many of those good answers, making him look bad in comparison to Trump. What this means for the election still to be determined, but that’s the point of contention. ---
**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:** [June 28, 2024, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1547 "2024-06-28T14:13:55Z")
Endless talk about replacing Biden on social media and message boards I follow. Most people think “the Democrats” is some powerful group of leaders. My response there: Only…it will be the delegates representing Biden at the convention. So they are already leaning towards something. They will not pick AOC for example. She will be just 35 by November. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1548 "2024-06-28T19:48:24Z")
> > He’s not dropping out. Period. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1549 "2024-06-28T19:51:33Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Yeah, but Obama wasn’t fighting against the idea that he was a weak old man. Biden was, and he just lost that fight. He was fighting even worse prejudice. And no Biden did not- if you saw his State of the Union address you would know otherwise. > [@Smapti](#): > > He’s not dropping out. Period. Yep, and those speeches were well done. He had a cold. Likely he should have delayed the debate. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1550 "2024-06-28T19:55:37Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > He’s not dropping out. Period. Jeez Louise, where was _that_ Biden last night at the debate? ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1551 "2024-06-28T20:01:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Akaj](#): > > > > Yeah, but Obama wasn’t fighting against the idea that he was a weak old man. Biden was, and he just lost that fight. > > He was fighting even worse prejudice. Sure, but Obama’s opponent wasn’t making his whole campaign about how Obama, as a Black man, was unfit for the job. Trump (and the rest of the GOP) have been calling Biden too old all along, and he just made their case for them. > [@DrDeth](#): > > And no Biden did not- if you saw his State of the Union address you would know otherwise. I did, but that was months ago, and Trump wasn’t standing 8 feet away. This was the first time in four years the public could see them side by side, and Biden came off very badly. I’m just hoping people have a short memory. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384/1552 "2024-06-28T20:03:51Z")
> [@Akaj](#): > > Sure, but Obama’s opponent wasn’t making his whole campaign about how Obama, as a Black man, was unfit for the job. Trump (and the rest of the GOP) have been calling Biden too old all along, and he just made their case for them. Yeah, they were. And trump is just as old and acts older. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384.md?page=76) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-joe-biden-and-the-runup-to-the-2024-election/954384.md?page=78)