# Stop Panicking! **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [June 28, 2024, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447 "2024-06-28T15:26:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/241 "2024-06-30T00:59:27Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > No one is super into Biden Wrong. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/242 "2024-06-30T01:01:15Z")
There are people who would vote for Biden but not Harris? Or any other democrat? Maybe voter enthusiasm would be generally lowered if there was some sort of perception that party big wigs did something sketchy behind the scenes. I could buy that. But people saying “I love Joe Biden but I hate other democrats” or people who are motivated more for voting for Biden than against Trump? I don’t buy it at all. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/243 "2024-06-30T01:01:17Z")
No one I know voted for Nixon. ---
**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 30, 2024, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/244 "2024-06-30T01:06:31Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > There are people who would vote for Biden but not Harris? I know people who won’t vote for her because she’s a “cop”. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/245 "2024-06-30T01:07:29Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > A leadership PAC can’t just be a shadow fund for another presidential candidate’s campaign. > > They are free to donate up to $2,000 to the presidential candidate of their choice, which might be enough to buy the candidate and two of his friends business-class airfare to DC to attend Trump’s inauguration. Can’t they can give unlimited funds to the Democratic National Committee, which in turn can give high amounts to any Democratic candidate? Maybe I’m wrong, and I almost hope I am. Being a low-funded campaign gives you bragging rights. That might not mean something to you, but the kind of voters Biden permanently lost, due to the debate, to Stein and West, would like that. Harris would do a great job of shutting out those third parties which takes votes straight out of the Democratic ticket. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/246 "2024-06-30T01:09:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Not in recent memory. And the Sanders group yelled and screamed and help their breath until they turn blue over Super Delegates and some favoritism from the DNC _Rigged! Bogus!_ And when the convention started Sanders gave his whole hearted endorsement. (He used a specific word for it to show the delegate vote was unanimous but I can’t think or find that specific word. Dopers help?) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/247 "2024-06-30T01:16:57Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > There are people who would vote for Biden but not Harris? Or any other democrat? That is not what you claimed. You claimed > [@SenorBeef](#): > > No one is super into Biden and that is incorrect. ---
**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 30, 2024, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/248 "2024-06-30T01:24:37Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Can’t they can give unlimited funds to the Democratic National Committee, which in turn can give high amounts to any Democratic candidate? Maybe. I have no confidence that the inevitable legal challenge from Republicans would be resolved prior to Trump’s inauguration. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/249 "2024-06-30T01:43:02Z")
> [@bobsmom101](#): > > What we (i.e. the Democrats and the country) need is a “Dave” : a Biden impersonator Does DisneyWorld still build audioanimatronic Presidents? ---
**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 30, 2024, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/250 "2024-06-30T01:50:02Z")
> ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/251 "2024-06-30T02:15:09Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I have no confidence that the inevitable legal challenge from Republicans would be resolved prior to Trump’s inauguration. Nor do I. But if the Republicans did that, running a low budget campaign would be a heralded feature, not a bug. Something like – this is one of the only commercials you will see from me, because Donald Trump is afraid for you to hear my message. I gather you think pollsters are biased, and do not add up their numbers as I do, so we won’t agree. But, personally, the more I think about this, the more I think Trump’s debate performance was a catastrophic success. This race has been locked in place for maybe eighteen months, and by agreeing to this ridiculously early debate, he handed the Democrats an opportunity to shake it up by bringing in a new ticket that swing voters can look at with fresh eyes they refuse to give to Biden. My panic level is thus in freefall. At least it is so long as there is no new foreign policy crisis, because if Biden cannot publicly debate Trump, and, we now know, a lot of the time he cannot, Joe’s going to have a hard time with Xi, Putin, or even Netanyahu. ---
**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 30, 2024, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/252 "2024-06-30T02:23:14Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > But if the Republicans did that, running a low budget campaign would be a heralded feature, not a bug. Something like – this is one of the only commercials you will see from me, because Donald Trump is afraid for you to hear my message It’s not a matter of impressiveness. It’s a matter of practicality. If it were possible to win a presidential campaign on the cheap corporations and billionaires wouldn’t be pissing away billions of dollars on it every two years. There’s a reason no major party candidate has accepted federal funding in decades even though you get the chance to set aside $3 for it in your tax return every year. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > I gather you think pollsters are biased, and do not add up their numbers as I do, so we won’t agree. The polls told us to expect Republicans to pick up 50 House seats and control of both houses in 2022. Polling is broken. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > But, personally, the more I think about this, the more I think Trump’s debate performance was a catastrophic success. > **[Ex-GOP voter tells CNN she'd 'rather vote for the corpse of Biden than...](https://www.rawstory.com/biden-corpse-trump-lying-face/)** > > Despite a dismal debate performance by President Joe Biden, at least one formerly Republican voter recently told CNN she would rather vote for Biden's dead body than for former president Donald Trump. > > CNN over the weekend displayed a clip package... > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > if Biden cannot publicly debate Trump, and, we now know, a lot of the time he cannot, Joe’s going to have a hard time with Xi, Putin, or even Netanyahu. I do not expect the president to be meeting with foreign heads of state one-on-one without notes and with no access to his staff. We saw on Friday what Biden is capable of - you’re taking one example of what was clearly a bad night for him and concluding “this is how he’s always going to be from now on”, and that is demonstrably false. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/253 "2024-06-30T04:08:15Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I do not expect the president to be meeting with foreign heads of state one-on-one without notes and with no access to his staff. Snarky aside: _ahem_ that’s what Trump did with Putin _ahem_ ---
**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 30, 2024, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/254 "2024-06-30T04:32:26Z")
Seth Abramson’s _Proof_ Substack delivers its 10-Step Panicking Anonymous program: 1. Nobody now polls, or has ever polled, better against Trump than Biden 2. Biden has beat Trump before 3. Biden has had—unlike Trump—a successful presidency 4. Incumbency has enormous benefits 5. Joe Biden is an amazing fundraiser 6. It would lead to a civil war within the Democratic Party 7. The Democrats do not have good options 8. This election is simply not about Joe Biden 9. Debates do not matter 10. The next five months will be all about Trump, and Democrats need to keep it that way > **[The Extremely Simple Reason MAGA Wants President Joe Biden to End His Campaign](https://sethabramson.substack.com/p/the-extremely-simple-reason-maga?r=3a33y&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true)** > > If you’re a Democratic or independent voter who’s been suckered into the idea that Biden ending his campaign would do anything but ensure a second Trump term, it’s time to awaken from the fever dream. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/255 "2024-06-30T04:51:28Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > - Nobody now polls, or has ever polled, better against Trump than Biden I think we can all agree that polls are not the end all to be all. And especially with hypotheticals “what if it was Trump vs Whitmer” or “Trump vs Bambi”? That said, all the polls I’ve seen have Biden and Trump very close. None of the reputable polls have Biden out front with a comforting lead. Here’s a countering op-ed from the NY Times about [why Biden should drop out](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/06/25/opinion/thepoint#how-biden-should-withdraw) (limited quoting so we don’t break copyright rules): "He should do so gracefully and instruct his delegates to vote for whoever is chosen in Chicago, where the Democratic convention opens on Aug. 19. That move would have the short-term advantage of wrecking the Republican convention, which opens in Milwaukee on July 15. The G.O.P. plans to spend four days savaging Biden. If he dropped out, Republicans would have to explain what they want to do for the country, and the public would realize the only answer is: nothing but harm it in unpopular ways." ---
**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 30, 2024, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/256 "2024-06-30T05:10:56Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > The G.O.P. plans to spend four days savaging Biden. If he dropped out, Republicans would have to explain what they want to do for the country, and the public would realize the only answer is: nothing but harm it in unpopular ways." That’s a ridiculous assertion - they’ll simply shift their attacks to whichever Democrat seems likely to become the DNC’s sacrificial lamb. The NYT’s editorial is bad faith journalism and an indelible black mark on the paper’s reputation. ---
**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 30, 2024, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/257 "2024-06-30T05:32:15Z")
From your link; > [@](#): > > President Biden will stay in the race not simply because he’s already the nominee; not simply because there’s no mechanism to force him to exit; not simply because major media’s and politicos’ hyperventilating response to his debate performance yesterday—about 40% of voters appear to think he won the debate, and only 5% said it changed their vote (a sentiment unlikely to survive beyond a day in any case)—fails to take into account that the president had a cold, is a lifelong stutterer, performed much better as the debate went along, told a fraction of the number of lies his rival did, and saw his intermittent “old man” optics repeatedly belied by his conspicuous command of facts, policy, and history (check the transcript of the debate if you doubt this); no, Joe Biden will not step away from the 2024 election cycle because it would hand the presidency, beyond any doubt, to a confirmed rapist, serial sexual assailant, active insurrectionist, convicted felon, pathological liar, malignant narcissistic sociopath, gleeful adulterer, career criminal, unrepentant con man, traitorous would-be U.S. dictator, misogynist, antisemite, racist, homophobe, transphobe, Islamophobe, and budding war criminal. 100% correct on all points. Glad I’m not the only one who sees this. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2024, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/258 "2024-06-30T05:54:48Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > From your link; Can you cite please? This is turning into a shit show, but I just did multiple searches on [my cite](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/06/25/opinion/thepoint#how-biden-should-withdraw) in the NY Times, and no where does this paragraph show up. I’ll happily apologize if that’s my bad, but I don’t think so. Look, we get it, in your humble opinion 1. Biden is the only choice to beat Trump. 2. NY Times at least has fingers on the scale for Trump, if not outright partisanly skewing their reporting some of us agree to disagree on one and/or two of the above points. That said, we all agree beating Trump is mission one. ---
**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 30, 2024, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/259 "2024-06-30T06:46:00Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Can you cite please? This is turning into a shit show, but I just did multiple searches on [my cite](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/06/25/opinion/thepoint#how-biden-should-withdraw) in the NY Times, and no where does this paragraph show up. I’ll happily apologize if that’s my bad, but I don’t think so. That quote was from **bordelond** ’s link, not yours. ---
**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 30, 2024, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/260 "2024-06-30T06:52:53Z")
Newsweek chimes in; > **[Did cold medications affect Biden's debate performance?](https://www.newsweek.com/did-cold-medications-affect-bidens-debate-performance-1919099)** > > Donald Trump suggested that Biden would be on performance-enhancing drugs for the debate and demanded a drug test. Perhaps Trump was onto something. > [@](#): > > Biden’s symptoms are consistent with someone suffering from temporary drug-induced cognitive impairment. We now know he had a bad cold during the debate. Most people believe common over-the-counter cold medications such as Dayquil, Tylenol, or Advil to be harmless. While generally well tolerated, these medications have well-documented side effects and can cause reduced alertness, diminished attention, poor memory, and reduced reaction time, especially in older individuals. These impairments are transitory but can appear consequential and alarming. Every experienced clinician has seen this effect thousands of times. If anti-cold medications were combined with anti-anxiety drugs or alcohol, the risks would increase even more. > > Upon hearing of our perspective here, Yale professor of psychiatry Marshal Mandelkern concurred: “As a clinician, when someone presents with ‘altered mental status’ I would always think of the possibility of drug ingestion as a cause. This is not only common, it is usually the most benign explanation for a change in mental state.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447.md?page=14)