# 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:** 27
**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:** [July 4, 2024, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/521 "2024-07-04T19:16:15Z")
I understand the worry, but, if he ends up dropping out, in Oct-Nov it won’t matter if it was on 7/3 or 7/6 or 7/13 (but it probably shouldn’t be any significant time after that). So let’s give him a few days. He has a big interview tomorrow. Maybe his team has some other stuff planned. He’s been a great American; we can give him a few more days to try and get it together. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/522 "2024-07-04T19:17:57Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Saying Biden is better than Trump is true for every measure I can think of, but that’s not the issue. The issue is that we need enough voters to _actively vote for Biden come November._ Saying, “look, he’s not that bad” is absolutely a losing strategy, and that’s the tone the national conversation is taking right now. In every election, every politician says that their opponent represents evil incarnate and that they will bring about the apocalypse if they win. This is one of the few times that it’s actually true, but the voters won’t pay attention. The voters have heard it those inflated claims in every election and just ignore them. It’s “The Boy who Cried Wolf” scenario. The Dems need to come up with a strategy which actually gets that last % of people to go to the polls to vote for them. They can’t go with the strategy of “Our opponent is bad, so vote for us.” The voters are immune to that from hearing it from every politician ever. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/523 "2024-07-04T19:45:45Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > My mom told me the Dem governors had a big phone call and hashed it out and decided to back Biden all the way. I haven’t confirmed this for myself. [https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/04/governors-undermine-efforts-by-congressional-democrats-to-nudge-biden-aside-00166589](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/04/governors-undermine-efforts-by-congressional-democrats-to-nudge-biden-aside-00166589) _Democratic governors to Democratic members of Congress: Drop dead._ _That may be overstating the message sent Wednesday night by a group of the country’s governors, but not by much…By descending on Washington to meet with President Joe Biden and then emerging from the West Wing to oh-so-earnestly pledge their public support to the beleaguered president, the governors complicated the efforts of congressional Democrats to ease him off the ticket._ And even that is wrong- since the term “congressional Democrats” makes it seem like most are on board, instead of two minor House members. And look- there is no choice here. The DNC can NOT and will NOT remove Biden. There is a tiny chance he will withdraw, in which case it is Harris. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/524 "2024-07-04T23:08:46Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Many meetings could be done by video-call instead of in-person. Is there even really a need to appear at those G7/G20 summits? Biden could also cut out all foreign trips abroad except by extreme necessity. > > Doing so would greatly reduce strain on him. While the technology is certainly there for video meetings (and I bet the Pres has something better than zoom), there is a significant value to being in the room, especially as the leader. Consider the narrative of Biden holed up in a comm center instead of being physically involved. But many of those meetings take place in the White House. G7/G20 summits are important international exchanges. Not being there would be a slight against our allies. Biden is also trying to campaign, and needs to do so in person if he is to shake the bad impression of his mental state. Unless he really is having mental decline issues. But maybe not start the day at 6 and keep engaged and moving about until 10 or 11 every day. That’s grueling for any age. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/525 "2024-07-05T14:58:01Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > If we are EXPLAINING the perceptions people have of Biden, we are losing. Because their perceptions are their perceptions, and telling them they haven’t seen or heard what they’ve seen and heard is NOT going to either convince them or get them to make the effort to vote. > > In the face of a millions “shoulds” scolding them as to what they Should see and hear and believe, they will simply turn off and go back to paying attention to whatever they enjoy or need to pay attention to. And they won’t vote for Biden. (Likely won’t vote at all.) > > And Biden’s team has done nothing in the week since the debate to counter the perceptions people took away from the debate. Nothing. No live, unscripted performances from Biden that they could use to blanket the media-verse. Nothing to change the conversation. Nothing but scolding people worried about Trump’s now-looking-inevitable win. The solution, the best way to manage expectations and change perceptions: not to schedule more live, unscripted appearances, but just the opposite. Biden’s post-debate rally was the perfect counter to the perception left by the debate. So: no more debates. No town halls, no one-on-one interviews. Just lots of campaign speeches and rallies. He looks great at those, and that’s the version of Joe that we want to imprint on the minds of the voters. It’s working for Trump – you don’t see him granting any interviews, do you? (At least, with real journalists) And he looks like a blithering idiot in his rallies. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/526 "2024-07-05T16:57:11Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > > [@Sherrerd](#): > > > > If we are EXPLAINING the perceptions people have of Biden, we are losing. Because their perceptions are their perceptions, and telling them they haven’t seen or heard what they’ve seen and heard is NOT going to either convince them or get them to make the effort to vote. > > > > In the face of a millions “shoulds” scolding them as to what they Should see and hear and believe, they will simply turn off and go back to paying attention to whatever they enjoy or need to pay attention to. And they won’t vote for Biden. (Likely won’t vote at all.) > > > > And Biden’s team has done nothing in the week since the debate to counter the perceptions people took away from the debate. Nothing. No live, unscripted performances from Biden that they could use to blanket the media-verse. Nothing to change the conversation. Nothing but scolding people worried about Trump’s now-looking-inevitable win. > > The solution, the best way to manage expectations and change perceptions: not to schedule more live, unscripted appearances, but just the opposite. Biden’s post-debate rally was the perfect counter to the perception left by the debate. > > So: no more debates. No town halls, no one-on-one interviews. Just lots of campaign speeches and rallies. He looks great at those, and that’s the version of Joe that we want to imprint on the minds of the voters. > > It’s working for Trump – you don’t see him granting any interviews, do you? (At least, with real journalists) And he looks like a blithering idiot in his rallies. Who’s perception are you trying to counter? Because it sounds like preaching to the choir. Those that are going to vote for him are still going to vote for him. The disengaged voters are still seeing main stream media talking about how bad he was at the debate. Nothing so far has done anything to change that perception. Biden needs the disengaged voters from swing states to win. They aren’t even going to see random prepared speeches. Trump doesn’t need to change perceptions. No one is talking about his content during the debate. They only know he looked little different than he did in 2016 and looks a hell of a lot better than Biden. Trump frequently talks unscripted for around 2 hours. Yes he has some real clunkers that make a great worst of reel. He doesn’t need to hit talking points or even sound smart on policy. His fans go there for a roast and they get it. Disengaged voters see an old guy who still seems strong. I swear a lot of people on here don’t talk to real people out in the world. I live in a deeply blue state and I haven’t heard one good thing about Biden post debate. Every single person I’ve talked to has seen the debate or portions of it and are questioning if he should be president another minute let alone get reelected. I watch the news and I think we are in trouble. I talk to people and I know we are in even bigger trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/527 "2024-07-05T22:54:03Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I swear a lot of people on here don’t talk to real people out in the world. I live in a deeply blue state and I haven’t heard one good thing about Biden post debate. Every single person I’ve talked to has seen the debate or portions of it and are questioning if he should be president another minute let alone get reelected. I watch the news and I think we are in trouble. I talk to people and I know we are in even bigger trouble. Yes. No amount of happy talk among the Dem base is going to convince the don’t-always-vote people that they need to bestir themselves and stop Trump. And no amount of edited interviews, filmed in the afternoon and shown during prime-time, will convince a single person that they should feel inspired and energized-to-vote by Biden. ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/528 "2024-07-06T03:26:53Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I swear a lot of people on here don’t talk to real people out in the world. I live in a deeply blue state and I haven’t heard one good thing about Biden post debate. Every single person I’ve talked to has seen the debate or portions of it and are questioning if he should be president another minute let alone get reelected. I live in a purple/blue area of a red/purple state. Of the people I know who dislike trump, half are going to vote for him anyway because “at least he isn’t a commie libtard Democrat” and most of the other half aren’t planning to vote at all because “they both suck”. There are still a few who would vote for a rabid honey badger over trump. There is very little enthusiasm for this race out in the real world. It’s early days. I have to hope people will get more engaged in the fall. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/529 "2024-07-06T17:03:16Z")
Rebecca Solnit has an amazing essay that we should all read: > **[Word Are Deeds: Rebecca Solnit the Power of Speech to Shape the Future](https://lithub.com/word-are-deeds-rebecca-solnit-the-power-of-speech-to-shape-the-future/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Lit%20Hub%20Daily%3A%20July%203%2C%202024&utm_term=lithub_master_list&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2GyPlFPsBy78hveVBSkrPUQeZlG2oGPX7JUJUrp_YDthw94hPa1SB-jac_aem_dm_7hRBT9jd_xQtijAerKA)** > > There is a curious and curiously popular habit whereby people edit down the subjective truth in the statement “I am afraid we will lose” to the pseudo-objective declaration “We wi… > [@](#): > > There is a curious and curiously popular habit whereby people edit down the subjective truth in the statement “I am afraid we will lose” to the pseudo-objective declaration “We will lose.” My best interpretation of this, after seeing it time after time, in crisis after crisis, is that it’s how people hide from their own vulnerable emotions. It’s an interesting journey from real fear to false authority and projection of confidence. But why would you assert as fact and inevitability what you fear? What are you protecting? Maybe the self rather than the cause, but only protecting it from disappointment, uncertainty, risk. > > When you assert that the future is already decided, you undermine the motivation to participate in shaping that future—which seems ridiculously obvious as I type these words, but doesn’t seem like it’s considered by these prophets of doom. Also when you turn your feelings into facts, you turn truth into fiction. > … > We make something more likely, more widely believed, by saying and repeating it. Our rhetoric encourages or discourages. Which is why sports teams chant a version of “I believe we will win.” A whole sector of the progressive/left/whatever, however, seems to be eternally chanting “I believe we will lose.” This is not something sports teams do, incidentally. > … > Words have impacts. We shape our worlds with them, and that’s a power that though not evenly distributed lies with nearly all of us one way or another. The poet Marie Howe famously recounted of the Soviet refugee she studied with, “One of my teachers at Columbia was Joseph Brodsky… and he said ‘look,’ he said, ‘you Americans, you are so naïve. You think evil is going to come into your houses wearing big black boots. It doesn’t come like that. Look at the language. It begins in the language.” > > But there is another kind of language that opens the door and lets that evil into the house—including by saying it’s inevitable—and that issues from our mouths, not theirs. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2024, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/530 "2024-07-06T17:23:39Z")
Such an insightful essay. Thank you for sharing it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/531 "2024-07-06T17:28:08Z")
Happy speech doesn’t dispel what can be seen by the eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/532 "2024-07-06T17:40:25Z")
Did you really get “happy” from that essay? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/533 "2024-07-06T17:45:34Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Did you really get “happy” from that essay? “Positive” is better? Saying “All is well” is not going to help. Better performance from Biden might. The interview wasn’t it. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/534 "2024-07-06T17:54:56Z")
> [@Stratocaster](#): > > Such an insightful essay. Thank you for sharing it. Agreed. Which is why I said in one of these threads that if Dems lose in November, it will be due to a self-fulfilling prophesy. * * * Biden is old. He is not as energetic as a 50-year-old or even a 70-year-old. But he’s got more and better chops than anyone else currently under consideration, and he has done a masterful job to date. Unless he is wearing his underwear on his head, he deserves to steer his own ship. This election affects more than just those of us in the USA. There are people depending on Biden in Canada, France, the UK, Germany, Ukraine and many other places. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s earned every wrinkle and stoop. I think it’s sad how scared some people are by the outward signs of aging. God help you if you can’t immediately call forth a name – of which Biden must know thousands – or misses a step. Couple that with speech challenges and you’re simply going to get more gaffes than a normal person. Oh, noes! He’s worthless! You know, my own father is nearly 94 years old. Every day he works in his shop, cuts stones and makes some of the most beautiful jewelry you’ll ever see. He must use a crazy-looking variety of lenses and glasses and lighting contraptions to be able to see well enough to do this. Looks nuts. But if you just saw his jewelry, you’d never conclude he had nothing more to offer in life. Let’s not value showboating and youth over substance. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/535 "2024-07-06T18:24:33Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Let’s not value showboating and youth over substance. There’s a big difference between “Biden is old and feeble [within normal parameters for his age] and therefore shouldn’t be running the country”, and “…and therefore has no chance of beating Trump.” It’s the alternative to a Biden victory that’s causing panic. The only way to save our democracy is to ensure that Trump loses, and it’s so close that that requires the best possible Democratic candidate. If it was Biden vs Mitt Romney, I’d shrug and think “Dems shoulda nominated someone better…oh, well, try again in 4 years.” But that’s not the case this year. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/536 "2024-07-06T18:26:57Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > > [@Stratocaster](#): > > > > Such an insightful essay. Thank you for sharing it. > > Agreed. Which is why I said in one of these threads that if Dems lose in November, it will be due to a self-fulfilling prophesy. > > * * * > > Biden is old. He is not as energetic as a 50-year-old or even a 70-year-old. But he’s got more and better chops than anyone else currently under consideration, and he has done a masterful job to date. Unless he is wearing his underwear on his head, he deserves to steer his own ship. > > This election affects more than just those of us in the USA. There are people depending on Biden in Canada, France, the UK, Germany, Ukraine and many other places. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s earned every wrinkle and stoop. > > I think it’s sad how scared some people are by the outward signs of aging. God help you if you can’t immediately call forth a name – of which Biden must know thousands – or misses a step. Couple that with speech challenges and you’re simply going to get more gaffes than a normal person. Oh, noes! He’s worthless! > > You know, my own father is nearly 94 years old. Every day he works in his shop, cuts stones and makes some of the most beautiful jewelry you’ll ever see. He must use a crazy-looking variety of lenses and glasses and lighting contraptions to be able to see well enough to do this. Looks nuts. But if you just saw his jewelry, you’d never conclude he had nothing more to offer in life. > > Let’s not value showboating and youth over substance. Still whistling in the dark. Biden is old. Sure. So is Bernie. Bernie is a year older but speaks and acts with more vigor than Biden or Trump. It’s not age alone. Biden went from looking like an old man still up for anything to looking like my wife’s grandfather 3 weeks before he died. Ignoring it will not help. Saying positive things will not help. People are seeing it with their own eyes. It’s the same argument people had when John Stewart pointed out the obvious his first show back. Don’t talk about the obvious. Ignore what you are seeing with your own eyes. As long as you do that the electorate will go along. Watch how well that works out. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/537 "2024-07-06T18:28:19Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > “Positive” is better? An essay that compares our current situation to Britain’s situation in 1940, and you got “positive” from it? Did you read the whole thing? ---
**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:** [July 6, 2024, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/538 "2024-07-06T18:29:59Z")
Really. I don’t know how you could get “just think and speak happy thoughts” from that essay. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/539 "2024-07-06T18:30:22Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Biden is old. He is not as energetic as a 50-year-old or even a 70-year-old. But he’s got more and better chops than anyone else currently under consideration, and he has done a masterful job to date. Unless he is wearing his underwear on his head, he deserves to steer his own ship. … No amount of Democratic discipline on Saying Only Positive Things is going to get out the vote. Biden has been behind (or barely even) all along, even before the debate. He has historically-low favorability numbers. The debate has not changed that in a positive direction. There are plenty of “explanations” we can devise and then repeat, repeat, repeat: - Biden has a great record (he does) - He’s not the oldest person in the world (he isn’t) - He has good staff and support (he does) - We owe it to him to stick with him (is the election really about “owing”?) - He just had a bad night (then why wasn’t he out doing press conferences and town halls this week? doing ANYTHING that would change the Old & Frail image into something dynamic and strong?) - He is really a great guy (that’s nice, but if you’re having to convince people of that, you don’t have votes) - He is better than Trump (obviously–but again, how are you convincing people who ALREADY KNOW about Trump to get off the couch for Biden? And how does Trump being awful equal ‘only Biden can go up against him’…?) If you’re having to explain and explain and explain all this, you are failing. How are you going to Explain to people whose votes are vital, but who don’t read this message board? Who don’t watch the news? Who take no interest in politics? Who’ve known what Trump is like for years, and don’t care? Whose image of Biden as a frail and weak person has not been budged by ANY amount of Positive talk? _ **How will you reach them—much less convince them?** _ It’s time to give up the fantasy that if we just Stay Positive, everything will be all right. It won’t. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/540 "2024-07-06T18:32:33Z")
The essay does not advocate just saying positive things! It specifically encourages warning messages, which have hope implicit in them. It discourages outright surrender and offering an opinion as objective fact. The latter shuts down solutions (and hope) and creates a self-fulfilling despair spiral. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447.md?page=28)