# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/81 "2024-06-28T22:57:22Z")
Polling, so far, has these two pretty close. The last election was also pretty close. Biden didn’t just do poorly…he flat out sucked. That’s why people are scared. Another Trump presidency is a horror show. Have you read about [Project 2025?](https://youtu.be/gYwqpx6lp_s) Be afraid. Be very afraid. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/82 "2024-06-28T22:58:18Z")
You can either let fear paralyze you or make it motivate you. Your choice. Mine is to fight. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/83 "2024-06-28T23:03:10Z")
Ok…so would you rather have Biden do terrible in the debate so it can motivate you? ---
**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, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/84 "2024-06-28T23:18:04Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > And you believe him??? 😉 If he was lying I would consider that disqualifying as a Democratic presidential candidate. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/85 "2024-06-28T23:19:21Z")
I hope this falls below the allowable limits. [quote=NYTimes] Mr. Biden has been an admirable president. Under his leadership, [the nation has prospered](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/02/us/politics/biden-economy.html) and begun to address a range of long-term challenges, and the wounds ripped open by Mr. Trump have begun to heal. But the greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election. As it stands, the president is engaged in a reckless gamble. There are Democratic leaders better equipped to present clear, compelling and energetic alternatives to a second Trump presidency. There is no reason for the party to risk the stability and security of the country by forcing voters to choose between Mr. Trump’s deficiencies and those of Mr. Biden. It’s too big a bet to simply hope Americans will overlook or discount Mr. Biden’s age and infirmity that they see with their own eyes. If the race comes down to a choice between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, the sitting president would be this board’s unequivocal pick. That is how much of a danger Mr. Trump poses. But given that very danger, the stakes for the country and the uneven abilities of Mr. Biden, the United States needs a stronger opponent to the presumptive Republican nominee.[/quote] ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/86 "2024-06-28T23:25:26Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I’d be happy with a President Buttigieg, but this is not his time. If you want to beat Trump you need an old straight white guy. I have to admit, I’ve never really understood that point of view. I mean, I can of course imagine someone who’s bigoted against Buttigieg and so wouldn’t vote for him — but I can also imagine asking that guy, _so, what do you think of Joe Biden? You know, the man who chose Buttigieg from among all others to serve in the Cabinet? How’s you like to have a real long talk about plenty of other Biden appointees who all have something in common? Because, well, Biden sure seems to be 100% okay with — hey, where are you going?_ ---
**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, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/87 "2024-06-28T23:25:28Z")
The NYT is wrong. Point blank. The Democrats cannot position themselves as defending democracy against authoritarianism by removing the people’s choice for president in favor of someone selected by party insiders who did not win a single primary and no qualified candidate should accept such an offer. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/88 "2024-06-28T23:56:48Z")
They’re not saying that party leaders should got e Biden out, they are saying that Biden himself should choose to bow out. Of course that means that elected convention delegates would choose a new candidate, because there is no other way. ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2024, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/89 "2024-06-28T23:59:05Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > It’s behind a paywall, so I won’t link, but the New York Times editorial board is panicking, Or, to be precise, they are calling for Biden to drop his re-election bid. I just came in here to say this. I’m reading this thread and it’s not making me feel any better. I’m seriously panicking. And now the NYT is panicking too? ---
**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 29, 2024, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/90 "2024-06-29T00:15:00Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > Of course that means that elected convention delegates would choose a new candidate, because there is no other way. Which would equal political suicide for the Democratic party. > [@Tfletch1](#): > > And now the NYT is panicking too? The NYT’s ownership have made it clear for some time that they want Trump to win. I expect this kind of mealy-mputhed concern trolling from them. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/91 "2024-06-29T00:15:28Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Be afraid. Be very afraid. I do understand your motives here, but to me, statements like this and “we’re screwed” carry the inherent implication that, in the event of a Trump victory in this case, that my life is officially over and hopeless, and the death of America and everything I hold dear is inevitable and secured. Might as well do something [drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-be-smothering-my-kids-in-their-sleep-deliberately-provocative-title-the-answer-is-no-and-i-don-t-have-kids/955848/36). I can see how that may be motivating to _some_ people, but… ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/92 "2024-06-29T00:16:54Z")
My motive is to get people to vote and not sit this one out. ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/93 "2024-06-29T00:37:32Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > The NYT’s ownership have made it clear for some time that they want Trump to win. I have never heard this before and can’t find anything to state that. Can you find a citation for me? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/94 "2024-06-29T00:43:46Z")
> [@Tfletch1](#): > > Can you find a citation for me? Here’s one. > **[The New York Times is facing backlash over its coverage of Donald Trump and...](https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/05/media/new-york-times-trump-coverage-backlash/index.html)** > > The New York Times is facing a sustained wave of backlash. The Gray Lady has for several weeks been in the crosshairs of a vocal set of critics and readers who believe that Donald Trump poses a grave threat to American democracy and that the... _The Times_ insists that they’re just trying to be fair. [https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4645980-new-york-times-editor-media-trump-biden-2024/](https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4645980-new-york-times-editor-media-trump-biden-2024/) In this other case, _the Times_ admits that a poll they ran is probably not particularly accurate, and there are reasons to think it’s biased toward Trump. Buuut… They ran it anyway. > **[Republicans Rally Behind Trump After Conviction, Times/Siena Poll Finds](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/26/us/politics/trump-poll-hush-money-conviction.html)** > > The national survey found that more than two thirds of voters said the outcome of Donald J. Trump’s Manhattan criminal case made no difference to their vote. > In this case, the size of Mr. Trump’s lead in the poll may be related to the fact that Republicans were significantly likelier to answer their phones and take the survey than Democrats or independents, a new development in Times/Siena polling this cycle. One potential explanation was that Mr. Trump’s base is more motivated to participate in the poll after his conviction. The suggestion that _the Times_ benefits from propping up Trump is not completely without merit. ---
**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 29, 2024, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/95 "2024-06-29T00:44:13Z")
I can point you to several sources who’ve noticed the paper spends an inordinate time doting on Biden’s age while refusing to cover Trump’s gaffes, slipups, and moral deviancies, and that they use vastly differing language covering the two; > **[The New York Times is facing backlash over its coverage of Donald Trump and...](https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/05/media/new-york-times-trump-coverage-backlash/index.html)** > > The New York Times is facing a sustained wave of backlash. The Gray Lady has for several weeks been in the crosshairs of a vocal set of critics and readers who believe that Donald Trump poses a grave threat to American democracy and that the... > **[OPINION: Is The New York Times pro-Trump and anti-Biden? Recent coverage...](https://heartlandsignal.com/2024/02/06/opinion-is-the-new-york-times-pro-trump-and-anti-biden-recent-coverage-raises-some-serious-questions/)** > > Jennifer Schulze writes: "Because the stakes are so high, we need to call out the biases that have colored the Times’ coverage of the campaign thus far and demand that they do better." > **[There is something wrong at the New York Times](https://www.salon.com/2024/03/05/there-is-something-at-the-new-york-times/)** > > From presidential polls to refusing to report on Trump’s stumbles, things aren’t adding up at the Gray Lady ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/96 "2024-06-29T01:19:53Z")
> [@Tfletch1](#): > > Can you find a citation for me? Doesn’t go quite that far but there’s definitely some bad blood between the NYTimes board and editors and the Biden administration as cited earlier in the thread: [https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/25/new-york-times-biden-white-house-00154219](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/25/new-york-times-biden-white-house-00154219) ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/97 "2024-06-29T01:29:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > The Democrats cannot position themselves as defending democracy against authoritarianism by removing the people’s choice for president in favor of someone selected by party insiders who did not win a single primary and no qualified candidate should accept such an offer. I’m sorry, did we have a choice this year? I must have missed it. My primary ballot had Biden and a couple of clearly-not-viable contenders. In 2020, it was a very different experience. Biden was clearly the people’s choice in 2020; I don’t recall having a real chance to modify that decision this year. Maybe you did in your state. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2024, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/98 "2024-06-29T01:51:09Z")
By all accounts, Biden gave a terrible performance in the first debate. That’s a serious problem. But we need to step back and look at the big picture. Compare the problems with the two candidates: Biden: An 81 year old who may have declining mental powers. Trump: A 78 year old who may have declining mental powers. (Cite: go read the Trump poetry threads) Biden: A man with a son who broke some laws. Trump: A man with several children who broke many laws, while working for their father. Biden: No felony convictions. Trump: Multiple felony convictions. With more on the way. Biden: Never tried to overthrow the American government Trump: Tried to overthrow the American government. Did a bad job of it. Has spoken about wanting to be a dictator. Biden: Experienced politician who has presided over a period of peace and economic growth. Trump: Screwed up the biggest crisis of his term and caused the unnecessary deaths of literally tens of thousands of Americans. Yes, the Democrats are having a bad week. But it’s the Republicans who have a bigger problem. You want to know what would make me panic? If Trump dropped dead tomorrow and the Republicans were able to run somebody else against Biden. ---
**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 29, 2024, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/99 "2024-06-29T01:51:31Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > My primary ballot had Biden and a couple of clearly-not-viable contenders. The fact that nobody who you would consider viable even tried to challenge Biden, and that everyone who did you consider non-viable, should tell you everything you need to know about the existence of such a candidate. ---
**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:** [June 29, 2024, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447/100 "2024-06-29T02:07:12Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > You can either let fear paralyze you or make it motivate you. Your choice. Mine is to fight. Sure. I’ll make sure to vote twice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stop-panicking/1003447.md?page=6)