I’m still waiting on the NYT to call for the convicted fraudster and rapist awaiting trial on 57 additional charges to drop out.
Do you know who’s not calling for Biden to be replaced? Every person who has been named as a possible replacement.
“Well, he makes good press- we like trump.”
Yep
Look, there is certainly a possibility for either candidate to die or get so ill they drop out before November. But it will not happen due to one bad debate.
Listing the advantages would have made the editorial too long and political.
Here are some I haven’t yet mentioned:
Now it is impossible for the Democratic presumptive nominee to effectively use all the evidence (see "Is Trump confused? thread) that DJT is only a year or two behind Biden in terms of cognitive decline. With a sixty year old Democratic nominee, no problem.
Trump’s extensive recent campaigning against Biden is wasted.
The nominee’s son being a convicted felon goes away as a political problem.
Would GOP oppo research find something against the nominee? Of course. But swing voters will start out thinking that Trump always accuses his opponents of being crooks, and the clock is likely to run out before the character assassination takes full effect.
That’s natural and understandable and therefore doesn’t mean anything. Kamala Harris has to defend her boss. Every prominent Democrat like Gavin Newsom has to be seen as supportive of Biden. I’m not saying that Biden dropping out is the right choice, but if he does, I guarantee you’ll be hearing a different tune from all the possible contenders.
Hardly impossible.
And you forget- all the voters who have to watch their vote tossed away for a smoke filled room deal. Voters will leave in disgust.
If every prominent Democrat was as supportive as Newsom is being we wouldn’t be in this situation.
Yeah, he was absolutely awesome on debate night. I told my wife they should have him stumping every day.
Every prominent Democrat is being supportive of Biden. All this “Biden should drop out” talk is coming from outsiders and paid commentators, while people on this board are dismissing the fact that noone in the party is calling for Biden to drop out as “of course they’d never SAY that”.
A 60-year-old nomimee with no money and no staff is gonna be about as effective getting that message out as I am. Biden doesn’t just get to give his campaign organization to Democrat X - they have to start from scratch.
There seems to be an assumption that most of those who ticked off Biden’s name in the primaries are Biden fans–somehow emotionally involved with their vote.
I’m sure Biden does have some die-hard fans. But everything we know suggests that their vote—which was based on the information we had about Biden at the time—was an unemotional housekeeping chore. We don’t want Trump and we do want a Democrat and we like Biden fine, so here’s that vote.
The claim that many would be appalled if the Democratic convention did what conventions did for centuries–choose the candidate–seems overblown.
As for the time situation: many of the ‘Biden must remain the candidate’ remarks seem to assume that NO one associated with the Biden campaign would be willing to work for some other Democratic candidate (including Kamala Harris). This, too, seems like an unlikely claim. Again, there seems to be an attempt to sell the idea that Biden is SO beloved a figure that his absence would shut down Democrats utterly.
Not very believable.
On the topic of length of time left before the November vote: the USA is quite anomalous in the amount of time we allot to this. Some information–admittedly from 2015 but for the most part still useful:
Because they’d look like jerks. In the unlikely event that Biden does get replaced, the rhetoric will be reluctant duty with fulsome praise for Biden.
100% this. No elected Democrat is going to come out saying ‘he must resign’ now.
When the first major polls covering reaction to the debate come out–if they are shocking enough-- there may be tentative dips of toes in the water.
Until then, all elected Democrats and former Dem office-holders will remain good soldiers. It’s expected of them, as well as being courteous and kind.
Many people believe that Biden has done an unusually good job as President. We would like to see his legacy be ‘he did a remarkable job and always put the country first.’
As you know, they will not be allowed to smoke. This smoke-filled room business is a tired old slam on a process that gave us nominees at least as good as those produced by the primary system – probably better.
Is there someone here who would vote for Harris as a veep candidate but against her at the top of the ticket? If so, we can try a poll. Right now, I doubt it is worth it.
I am disgusted that Biden didn’t realize on his own he is no longer up to doing the arguably world’s hardest job – while also knowing that is is hard to see your own decline.
I voted for named delegates in the Pennsylvania primary. While they were pledged to Biden, they were only pledged to vote for him if still in the race. Everyone who paid attention (OK, very close attention) in 12th grade civics, or used to watch the all-channels national convention coverage, knows that.
P.S. This may confuse someone, with an astoundingly good memory, who recalled me saying I voted for Dean Phillips. I voted for Phillips in the beauty contest but voted for Biden’s delegates.
Anyone making the argument that someone other than Biden should run owes it to themselves to watch this segment from Lawrence O’Donnell’s program last night. He covered the entire situation perfectly, and he explains in detail why the notion of substituting another candidate for Biden is sheer folly. Twenty-ish minutes well spent.
There is one person that does have the donors and the money, and that is Kamala. Now, I have no idea how she is viewed by the donors, but she’s been working the donor circuit hard. Been to Seattle (actually Medina home to bill gates, mrs costo, possibly Bezos or ex wife, plus a very large number of liberal $100 million+ club members) 3 times over the past 18 months.
While Kamala isn’t widely recognized as the front runner, she is the VP and if Biden steps aside is at least not an unnatural transition. She has access to all the DNC funding. She will have some blow back from being painted with the perception of all the ills of the Biden administration. First dude is Jewish, and not sure if that is net positive or negative for the whole Israel/Palestine mess.
If it turns out the nominee is a white guy, is there blow back from the black, Indian voters and/or Indian voters? Or are most likely voters going to vote for any Democratic nominee that isn’t trump?
And I think the dems need to keep it simple. 1. reproductive rights, 2. supreme court has to be brought back in line with America (both Thomas and Alito are getting old, or go nuclear and expand the number of supremes). IMHO, whether it is Joe or someone else delivering the message will not impact the primary mission of stopping Trump.
I’m sure most of them would be willing to work for another Democrat. I’m also sure they’d like to be paid for their work. Where is Democrat X going to get all that money to hire a staff and rent offices?
The Philadelphia Inquirer responds to the NYT;
Glad to hear there are cooler heads out there.
All I gotta say about a replacement for Joe is whoever that is ain’t gonna want the job. Who will want to be a scapegoat and sacrificial lamb for the party big wigs?
I’m from Philly! Hooray for us!
I’m not concerned about Biden’s ability to function, especially in light of his capable vice-president. What I AM concerned about is how low information undecided voters will react to his poor debate.
The good news is that the voters who don’t pay attention like we do are now getting a good look at Trump’s nutbaggery and the right’s nefarious plans to transform us into a grifting christo-oligarchy. Few who are exposed come away impressed.
So feel free to worry about Brandon. I’m gonna keep trying to rally the troops to stop fascism.