Is this the Joe Klein who was against releasing the movie Do the right thing because it would cause a race riot,and who Spike Lee called out lately. I don’t find political commentators always the brightest people although they love to compliment each other about how smart they are.
It's a chicken/egg situation but I think it's the voters and the media. An Ouroboros. The thing that I think is upsetting about for example, Charlie, continuing to bring up Biden's low polling is that he doesn't also take the opportunity to bring up the fact that if we look at it critically, the criticism in many instances is unjustified. It's withholding perspective, another way of looking at things. It's not helpful. It can be framed as "from my perspective, I don't understand the criticism when for example, Trump is 3 yrs younger, etc..."
That's what's upsetting because the stakes are so incredibly high and this is the Dark before the Dawn. Hopefully. He points out that age is a consideration for many people, in particular, many Democrats and people acting like it shouldn't be talked about are playing a risky game. Fair, bring it out into the sunlight. Don't be content with just one perspective, the front facing and one dimensional angle, be responsible and introduce into the dialogue another way of looking at things. Don't just feed people sugar when you also have healthy options to provide and you KNOW that sugar alone does not benefit us. Don't make people ask, not everyone knows to.
Charlie, every time you bring up the "conversation we can’t avoid," you fail to advocate for any particular Democratic candidate. Who would you want to run in Biden's place? Who do you think could beat trump? Please, no more discussion of other people's lists of "possibilities." Name your candidate.
Yes, Biden’s age is a risk factor but tragedy or illness can strike any of us at any time at any age. I would like Biden to lean in to the advantages of age: wisdom, experience, well established,carefully nurtured relationships. I would also like him acknowledge the risks but then pivot to the experienced, dedicated team surrounding him. Think of FDR and Reagan. The administration functioned well even as the leader was impaired. I’d prefer Biden’s all star team over the Trump’s team of misfits any day.
Trump’s blustering rants, his promotion of Superman and muscular images of himself, and his careful attention to make-up allows him to project a very different image of himself from the reality you present. He is all about how he looks on TV.
Trump’s aggressiveness, belligerence and irreverence project a vibrancy, albeit evil.
As I have posted here before, I live in Michigan and I am convinced that Gretchen Whitmer will be on the 2024 Democratic Ticket. She is preparing a 2028 run, but can easily step in for 2024. She presents as a Biden Centrist, but she is pressing the most progressive agenda Michigan has ever seen. Her national image continues to rise. Her anti Trump image is strong (“That woman from Michigan” and the kidnapping attempt.). Michigan is one of five states that will decide the Electoral College. Don’t count her out.
My dad takes one of the drugs in the initial list of 10 that will be negotiated for Medicare. If the VA didn’t cover it, he’d be paying $560 for 60 pills. The renegotiated prices won’t even go into effect until 2026. If Biden isn’t re-elected, the next president will get credit for that. It’s difficult to convince people that the work the Biden Admin is doing is helpful because much of the impact won’t be felt for a while.
OK - the problems listed are real - drug abuse, homelessnes, etc.. - but what in hell would make anyone think that Donald Trump and the Republicans would do a better job of handling them? It's not like these things did not exist under Trump and sprang into being after Biden was elected. Why would anyone think that he could do a better job of handling inflation after he ran the economy into a ditch and left office with the worst job numbers since Herbert Hoover and cars lined up for miles around food banks.
Plan B? Mark Hertling is capable of being an excellent statesman and POTUS. A former military officer cannot also be a politician? Eisenhower served in both capacities. Mark Hertling for Plan A. Mark Hertling for POTUS.
And, asking for millions of Ds, who? Look, I'm sure there are hundreds of people out there who could do a great job as president. But NOBODY knows who they are. Are they in Congress? Are they mayors of successful big cities? Are they governors working against the fascists who are trying to become our equivalent of Nazi Gauleiters? And are they out there working WITH Joe Biden, not against him, offering HIM their services to fight the all-in Trump Pets who want Trump to become our Führer. The whole purpose of primaries is to become the top opponent of the other guys. Now, in this time in history, we CANNOT afford this! All of the D wannabes should be supporting Biden, not opposing him. Once he's safely reelected, go for it and become his successor.
The piece at the very bottom with Michelle Obama: Somebody pleeease explain to me why “Trump Derangement Syndrome” is a thing but “Obama Derangement Syndrome” is not. Seriously.
Fine - let's assume Whitmer, Shapiro, etc. could beat Trump. How are they beating Kamala Harris in Georgia, South Carolina, and other states with disproportionate amount of African-American voters?
Like, let's be clear here - no African-American Democrat is running against the first black female VP in a primary. To people who will point to 2020, I'll point to Biden's performance in 2008 before he was VP and had lots of establishment backing.
So there were no homeless when Trump was President? No drug addicts? No one sleeping in a doorway or underpass? I believe there were.
This author wants you to believe that we have only had inflation since Biden. Let's talk about Covid. Well, stores were closed and goods were not being produced or shipped. For months after the pandemic restrictions were lifted there were lines of container ships on the horizon that I could see from my window. This went on for months. And I live 50 miles south of the Port of Los Angeles!!!
Econ 101. What drives prices? Supply and Demand. When demand is high and supply is low what happens to prices? They go up. We are just getting back to an even cycle. The price of eggs and gas and other products have gone down, but they will probably never go back to pre Covid prices.
But the main important question is "How in hell is that Biden's fault? We are not a communist country.
Maybe I'm missing something, but are there actually political strategists that truly believe that a single person who turned out to depose Trump in 2020 doesn't stand ready to do it again? Is there anyone who thinks that being charged with 91 crimes and losing defamation suits about rape is ultimately going to inspire passion in his base after another year of relentless coverage? Is there anyone who thinks that given the Republican Party's insistence on unpopular positions on Abortion, Climate Change, Guns and Book Banning, 2020 anti-Trump Voters are now...right now...going to decide that Trump needs to be returned to the presidency because of his POLICY POSITIONS?
Because I don't. The only thing that potentially keeps Biden from winning in 2024 is a third party candidate, and even that is less of a threat given Trump and the Republicans' continuing and relentless march of the MAGA "Indictments are Good, Abortion is Bad" cliff.
Finally, as JVL points out, the guy has had an insanely effective first term. If he's senile and some team is pulling his strings behind the scenes, they're awesome and deserve a second term. But nobody really thinks that either.
So can we stop with the handwringing and focus on the job ahead? Joe Biden has amassed the necessary political power to decide whether or not he wants the Democratic nomination for president. His decision, regardless of anyone else's wishes. If anyone COULD take it from him, they would have by now. Further, he has a practical, effective communication directed at those who wish other choices were possible: "Don't compare me to the almighty. Compare me to the alternative."
Is this the Joe Klein who was against releasing the movie Do the right thing because it would cause a race riot,and who Spike Lee called out lately. I don’t find political commentators always the brightest people although they love to compliment each other about how smart they are.
It's a chicken/egg situation but I think it's the voters and the media. An Ouroboros. The thing that I think is upsetting about for example, Charlie, continuing to bring up Biden's low polling is that he doesn't also take the opportunity to bring up the fact that if we look at it critically, the criticism in many instances is unjustified. It's withholding perspective, another way of looking at things. It's not helpful. It can be framed as "from my perspective, I don't understand the criticism when for example, Trump is 3 yrs younger, etc..."
That's what's upsetting because the stakes are so incredibly high and this is the Dark before the Dawn. Hopefully. He points out that age is a consideration for many people, in particular, many Democrats and people acting like it shouldn't be talked about are playing a risky game. Fair, bring it out into the sunlight. Don't be content with just one perspective, the front facing and one dimensional angle, be responsible and introduce into the dialogue another way of looking at things. Don't just feed people sugar when you also have healthy options to provide and you KNOW that sugar alone does not benefit us. Don't make people ask, not everyone knows to.
And in the end the premise of Biden being too old was a GOP setup! Anyone surprised?
https://www.threads.net/@mhutchin2264/post/Cw5SGn9uV0E/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Charlie, every time you bring up the "conversation we can’t avoid," you fail to advocate for any particular Democratic candidate. Who would you want to run in Biden's place? Who do you think could beat trump? Please, no more discussion of other people's lists of "possibilities." Name your candidate.
Yes, Biden’s age is a risk factor but tragedy or illness can strike any of us at any time at any age. I would like Biden to lean in to the advantages of age: wisdom, experience, well established,carefully nurtured relationships. I would also like him acknowledge the risks but then pivot to the experienced, dedicated team surrounding him. Think of FDR and Reagan. The administration functioned well even as the leader was impaired. I’d prefer Biden’s all star team over the Trump’s team of misfits any day.
Dr n
Trump’s blustering rants, his promotion of Superman and muscular images of himself, and his careful attention to make-up allows him to project a very different image of himself from the reality you present. He is all about how he looks on TV.
Trump’s aggressiveness, belligerence and irreverence project a vibrancy, albeit evil.
As I have posted here before, I live in Michigan and I am convinced that Gretchen Whitmer will be on the 2024 Democratic Ticket. She is preparing a 2028 run, but can easily step in for 2024. She presents as a Biden Centrist, but she is pressing the most progressive agenda Michigan has ever seen. Her national image continues to rise. Her anti Trump image is strong (“That woman from Michigan” and the kidnapping attempt.). Michigan is one of five states that will decide the Electoral College. Don’t count her out.
My dad takes one of the drugs in the initial list of 10 that will be negotiated for Medicare. If the VA didn’t cover it, he’d be paying $560 for 60 pills. The renegotiated prices won’t even go into effect until 2026. If Biden isn’t re-elected, the next president will get credit for that. It’s difficult to convince people that the work the Biden Admin is doing is helpful because much of the impact won’t be felt for a while.
OK - the problems listed are real - drug abuse, homelessnes, etc.. - but what in hell would make anyone think that Donald Trump and the Republicans would do a better job of handling them? It's not like these things did not exist under Trump and sprang into being after Biden was elected. Why would anyone think that he could do a better job of handling inflation after he ran the economy into a ditch and left office with the worst job numbers since Herbert Hoover and cars lined up for miles around food banks.
Plan B? Mark Hertling is capable of being an excellent statesman and POTUS. A former military officer cannot also be a politician? Eisenhower served in both capacities. Mark Hertling for Plan A. Mark Hertling for POTUS.
And, asking for millions of Ds, who? Look, I'm sure there are hundreds of people out there who could do a great job as president. But NOBODY knows who they are. Are they in Congress? Are they mayors of successful big cities? Are they governors working against the fascists who are trying to become our equivalent of Nazi Gauleiters? And are they out there working WITH Joe Biden, not against him, offering HIM their services to fight the all-in Trump Pets who want Trump to become our Führer. The whole purpose of primaries is to become the top opponent of the other guys. Now, in this time in history, we CANNOT afford this! All of the D wannabes should be supporting Biden, not opposing him. Once he's safely reelected, go for it and become his successor.
The piece at the very bottom with Michelle Obama: Somebody pleeease explain to me why “Trump Derangement Syndrome” is a thing but “Obama Derangement Syndrome” is not. Seriously.
Fine - let's assume Whitmer, Shapiro, etc. could beat Trump. How are they beating Kamala Harris in Georgia, South Carolina, and other states with disproportionate amount of African-American voters?
Like, let's be clear here - no African-American Democrat is running against the first black female VP in a primary. To people who will point to 2020, I'll point to Biden's performance in 2008 before he was VP and had lots of establishment backing.
So there were no homeless when Trump was President? No drug addicts? No one sleeping in a doorway or underpass? I believe there were.
This author wants you to believe that we have only had inflation since Biden. Let's talk about Covid. Well, stores were closed and goods were not being produced or shipped. For months after the pandemic restrictions were lifted there were lines of container ships on the horizon that I could see from my window. This went on for months. And I live 50 miles south of the Port of Los Angeles!!!
Econ 101. What drives prices? Supply and Demand. When demand is high and supply is low what happens to prices? They go up. We are just getting back to an even cycle. The price of eggs and gas and other products have gone down, but they will probably never go back to pre Covid prices.
But the main important question is "How in hell is that Biden's fault? We are not a communist country.
Maybe I'm missing something, but are there actually political strategists that truly believe that a single person who turned out to depose Trump in 2020 doesn't stand ready to do it again? Is there anyone who thinks that being charged with 91 crimes and losing defamation suits about rape is ultimately going to inspire passion in his base after another year of relentless coverage? Is there anyone who thinks that given the Republican Party's insistence on unpopular positions on Abortion, Climate Change, Guns and Book Banning, 2020 anti-Trump Voters are now...right now...going to decide that Trump needs to be returned to the presidency because of his POLICY POSITIONS?
Because I don't. The only thing that potentially keeps Biden from winning in 2024 is a third party candidate, and even that is less of a threat given Trump and the Republicans' continuing and relentless march of the MAGA "Indictments are Good, Abortion is Bad" cliff.
Finally, as JVL points out, the guy has had an insanely effective first term. If he's senile and some team is pulling his strings behind the scenes, they're awesome and deserve a second term. But nobody really thinks that either.
So can we stop with the handwringing and focus on the job ahead? Joe Biden has amassed the necessary political power to decide whether or not he wants the Democratic nomination for president. His decision, regardless of anyone else's wishes. If anyone COULD take it from him, they would have by now. Further, he has a practical, effective communication directed at those who wish other choices were possible: "Don't compare me to the almighty. Compare me to the alternative."
That slogan still works just fine for '24.
The real question is which potential replacement for Biden would appeal to the swing voters in GA, PA, WI, MI, NV, and AZ better than Biden?
Personally I don't think any of the suggested replacements would better compete.
Those states just as in 2016 and 2024 are all that will stand between America and Trump.
Ding ding ding. It doesn’t matter what people in 43 states think about Biden. It only matters in 7 (maybe even just 5). Sad but true