Last Friday morning, I was inclined to give Biden the benefit of the doubt that it was "just a bad night" and he would spend the next few days in public showing us that he's up to the next four years. He needs to get out there and prove it. So far, not so much.
Biden was out campaigning the night of the debate and again the next day in Raleigh, NC. Where have you been? Clearly not paying attention to what Biden is doing....
He needs to face tough interview and press conference questions. Teleprompter speeches and cheers from his supporters isn’t sufficient. He needs to show the country that his debate performance was an episode, and not a condition to echo the question Pelosi asked. Blaming a cold or exhaustion from international travel weeks before the debate is weak.
People concerned about Biden's fitness have acknowledged these performances and pointed out that (1) they were scripted events, which are less challenging than having to think and talk on your feet, and (2) they were good but not great performances.
Show me a Trump event that isn't scripted and enhanced by teleprompters. And whenever the teleprompter goes down, we get some demented Gish gallop about electric boats and sharks. But for some reason, that's not of concern around these parts. Anyone who watched that rally in Raleigh and didn't see a great performance wasn't watching the same rally I was.
Of course Trump is far worse in every regard than Biden. That’s not the point. Republicans are fully on board with Trump - that’s not changing- unless Trump has a debilitating health issue. Trump is leading in most swing state polls and with the electoral college bias Biden needs to win the popular vote by 3-4%. Ask Hilary for confirmation of this fact. Biden had a horrible debate, and is now the underdog. The question is what is he going to do about it? Blaming others, or a cold, or exhaustion from travel weeks ago is not going to do the job.
I watched the rally in Raleigh. I was not impressed. I like Joe Biden, and will vote for him if he is the nominee. Constantly comparing Biden to Trump isn't solving Biden's problems. It is obvious that Trump behaves like a rabid animal. Yet, Trump’s horrific behavior does not change the appearance that Joe Biden has cognitive issues.
If Harris is Trump's opponent, Trump will be in the teleprompter spotlight. Harris as his opponent would be a total nightmare for Trump's campaign. No more hiding his own cognitive decline behind Sleepy Joe. Biden's debate performance played all too well into Trump's narrative. It's the biggest reason Biden is not recovering from Thursday night.
All right then. I wasn't watching the same rally you were.
And this isn't about fairness.
And saying "Trump is worse" is not enough. It is possible to be extremely concerned about Trump and extremely concerned about Biden's recent failures. One does not rule out the other.
The fact that there's a raging fire at one end of the house doesn't make it OK for someone to smoke in bed at the other end of the house.
Maybe stick to one train of thought at a time, and if you want to switch topics, acknowledge that the topic you are introducing is in fact a new and equally difficult one.
You're skipping over too many logical steps. Whether A is true or not has nothing to do with whether B is difficult/dangerous/etc. or not.
This is a complex issue. Difficult truths need to be acknowledged, and the +/- of risky options need to be weighed. Wishing something won't make it true.
I’m not in the “must drop out”camp. I doubt that he will. I want Biden to do everything that he can to increase his chances at re-election. Not his family, not his staff, but the person who is asking the country to be President for another 4.5 years. Opinions differ on what he should do.
Yep. Biden needs to campaign every day from now until the day after the election. If he can’t do that it’s a big problem which is a huge understatement.
Nothing makes me happy to say this. People can find statements I’ve made repeatedly defending Biden.
It's the horrific internal polling that changed my mind. A generic Dem did better against Trump than Biden. There are now 12 swing states in play with at least four now firmly in Trump's camp. The only way Biden beats Trump looks to be resigning and letting Kamala take on Trump. Kamala would have the big advantage of putting Trump as the sole demented old man in the race.
Biden will have a staff that will pick up the slack and do what's right. Trump has a mountain of help from a corrupt/unethical/power-hungry group of Republicans (judges, donors, elite, wealthy, big business...all who have interests that would lead to enrichment of some kind...illegal/amoral be dam*ed).
Last Friday morning, I was inclined to give Biden the benefit of the doubt that it was "just a bad night" and he would spend the next few days in public showing us that he's up to the next four years. He needs to get out there and prove it. So far, not so much.
Biden was out campaigning the night of the debate and again the next day in Raleigh, NC. Where have you been? Clearly not paying attention to what Biden is doing....
He needs to face tough interview and press conference questions. Teleprompter speeches and cheers from his supporters isn’t sufficient. He needs to show the country that his debate performance was an episode, and not a condition to echo the question Pelosi asked. Blaming a cold or exhaustion from international travel weeks before the debate is weak.
One could call it gaslighting.
Amen
People concerned about Biden's fitness have acknowledged these performances and pointed out that (1) they were scripted events, which are less challenging than having to think and talk on your feet, and (2) they were good but not great performances.
Show me a Trump event that isn't scripted and enhanced by teleprompters. And whenever the teleprompter goes down, we get some demented Gish gallop about electric boats and sharks. But for some reason, that's not of concern around these parts. Anyone who watched that rally in Raleigh and didn't see a great performance wasn't watching the same rally I was.
Of course Trump is far worse in every regard than Biden. That’s not the point. Republicans are fully on board with Trump - that’s not changing- unless Trump has a debilitating health issue. Trump is leading in most swing state polls and with the electoral college bias Biden needs to win the popular vote by 3-4%. Ask Hilary for confirmation of this fact. Biden had a horrible debate, and is now the underdog. The question is what is he going to do about it? Blaming others, or a cold, or exhaustion from travel weeks ago is not going to do the job.
I watched the rally in Raleigh. I was not impressed. I like Joe Biden, and will vote for him if he is the nominee. Constantly comparing Biden to Trump isn't solving Biden's problems. It is obvious that Trump behaves like a rabid animal. Yet, Trump’s horrific behavior does not change the appearance that Joe Biden has cognitive issues.
If Harris is Trump's opponent, Trump will be in the teleprompter spotlight. Harris as his opponent would be a total nightmare for Trump's campaign. No more hiding his own cognitive decline behind Sleepy Joe. Biden's debate performance played all too well into Trump's narrative. It's the biggest reason Biden is not recovering from Thursday night.
All right then. I wasn't watching the same rally you were.
And this isn't about fairness.
And saying "Trump is worse" is not enough. It is possible to be extremely concerned about Trump and extremely concerned about Biden's recent failures. One does not rule out the other.
The fact that there's a raging fire at one end of the house doesn't make it OK for someone to smoke in bed at the other end of the house.
Good luck with your brokered convention, then.
Maybe stick to one train of thought at a time, and if you want to switch topics, acknowledge that the topic you are introducing is in fact a new and equally difficult one.
You're skipping over too many logical steps. Whether A is true or not has nothing to do with whether B is difficult/dangerous/etc. or not.
This is a complex issue. Difficult truths need to be acknowledged, and the +/- of risky options need to be weighed. Wishing something won't make it true.
That doesn't help the narrative, so the reportING isn't amplified like the "must drop out" voices.
I’m not in the “must drop out”camp. I doubt that he will. I want Biden to do everything that he can to increase his chances at re-election. Not his family, not his staff, but the person who is asking the country to be President for another 4.5 years. Opinions differ on what he should do.
That's one of the calmest, most cogent responses to this business that I've seen. Well said!
He was reading from a teleprompter in NC!
OMG! Say it ain't so!
Yep. Biden needs to campaign every day from now until the day after the election. If he can’t do that it’s a big problem which is a huge understatement.
Nothing makes me happy to say this. People can find statements I’ve made repeatedly defending Biden.
Same here. I dismissed the gossip and speculation until June 28.
It's the horrific internal polling that changed my mind. A generic Dem did better against Trump than Biden. There are now 12 swing states in play with at least four now firmly in Trump's camp. The only way Biden beats Trump looks to be resigning and letting Kamala take on Trump. Kamala would have the big advantage of putting Trump as the sole demented old man in the race.
I will repeat a post request I made yesterday - I'd like to see a Bulwark column (JVL would be ideal) about this idea, to open up a discussion.
Biden will have a staff that will pick up the slack and do what's right. Trump has a mountain of help from a corrupt/unethical/power-hungry group of Republicans (judges, donors, elite, wealthy, big business...all who have interests that would lead to enrichment of some kind...illegal/amoral be dam*ed).
No one votes because of "staff".