I’m pretty sure he did mean politics specifically. Though I don’t think there are *all* that many examples in business or academia either - especially when the person who was being handed the power wasn’t especially popular and had many vulnerabilities. If you want to provide specific examples, I’d love to hear them.
I’m pretty sure he did mean politics specifically. Though I don’t think there are *all* that many examples in business or academia either - especially when the person who was being handed the power wasn’t especially popular and had many vulnerabilities. If you want to provide specific examples, I’d love to hear them.
I think there’s a very good reason it took Biden so long to give up power. There might have been an element of ego to be sure (though from the way some pundits, politicians and donors were treating him, I think some of the indignation was deserved). However, I think the biggest hurdle keeping him from stepping aside was uncertainty that Harris would perform all that much better than him. I don’t think that’s because he’s racist or misogynistic but because he knows that a decent percentage of the electorate is.
That Biden still chose to publicly express his support for Harris, despite these lingering concerns and calls for a more “democratic process” via an open convention by many people in the pundit/donor/political establishment class, speaks volumes about his character, judgment and commitment to doing the right thing even when it’s difficult or unpopular.
Sellars was not wrong. He was just underestimating Biden like everyone has always done his entire life.
Sellers wasn't just talking about Joe Biden. "Never in the history of history" covers a lot of ground. I find this argument objectionable because it's cynical and dismissive of a lot of things that have happened "in the history of history."
I listened to these same arguments back when Barack Obama started his first run. No way White people would ever nominate a Black man for President! No way White people would ever vote for a Black man for President! No way Iowa voters -- because they're so White -- would ever choose a Black man to win the Iowa Caucuses! And on and on and on and on. It was all nonsense. All of those things happened and we don't have to go back to the Seleucid Empire to find that example.
Those arguments -- and Sellers' -- were predicated on the belief that America -- specifically White America -- was so racist that they would never do these things that they actually did. It rejected the notion that Americans -- writ large -- could evaluate a slate of candidates and choose the best one, regardless of that person's skin color. John McCain was a great man, a patriot, a hero, a qualified candidate. Barack Obama wasn't campaigning against some no-name dope, some Average White Man who, because of all his inherent privilege, just got what he wanted without working for it. And Barack Obama, because he worked hard, campaigned well, put together a great team and had a compelling message, beat him soundly, fair and square. There were no riots. John McCain didn't refuse to accept the results of the election. He conceded. Graciously. And he wished Obama well.
The whole notion that power is "given" to anyone strikes me as nonsensical too. Power is gained. It's earned. Sometimes it's seized. We've only had one President resign -- give up power -- and that was because he was going to be impeached and convicted in the Senate. He didn't want to do it. He was compelled to do it.
I suppose I've already written too many words about a nonsensical argument made by a guy on a podcast, but it really did strike me as the kind of argument that begged for some kind of response.
I’m pretty sure he did mean politics specifically. Though I don’t think there are *all* that many examples in business or academia either - especially when the person who was being handed the power wasn’t especially popular and had many vulnerabilities. If you want to provide specific examples, I’d love to hear them.
I think there’s a very good reason it took Biden so long to give up power. There might have been an element of ego to be sure (though from the way some pundits, politicians and donors were treating him, I think some of the indignation was deserved). However, I think the biggest hurdle keeping him from stepping aside was uncertainty that Harris would perform all that much better than him. I don’t think that’s because he’s racist or misogynistic but because he knows that a decent percentage of the electorate is.
That Biden still chose to publicly express his support for Harris, despite these lingering concerns and calls for a more “democratic process” via an open convention by many people in the pundit/donor/political establishment class, speaks volumes about his character, judgment and commitment to doing the right thing even when it’s difficult or unpopular.
Sellars was not wrong. He was just underestimating Biden like everyone has always done his entire life.
Sellers wasn't just talking about Joe Biden. "Never in the history of history" covers a lot of ground. I find this argument objectionable because it's cynical and dismissive of a lot of things that have happened "in the history of history."
I listened to these same arguments back when Barack Obama started his first run. No way White people would ever nominate a Black man for President! No way White people would ever vote for a Black man for President! No way Iowa voters -- because they're so White -- would ever choose a Black man to win the Iowa Caucuses! And on and on and on and on. It was all nonsense. All of those things happened and we don't have to go back to the Seleucid Empire to find that example.
Those arguments -- and Sellers' -- were predicated on the belief that America -- specifically White America -- was so racist that they would never do these things that they actually did. It rejected the notion that Americans -- writ large -- could evaluate a slate of candidates and choose the best one, regardless of that person's skin color. John McCain was a great man, a patriot, a hero, a qualified candidate. Barack Obama wasn't campaigning against some no-name dope, some Average White Man who, because of all his inherent privilege, just got what he wanted without working for it. And Barack Obama, because he worked hard, campaigned well, put together a great team and had a compelling message, beat him soundly, fair and square. There were no riots. John McCain didn't refuse to accept the results of the election. He conceded. Graciously. And he wished Obama well.
The whole notion that power is "given" to anyone strikes me as nonsensical too. Power is gained. It's earned. Sometimes it's seized. We've only had one President resign -- give up power -- and that was because he was going to be impeached and convicted in the Senate. He didn't want to do it. He was compelled to do it.
I suppose I've already written too many words about a nonsensical argument made by a guy on a podcast, but it really did strike me as the kind of argument that begged for some kind of response.