The people who think an extremely competent man who’s been doing one of the most difficult jobs in a crazy difficult time, but who has a speech impediment, is the same as an aged relative who can’t find their way home, get a grip. If you judge grandpa on his worst, sick day and tell him he’s no longer able to run his own business, life or make any decisions when he IS in FACT capable of doing so, yeah, he might disagree.
A respectful note for Mona's consideration. Mona seemed less than fully sympathetic to Biden's anguished struggle to come to the decision he did.
Without disputing one way or other whether choosing to run for re-election was defensible--has Mona had to go through the exercise of taking away her aged parent's car keys or trying to convince him or her to move into supervised care? How might she herself feel about it when her time comes? Taking away the car keys, taking away the choice where to live -- for a person who for decades proudly and successfully lived an active independent life.
I submit that what happened this week was like taking away the car keys, but exponentially more wrenching. Because this is also taking away what I suspect Biden felt was his life's duty and purpose.
It's easy to convince ourselves that we are important. Biden has a list of meritorious accomplishments, one of which is a small matter of having saved the republic once. And as is needful for anyone with great power and responsibility, he has tapped advisors and confidants congenial to his purposes and plans. It is therefore natural that those advisors will share his view that he has important work to do. The advisors need to balance their enthusiasm for their boss, their concern for his personal welfare, and their duty to determine, to the best of their ability, what their boss needs to know.
I think it's easy to say, well, he only did it when the Party came and told him he had no choice. But you can look at it in a Bayesian sense. Biden got new information. And despite that pain he used it.
If they have any personal chemistry, I'm totally down for Harris/Whitmer.
Trump's age is going to be a big factor. He's been looking significantly older recently especially since the assassination attempt. Crazy only gets you so far.
Harris mustn't pivot left now. I'd love to see her take a slightly tougher line on border security a la Fetterman.
Is anybody else seeing the Obi Wan Kenobi analogy? Biden just became stronger than you can possibly imagine. He's free to relentlessly attack Trump from a position of moral authority.
To all the Republicans whining about how unfair it was for Biden to withdraw his candidacy: Hey you're perfectly free to switch out YOUR candidate! Oh that's right, you can't because you're in the fear and thrall of an authoritarian.
Picking Shapiro would be a smart move for Kamala because it would be a counter to the public perception that the dems are anti-Semitic now (via the campus left). PA is also one of the most important states in this election. Pete would be awesome too though. I voted for him in the primary in 2020.
*leans in--- THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT JOE BIDEN HAS DEMENTIA!!! JUST STOP THAT! He is slower to collect his thoughts for a sharp answer and trails off, but that's a far cry away from what dementia is.
Look, here's why I don't want a two woman ticket: I want to watch a man defer, daily, to a woman president. I want to watch her outrank him, and I want to see the grace and dignity with which he lives that reality day in and day out. The older and white the better. Give me that directly into my veins
I just want to say that as a middle aged woman and mother of a young girl - I'm so flipping stoked about the possibility of a female President. I have talked to a lot of moms that feel the same way - just really excited. I donated last night, signed up to volunteer, and making tentative plans to attend the inauguration. I doubt I am the only woman feeling that way this morning. I think the excitement is going to translate to some serious momentum.
You could certainly interpret the past three weeks as Biden dithering and having to be dragged kicking and screaming out of the race. But you could also interpret the past three weeks as Biden biding his time, waiting not only for the NATO summit but for the entire Republican Convention--waiting for a week of Biden bashing, a week of age-criticism, and especially a week locking in J.D. Vance. I feel like it's entirely possible that he knew what he was going to do a while ago, and bluffed his way through at least a week or two with "I'm staying in" messaging to push the GOP into hardening its strategy, which is now wasted and wrong-footed.
Also making sure that the information that he could not win, and in fact would assure a Trump victory by standing for election, was valid. Not easy, especially when one wants the data to point in a preferred direction.
Well, the surrogates are out in force this morning!
First takes on Beshear and Cooper: Cooper's superior experience shows here -- he's much better at messaging than Beshear is. I can see Beshear tap-dancing furiously -- the vibe is "male Elizabeth Warren" -- as he tries to avoid giving concrete answers. I don't dislike him, but he needs to work on seeming more authentic/ sincere. If he can't do that, I don't know that he'd be a good running mate for Harris.
Joe Manchin on Morning Joe: I guess he just needed some attention? Or someone set him straight between the time he was booked and when he went on air? "I just want us to have a primary!" Okay, Senator, thank you.
The people who think an extremely competent man who’s been doing one of the most difficult jobs in a crazy difficult time, but who has a speech impediment, is the same as an aged relative who can’t find their way home, get a grip. If you judge grandpa on his worst, sick day and tell him he’s no longer able to run his own business, life or make any decisions when he IS in FACT capable of doing so, yeah, he might disagree.
My pipe dream is Larry Hogan for VP.
No; he supported overturning Roe.
He needs to lose that Senate race.
A respectful note for Mona's consideration. Mona seemed less than fully sympathetic to Biden's anguished struggle to come to the decision he did.
Without disputing one way or other whether choosing to run for re-election was defensible--has Mona had to go through the exercise of taking away her aged parent's car keys or trying to convince him or her to move into supervised care? How might she herself feel about it when her time comes? Taking away the car keys, taking away the choice where to live -- for a person who for decades proudly and successfully lived an active independent life.
I submit that what happened this week was like taking away the car keys, but exponentially more wrenching. Because this is also taking away what I suspect Biden felt was his life's duty and purpose.
It's easy to convince ourselves that we are important. Biden has a list of meritorious accomplishments, one of which is a small matter of having saved the republic once. And as is needful for anyone with great power and responsibility, he has tapped advisors and confidants congenial to his purposes and plans. It is therefore natural that those advisors will share his view that he has important work to do. The advisors need to balance their enthusiasm for their boss, their concern for his personal welfare, and their duty to determine, to the best of their ability, what their boss needs to know.
I think it's easy to say, well, he only did it when the Party came and told him he had no choice. But you can look at it in a Bayesian sense. Biden got new information. And despite that pain he used it.
Anyway --
Mark Kelly for VP? Astronaut, sing state, white straight guy married to Gabby Giffords.
Would Kinzinger switch parties for a Harris-Kinzinger ticket?
If they have any personal chemistry, I'm totally down for Harris/Whitmer.
Trump's age is going to be a big factor. He's been looking significantly older recently especially since the assassination attempt. Crazy only gets you so far.
Harris mustn't pivot left now. I'd love to see her take a slightly tougher line on border security a la Fetterman.
Is anybody else seeing the Obi Wan Kenobi analogy? Biden just became stronger than you can possibly imagine. He's free to relentlessly attack Trump from a position of moral authority.
Liked bc of the Obi Wan suggestion.
To all the Republicans whining about how unfair it was for Biden to withdraw his candidacy: Hey you're perfectly free to switch out YOUR candidate! Oh that's right, you can't because you're in the fear and thrall of an authoritarian.
JVL: Yes. Joe Manchin is a jackass!
Muck Foe Janchin.
Mona and Sarah are right...we've been in the slough of despond for the better part of a month. It feels like the antidepressants have just kicked in.
JVL is also right. JRB is our greatest living President.
“Donald Trump is a freaking sociopath!” He was that way when he was thirty. Thirteen probably.
Picking Shapiro would be a smart move for Kamala because it would be a counter to the public perception that the dems are anti-Semitic now (via the campus left). PA is also one of the most important states in this election. Pete would be awesome too though. I voted for him in the primary in 2020.
*leans in--- THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT JOE BIDEN HAS DEMENTIA!!! JUST STOP THAT! He is slower to collect his thoughts for a sharp answer and trails off, but that's a far cry away from what dementia is.
Bingo.
I don't mind the talk about the optics and how bad it looks. But the whole boo-hooing how he has dementia is just ridiculous and insulting.
Look, here's why I don't want a two woman ticket: I want to watch a man defer, daily, to a woman president. I want to watch her outrank him, and I want to see the grace and dignity with which he lives that reality day in and day out. The older and white the better. Give me that directly into my veins
Excellent reasons! And the VP pick should be younger than her so he feels like deferring to her is the only option. An older guy won’t do it.
I just want to say that as a middle aged woman and mother of a young girl - I'm so flipping stoked about the possibility of a female President. I have talked to a lot of moms that feel the same way - just really excited. I donated last night, signed up to volunteer, and making tentative plans to attend the inauguration. I doubt I am the only woman feeling that way this morning. I think the excitement is going to translate to some serious momentum.
You could certainly interpret the past three weeks as Biden dithering and having to be dragged kicking and screaming out of the race. But you could also interpret the past three weeks as Biden biding his time, waiting not only for the NATO summit but for the entire Republican Convention--waiting for a week of Biden bashing, a week of age-criticism, and especially a week locking in J.D. Vance. I feel like it's entirely possible that he knew what he was going to do a while ago, and bluffed his way through at least a week or two with "I'm staying in" messaging to push the GOP into hardening its strategy, which is now wasted and wrong-footed.
Also making sure that the information that he could not win, and in fact would assure a Trump victory by standing for election, was valid. Not easy, especially when one wants the data to point in a preferred direction.
Well, the surrogates are out in force this morning!
First takes on Beshear and Cooper: Cooper's superior experience shows here -- he's much better at messaging than Beshear is. I can see Beshear tap-dancing furiously -- the vibe is "male Elizabeth Warren" -- as he tries to avoid giving concrete answers. I don't dislike him, but he needs to work on seeming more authentic/ sincere. If he can't do that, I don't know that he'd be a good running mate for Harris.
Joe Manchin on Morning Joe: I guess he just needed some attention? Or someone set him straight between the time he was booked and when he went on air? "I just want us to have a primary!" Okay, Senator, thank you.