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If President Biden isn’t up to performing the job, what in hell is he doing now? His f’ing job. Funny no one notices that Joe Biden is busy doing the job of President now!

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Jul 17·edited Jul 17

I think it is also because of the lack of enthusiasm for him, and the risk of low voter turnout and how that impacts Biden and down ballot candidates. His team has shown little desire to counter the message from right and the campaign is limping at best. Job performance is not the point

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You maybe onto something

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https://open.substack.com/pub/thebulwark/p/the-only-thing-trump-should-say-right-now-is-im-sorry?r=8l5v7&utm_medium=ios Damn shame he didn’t, because of him we are where we are today. There wouldn’t be a dead father, two seriously wounded and thump’s ear grazed. He continues to play golf and ignore the chaos he churns around him like he did when hundreds of thousands were dying of Covid-he’s actually a blithering idiot that can’t see past his temper tantrum toddler ego. His battle cry ’All for Me and Me for Me’.

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Jul 17·edited Jul 17

Thank you for giving me motivation to finally cancel my subscription to The Bulwark. It has been a fun ride. Frankly, the quality of the content hit a nice peak early this summer.. You guys worked hard and gave me a lot of what I wanted... but now, because you've had a bad few weeks, I think you need to be replaced.

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With what, exactly?

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Violence is unacceptable—concur

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Let this race be a VP race instead of the presidents. Let the two old guys, one bumbling and nice, the other headstrong and bat-shit crazy and out for himself, Uh, I mean Unity, as in unitary executive, be figure heads for the next 120 days.

Then let Kamala Harris, a bulldog prosecutor and vibrant and effective speaker, go after JD Vance and kick him in the nuts on all the 2025 policies he is so blatantly transparent and articulate about now that he has sucked DJT’s teat and prostituted himself.

This race is not about Trump/Biden, but about the next generation of leadership, so let the VPs be the ones to duke it out. I have no doubt KH can take on JD fancy pants Vance because he has been clear about what he now stands for and these are highly charged and easily debated topics, with facts. No more mealy-mouthed 45 bumbling about where he and his vague base he constantly refers to stand. I don’t see any down side to letting the President be his best good cop and KH be the bad cop.

Don’t change the Democratic ticket. Voters want to see some ass-kicking and a plan and I believe they will respond to KH in this role. It is a win-win. Keep the ticket and that momentum intact and bump up the Democratic front-runner’s numbers by filling in from below.

August 13th JD. Be there. Wear a cup.

Talk me out of it.

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Jul 16·edited Jul 16

That clip of the Republican saying some people just need killing was truly horrifying. Honestly disgusted to my bones about it. I feel like I need a shower after hearing it :(

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I'm not resigned to defeat either, but to me that means being willing to accept what seems so painfully obvious: neither President Biden nor VP Harris possess the powers of persuasion necessary to pull off a comeback win. I believe it's past time to quit treating Biden with kid gloves. The path he is on is selfish to the point of narcissistic. He must be confronted in blunt terms by anyone with influence over him that he is betraying the trust placed in him when he was elevated to the office he sought for decades. The people don't owe him; he owes the people. He must release his delegates to vote their consciences. If nothing else matters to him, he needs to understand that his legacy depends on that.

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Does it ever occur to people who think this , that he could actually believe he can do it, and does think he is the best one to do so?

WHy does he have to have ulterior motives, and since you aren't in his how do you know that is what he thinks?

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Yes, many say that Biden truly believes he is the best bet to defeat Trumpism, just as many insist that Trump truly believes the 2020 election was stolen. To be honest, I don't care. Neither of those beliefs is reasonable, and the future of the country counts infinitely more than being solicitous of the delusions of two people.

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You to you and I will do me, that way we remain civil and don't have to argue about it.

I really am tired of the fighting and the uncivility.

It is exhausting and unhealthy

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Great show. Always love your music choice Tim but this was the best. Love The Cranberries - perfect message

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founding

Look, here's the worst news: because ... voters WANT THIS. Yes! From the Detroit Free Press: Quoting Mike Rogers, MI GOP Senate hopeful: "Pointing to Vance’s humble beginnings in southern Ohio, recalled in the 2016 book "Hillbilly Elegy," a bestselling memoir by Vance, Rogers said the vice presidential pick "understands firsthand what the high cost of groceries, gas, and rent do to a struggling working family." Vance, who served as a Marine and earned a law school degree from Yale before winning a U.S. Senate seat two years ago, is 39 years old. " And this: ""Congrats to J.D. Vance on joining the Trump ticket, " U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, added on X. "J.D. is a fighter, veteran, and understands the concerns of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin. United, we’re going to Make America Great Once Again!" And immigration: People are afraid of the southern border issues and how it washes up in Michigan. People are likewise tired of the Gaza rhetoric. People -- voters -- WANT the simple solution. Withdraw from the world and go back to big trucks and coal-fired electric plants, in a world where Black people know their place and women make babies not decisions about nuclear warfare (ie, President Harris). Enough foreign melodrama. The insidious untruth is that pulling out of the world will make the US safer, will cut US taxes, will bring down prices. Well, I guess we'll see.

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He is my Senator he doesn't understand many of us here

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It will be interesting to see real MAGA response to Vance. Yale Law degree, married to the child of immigrants who also went to Yale for 2 degrees, worked with mega bucks finance, then US Senate. Looks like an "elite." Will they care he came from a poor, broken family?

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MAGA wants people that articulate its real and imagined grievances, Vance fits that bill. They could care less about his pedigree, his wife or anything else. They want the US out of supporting Ukraine, Vance gives them that. They want reassurance that they were right in believing the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. Vance does that. Etc., Etc.

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But Vance has two "tribal IDs" that will (IMO) have bigger street weight in a fight: he's a Marine and he's Catholic. And Catholics are big players in the national stage these days. A Marine will know leadership as well as small arms and fire team tactics. He's a big card to play.

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Evangelicals don’t believe Catholics are Christians.

The Church is less popular than it’s ever been.

His wife is not white. She has an actual job and wears shoes and isn’t pregnant and they probably order in more than she cooks. He just stopped wearing his wedding band because Trump doesn’t like them.

My generation (very, very, very old—God said “Let there be light” and we hit the switch old) respects military service because our fathers and grandfathers were in WWII or Korea. Since the end of the draft I don’t know if the military has much relevance to young people outside of those whose families include military. It just feels like from younger Boomers (I’m 66) down that sacrifice for the greater good is meaningless. It’s the only thing I respect about Vance.

He’s just revolting.

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Does the Evangelical wing like Catholics? I simply don't know about this aspect. He was a journalist. Except for basic training did he get out of the Green Zone?

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They do not. They don’t think they’re Christians.

He was a combat correspondent and deployed for six months. That sounds like an FOB job, but if he’s a combat vet that merits respect even from my Vance-hating self.

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He certainly talks the Marine line: "Vance’s single chapter on his time in the Marines is peppered with similiar stories of moral and personal growth....

“When I joined the Marine Corps, I did so in part because I wasn’t ready for adulthood,” Vance writes. “I didn’t know how to balance a checkbook, much less how to complete the financial aid forms for college. Now I knew exactly what I wanted out of my life and how to get there.” (source https://taskandpurpose.com/news/jd-vance-marine-veteran/) As for Catholics and Ev. Protestants: they join hands against abortion and uppity women.

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I'm so sorry to put this here but I have not been able to find a resolution to my issue in the substack help (or anywhere else) so I thought I'd see if anyone here might know. I am no longer able to see these videos on either my Windows PC or Android phone. I can hear audio, but there is no option to turn on video anymore. Other Bulwark podcasts have this option (camera icon on the left hand side) and I can see them just fine. The problem is only with the flagship pod hosted by Tim. Thank you for any suggestions.

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author

I know it's confusing since that feature exists for other shows, but if you go back in the archives, you'll notice that we haven't done this for the flagship podcast yet. The video side of things is incredibly resource intensive and folks do expect a consistent and timely posting. We are working on it!

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Jul 16Liked by Jim Swift

Thank you VERY much, Jim. I know I said I am 'no longer able to see' this video, suggesting I used to be able to. Considering your answer, I was obviously never able to. I may have been confusing my YouTube viewing with my Bulwark page viewing. I appreciate your patience and kind response.

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My apologies in advance for this rambling post, but I want to get some of this off my chest and this seems like a good place to do it. I think many of us are scared and worried and trying to protect ourselves. I do not think it is productive to conclude that anyone not doing what you, yourself, think should be done, is because of malice or arrogance or cynicism when there is not a lot of evidence to conclude that (or maybe even if there is). If an elected official, on background, says they are 'resigned to a Trump presidency', that does not have to be chalked up to cynicism or glee. It could be (and in my opinion, is more likely to be) a sign of being beaten down, demoralized, exhausted, which, let's not forget is part of the authoritarian playbook. It could be a way to protect a very battered psyche, like it is for me (and I also think for JVL, who, let's not forget, more or less told us a year or so ago that Trump was inevitable and we should all start mourning and coming to terms with that together, which is fine. I do not begrudge JVL for any of his opinions--he appears to me to be a very smart guy and an eloquent and thoughtful writer).

Biden is most likely to be the nominee, but even with that, this does not have to mean this is lost. I may be of the opinion myself that Biden should step aside, but even with polling data (which I do not deny), it is not clear to me that that is the right answer. I know that people like to think that all of this can be predicted if we just have all the right information. Some are saying they know what is going to happen. Many are saying they 'know they are right' even if they 'hope they are wrong'. And, it seems, most at this point, are looking for who to blame and that blame is falling on Biden and the Democrats (recency bias?). Some are downright giddy in this moment and self-congratulatory (listen to Ross Douthat on a recent Matters of Opinion podcast, which I think it a pretty shitty podcast, if I am being honest. It is palpable how excited Ross is to moralize and consider himself vindicated and so darn righteous in his upcoming vote for Trump (or maybe he is going to write in a dead person, I don't know, but it's the same thing). The debate was a shock, but the idea that that is so much more disqualifying for Biden than ALL the things Trump has said and done---well, that is what is demoralizing to me. The mocking and belittling of the many people who disagree that Biden should step aside--and indeed, the belittling of even those who say they are unsure and don't know the right thing to do or that it is not inevitable that Biden will lose-- is also demoralizing.

At this point, we need to deal with the reality we are in and recognize that none of us has a crystal ball or perfect data (this is not a Math proof) and redouble our efforts, individually and collectively, to do what we think is right while never losing our humanity, and not succumbing to hubris by refusing to reflect or think critically. We must recognize our biases that none of us are immune to no matter how smart or right we all think we are. The bottom line is we are human and humans are not really all that good at this shit. Peace and love to you all.

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If I could upvote this a 100 times I would...you are not alone with this view if that helps

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“ The debate was a shock, but the idea that that is so much more disqualifying for Biden than ALL the things Trump has said and done---well, that is what is demoralizing to me.”

my hope, perhaps belief, is that this will be where many who are not MAGA diehards election day. i think i was saying it before i encountered simon rosenberg’s calling attention to it, but voting is a very different thing from answering a pollster’s questions.

but, as a friend mine is constantly saying, god help us.

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Simon Rosenberg is one of the good guys and the evidence I see is that he is working his butt off, too.

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Absolutely perfect.

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Thank you for Bonnie for your beautiful letter. You are heard. You are part of the solution. May we all be comforted and inspired by your brave words.

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Tim your podcast title the day before Trump got shot was “Life or Death”

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If you’re not “resigned to it”, then how do you plan to stop it? This country loves Christians and nationalists. Look at Palin in 2008.

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Palin lost…?

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True but the dumbo blue collar loved her

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Anyone thinking Trump has mellowed after his ear was grazed should see the photo taken right after “the” official merch shot with his SS agents under the flag. It shows him smiling big at how cool his photo op shot turned out. He is thrilled! All that stopping his SS to stick his head up and his fist in the air to make sure it was all on video while his protectors tried to keep themselves, their arms and their own heads blocking him from more bullets was completely shocking! Then he had to get the photo op for monetizing the event of course. Think of the merch he can sell! And that last photo showing how pleased he was that his bloody ear photo shot turned out so perfect! Well, one can only wonder at the total disregard for the lives of his SS squad who had to put up with his self-glorifying photo op BS minutes after people were more seriously hurt after coming to see his show. What was it he said in that email just before the event? “All hell is going to break loose!”

Well, it did, but he got that photo op shot in spite of everything! Just, wow. Trump never ceases to amaze, does he?

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I really must say that I never took Trump to be the kind of man who poked his head (and fist) up in an active shooting situation. Is that what adrenaline does to a person?

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I believe Tim Miller in rather crude language said Trump is the luckiest man on earth.

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There has been much discussion on the topic of Joe Biden’s possible replacement, should he decide not to run. I believe this is a new idea and hope that, if it has merit, it will be picked up by those who have influence on him.

Biden declines to accept the nomination but chooses Harris to run in his place.

Harris selects her VP , that person being whoever is most likely to help her win. No thought to be given for 2028. It might be someone who is not a politician. or even a centrist Republican. ANYONE who strengthens the ticket

KEY IS THIS: She and her VP make an iron-clad statement not to run for re-election in 2028.

The dems have an open field, as they should, for 2028. This should bring support from all future candidates, without their shooting at each other in a circular firing squad if there were to be an open primary right now.

And joe will get credit for making it possible for the first woman President.

The attempted assassination of Trump makes it all the more imperative to find a ticket with the absolute highest chances of defeating him, I believe

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It's never a good idea to unilaterally disarm by declaring up front your self-imposed term limits. She would be a lame duck from the start and hampered because of it. Who knows? She might do a fine job and the party will want her to run again.

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Ann, of course you make sense with Harris declaring one term but it is a small price to pay if this strategy might keep trump from being elected.

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I’m with you, Tim! I refuse to see all this as a death sentence. We might feel overwhelmed, but I refuse to believe we are so exhausted that we cannot meet this moment with the resources and collective will to forge an extraordinary way forward these next few months. Maybe I’ve been taking Tai Chi too long, but I don’t feel knocked off center. I do see all the chaos as "opportunity in crisis.” The time is absolutely ripe for a well orchestrated risk and pivot. Our risk to take is not about extremism …it is about rebalancing and redirecting our energies to effectively meet and defeat the negative momentum the Republicans have amassed.

How can it be a bad idea to give voters a different choice? Polls are not facts, but they are DATA. Why not take that data and reframe our story now at a moment when we have this opportunity to take a risk that is supported by the desire of so many Americans for new leadership??? This chaos is the perfect moment to protect Biden’s legacy AND to be bold in a politically agile way that only a moment like this can offer.

The Republicans are serving up the toxic products of their long game. This is our chance to recover our balance by redirecting our energies and then forcing the Republicans to have to respond in a way they never anticipated…and respond to a party giving a majority of voters what they asked for all along: a different, sane, positive and powerful voice for leading new coalitions for a long game on our side of defending democracy.

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