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I really like A. B. Stoddard and usually enjoy her pieces in the Bulwark and her contributions on the podcasts, but the decision's been made, the 2024 campaign is underway, and Biden is running. She's entitled to say or write anything she wants, and she's earned the platform that she holds, but she should realize that a piece like this one is not one more contribution to an ongoing debate. That debate has been over for months. Now, if not intentionally, it's still for all practical purposes pure Biden-bashing.

The great defect of even the fact-based media today is their refusal to accept responsibility for the effects of the content they produce. A. B. Stoddard's intentions in publishing this piece don't matter. The effect is to provide a quote-rich environment ready to be mined and weaponized by the GOP Lie Machine. It absolutely will be, and she's the person responsible for that.

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Exactly. Biden has decided that he's running for re-election and he is going to be the Democratic nominee. The idea that he would change his mind a few months later and decide that he's not going to run after all is ridiculous. And then, after Kamala Harris is somehow also sidelined, the Democrats would unify behind and nominate this unicorn ticket of Gretchen Whitmer and Raphael Warnock.

It is fantastical, useless and very counterproductive speculation, inspired by lazy media narratives about Biden and Harris and dependent on a series of several very unlikely events happening in quick succession: First, Biden steps down. Harris would also have to decline to run, otherwise there would be a very divisive fight in the primaries; there's no way that she would go down without a fight. And it would be helpful if others with presidential ambitions, such as Buttigieg, Warren, and Sanders, also take a pass. Then, Whitmer and Warnock could fill the power vacuum and consolidate the support of the entire party. No contested primary or bitter feelings.

Biden will be the nominee and Harris will almost certainly be his running mate again. It's a done deal. Democrats and Never Trump Republicans and independents need to realize this and do everything they can to support them. Making noises about an alternative Democratic nominee or third parties helps Trump and the MAGA cult, while demoralizing the pro democracy coalition.

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Exactly! Does anyone truly want a Biden vs. Trump rematch? In a sane world Biden could have purposefully been a transition candidate paving the way within 4 years. But as long as Trump, McCarthy, McConnell are around this country needs him!! What's upsetting to ne isn't his age what's fustrating is we are in a timeline where an 81 year old man is practically our only hope!

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“The great defect of even the fact-based media today is their refusal to accept responsibility for the effects of the content they produce.”

They accept responsibility, and then do the same thing over again, and expect a different result. Rinse, lather, repeat!

Perfect example: The NYT’s run up to the Iraq war; selling a manufactured crisis. They apologized after the fact, but we’re enablers from the start.

Then with Trump. Wall to wall coverage, free media, and treating him like a normal candidate until he won, they they apologized, and here we are.

Same goes for the MSN! We constantly hear about Biden’s age ad nauseam, while saying little about Trump’s age. It’s almost as though the corporate stooges and executives want Trump to win because he’s good for business and sells advertising; even though he’s a nightmare for America!

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So well stated. The problem with people making a living at punditry, is sometimes the well is dry, but they have to produce a product, so they scrape around for anything, ANYTHING, that will fulfill their paycheck obligations. I used to notice that in David Brooks writing too; sometimes it was very transparent.

Maybe I recognize it because I’ve done it. I recall an embarrassing college essay I wrote about the trials of getting blood out of a stone, when the assignment was to review a Richard Brautigan book that was utter B.S. to me. The prof was a Brautigan fan. He didn’t appreciate my inventive approach.

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They should just fill their quotas by talking about watches and baseball instead.

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Damn, you beat me to it!

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Which we already get too much of, IMO.

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Don't forget the wrasslin'.

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There's no such thing as too much baseball. Watches, maybe. 😉

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Alright; I will grant you baseball. Just this once!

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Democrats are being accused of being in a bubble and there may be some truth to that but it is not clear to me that it is universal. If Dems are in a bubble, though, it seems to me that increasingly the Never Trumpers are moving into a fantasy land vis-a-vis this whole Biden thing. He's running. It's time to deal with that reality. It's not clear that it is the wrong or right decision. We are all worried, yes, but it's time to drop it and keep the focus on disqualifying Trump . . . after all, it is Trump (and, really, the rest of the Republican field and almost all of the party) who does not believe in the rule of law, the peaceful transfer of power and the constitution. It would be much more realistic to force Trump to drop out . . . that may be a long shot, too, I get it, but I think it has more of a chance to succeed, for one thing, and it would be for the right reasons, too. I have a suggestion on where to start: tell Christie he is wrong to not be able to vote for president and make a choice between Biden and Trump. That is NOT leadership . .. that is a cop out.

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Not all Never Trumpers by any means, but too many do seem to be thinking about tapping out while we're still in the middle of the fight.

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Aug 31, 2023
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Agreed. Harris was never my choice, but I don't really expect Biden to die and even if he did, I'd be a lot less concerned with her than with Trump. She could even grow into the job if she had to, Truman style. BTW, how did things go at the beach?

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Tell Christie if he really thinks Trump is unfit, start suing states to keep his name off the ballot in the grounds that the 14 th Amendment makes him ineligible

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Not everyone has a base that will pay for that. Though I agree with you in principle.

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I wish I could give this more than one thumbs up.

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Thanks, I think that was what I was trying to say.

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