There has rarely been an environment as target-rich as the Republican National Convention that is going on right now in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Last night, they put up a smirking hillbilly as their nominee for vice president.
I sense a feeling of hopelessness when it comes to having supporters of Biden voices heard amid the fear and temerity of the politicians worried about their reelection, the wealthy donors blackmailing them by threatening to withhold their money and the media completing the circle by quoting polls and anonymous sources all in the service of getting Biden to give up and quit. What an ignominious result forced on an honorable and tremendously successful President. They couldn’t even summon the courage to match his own in fighting his way back into contention. Just ran for safety faster than British troops at the Battle of New Orleans.
This leaderless and feckless party is now going to face off against a fascist and criminal want-to-be dictator with a plan to destroy our democracy with no plan of their own for replacing Biden with as little as 100 plus days to the election. A profile in cowardice. I fear for our country.
Many, many people at the grassroots level are working their (our) tails off to defeat Trump no matter who our candidates are. We aren't going to stop. I hope that's helpful.
There being no time. Also, she is telling us that this is a racist/sexist move because it is not Biden they don't believe in, it is Harris. So, they say its Biden's age, but since he has back up, what they mean is Harris's skin color and/or gender. That is why Trump's age is not an issue even thought he is only 3 years younger than Biden. It is not Biden's age, but having Harris as his back up. That should be obvious to people. Believe AOC. She is saying she is hearing what people say. Other countries have women leaders. See Iceland, Denmark, Estonia.
I don't like it either. It's the in-their-pocket Dems like Nancy Pelosi and "Shifty" (the Republicans did get that right) Adam Schiff who are leading the charge. And since big money talks very loudly, I'm afraid they'll prevail. But I'll keep fighting.
I agree. I am trying to regularly write Biden to stay in the race. The White people who think Harris can win on her own have short memories. Harris ran against Biden and did not win. What has changed is that she has more experience now as VP, but not as much as Biden had when he became president. He had had 8 years. He also is white and male. Last I checked the Democratic party is filled with people who are racist and sexist as well as those who are not. I don't know how this will effect a Harris bid, but I know how it played itself out before, Biden won and Harris lost. Since I have the same skin color I am much more skeptical than all these White people seem to be that she can win on her own and I ask also with who for her vice president? No one else that they are considering has national name recognition. I feel like this is a power move on Nancy Pelosi's part. Maybe she is regretting that she stepped down due to age and is pushing her own agenda on Biden too. These polls are not real. Russian bots could be answering them and apparently they would not know. I do not believe the country has changed that much in 4 years. I agree with Joyce Vance that Biden and Harris have done a stellar job, and it is underappreciated because Americans just don't know anything about government. They will learn the hard way if the party keeps trying to tank their candidate who won fair and square. He is only 3 years older then Trump but not a word is being said about Trump's age. Trump would be older than Biden is now if he had a next term at the end. No one is saying this. Our press has utterly and totally failed to cover the real issues, which is that project 2025 would do to the USA what Hitler, Mussolini and Putin have not even done to their countries, which is totally get rid of Public Education, giving us third world status.
What I want to know is how James Carville knew three months ago that Biden would not be the candidate and told everyone who would listen. This entire scene sucks big time, and I and extremely unhappy. Thanks Lucian. Silk purse/cow’s ear…
The question is why he saw it that way. Political operatives, like pundits and other groups, tend to hang out in their own bubbles. We're good at recognizing the bubble that Trumpers are in, but not so good at recognizing the ones that we ourselves are in.
I’m so furious I could spit. Trying to pour it into postcarding and reminding people, “no matter who, vote blue.” But to need to do this at this point in time is ridiculous. Our party has always been fractious, but this is self-immolation. It’s up to us.
I am right there with you, C Towers; I am also so mad I could spit. 1) Polls are now totally unreliable; they're often skewed. 2) The media and Dem politicians are driving this STUPID Biden should drop out of the race narrative. 3)This president has been the most successful since FDR with a FAR slimmer majority. 4)If Chuck Schumer is telling Biden to drop out, Biden should NOT listen to Schumer. Schumer would not help Tim Ryan of Ohio or Cheri Beasley of NC win their races. So now Ohio has JD Vance, and NC is stuck with Ted Budd, a coup supporter. I am SOOOOO tired of the trashing of President Biden. If a neurologist performed a workup on President Biden and found issues, that would be a different story. Get over that damn production called a debate.
In the first paragraph they write “in February, the special counsel Robert Hur labelled the President a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” in a report about Biden’s handling of classified documents.”
The transcript shows the exact opposite & Hur exposed as a Republican.
All of this is the fault of corporate Dems - the same ones hoping to give us a “No Labels Joe Manchin” candidate that will continue to prioritize corporations over people.
WTAF is wrong with these dem politicians? It is maddening to me. It appears that all these elected dems are doing is CYA—they want the big dollar donors so they can keep their cushy jobs sucking off the federal govt purse. I’m with Joe and Kamala.
It won't change anything. We will all vote for the democrat on the ticket no matter who it is. Also VP Harris will absolutely take the fight to the magas. She is fierce! There is no republican party any more. Just maga. trump will lose by a landslide. Vance is the billionaires pick not trumps. trump really needs the money they give him. And he will be convicted in the documents case next year. By then he will be too far gone mentally and physically to serve any time but he will be broken.
Ummm, now for some reality checks. The biggest political party in this country is the Misogyny party. Does 2016 ring a bell? No matter how bright she is, no matter how capable she is, it won't matter. And she is of mixed race. Too many voters in the south and south west won't have that. She would make an excellent president. Will it happen? I won't even bet on that.
You have no idea how much I am hoping and praying you're right. I'm hoping the "party" remembers who and what they stand for and start pushing the real stuff, like women's reproductive rights, MAGA's vow to kill the ACA, and all the other draconian promises in 2025. Vote Blue!
Most of the people who are too racist to vote for a Black person and too misogynistic to vote for a woman are Republicans, anyway. Hillary won the popular vote by at least 3 million. She lost the election because of (1) James Comey, and (2) the incredibly stupid decision of her campaign to ignore the Blue Wall states, most of which crumbled. The Biden/Harris campaign has definitely NOT made that mistake, with their 500, 50-state field offices and excellent ground game, and Kamala is not lugging around 40 years' worth of anti-Clinton baggage.
I agree with what you are saying, but she did not ignore blue wall states, no matter what Michael Moore may have told you. Your comment about all the suspect class being Republican? I wish that were so, it isn't. I live in a solid blue state. Hillary won. Obama won. Put the two issue of race and gender together? I wouldn't be too sure.
If we're going to talk about 2016, please don't forget the Bros who sat on their hands and would not vote or the third party candidate who was backed by Putin but called herself Green. No, it's not about Hillary, it's about prejudice and if you want to see the deplorables leave/slither out of their baskets and head to the polls in droves? Give them more than one scabrous prejudice to itch.
Kamala Harris is fierce and capable, but America (even liberal America) is deeply sexist and racist. It's a toss-up who wins. Unfortunately we can't afford to lose.
You're right about the sexism and racism. But President Biden has always, from the start of his first campaign, made it clear that it was the Biden/Harris campaign, not just the Biden campaign. Eight American presidents have died in office -- four by assassination, four by natural causes. Given that Biden was 78 years old when he was sworn in as president, and given that the presidency is notoriously aging (except for Trump, who spent most of his time as president golfing, bingeing on cable TV news, and acting as a Twitter troll), I'm pretty sure that all of us who voted for the Biden/Harris ticket were aware that Harris might have to step in if something happened to Joe. And all of us -- including the men who voted the ticket -- were likewise aware that she is Black/Asian and a woman. Also, although the racists and sexists may hate her, loads of young people really seem to like her, and that's something to consider.
In my almost 70 years I have never seen this country in this kind of shape ! I blame Money 💰 and its malignant influence throughout the whole of our society! Citizens United in particular is the most dangerous of the cancers that has so infected our society and it’s traditional democratic values! The buying of our government and its courts with untold amounts of money untraceable to anyone is the biggest crime ever perpetrated on the American people! This whole period of our history stinks of corruption ,hypocrisy ,incompetency , treason and hate ! I’m honestly getting sick writing this,I’m going to call it a day and hope it’s all just a real bad dream !☮️
Great analysis! I am a Democrat but sometimes I get so angry watching the Democrats blow it, at every level. Every rank and file Democrat (and some Republicans) I’ve talked with wants Joe Biden to stay as the Democratic nominee.
The Democratic Party has been doing this throat-cutting bullshit for a very long time. I'm 74 and I've been watching it since I was 14, and it just never stops. I would just remind people that one factor in Hitler coming to power was that the Left was too busy tearing itself apart.
Most of us rank and file, small-d dems really do want Joe Biden to stay on and fight for us. I'm furious with the higher ups and the big money donors who are holding the party hostage while they try to disenfranchise all of us primary voters who put Joe and Kamala at the top of the ticket. How is negating THE PEOPLE'S VOTE in any way democratic? This is pure oligarchy and it is disgusting.
Whoever the Democrats nominee, they need to focus on 3-4 simple things they will do if elected and totally focus on Donald Trump’s unfitness for office. Very simple. Focus, Focus, Focus.
Right now, they’re not focused. They look disorganized and chaotic. Not a good look for a party that wants to lead for the next four years. Figure this out soon and move forward
Soon. Biden could use his Covid to step down now. Inaugurate Harris and give her the bully pulpit. She would be aggressive in fighting MAGA and we need that. Biden is no longer a strong enough leader to hold the Dems together and we have an awesome platform. The Party Platform needs to be yelled from every street corner. We are in disarray because like Feinstein and RBG - Biden's ego and desire to hold on to power at any cost looks weak. He was looking frail and exhausted before the disastrous so called debate. It may qualify as elder abuse to have him continue to be humiliated.
What if it's not "Biden's ego" but his commitment to the country that prompts him to stay in the race? What if Biden "looks weak" because the media have been hammering on him nonstop since June 27 and ignoring everything he's done since? What if "we are in disarray" because establishment Dems like Pelosi and Schiff are worried about their donors? And as you probably know, "Democrats in disarray" is a cliché that goes back decades.
He cannot run a campaign without money. He is bringing in 25% of anticipated funds. JB is a good solid man but the office ages everyone. Many Democrats have seen his decline and are every bit as committed to the country and want to defeat the evil forces that would destroy our Democracy as every one of us on this site and JB himself. We need a strong leader who can unite us in our efforts and have a chance to prevail in the elections around the country. JB is no longer that person. I am sad to say this.
I’m so disgusted by the circular firing range Dems are doing right now, I may have to take a break from politics until “they” get their
$h!t together. Beating this dead horse about Biden’s age is tiresome and horribly frustrating! We should be talking about Project 2025 not turning voters off.
It is almost trite at this point, but the Party is acting like the Alternative Reality Party, in that the large-donor class has decided to slam its financial cards on the table with warnings...
It could be that this marks the end of traditional elections, where the preferences of aligned voters is dumped in the wastebasket...after they made their choice in the Primaries.
Wow, this newsletter is jam packed with where we are at this moment, Lucian. If Joe steps down before the convention and Kamala becomes president, do you know how that will affect what happens as opposed to someone else being nominated (not Kamala) at the convention? Today I watched a congresswoman from the Congressional Black Caucus who let it be known there wasn't one member of the caucus willing to sign on to Biden relinquishing the presidency. There were other black voices I heard on Instagram who are not happy with what Democratic leadership is trying to do to Joe, and the fact that Kamala is being passed over in this struggle to name another Democratic candidate.
I have already written my email of support to Joe at the White House, and intend to call the White House, along with Schumer, Schiff, and Lowenthal this weekend, and, in my best Dale Carnegie form, encourage them to back Biden.
And if that doesn't work, I get nasty. I will be voting Democrat regardless of who runs, because even here in deep blue California, my vote counts. See you at the barricades!
Thank you Lucian! With so many people fearful of what could happen, it feels like our Democratic leaders have abandoned us, their constituents. Instead of boldly and publicly boosting us, giving us hope, they are MIA. You are doing their job.
Lucian, you better believe we’ll do it. “We” being the Democratic base who know the horror of having another term of Trump! I’ve not seen so much excitement among my friends and on line as I’ve seen the past few days as the prospect of Biden leaving the ticket continues. I really think it’ll vitalize Dems.
Everyone I know will vote for Biden if he stays atop the ticket. We know the score and how important this election is. But we need leaders who will challenge the status quo and be up to the rigors of campaigning the way a Democratic candidate must campaign. Do I think Kamala Harris is the be all and end all? No, but hopefully she and a good VP candidate will bring enthusiasm to the campaign.
I like Joe Biden and think he did an excellent job as president in a difficult time. I just don’t think he has the wherewithal to campaign and then govern for 4 years. He’s 81 years old and should be enjoying a well deserved retirement. We have a terrific bench.
I read a quote today from a woman who said she would vote for two dead flies with their wings off before she would vote for Trump. This is a widely held feeling. That, combined with the enthusiasm of our base, is going to tell the story -- along with the recent Supreme Court decisions.
Watching this is like watching a slow motion train wreck. The repugnantkins, have in their infinite wisdom, dug deep into the cesspool for their standard bearers. Historians after we are long gone, are going to marvel at how we have allowed a slam dunk win to evaporate almost overnight. We should have been playing much harder ball with these bastards. If all of the cretins that helped orchestrate January 6, had been arrested on January 21, and shipped to Guantanamo to await our getting around to charging and trying them, we would be looking at a completely different scenario than the one we face tonight. They have made a mockery of our “rule of law”, how is the rule of law supposed to work when the judges are corrupted? Look I’m no saint, I wasn’t on that roof shooting at the orange turd, I’m still amazed that he missed, but I’m beginning to wonder if the skills I learned in Special Forces in the late 60’s aren’t going to be needed again, I hope not, I have spent the last 50+ years trying live by the golden rule and thought that I would go to my grave with all of that in the far distant past. The repugnantkins seem to be hell bent on delivering their dystopian hatred to all of us, and they have 75 million maggots willing to do their bidding. I won’t be watching this shit tonight, I’ll be reading about it in the coming days, which will be bad enough. 🤬 Stay safe all 🙏
At 6:31 PDT I got a bulletin from the New Yorker: “Doctors Are Increasingly Worried About Biden”. Below the headline, “Almost all (doctors) were concerned that Biden’s symptoms might go beyond a gradual, aging-related decline.” The author, Dhruv Khullar is a physician and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medicine. There was a brief mention that Trump showed some decline, but the rest of the article was based on other physician’s observations of Biden, none in person, and they did not examine him.
Although Biden’s doctors, who actually examine him, have been forthcoming with details regarding his health, (including the most recent report on his Covid symptoms) that was not enough for the author. What is going on at the New Yorker??
Why does the media want to facilitate the election of a felon, rapist, etc??
It’s a pattern at the New Yorker, a drumbeat of unfavorable articles about Biden that’s been showing itself for some time. They ran a piece defending the Hur Report. Susan Glasser, who regularly damns the president with faint praise or worse, described his recent NATO press conference as barely adequate. Of course she ignored the detailed, lengthy responses to questions that showed a complex grasp of foreign policy. A person on Twitter wrote caustically of such journalistic insult campaigns, “Ah yes, that sad phase when our elders begin discussing the minutiae of Chinese trade policy.”
I especially don't like that I hear that big donors are extorting people to come out against Biden.
I sense a feeling of hopelessness when it comes to having supporters of Biden voices heard amid the fear and temerity of the politicians worried about their reelection, the wealthy donors blackmailing them by threatening to withhold their money and the media completing the circle by quoting polls and anonymous sources all in the service of getting Biden to give up and quit. What an ignominious result forced on an honorable and tremendously successful President. They couldn’t even summon the courage to match his own in fighting his way back into contention. Just ran for safety faster than British troops at the Battle of New Orleans.
This leaderless and feckless party is now going to face off against a fascist and criminal want-to-be dictator with a plan to destroy our democracy with no plan of their own for replacing Biden with as little as 100 plus days to the election. A profile in cowardice. I fear for our country.
Many, many people at the grassroots level are working their (our) tails off to defeat Trump no matter who our candidates are. We aren't going to stop. I hope that's helpful.
Biden has COVID now. Let’s pray for his survival and not pressurize him to get replaced.
Many, many women have put aside the nay saying voices and are still doing the hard work of getting the candidate, Joe Biden elected to the presidency.
At least AOC lays out the real deal. https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=BEp6KI837zCGIhir
There being no time. Also, she is telling us that this is a racist/sexist move because it is not Biden they don't believe in, it is Harris. So, they say its Biden's age, but since he has back up, what they mean is Harris's skin color and/or gender. That is why Trump's age is not an issue even thought he is only 3 years younger than Biden. It is not Biden's age, but having Harris as his back up. That should be obvious to people. Believe AOC. She is saying she is hearing what people say. Other countries have women leaders. See Iceland, Denmark, Estonia.
I don't like it either. It's the in-their-pocket Dems like Nancy Pelosi and "Shifty" (the Republicans did get that right) Adam Schiff who are leading the charge. And since big money talks very loudly, I'm afraid they'll prevail. But I'll keep fighting.
I agree. I am trying to regularly write Biden to stay in the race. The White people who think Harris can win on her own have short memories. Harris ran against Biden and did not win. What has changed is that she has more experience now as VP, but not as much as Biden had when he became president. He had had 8 years. He also is white and male. Last I checked the Democratic party is filled with people who are racist and sexist as well as those who are not. I don't know how this will effect a Harris bid, but I know how it played itself out before, Biden won and Harris lost. Since I have the same skin color I am much more skeptical than all these White people seem to be that she can win on her own and I ask also with who for her vice president? No one else that they are considering has national name recognition. I feel like this is a power move on Nancy Pelosi's part. Maybe she is regretting that she stepped down due to age and is pushing her own agenda on Biden too. These polls are not real. Russian bots could be answering them and apparently they would not know. I do not believe the country has changed that much in 4 years. I agree with Joyce Vance that Biden and Harris have done a stellar job, and it is underappreciated because Americans just don't know anything about government. They will learn the hard way if the party keeps trying to tank their candidate who won fair and square. He is only 3 years older then Trump but not a word is being said about Trump's age. Trump would be older than Biden is now if he had a next term at the end. No one is saying this. Our press has utterly and totally failed to cover the real issues, which is that project 2025 would do to the USA what Hitler, Mussolini and Putin have not even done to their countries, which is totally get rid of Public Education, giving us third world status.
Totally agree with everything you say here!
Ditto. Thanks, Linda.
What I want to know is how James Carville knew three months ago that Biden would not be the candidate and told everyone who would listen. This entire scene sucks big time, and I and extremely unhappy. Thanks Lucian. Silk purse/cow’s ear…
Carville pushed the first domino.
Never liked the guy - never!
Good call
WTF anyone listens to James Carville I do not know.
Talk about an old fart who doesn't make sense...
Linda, Carville probably called it as he saw it..and too few others did the same..
And here we find ourselves
The question is why he saw it that way. Political operatives, like pundits and other groups, tend to hang out in their own bubbles. We're good at recognizing the bubble that Trumpers are in, but not so good at recognizing the ones that we ourselves are in.
I’m so furious I could spit. Trying to pour it into postcarding and reminding people, “no matter who, vote blue.” But to need to do this at this point in time is ridiculous. Our party has always been fractious, but this is self-immolation. It’s up to us.
I am right there with you, C Towers; I am also so mad I could spit. 1) Polls are now totally unreliable; they're often skewed. 2) The media and Dem politicians are driving this STUPID Biden should drop out of the race narrative. 3)This president has been the most successful since FDR with a FAR slimmer majority. 4)If Chuck Schumer is telling Biden to drop out, Biden should NOT listen to Schumer. Schumer would not help Tim Ryan of Ohio or Cheri Beasley of NC win their races. So now Ohio has JD Vance, and NC is stuck with Ted Budd, a coup supporter. I am SOOOOO tired of the trashing of President Biden. If a neurologist performed a workup on President Biden and found issues, that would be a different story. Get over that damn production called a debate.
👍👍👍👍
It was an assault, not a debate.
https://www.newyorker.com/science/medical-dispatch/doctors-are-increasingly-worried-about-biden?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Daily_SpecialReport_071824&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_term=tny_daily_digest&bxid=5bd66eac2ddf9c6194386234&cndid=18274982&hasha=41c01ec4cfee47b86b00b8fac70c9543&hashb=08fb78298df76647f2dcc9830eab6093e4bd895b&hashc=860505e2f7c62d9ba29a650eb290d6ad97b3d1ef890e177c2fe8debf6599f59a&esrc=&mbid=CRMNYR012019
Another hit piece
In the first paragraph they write “in February, the special counsel Robert Hur labelled the President a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” in a report about Biden’s handling of classified documents.”
The transcript shows the exact opposite & Hur exposed as a Republican.
All of this is the fault of corporate Dems - the same ones hoping to give us a “No Labels Joe Manchin” candidate that will continue to prioritize corporations over people.
Spot on!!
WTAF is wrong with these dem politicians? It is maddening to me. It appears that all these elected dems are doing is CYA—they want the big dollar donors so they can keep their cushy jobs sucking off the federal govt purse. I’m with Joe and Kamala.
It won't change anything. We will all vote for the democrat on the ticket no matter who it is. Also VP Harris will absolutely take the fight to the magas. She is fierce! There is no republican party any more. Just maga. trump will lose by a landslide. Vance is the billionaires pick not trumps. trump really needs the money they give him. And he will be convicted in the documents case next year. By then he will be too far gone mentally and physically to serve any time but he will be broken.
Ummm, now for some reality checks. The biggest political party in this country is the Misogyny party. Does 2016 ring a bell? No matter how bright she is, no matter how capable she is, it won't matter. And she is of mixed race. Too many voters in the south and south west won't have that. She would make an excellent president. Will it happen? I won't even bet on that.
I think we are going to find out.
I'm counting on women and young voters to save us as usual. I think people know how bad it will be if maga wins. see you in Roevember.
You have no idea how much I am hoping and praying you're right. I'm hoping the "party" remembers who and what they stand for and start pushing the real stuff, like women's reproductive rights, MAGA's vow to kill the ACA, and all the other draconian promises in 2025. Vote Blue!
Most of the people who are too racist to vote for a Black person and too misogynistic to vote for a woman are Republicans, anyway. Hillary won the popular vote by at least 3 million. She lost the election because of (1) James Comey, and (2) the incredibly stupid decision of her campaign to ignore the Blue Wall states, most of which crumbled. The Biden/Harris campaign has definitely NOT made that mistake, with their 500, 50-state field offices and excellent ground game, and Kamala is not lugging around 40 years' worth of anti-Clinton baggage.
I agree with what you are saying, but she did not ignore blue wall states, no matter what Michael Moore may have told you. Your comment about all the suspect class being Republican? I wish that were so, it isn't. I live in a solid blue state. Hillary won. Obama won. Put the two issue of race and gender together? I wouldn't be too sure.
If we're going to talk about 2016, please don't forget the Bros who sat on their hands and would not vote or the third party candidate who was backed by Putin but called herself Green. No, it's not about Hillary, it's about prejudice and if you want to see the deplorables leave/slither out of their baskets and head to the polls in droves? Give them more than one scabrous prejudice to itch.
Kamala Harris is fierce and capable, but America (even liberal America) is deeply sexist and racist. It's a toss-up who wins. Unfortunately we can't afford to lose.
You're right about the sexism and racism. But President Biden has always, from the start of his first campaign, made it clear that it was the Biden/Harris campaign, not just the Biden campaign. Eight American presidents have died in office -- four by assassination, four by natural causes. Given that Biden was 78 years old when he was sworn in as president, and given that the presidency is notoriously aging (except for Trump, who spent most of his time as president golfing, bingeing on cable TV news, and acting as a Twitter troll), I'm pretty sure that all of us who voted for the Biden/Harris ticket were aware that Harris might have to step in if something happened to Joe. And all of us -- including the men who voted the ticket -- were likewise aware that she is Black/Asian and a woman. Also, although the racists and sexists may hate her, loads of young people really seem to like her, and that's something to consider.
This rings true. I’ve personally never wanted to see a President in a prison, but I do want him to lose by a landslide!
In my almost 70 years I have never seen this country in this kind of shape ! I blame Money 💰 and its malignant influence throughout the whole of our society! Citizens United in particular is the most dangerous of the cancers that has so infected our society and it’s traditional democratic values! The buying of our government and its courts with untold amounts of money untraceable to anyone is the biggest crime ever perpetrated on the American people! This whole period of our history stinks of corruption ,hypocrisy ,incompetency , treason and hate ! I’m honestly getting sick writing this,I’m going to call it a day and hope it’s all just a real bad dream !☮️
Agree with you.
Great analysis! I am a Democrat but sometimes I get so angry watching the Democrats blow it, at every level. Every rank and file Democrat (and some Republicans) I’ve talked with wants Joe Biden to stay as the Democratic nominee.
The Democratic Party has been doing this throat-cutting bullshit for a very long time. I'm 74 and I've been watching it since I was 14, and it just never stops. I would just remind people that one factor in Hitler coming to power was that the Left was too busy tearing itself apart.
Exactly. The same thing brought Franco to power in Spain.
Most of us rank and file, small-d dems really do want Joe Biden to stay on and fight for us. I'm furious with the higher ups and the big money donors who are holding the party hostage while they try to disenfranchise all of us primary voters who put Joe and Kamala at the top of the ticket. How is negating THE PEOPLE'S VOTE in any way democratic? This is pure oligarchy and it is disgusting.
Whoever the Democrats nominee, they need to focus on 3-4 simple things they will do if elected and totally focus on Donald Trump’s unfitness for office. Very simple. Focus, Focus, Focus.
Right now, they’re not focused. They look disorganized and chaotic. Not a good look for a party that wants to lead for the next four years. Figure this out soon and move forward
What Paula B. said, but add this:
Campaign finance reform, so the Democratic Party will never again be at the mercy of big donors and their congressional toadies.
End the filibuster.
Reform the Court.
Pass national abortion rights.
Pass John Lewis Voting Rights Act.
Soon. Biden could use his Covid to step down now. Inaugurate Harris and give her the bully pulpit. She would be aggressive in fighting MAGA and we need that. Biden is no longer a strong enough leader to hold the Dems together and we have an awesome platform. The Party Platform needs to be yelled from every street corner. We are in disarray because like Feinstein and RBG - Biden's ego and desire to hold on to power at any cost looks weak. He was looking frail and exhausted before the disastrous so called debate. It may qualify as elder abuse to have him continue to be humiliated.
What if it's not "Biden's ego" but his commitment to the country that prompts him to stay in the race? What if Biden "looks weak" because the media have been hammering on him nonstop since June 27 and ignoring everything he's done since? What if "we are in disarray" because establishment Dems like Pelosi and Schiff are worried about their donors? And as you probably know, "Democrats in disarray" is a cliché that goes back decades.
He cannot run a campaign without money. He is bringing in 25% of anticipated funds. JB is a good solid man but the office ages everyone. Many Democrats have seen his decline and are every bit as committed to the country and want to defeat the evil forces that would destroy our Democracy as every one of us on this site and JB himself. We need a strong leader who can unite us in our efforts and have a chance to prevail in the elections around the country. JB is no longer that person. I am sad to say this.
Well, you were a prophetess!
I’m so disgusted by the circular firing range Dems are doing right now, I may have to take a break from politics until “they” get their
$h!t together. Beating this dead horse about Biden’s age is tiresome and horribly frustrating! We should be talking about Project 2025 not turning voters off.
Getting rid of Biden at this late date is absurd.
Who are all of these “Dem insiders”?
Why are they listening to MSM and the Bulwark?!
Why are they listening to bs polls?
We had a primary. Biden won it.
I’m sure tRump and Putin are thrilled.
It is almost trite at this point, but the Party is acting like the Alternative Reality Party, in that the large-donor class has decided to slam its financial cards on the table with warnings...
It could be that this marks the end of traditional elections, where the preferences of aligned voters is dumped in the wastebasket...after they made their choice in the Primaries.
Wow, this newsletter is jam packed with where we are at this moment, Lucian. If Joe steps down before the convention and Kamala becomes president, do you know how that will affect what happens as opposed to someone else being nominated (not Kamala) at the convention? Today I watched a congresswoman from the Congressional Black Caucus who let it be known there wasn't one member of the caucus willing to sign on to Biden relinquishing the presidency. There were other black voices I heard on Instagram who are not happy with what Democratic leadership is trying to do to Joe, and the fact that Kamala is being passed over in this struggle to name another Democratic candidate.
I have already written my email of support to Joe at the White House, and intend to call the White House, along with Schumer, Schiff, and Lowenthal this weekend, and, in my best Dale Carnegie form, encourage them to back Biden.
And if that doesn't work, I get nasty. I will be voting Democrat regardless of who runs, because even here in deep blue California, my vote counts. See you at the barricades!
Thank you Lucian! With so many people fearful of what could happen, it feels like our Democratic leaders have abandoned us, their constituents. Instead of boldly and publicly boosting us, giving us hope, they are MIA. You are doing their job.
Nailed it.
Lucian, you better believe we’ll do it. “We” being the Democratic base who know the horror of having another term of Trump! I’ve not seen so much excitement among my friends and on line as I’ve seen the past few days as the prospect of Biden leaving the ticket continues. I really think it’ll vitalize Dems.
Everyone I know will vote for Biden if he stays atop the ticket. We know the score and how important this election is. But we need leaders who will challenge the status quo and be up to the rigors of campaigning the way a Democratic candidate must campaign. Do I think Kamala Harris is the be all and end all? No, but hopefully she and a good VP candidate will bring enthusiasm to the campaign.
I like Joe Biden and think he did an excellent job as president in a difficult time. I just don’t think he has the wherewithal to campaign and then govern for 4 years. He’s 81 years old and should be enjoying a well deserved retirement. We have a terrific bench.
The next few days should be “interesting”.
I read a quote today from a woman who said she would vote for two dead flies with their wings off before she would vote for Trump. This is a widely held feeling. That, combined with the enthusiasm of our base, is going to tell the story -- along with the recent Supreme Court decisions.
Where are you from in Chicago? I’m from the northern suburbs.
We live in West Rogers Park, aka West Ridge. Very diverse neighborhood.
NO!!(Respectfully)
Watching this is like watching a slow motion train wreck. The repugnantkins, have in their infinite wisdom, dug deep into the cesspool for their standard bearers. Historians after we are long gone, are going to marvel at how we have allowed a slam dunk win to evaporate almost overnight. We should have been playing much harder ball with these bastards. If all of the cretins that helped orchestrate January 6, had been arrested on January 21, and shipped to Guantanamo to await our getting around to charging and trying them, we would be looking at a completely different scenario than the one we face tonight. They have made a mockery of our “rule of law”, how is the rule of law supposed to work when the judges are corrupted? Look I’m no saint, I wasn’t on that roof shooting at the orange turd, I’m still amazed that he missed, but I’m beginning to wonder if the skills I learned in Special Forces in the late 60’s aren’t going to be needed again, I hope not, I have spent the last 50+ years trying live by the golden rule and thought that I would go to my grave with all of that in the far distant past. The repugnantkins seem to be hell bent on delivering their dystopian hatred to all of us, and they have 75 million maggots willing to do their bidding. I won’t be watching this shit tonight, I’ll be reading about it in the coming days, which will be bad enough. 🤬 Stay safe all 🙏
At 6:31 PDT I got a bulletin from the New Yorker: “Doctors Are Increasingly Worried About Biden”. Below the headline, “Almost all (doctors) were concerned that Biden’s symptoms might go beyond a gradual, aging-related decline.” The author, Dhruv Khullar is a physician and assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medicine. There was a brief mention that Trump showed some decline, but the rest of the article was based on other physician’s observations of Biden, none in person, and they did not examine him.
Although Biden’s doctors, who actually examine him, have been forthcoming with details regarding his health, (including the most recent report on his Covid symptoms) that was not enough for the author. What is going on at the New Yorker??
Why does the media want to facilitate the election of a felon, rapist, etc??
David Remnick is going on at the New Yorker.
It’s a pattern at the New Yorker, a drumbeat of unfavorable articles about Biden that’s been showing itself for some time. They ran a piece defending the Hur Report. Susan Glasser, who regularly damns the president with faint praise or worse, described his recent NATO press conference as barely adequate. Of course she ignored the detailed, lengthy responses to questions that showed a complex grasp of foreign policy. A person on Twitter wrote caustically of such journalistic insult campaigns, “Ah yes, that sad phase when our elders begin discussing the minutiae of Chinese trade policy.”
Glasser’s husband is Peter Baker at the Times. I used to like their articles. Not any more.
That figures.