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Regardless of one's opinion of the current situation, that he is considering it is a good thing. There are probably no good options, but if the pros and cons are weighed and the conclusion is that Biden endorsing someone else is the better choice, then that's what should be done.
Regardless, voting this November is about voting against fascism, regardless of who the Dem candidate is.
I still want him to go full Dark Brandon and save his race by being a complete and unmitigated lunatic pointed at Trump and the GOP.
BUT...
...if you all want him to drop out, you need to push collectively. He has given in before.
I'd prefer him to stay in if, realistically speaking, he is capable of doing so.
However, I also recognize that, even if he IS capable of doing so, he has not inspired confidence in the electorate in being capable of doing so. That alone may mandate his replacement even if all it was was a bad night.
I don't think he's in rapid decline - but if he is, or if he isn't but feels he cannot convincingly portray himself as well going forward, stepping down might be the right choice.
I think what’s really put strain on his mental capacity is the campaign. It’s one thing to be in a demanding position as an elected official, at his age, but then add on all the campaign stops, speeches, and events. It’s too much for most people.
Exactly, I posted this article in a comment above:
Guardian, 2008: Fatigue and racism threaten to knock Obama bandwagon off the road
Barack Obama was showing signs of campaign fatigue. Sitting on a picnic bench in a park on Pagoda Street, Indianapolis, in discussion with a group of 30 supporters, he told a story about the "modest" background of himself and his wife, Michelle. And 10 minutes later, seemingly having forgotten, he told them it all again.
It is hardly surprising, given that he has been on the road almost non-stop since Christmas, battling Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. In recent weeks, he has often seemed absent-minded, forgetting the names of the towns he is in.
Tiredness is the least of Obama's problems. After a relatively smooth and well-planned march towards the Oval Office, his campaign is facing its greatest crisis. "He is in the middle of a shit storm," one of the journalists travelling with him said.
Obama handled his 2 terms fine after that. He was as beat down by the campaign as Biden and he was almost 40 years younger!
HA! A reasonable take. Thank you! Sometimes it really does feel like I'm trying to convince a wall to not stand in the way.
The dark Brandon stuff is 98% fluff, talk, and meme. Biden has already said that they're going to take the high road on the presidential immunity matter. So, we're going to high road all the way to fascism while waiting for Biden to do the meme.
He should do both. Abuse his new powers to somehow cause a sever detriment to Trump or Fascism or both, then be like 'Oh im not the guy for the next four years.' It would literally be having your cake and eating it two. Biden actual having balls and Biden stepping aside are both moves that will more than likely track super hard with anyone who's not already locked for Trump.
Scorch Trumps earth then drop the mic and the chances they call for a Democratic encore will skyrocket I'd bet.
If he steps down it would be the perfect time for him to be dark brandon because of he's attacking in the right ways trump couldn't help by focus on bidden and not the new guy, trump might even take resources meant to attack the new guy to hit back at bidden
I really want biden to dangle a parden over trump's head and call him out for taking oil money because he poor
Michigander here to tell you that Whitmer is a fantastic option.
She is almost exactly 8 years younger than Harris. If Biden flat-out resigns over this, I expect President Harris to nominate Whitmer as her VP. I look forward to that hearing in the House (since they have to approve the appointment too, although they will likely just sit on it.)
Imagine Harris-Whitmer for 8 years, then Whitmer-someoneyounger for 8 more
Harris is not a viable ticket head.
The sturm und drang of this is gonna be a friggin nightmare if they don’t do this cleanly.
I do not give a fuck who is D on the ticket. I'm still voting D because the alternative is disastrous. If Biden stays, I am voting for him. With the exception of the Israeli genocide of Palestinians, the administration has been very competent. Remember, that old man doesn't do much. The work is done by his team. Now think back on the work and damage the Trump team did. The choice is easy.
The work is done by his team
And this is really important. He's got some kickass people he's appointed. Id vote for Joe just to keep Lena Khan at the FTC. All those people get replaced by fascists in the event Trump wins again. Unlike last time, every single member of his administration is going to be a loyalist.
I’ll vote d no matter what. I’d take a dead d over a live r.
Thank you! It drives me nuts that this isn't the key takeaway in every post and article I see. On one hand we an amped up old man who would sell out his family for a dollar, let alone the rest of us who is friends with dictators and thinks they're really sharp people with good ideas, and is also a convicted felon who surrounds himself with other current or future convicted felons, and has been saying for years he wants to imprison or hurt his critics. On the other hand, we have a barely older, regular old man who at least has good intentions, hires competent people, and who makes mistakes but admits to them and learns from it, who happens to be very stereotypically old man. How people are making this an apples to apples comparison is insane.
This behavior with Joe didn't start at the debate. It's the same Joe we've had for years. And this isn't new, even for people younger than Biden is.
Guardian, 2008: Fatigue and racism threaten to knock Obama bandwagon off the road
Barack Obama was showing signs of campaign fatigue. Sitting on a picnic bench in a park on Pagoda Street, Indianapolis, in discussion with a group of 30 supporters, he told a story about the "modest" background of himself and his wife, Michelle. And 10 minutes later, seemingly having forgotten, he told them it all again.
It is hardly surprising, given that he has been on the road almost non-stop since Christmas, battling Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination. In recent weeks, he has often seemed absent-minded, forgetting the names of the towns he is in.
Tiredness is the least of Obama's problems. After a relatively smooth and well-planned march towards the Oval Office, his campaign is facing its greatest crisis. "He is in the middle of a shit storm," one of the journalists travelling with him said.
With the exception of the Israeli genocide of Palestinians, the administration has been very competent.
Two exceptions: Biden's refusal today to use the power the SCOTUS decision gave him to rein in the court is also incompetent (not to mention, suicidal).
First and foremost: The New York Times has a very well known anti-Biden bias https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/25/new-york-times-biden-white-house-00154219
Second: While it is very important to understand that not all sources can go "on the record" this... is purely a rumor from an unattributed source "close to the president".
So can we please stop cheering on russian/ccp/trump propaganda?
I'd vote for a bag of Biden's toenail clippings over Trump. Stay in the race or leave, I don't really care, so long as they've got a winning strategy to follow. Trump has done enough damage to this country - let's not give him another round.
I wish only the best to not-Trump, whoever that ends up being.
If Joe Biden sticks around and manages to win, he'll be remembered as a pretty average president. If he sticks around and loses, he'll be remembered as a politician whose arrogance hurt the whole country.
If he withdraws without more fuss, he'll be remembered as an extraordinarily decent and humble man, especially among politicians, regardless of the results of the election.
If he bows out, I'll breathe a sigh of relief. In a way, it doesn't matter if he had a cold and jet lag during the debate, and he's tip-top now. In fact, I've watched footage of him since the debate, and it seems to be true. He's back to his normal self.
But the political damage could be too much, regardless of his actual health.
At the same time, if he doesn't bow out, I will gladly crawl through broken glass to vote for him.
It's July. Who the fuck is supposed to replace him? These articles are fuckin pointless.
There is someone in office right now whose only real job is to step in if the President can no longer do the job. Remember her?
Kamala Harris has the elect-ability and personality of a potato that you left on the counter for too long and it grows eyes.
I compare her more to broccoli or peas. Nobody's favorite food, but gives you the proper nutrients to fight fascism. Now shut up and eat your peas.
If it’s Harris we’re toast. Plain and simple. If I’m proved wrong in that, no one would be happier than me.
My concern with him leaving is who would replace him???
My worst nightmare, is the hag from 2016 returns. She'd lose again, guaranteed, and before you say no. The signs are there, she's been getting her face out there and testing the waters. And she still likely has the money/clout to buy another DNC nomination.
Actually pointless. Like, not a figure of speech. It’s too late to legally position a new candidate. It would be challenged. The Heritage foundation is already priming legal challenges, and who was that who owned the courts, again?
Let’s imagine that he does step down. How would everyone agree on where to vote next? What’s the process to get them in the running again? What’s your guess on the timeline to do that unassailably vs serious legal opponents?
I wonder what I would do if I were running a campaign for a felon and I needed to make it happen no matter what. I don’t have a good candidate but I do have propaganda networks and I do own judges everywhere, and my opposition has a hard time agreeing with each other, and they crumple apart like tissue paper on basic purity tests, and their candidate is old and has a stutter- his only seeming drawbacks that play to the media.
I wonder what I could do to improve my position and involve my only remaining power assets.
Why would it be too late to position a new candidate?
Because it takes time to build a national campaign. You need 50 different states to sign off on the ballots. The DNC can basically hand-pick a candidate, but they would basically be telling every primary voter to get fucked.
There would be legal challenges in 50 different states, and the GOP only needs one activist judge (and they have 6 on the SCOTUS).
The last time there was a brokered convention was 1952.
Plus, who? Who is the dream candidate? Who is so widely appealing that they would be unanimously accepted by the Democratic party leadership and the voters? Who has the leadership qualities, the experience, the confidence, the name recognition, and the credentials to beat the shit out of Trump? And where the fuck have they been?
Because it’s a huge undertaking and there are different times for ballot eligibility in every one of the 50 states. When do you think the candidate would be chosen? This week? Ready in the wings already and on the ballots?
These bureaucracies move at such a slow pace there was legitimate concern that BIDEN wouldn’t be on the ballot in time because the DNC wasn’t moving quick enough. That was months ago.
Furthermore there’s the wheels of public opinion and moving those in lockstep with the speed it would take to create an alternative is something that takes so long that candidates often begin campaigning the year before the primaries.
There is no other candidate and this is not a personal take but a logistical one. It’s too late.
You do know the dnc can decide whoever the fuck they want at the convention, right? lol
Many, many shitty scenarios. No clear answer as to what the right choice is and if we lose well always be second guessing what could've been.
Anyone telling you this is an easy choice, or is speaking with absolute confidence is full of shit.
All we need is a charismatic person and the country will vote for them. The American people can not stand uncharismatic blowhards and yet Dems keep trying to shove them in our faces. They are obsessed with tradition and this “my turn” bullshit. Enough is enough already.
Newsome is charismatic but would be a hard sell to Georgia and the Midwest.
Whitmer would be good since she'd motivate more women to vote and would do will in the Midwest.
Harris is right out. She has negative charisma.
Raskin has charisma but he's an old ugly white guy. Wouldn't turn out the youth vote.
Jeffries would be a good pick if he had started campaigning a year ago.
Stacy Abrams is in the same boat. If she had a year to get more name recognition she'd have a chance.
Aoc, Crockett, and moskowitz are good back benchers but won't be ready for a few more years yet, if ever.
If I had to choose it'd be Whitmer. She has the fewest negatives, as long as there are no skeletons in the closet waiting to come out.
Here's a recent poll where Michele Obama came out more than two margins of errors of ahead of Trump.
Also, here's a pile of salt.