Let me clarify something that wasn't clear reading this, the 2024 electorate is mostly stupid. But you are talking to a group that's smart and will support a new candidate with at least as much enthusiasm as they do Joe. The issue is independents, youth and those Republicans sickened by Trump will stay home. Remember it took record turnout to beat Trump last time and do you really believe Biden can motivate that again? It is political malpractice to run a candidate that 72% of voters believe is not cognitively able to serve 4 more years. Trump will still be a threat to democracy if a governor from Michigan is our candidate. You don't get 72% of the electorate to think You're to old from one bad debate, he played
“Biden had one job: to keep the narrative of accomplishments in terms of simple one-sentence remarks (e.g. ‘Our infrastructure bill is creating jobs for working Americans and fixing what’s broken.’) and to repeatedly point out Trump’s lies and faults, and call him out again and again on his lies (_no matter what question was asked_), as in ‘There you go again Mr. Trump, with another lie. Why do you lie to the American people?’
“Biden didn’t do that. He didn’t do any of that. I don’t think he has the power to do that.
“It’s possible the policy wonks in his campaign who don’t want to let go of their influence prepared him badly — in the opposite way of what’s needed — because they don’t understand that they are up against show business and a message (a crappy message for America, true, but still a message), to which the D side has no message in reply.
“Even so, Biden must own his own failing presence there in the room. All we came away with is the impression that the past four years have been very hard on him.
“Even at the end, in summing up, he made no mention at all why Trump and MAGA are bad for the US.
None.
“What are we expected to conclude from all of this?
“There are more fiery options in the DNC, who aren’t clearly exhausted to the point of incoherence.”
That said, I’m not at all sure there is _time_ for the DNC to replace Biden.
There is no _option_ to replace Biden. If Biden steps aside and anybody except Kamala is chosen, every Black woman in the country will go, "Uh-huhhh, they'll let us be the sidekick but not have the main job" and without that voting bloc, we lose. So forget everybody saying "What about Gavin Newsom, Pete Buttigieg, Gretchen Whitmer..." quite aside from the fact that all those are saying "Shut up with that noise, we're totally behind Joe." And if we replace Joe with Kamala: why? If Joe dies, then of course Kamala steps in, that's the decision we made four years ago and should stick with.
Bravo, Jonathan -- FUCKING BRAVO. You're talents are wasted here, you should be back fixing the media malpractice that has gone on since that debate..........and since you left.
Goddam - that's one helluva post. Maybe your best ever.
I must have had another of my senior moments and should have said 'former?' But two piss-funny Jon's are still better than none, and Biden on a bad night is a better pres than the Trumplethinskin any day. IMHO.
Thank you. I should note that it's VERY on-brand for me not to know how to take a compliment graciously, so of course, I feel an unhealthy compulsion to share with you my dirty little secret: I don't think of myself as a Jon. All my friends call me Jonathan. I wouldn't bother saying anything, but you folks supporting me are surely my friends now! Thank you.
I appreciate all you've said; the article is excellent, and the comments as well. This contest, this game, has a winner and a loser. Come November, we march to the polls and we chose our government. I'm siding with the Democrats, and I want Democrats strengthened with the greatest majority possible. I think if Joe conceded to old age, and deferred to Kamala, (or Hakeem or Pete...or even a governor), the party will stand a better chance. It's a matter of strategy. I want the win, the bigliest win. Joe is awesome, but so is Hillary, and so is Bernie.
I think Biden's performance last night explains a lot about how namby pamby his handling of Netanyahu has been. Getting our foreign policy dictated by a tiny strip of land run by maniacs is not exactly running the country like I would hope. I concede however that the economy and climate policy has been running better than ever before.
I saw all the panic headlines scrolling up my screen the minute I turned on my notifications this morning. Then I ignored them. The NYT was never going to publish anything other than "Biden too old" and pretty much ignore any headlines that could be made of the orange shitgibbon's lies and insanity. And the chattering heads will chatter. Also, too, Claire McCaskill should STFU.
Thanks for a reasonable take. And is there any more disengaged and/or idiotic human than the undecided voter?
Gosh, the guy who spoke actual facts, but hesitantly, versus the freak who babbles about shark batteries and has straight up Nazis to dinner with him... hmmm... 🤔
Wow. Thank you. This means a British tonne to me. I think I am a GRRR BIDEN guy, but also am just professionally inclined to be a GRRR EVERYONE guy. That said, I do try to balance it with flagging Biden’s positive stuff, of which there is much!
We need to win an election and swing voters are idiots (by definition in this political climate).
Let me clarify something that wasn't clear reading this, the 2024 electorate is mostly stupid. But you are talking to a group that's smart and will support a new candidate with at least as much enthusiasm as they do Joe. The issue is independents, youth and those Republicans sickened by Trump will stay home. Remember it took record turnout to beat Trump last time and do you really believe Biden can motivate that again? It is political malpractice to run a candidate that 72% of voters believe is not cognitively able to serve 4 more years. Trump will still be a threat to democracy if a governor from Michigan is our candidate. You don't get 72% of the electorate to think You're to old from one bad debate, he played
Into the what people all ready believed
The 2 paragraphs "The existential horror... it justifies not doing the work." should be the first 2 of the 10 commandments
Here is what I wrote elsewhere:
“Biden had one job: to keep the narrative of accomplishments in terms of simple one-sentence remarks (e.g. ‘Our infrastructure bill is creating jobs for working Americans and fixing what’s broken.’) and to repeatedly point out Trump’s lies and faults, and call him out again and again on his lies (_no matter what question was asked_), as in ‘There you go again Mr. Trump, with another lie. Why do you lie to the American people?’
“Biden didn’t do that. He didn’t do any of that. I don’t think he has the power to do that.
“It’s possible the policy wonks in his campaign who don’t want to let go of their influence prepared him badly — in the opposite way of what’s needed — because they don’t understand that they are up against show business and a message (a crappy message for America, true, but still a message), to which the D side has no message in reply.
“Even so, Biden must own his own failing presence there in the room. All we came away with is the impression that the past four years have been very hard on him.
“Even at the end, in summing up, he made no mention at all why Trump and MAGA are bad for the US.
None.
“What are we expected to conclude from all of this?
“There are more fiery options in the DNC, who aren’t clearly exhausted to the point of incoherence.”
That said, I’m not at all sure there is _time_ for the DNC to replace Biden.
There is no _option_ to replace Biden. If Biden steps aside and anybody except Kamala is chosen, every Black woman in the country will go, "Uh-huhhh, they'll let us be the sidekick but not have the main job" and without that voting bloc, we lose. So forget everybody saying "What about Gavin Newsom, Pete Buttigieg, Gretchen Whitmer..." quite aside from the fact that all those are saying "Shut up with that noise, we're totally behind Joe." And if we replace Joe with Kamala: why? If Joe dies, then of course Kamala steps in, that's the decision we made four years ago and should stick with.
Yeah. A lot of this frustratingly boils down to "Who the fuck knows?"
Bravo, Jonathan -- FUCKING BRAVO. You're talents are wasted here, you should be back fixing the media malpractice that has gone on since that debate..........and since you left.
Goddam - that's one helluva post. Maybe your best ever.
Dan, how lovely, thank you!
You nailed it. As did the other brilliant, witty, handsome Jon (and only CNN talking head earning a salary with integrity).
https://youtu.be/3SJr44m-w1Y
Wait are we talking CNN or Comedy Central? Either way, thank you!
You're right, my bad. What was I thinking?
That it’s hard to tell tragedy from comedy?
I must have had another of my senior moments and should have said 'former?' But two piss-funny Jon's are still better than none, and Biden on a bad night is a better pres than the Trumplethinskin any day. IMHO.
Thank you. I should note that it's VERY on-brand for me not to know how to take a compliment graciously, so of course, I feel an unhealthy compulsion to share with you my dirty little secret: I don't think of myself as a Jon. All my friends call me Jonathan. I wouldn't bother saying anything, but you folks supporting me are surely my friends now! Thank you.
I appreciate all you've said; the article is excellent, and the comments as well. This contest, this game, has a winner and a loser. Come November, we march to the polls and we chose our government. I'm siding with the Democrats, and I want Democrats strengthened with the greatest majority possible. I think if Joe conceded to old age, and deferred to Kamala, (or Hakeem or Pete...or even a governor), the party will stand a better chance. It's a matter of strategy. I want the win, the bigliest win. Joe is awesome, but so is Hillary, and so is Bernie.
Win. Beat Trump. Or we are fucked.
Thank you.
Best headline I've seen about this. Thanks!
Thanks, Elizabeth!
I think Biden's performance last night explains a lot about how namby pamby his handling of Netanyahu has been. Getting our foreign policy dictated by a tiny strip of land run by maniacs is not exactly running the country like I would hope. I concede however that the economy and climate policy has been running better than ever before.
I saw all the panic headlines scrolling up my screen the minute I turned on my notifications this morning. Then I ignored them. The NYT was never going to publish anything other than "Biden too old" and pretty much ignore any headlines that could be made of the orange shitgibbon's lies and insanity. And the chattering heads will chatter. Also, too, Claire McCaskill should STFU.
Thanks for a reasonable take. And is there any more disengaged and/or idiotic human than the undecided voter?
Do not get me started…
Gosh, the guy who spoke actual facts, but hesitantly, versus the freak who babbles about shark batteries and has straight up Nazis to dinner with him... hmmm... 🤔
This was really heartening, and I tend to think of you as kind of a GRRR BIDEN guy from the Left. This made me laugh though:
The important thing is that what Biden really needs to do in the three months between now and Sept. 30 is not get three months older.
Wow. Thank you. This means a British tonne to me. I think I am a GRRR BIDEN guy, but also am just professionally inclined to be a GRRR EVERYONE guy. That said, I do try to balance it with flagging Biden’s positive stuff, of which there is much!
Anyway, this made my day. Thanks.
Damn Skippy, Jon. Thank you.
I appreciate you. Now I can breathe.
TFN, the place for socio-political CPR…
Perfect analysis, as always, Jonathan. Thank you for talking me back from the ledge:).
Thank you, Jerry. Stay off the ledge!