I too am heartbroken. I first supported Harris in 2020. All, please get to know her. She’s an understated powerhouse! She will be at the heart of a blue wave. Let us help her win. She will continue Biden’s legacy and make her own. And talk about a transformational presidency…
I first supported Harris too, and Biden was such a wonderful surprise as president. I see Biden stepping down as Putin having won. Having the same skin color as Harris and Obama, I watched Obama be an ineffective president because he was too inexperienced, and too afraid to appear to be a threat to White people. What did he get done? NOt a lot. I am grieving the loss of the most effective president in my lifetime, for what? Possibly a Trump win, or if Harris wins, nothing getting done. Because to feel safe with a Black woman in the White House, a lot of Dems will be giving their votes to Republicans in Congress. I live every day in Harris''s skin color, and I do not see the USA as ready for this. The White people who backed this are not understanding the depth of racism and how it works. So, I say, Putin has won, because no way he is worried about Harris whether she wins or not. NO one I know is anything other than heartbroken, 3 months before the election. The lesson that my daughter, niece and nephews who are ages 19-27 are learning from this, is that the Democratic Party is not democratic. We will change the rules to try to win, but money is ruling over what is right. How is that different from the Republican party who will also cheat to win. At least their candidate won. The law suits are lined up as AOC tells us against anyone but Biden as our candidate. https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
SCOTUS will be justified in questioning any win that Kamala might have, but some people don't care because they let the NYT and WaPo push out the candidate that I voted for.
I totally understand your concerns, Linda, but have not walked in your shoes. I know there are many misogynistic and racist people in our country. I am hoping young people will now see a reason to vote. This generation has got to step up if they want a world with their views
Kathi, I received an energetic, encouraging request for a donation from Voters of Tomorrow, looking to increase their campus organizers to get behind Kamala Harris, the first female president and defeat Trump. Their goal is to “Make sure Gen Z has a future they can look forward to”. Lately my donation requests start with the dark message of not meeting campaign goals and needing support before the next SEC filing. Harris attracts more attention from our young voters and independents and may get them off the couch to vote in November. Like Linda Weide, I too am very sad that Biden was driven out. I am proud of his courage and love of country that led him to realize it wasn’t him, but the greater political, party, and media machinery that had made his age a factor he could not fight and achieve his goal to defeat Trump, leaving him unable to continue the campaign. But now, we need follow the lead of enthusiastic young people and know we can defeat the weaponized law suits, voter suppression acts, and all the other blocks that will be thrown in front of us. Trump said, “We will not be stopped.” We have to expect many obstacles will pop up before the election, and be ready to work around them, quickly. We have been lifted over the first of many by our President. Stay in the game. Together, we can do this!
Judy, I am with you. Yes! I am as white as they come male very ready to do whatever it takes to elect the next Democrat as President. I stand against a criminal, misogynist/rapist, insurrectionist leader, fraud, liar, racist, vitriolic and divisive, incompetent and psychologically unfit man who is frighteningly evil to his core.
We now have new energy and the opportunity to move the United States of America forward, not backward. We now have a competent woman without the baggage of our previous candidates.
Moreover, I believe we have a country ready and eager to get beyond the horror show of TFG. I recognize the racist bigotry you write of but feel the time is now to double down with a strong and proud option to continue making the history we are seeing unfold. It is the best option and I’ll take that risk with the youth, feminine, diverse and exhausted voters ready to put their full focus on making it happen. Let’s talk positive and act loudly. We can do it!!
Great post, John. I, too, am as white as they come, (grandma). However, I am a firm believer, color has nothing to do with a brain and a heart. The color issue will never change if we all don’t step up. They were not given the beginning history of the white. (and are still being suppressed) a subject in its own for later.
We DO have a country that has been “hearing” nothing but HATE from “the [other side]”. Your Quote:“We have a country ready and eager to get beyond the horror show of TFG” hits that nail, and that is beside the fact that he has never been held to account. We have had enough. FULL STOP 🛑 we not only can do this… we WILL do this TOGETHER. 🇺🇸
I’ve been supporting Voters of Tomorrow as well. This is an amazing organization, getting high school seniors to register to vote. They focus on fournissurs that young adults have a serious, vested in…gun violence, abortion rights, limited, and. Other suppression. They are now in 20 states and working hard to make sure Gen Z votes with an interest in their own good, and in the rights of those who follow to have a stake and future that looks different from what the Republican vision for the future is going to be, if their candidate is elected. This is a 501(c)3 Corporation so your donation is not taxed. Consider supporting them at votersoftomorrow.org .
All the young people in my household vote. They are ages 19-27. They were planning on voting for Biden, and already did. Who is being appeased is like my millennial colleagues who never vote, don't read, did not see the debate, and have no enthusiasm for anything except their Lattes and foodies restaurants, and their children. I will check, but after years of trying to get this YouTube watching constituency to vote, I will not try. I cannot speak to the youth vote. There are structural things keeping 18-21 year olds in college out of the vote, which is that it is too hard to understand how to vote. We are working on that with the US college students Abroad in Democrats Abroad. In a week will the press have talked Harris up or will they have let Trump slide as a fascist who plans on publicly hanging people on his enemy list. I see Biden as the only one who can win against him. This was never about age, but about Harris as AOC says. So, Nancy Pelosi did not get her golden boy in from California, but everyone who is in the race is now vulnerable and we don't know what skeletons the press will dig out. They are not going to go after Trump, they are not going to inform the people, and frankly explaining to those who sat home why they are voting for Harris now, when the party is fickle is a hard sell.
It was mostly about age, Linda. And to be perfectly honest, Harris wasn’t my idea of a good VP. Biden was in his own words, to be a “transitional president.” Biden scared me. There is no argument about decline of his mental facilities.
Any VP is kept in the background. Did you see Pence very often? Nope. However Harris was quietly active. Don't underestimate her. Get behind her, support her ... if you don't, Trump wins.
I fear you are mostly correct Linda. Ingrained racism and misogyny are underestimated in this country. And to my dismay, women voters themselves can exhibit this. Misogyny denied Hillary Clinton from the presidency I believe, a person who could well have gone down as the greatest president ever. My opinion, and we will never know. And not only are racism and misogyny underestimated in this country, so is outright stupidity and willful ignorance. Deplorables. The country is full of them. I was thinking the other day about high school, long long ago. How many of my fellow students were just dumb as rocks, or equally important, didn't care one iota. Too many. It isn't different today, and most of those kids in all likelihood didn't change much when they grew up. If they vote at all, they will vote Trump. He appeals to the deplorable.
Kamala or whoever gets the nod has a big hill to climb.
I disagree with you though on Biden. I too was pleasantly surprised in the effectiveness of his presidency. But the elephant in the room was his age. He was old in 2020, and to expect 8 years without a decline was a big ask. We lost that bet. And, our young voters who we increasingly must rely upon, saw him mostly as just an out of touch old man, more of same. Now they say "see, we told you". We do not have an excited young voter populace - age, Israel/Hamas, Willow project (a giant mistake), unsuccessful student debt relief efforts. Maybe Kamala will change that dearth of enthusiasm; but I just don't know. Biden and the Democrats should have been planning for a four year reign all along.
I have never seen Biden as an "out of touch old man". He may not have the apparent charisma that trump has, but I don't think he's out of it. I also want to point out that things like the lack of success in student debt relief was mostly about republicans and stacked courts, who were trying to take Biden down. IMO.
Susan I never meant to say our young electorate is correct about Biden. They took student debt relief as a campaign promise where he didn't quite deliver, whatever the reasons. I understand the reasons, but many of the young voters are not intrested in getting into the weeds. Same with the Willow project in Alaska. Joe ran on drivng back Big Oil, and no more drilling on public lands. Then what do they see - approval of the Conoco Willow Project - exactly the opposite of what he ran on. Never mind that the project was inevitable anyway - as I understand it the process was far enough along that reversing it would been more trouble than letting it go. But young folks don't understand that. Then they tune out, and never even realize teh great stuff he has done for climate mitigation since.
As for "out of touch old man" - that is what some of young voters in my close circle think of me.
Kamala has to energize the young voting block, somehow. Bernie did. It's tough though. The young voters are much further left than the rest of teh Democratic voters, generally. And more impatient too.
I wasn’t so sure Biden could beat trump this time. I was canvassing for our Congressman and a registered Democrat told me he was so discouraged by the debate and Biden’s health that he wasn’t going to bother to vote.
It makes me angry that so much emphasis was put on a "debate", with no allowance for jet lag and being sick. Debates are artificial at best, especially when the other candidate is trump. I do not understand our country's fixation on performance, rather than what a person does, what their actions are. Joe Biden is not. never has been, and never will be a reality TV star.
Susan, I voted for Biden, and planned on voting for him in November. Biden asked for an early debate, trolled Trump about being "free on Wednesdays," and had the task of once again standing up to Trump's endless BS. For whatever reason, he failed. Miserably. It was defining moment in the campaign, and crystallized many people's fears that he was simply too old to serve another term. As they say, politics is a blood sport. You don't get do overs. You rarely get second chances.
Which young people. The young people in my family were set to vote for Biden and frankly are shocked at this turn of events. I hope the old people still see a reason to vote since they are the most reliable ones. I hope you are right about young people. I assume you are in touch with a lot of them. I know I am. The ones I know were excited about Biden having worked for him the first time around. Now in college I noticed that many did not vote because we make it pretty damn hard to vote when you only live in one state. I will be busy in Germany providing assistance to American students in Germany to figure out how to vote as are others I know. However, election day is a Tuesday in the US, whereas in Germany it is a Sunday. That makes it easier for people to vote. Young people whose parents have told them that school and grades are the most important things will not necessarily skip class or exams to vote when they are already overwhelmed with being on their own. That is part of why they do not vote. Others are disengaged and this candidate is not going to make a difference to what I am hearing. So, I guess the young people you mean are the Millennials. The ones that I know who don't vote don't believe in it. If the switch of candidates was made just to "energize" the voters lets see if this works. However, I assume you know people who were not energized who now are. I hope so. Because I still feel that this is wrong, and we still do not know that Harris will be the candidate just because Biden stepped aside for her. I am going to wait and see before I invest my energies into figuring out what I am going to say about her.
Linda, my husband and I are old, and we are definitely voting. If anything, voting is more important now, than ever. We plan to vote democratic all the way, and I hope other people see the importance of that, too. I'm sick of all the racism and misogyny. I care about the quality of the people who are running for office.
Susan, I'm old (and white), too and so are my friends. Many of us are voting for Kamala and whoever she picks as VP (and I keep working on the rest). My granddaughter is dating and will probably marry a wonderful young man who is bi-racial. I think times are changing - albeit slowly.....Don't despair, just trust Joe Biden's choice. I wasn't sure about Kamala, either. But, after I heard her speech today, I was almost in tears (good ones) and excited and energized. I loved when she said, "We're NOT going backwards!" If you missed it, here it is. https://youtu.be/nKvJJR-6jO4?si=kujG83wGe7Woz3Ne
Ruth, I'll listen to it tomorrow. I had to fix dinner when she was about to come on (on MSNBC). I'm looking forward to being excited and energized, something I really need. You know, back many years ago, my white supervisor married a black man, and it seemed to be okay for all of her people. I definitely trust Joe Biden's choice. Who I don't trust are the bigots, who seem to be everywhere, not just djt followers. From what I've seen of everyone jumping on the Harris bandwagon, I think she will have momentum. I don't see anything in what I know about her that would derail her campaign. That said, I think the country ought to invest in a large supply of duct tape to tape over trump's mouth and the mouth of those who spout the same garbage. I don't think the first amendment gives anyone the right to destroy others.
Hi Susan, I know I can count on the older people to vote no matter who. However, this change is supposed to get people excited who haven't voted. Will it do that? The only complaint about Biden had to do with his age. There was nothing else. Harris could have gotten the baton in February too. Now we get to see what happens with the bets these people are making. I am going to support the ticket too. I always do, but I am not enthused. The process has taken that out of me.
My 82-year-old sister who was a lukewarm Biden supporter called me yesterday to tell me how enthusiastic she now is over voting for Kamala Harris. So am I. I will do everything in my power to work for her election. And so many younger people kept saying they weren't interested in choosing between two old men now have a chance to make a real choice. How much more different could two candidates be than Harris and trump?
I have always believed that voting needs to be, must be really, a national day off! Then you'd have more people voting, assisting others to get to the polls, more poll volunteers! In the truest sense this would be supporting our democracy!! No one of us should be worried or stressed we are missing a class, or a day of work, or getting to the polls! It needs to be a celebration of our right to vote!!
I thought the comedians who translated President Obama's anger from his conciliatory framing of issues were hilarious. I think President Obama's health care initiatives were ultimately wholly much better than what Presidents had managed to achieve since FDR and Lyndon Johnson. Bush helped to fight AIDs in Africa. Despite all the needless deaths Trump caused during COVID he helped the research efforts that led to vaccinations against Covid. Despite being an anti science moron and a truly stupid person. I don't remember I am not a historian. Hillary Clinton was villified for being a smart woman.
I have heard different discussions of the AIDS help. Not so straightforward. I have health care in Germany. While it needs better funding there is the will to do that. It is still so different to get health care than in the USA where we still have many people not insured. More under Biden. However, in Germany it is illegal to not have health and long term care insurance. Friends just moved from US to Portugal. She is pregnant and is part of their national health service which is free.
We need to catch up here. A mandate to require healthcare insurance for uninsured individuals seemed for a time to be a key feature of the Affordable Care Act. So that we'd have less people show up in emergency rooms unable to pay. I don't remember how or whether that aspect of the law worked it's way in or out. It's part of our tax returns now if you're unemployed or if your employer doesn't help. I am out of my depth on the details. My employer pays but what will happen when I retire? Medicare seems to be multitiered with tons of money for insurers to grab from retirees. I can recognize when I may not be as informed as I might be. Sorry.
Medicare does not cover you if you leave the country, other than part A. So, even having paid in all your life and moving to a country where medical costs are less, which is pretty much every country, so it is limited. If Biden were to add 4 people to the Court in his remaining months I would believe that everyone else's dream world is going to work out. However, how can that happen. Dick Durbin is not even taking them on when it is his job, and AOC is taking them on when it is not her job, except that she understands its importance and he is phoning it in.
Daniel, I remember when I worked in group health insurance, there were some people who just automatically used the emergency room as their doctor, even though they were insured. It was a mindset of a certain class of people. One of the problems with insurance is that it is too complicated for a lot of people. I would rather see us have Medicare for all, although there are some people who would still have problems with it, when they want procedures (think cosmetic surgery and the like) that are never covered by any insurance.
The lowest rate is 215€ a month. That covers both health insurance (medical and dental) and long term care insurance. That same amount covers an entire family. If everyone pays into it on a sliding scale it covers everyone. In that sense it is like how medicare works, or social security. Also, Germans have a lot more insurances than Americans. Our family also has personal liability insurance which covers each person in my family for 10 mil €. It is not expensive. But, scratch someone's car with your bike and you are covered. My friend's 7-year old son accidentally broke someone's car window with a ball that bounced off a tree and it was covered. Some people may not be covered for as much, but if you own a gun you need to be covered for at least 1 mil €. There is also insurance for if you have a legal problem and need to pay a lawyer. It only pays your legal fees for the standard rate, so if you have a top lawyer it would not cover the extra cost, just up to the rate. That rate is true if you get legal fees back in a lawsuit for your legal costs, that too will only pay up to the standard fee even if you win and you had paid more. There is insurance if you are remodeling your house in case something happens to someone on the site as well as regular house insurances. People who work have work insurance. I have two friends whose doctors have found them to be burnt out. One is a teacher, the other a director of a school. Their work insurance has paid for them to be off for some time (it has been a year for both of them) and art classes, spa treatment and therapy. In addition Germans get money for their children. In addition people might get government support for energy bills. Also, for their children. Right now child money is 292 € a month per child. An American friend who moved to Germany to take a teaching job at the DOD and has 4 children gets it as well. It offsets the low cost of her childcare, which is a fee that covers their food. She says it is really good quality food too. Some cities in Germany are discussing making school lunch free for everyone like they do in some other countries.
But Kamala is different, Linda. For one thing, she has issues such as Dobbs/abortion to draw colossal support to her. Not in the news so much, she has been actively campaigning for HBCUs and consolidating the support of black men and women. I hope she might gain support from Asian Americans, too. She has worked hard on solutions to immigration (such a complicated multinational issue!), and she's traveled to the global south to promote small business and economic independence, as an alternative to Russia and China's exploitation. While Obama may not have accomplished much on the international front, he did succeed at Affordable Health Care, and he "got" Osama Bin Laden without causing a phony war like "W" did in Afghanistan. He was an excellent, if not great, President who, like Biden, is a gentleman with integrity.
Take heart! In the five hours since the announcement, $27.5 million dollars have been donated to Kamala's campaign. LBNL, she is a very bright former Attorney General. If anyone can throw shade at the Republicans' legal-schmegal B.S. It's Kamala.
And to Harris or whoever the nominee is, I urge you to speak with an open heart to demonstrate that our immigration policies require a balancing act because we are dealing by and large with very vulnerable human beings and their entire families. We must find a middle ground between enforcement of our borders and, yes, love or care for the stranger. That effort takes something that Trump can never possess, character that requires a deep sense of compassion for vulnerable human beings. We can be a mean spirited society or one that wrestles to find solutions that are humane and even caring.
The nominee must make the case that compassion is a strength that protects us from evil. And for those who are truly Christian, this belief comes from straight from the red letters of the Gospels.
Yes, expressed compassion for immigrants who are refugees from oppression has been missing on the campaign scene for far too long. It's as if Democrats are afraid to show their empathy for fear of being attacked by "patriotic," America-first Republicans as too soft. And, by the way, let's leave out the "Christian" appeal, please, as there are many of us in this country who are not Christian or even religious, and have tons of empathy nevertheless!
Totally agree that many people who aren't Christian are empathetic. If anything, it's those who call themselves Christian but deride the central teachings of Christianity (which call for compassion, empathy, and how to treat the stranger) that seem to lack empathy. I'm trying to make a distinction between those who call themselves Christian but ignore central teachings of Christianity with those who are truly Christian. I think that the Democratic party needs to counter the narrative on the right that somehow Republicans, including so-called Christian nationalists, are aligned with Christianity. I find their hard line on immigration issues, demonizing and dehumanizing rhetoric about immigrants, anything but Christian.
I have been where you are. We are supposed to honor and welcome strangers in many cultures and religions. In my teens and twenties possibly before when I was much younger, I questioned that some evangelical make the central tenet of such a loving religion a God damning unbelievers to hell forever. So goodbye Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs. Now I think when we're dead we're done. No experience of nothingness. Nothingness but no experience of it.
I don't see how some part of us remains other than in the experience of friends, family and loved ones. I don't think we'll experience any of that, but we can experience it now, when we are alive. The political discussion now looks like how can we beat Trump, how can we resist authoritarianism and fascism if he somehow installs himself with the help of big money donors and devil's advocate journalism and piling on.
You are so right. Unlike Trump she researches and learns on the job. She was the Attorney General of California. Maybe she could choose Javier Becerra as her running mate. Two hard working prosecutors against an imbecile and an apologist for wife beaters. Part of the reason old SCIFless lies so much is he never does his homework. He is far below President Biden in his ability to work hard enough to understand anything. Any business acumen he claims comes from fraud and grift. He couldn't be bothered to study his daily briefings on national security.
She is not yet the candidate. At this point I need to know that before I invest any emotional energy, and continue my work to get out the vote. All I can say is what is bad about Trump not what is good about the Democratic candidate. Biden passing the baton does not make her the candidate and according to HCR she still needs to get the majority of delegates that Biden released. https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-21-2024
Not sure I follow your line of reasoning; however, AOC just wholeheartedly endorsed Kamala Harris as of 8:16 pm tonight. "Kamala Harris will be the next President of the United States. I pledge my full support to ensure her victory in November. Now more than ever, it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy. Let's go to work."
A good point has been made that the timing of what Biden is doing is deliberate and exquisite. The Repubs are locked into a very rigid agenda and candidates, ie Trump and JD Vance, appealing to white, Christian men. They are going to have their work cut out for them to now be running against a very different and unfamiliar landscape. And Joe gets 6 months to do the President's work without anyone accusing him of doing things to get reelected. This may turn out very well with the Repubs on their heels, outfoxed by Biden.
I’m disappointed and a little more afraid than I was this morning, but our guy willingly backed out. That’s all. He didn’t have to and he might well have won had he stayed in. I think so. But he disagreed and did what he thought best.
So our job is to get behind the democratic candidates, surely Harris, and do everything we can to help assure her election.
Linda - I don't understand your comment that "a lot of Dems will be giving their votes to Republicans in Congress." Why would Kamala Harris as presidential candidate drive voters to Republicans down the ballot? I'll be voting for, and supporting voters in other states to vote for, Democratic Congressional candidates and on down the ballot at the state, local and school board levels.
Well, you wrote Dems but I still don't understand why you think swing voters will vote Republican. My fear is that if swing voters don't want to support Kamala Harris, they're more likely to stay home.
I also am not certain that Biden's endorsement automatically places her at the top of the ticket. Anyone know how that works?
take a lesson from LWV, voters may falsely believe they are tossing the dice: (D) in office has plans that take congress to work out, (R) in congress makes a blockaid against the (D) wave of a (D) exec & (D) congress = (D) is blocked by (R). The persons voting like this are hedging their bet.
Regardless, at this time, a vote for (D) is a vote for democracy/procsecutor v (R) is autocratic dictatorship/felon. In congress that would be (D) higher order thinking skills v (R) performative politics
I really wish that people who vote that way come to realize that what they are getting is not hedging their bets but a total blockade of anything getting accomplished. If that's what they want, the last two years are a perfect example of paying members of Congress to do nothing.
So on the mark, Linda, as your comments always are. One thing we do know, however, is that Kamala Harris was an ass kicking procecutor and she is up against a convicted felon. She knows how to address him. Forcefully. AOC would be dynamire as the VP, but, well you are one that knows.
Obama was a very good President! His best accomplishment was assembling the team that brought us from the brink of economic collapse under Shrub (Prince George) to the strong economy that tRump tries to take credit for.
I am assuming you do not have her skin color, but the being Black and female is so different from being Black and male and White and Female. Just a double whammy of discrimination. I assume she can do the job, but Biden is a gifted experienced politician. I would be happier if we were getting her 4 years from now when she had more experience.
This is precisely why we white women have to stand behind Kamala. When she is attacked, and she will be for being a woman, has a husband who’s Jewish, a combo of being black/Asian. We are tired of this bullshit rhetoric! We are practically the only country who has never had a woman leader. We have an amazing chance to make an historic difference so let’s do it! PROSECUTOR v. FELON
Actually Linda, I reached for the observation oft stated, “If not now, when?” Now is our moment to follow the lead of our European colleagues who led the way in recent election.
Her voice is biggest obstacle. Slow Californian drawl...... Rubs people the wrong way. That said, if you compare her cadence 4 years ago to now, it is a lot better. I think she has been taking lessons, [which is a sign of wisdom, not weakness].
Linda, I agree with you about being unsure that America being unready for a woman of color as president. Never mind that she is imminently qualified for the position. Hillary Clinton was a well qualified candidate with all her years of experience. She had lots of baggage, and that "vast right wing conspiracy" that she called out years ago swung into action to defeat her. The Russians absolutely helped. On Election night, 2016, when I realized Trump had won, my first thought was "OMG! We really are as racist as country as I thought we were." I am seriously worried, but not about VP Harris's ability to handle the job.
I would mostly agree with you, but my expectations have been raised since Biden has been president and I hope that Harris will carry on his legacy and not that of the party which did not undo Reaganomics, it was Biden that did that. So, we shall see. It is early days.
When I listened to Kamala debate her the California Attorney General around 2010 when she was running for office, I was blown away. I said to myself she is going to be President one day. I am soooooooo relieved. This ticket is going to be amazing and will bring out young people in droves. Just watch.
This is a political process not a legal process. SCOTUS can’t be the final arbiter. The rules are laid out by the DNC. Primaries are not mentioned in the Constitution. If I were to bring a case, I would only have standing in my district not even my state because I voted for delegates at the district level. So even though we cannot know how SCOTUS will act, this is not a legal or Constitutional issue. And 1968’s democratic convention gives us precedent.
Let AOC explain it to you. She tells us here that the lawsuits are already lined up if the candidate is anyone but Biden. That means that they can claim irregularities, with process. This SCOTUS Is looking for any reason to give it to Trump. https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
I do understand your concern, Linda, but the work ahead is serious and no one can be discouraging others to give up the fight. It's all hands on deck time.
Lynn, I am speaking the truth of the moment. I see mostly Millennials pushing older people out to have a candidate who was elected in the primary as the VP, not the President. The party is undemocratic, and if you do not see that too bad. I will of course be voting, as I have done since I was 18, unlike the people who are now supposed to be energized by a change last minute in candidate. The people who are fence sitting, and waffling. The ones who have discounted Harris all along and could not even wait 4 months for Biden to win and her to take over then after they had won together. I am not energized by the level of attacks that I am anticipating. I am depleated. A minority of voices just changed the candidate. The Russian Bots will be keeping more people home than anything I say. Just pointing that out. I will be voting from Germany anyway, as will my daughter. I will be at a loss to explain the change to anyone, because it does not fit the current rules of how elections work. All I know is that we have become the party of chaos and indecision, with no VP candidate a month before the DNC. So, if you believe my complaining about the party is undemocratic, then you do not understand democracy.
Stop being an Eeyore. Stop being everything the MAGA party could ask for. I didn't want Joe to pass the torch. He did. Here's my advice:
The 3 Gs
Give to the best of your ability, be it time, talent, or money.
Get others to help or help others to figure out the voting system or
Get out of the way.
This is too important, there is too much at stake for people to moan about what could have been. It's over. We have an election to win, or it may be the last election we ever get to honestly vote in. Do you really want to be part of a legacy that brings democracy to an end? So when someone from the future asks, "what did you do in 2024, you won't be able to answer with any dignity?
Let me be clear. I am not saying he has won our election, I am saying he won the disinformation battle #1. So, he gets the point for helping to put the Democratic party in chaos, and to leak and stand against the will of the voters. I remember when the candidate was chosen in back room deals, and now we have returned to that, so that is point #2 for Putin. I voted. My candidate won. My candidate was pushed out in back room deals. Back to 1960s. This is not progress. Those who hate old people are happy about it. Youth and not wisdom is valued. Point #3 for Putin. He is not young, but his years in KGB and Stasi taught him how to exploit people's insecurities. We have shown that we cave. We do not stand behind our candidate, so can he tank Harris too?
You appear to ignore all those who honestly felt Joe Biden was too old and making too many blunders. They now have a candidate they can feel comfortable supporting: Harris. All that has nothing to do with Putin.
Debating Trump should be easy and mopping the floor with him a no brainer. Joe could not, I’m betting Kamala can.
In any case let’s just work against Trump and not each other. United we stand, divided we fall.
We are where we are. There are opportunities in this for us to take. Not least of which is that most of what Trump had to run on is no longer on the table. Now let's get ourselves together and get to work to make sure we have a democratic government and not an autocratic one. UK (against all odds) and France (in a remarkable collaborative multi-party action) rejected autocracy. Now it's our turn.
I don't think AOC has this correct. Yes the GOP will file meaningless lawsuits. But it’s a stretch to say SCOTUS is likely to support. Not impossible, but I wouldnt have it as a major concern.
If you want something different to worry about. Rogue election counters in Arizona, Nevada, etc who refuse to certify in time for valid electors to be marked to the State. So noone gets to 270. So Trump wins. Those rogue electors already have list of specious reasons and local crooked judges to help slow decisions. Now they have another specious reason.
We are still in candidate selection mode. The parties are not governmental entities. They are non-profit organizations who operate under their own organizational rules. They get to decide how candidates are selected and, if necessary, replaced.
Please recall rich, property owners started this country. The rich were taxed at 90% as late as the Eisenhower administration. Since then they focus on buying their Senators and House members and, of course, SCOTUS members.
I posted yesterday (somewhere) that I never thought this country would elect a black man(I voted for him twice) and was elated WE did elect him. I hoped Hillary would make it.
Now, the time is right for a strong, ethical, proud woman of Indian and Black background to be our President.
I hope Kamala can handle it. She has been impressive as a senator during investigations. She seems to control the conversations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Xv2kHGD4g
I am mainly a reader, but I watched this. Biden was impressive too, but not after Sulzberger got rid of him. When the press makes the news and determines the political direction I am afraid for our democracy in a different way than I am from my fear for our democracy with Trump. I feel like Trump has affected the Democratic party too much at this point. But, I realize it is just the old party, which is why I vote Green in Europe. Would in the USA too if it were viable. There is nothing about the way this was handled that gives me confidence in the Democratic Party. Still thinking realistically about SCOTUS and the lawsuits that the Republicans are going to get to them about replacing Biden. But, if you believe that Harris can stand up to an unethical SCOTUS we shall see. I just think strategically this was the wrong way to go. People have been assuming that it is the number of votes that counts, but a win where things have not followed the usual procedures gives SCOTUS an opening to say it was stolen. As AOC told us. Mike Johnson has said, they have the lawsuits ready to go? What is SCOTUS says we have to stick with Biden? Where is the energy then? https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
We are still in candidate selection mode. The parties are not governmental entities. They are non-profit organizations who operate under their own organizational rules. They get to decide how candidates are selected and, if necessary, replaced.
How are you going to defend her when she gets attacked? Right now people did not effectively defend Biden, so what makes you think they will defend her? I see a fickle party, and many who did not get their candidate. I do not ever trust polls, so I will not be looking at them. But, I just know that this is a hard sell.
Wow, Linda, I am used to your wise insight, but tonight, it feels like an endless loop of despair. I am almost certain that Joe has a medical issue and that dementia is a component. I don't think fellow Dems ganged up on him. As I have read, the debate was shocking, and Biden's attempts to quell anxieties afterward did not quite do it. Now, he has Covid. So, one way or the other, he is ill. He might have prevailed throughout the election, but I do not think he would have been able for 4 more years. I think he saw his decline and did the right thing.
Put all this talk behind us and focus on a vision and opportunity to look and act upon a future of a better, civil, healthy democracy - policies and actions that support the well-being of all citizens and the global community.
Hope, I have covid right now, and am on the mend. It is not stopping my life. I assume Biden will be going on with his job too. I did not see the debate, nor would I have. The alarm was so uniform that I felt like people were manipulated by Russian bots. I know no one with "dementia" could handle Biden's schedule. I was not worried about him, but I am not worried about Harris either. I was for her in the primary when she first ran for president. I do not trust the press or the courts. Now I am steeling myself for the racist sexist tropes that will be dragged out against Harris. I am sure we are going to see lows we have not seen before because look who is on the Republican ticket.
Linda! It is good to hear from you. Christ! Covid is a wrecking ball in so many ways. I am hoping you will soon fully recover. We need your voice—here and elsewhere. After the extraordinary high of Kamala's ascending, I am starting to worry about her well-being. Politics is too vicious, and now there are added components of misogyny and racism. May people of good will surround her, and may she be the spirit who brings toxic masculinity to its knees. (Sometimes, I allow an occasional conspiracy into my thoughts. I wondered about Russian bots, too, inasmuch as Pres Biden was shockingly debilitated at the debate.) Be well, have courage, be loved, and be happy.
Annie, that is what my cousin said to me when I told her her son had a learning disability. She felt it was a downer. I felt we had no time to waste, and honesty is helpful. I am very direct. I don't think the US is a "democracy," I think it is a striving Democracy. It is not democratic for many people, but has made amazing strides from where it has come. Being clear eyed about things helps. Of course the way to hold on it to make sure that Trump does not win, or Kennedy, but I am not so worried about him. I guess you mean hold on to the parts that we have, which would be helped by having a different media support formula. If you ask this seriously, and not sarcastically, it would be a long conversation. There are a lot of things to do differently, but for right now, it would be good to address SCOTUS because they are the biggest obstacle to us having a free and fair election. Supporting AOC in her attempts to impeach Alito and Thomas is a start. We might be asking Biden to have his Justice Department investigate them too. There is a bit of time.
I like the words befuddled and random, selfish, uncaring, pompous. He doesn't put in the wjork to really learn anything. One of his son's was so proud that he hadn't bothered to learn the terms (they were relying on for their defense in NY) from an econ accounting class as Trump and the Trump empire was facing civil fraud charges. His kids are not that impressive. Everyone of them does something like what Hunter Biden was accused of, but President Biden hasn't weaponized then justice system against them. It seems likely to me that they may do drugs and own guns at the same time, or using their father's office to cash in biggly.
Both Biden and Trump are unpopular candidates. Voters have been unhappy with their choices. I hope a new Dem candidate will put some enthusiasm in the race.
Not heartbroken, just bloody relieved...Joe's candidacy was wholly unsustainable, now we have an energetic and strong nominee to see us through Election Day,
Pushing a candidate out who won fair and square IS AN UNDEMOCRATIC PROCESS. I no longer believe in the Democratic party as being the party of Democracy. PUTIN HAS WON, as far as I can see.
As a 77 year old white male veteran I think Joe Biden was the best president of my lifetime, hands down. I donated to reelect him the night of the “debate”, after it was over. So many conversations I have had since with committed democrats have left me thinking that this might be time to make a change. Kamala might not have been my first pick, but she was Joe’s, which says a lot to me. The last year or so he has had her deeply engaged in foreign policy issues, no sitting governor has that experience. Like so many things that he did for the good of the country, he prepped her to be his replacement, it was just like him to prep for a backup if needed. In a million years no one would ever say that about the orange turd. Like you I wanted him to succeed in implementing his agenda. I trust that she will follow through with that, after all she has had a front row seat. The one thing she has that can’t be denied is her relative youth, many people of my generation think it’s time to let a younger generation have the reins, I have no problem with that, especially if they understand what is at stake. If I had been sitting at Joe’s side these last 3.5 years I would understand it better, Kamala has and I expect she does. As you know I often like the things you have to say, but in this instance I hope you are wrong. I was a republican for over 40 years, in the John McCain vein, the orange turd put a permanent end to that, so if people like me can be committed to a progressive agenda, then there’s hope for our nation in spite of what we witnessed last week in Milwaukee. We are going to bury the repugnantkin party and send it to the land of the Whigs, anybody heard from them lately. Have courage there are a lot of good people that care deeply about this country, and we are going to fight like hell for its survival.
Dick, are you sure she is the candidate? I am not investing energy in believing in her until I am sure of this. I will however continue to do what I do to try to get the vote out. Jeff Stein raises doubts that just because Joe picked her she is going to be the candidate. So, I will wait to find out. It is early days. Here are the talking points on Harris that I also have had prior to this announcement. I voted for her in the primary in 2020. But I was not expecting Biden to turn the economy around for the first time since Reagan. No one else has done that and I am worried she is too party establishment.
Linda, It’s wise to go into the campaign carefully and wisely. But if and when she becomes the candidate I hope you’ll wholeheartedly embrace her. The alternative (Trump) is just too awful to consider.
Funny, but when Joe got the nomination over Harris, I thought the same thing about him. He hasn't been perfect, but he has been damn good! Joe made me become a Biden supporter.
If he is backing her I am backing her. Time to unite and win.
I'm a 69 year old white male from the south, living in a small town in a very rural community. I drive by a half dozen each of Trump and Confederate flags just to get groceries.
The only way Putin wins is by Harris losing. Our first fight is see that she is the nominee. I certainly don't want Manchin!
Keep our collective eyes on the prize. A blue tsunami, then fix SCOTUS.
No Linda, Putin has the heart and soul of Trump & Vance (JD, of course) but thou doth protest too much. It has nothing to do with an undemocratic process. Biden chose to step down and he wanted Harris to be his heir apparent. Who are you to throw shade on his wishes? We understand your point, most likely do not agree with it, some might. The Democratic party is a big tent party that airs its laundry publicly, but eventually we must be adults and do as Biden did and pony up for democracy even when it hurts.
Biden is his own person and he made the decision to withdraw after serious consideration and many prayers, I'm sure. It was ultimately a political decision, based on seeing which ways the wind was blowing. I'm going to miss him sorely but, hey, I grew up with presidential candidates being chosen behind closed doors during the primary. This is nothing new, not the end of the world. We'll get through it. Time to pull together.
BTW, Putin hasn't won anything (not even the war in Ukraine).
If he resigns now he can make Trump and Vance face the first woman president, empowered with all of the advantages of incumbency to defeat any challengers and crush old SCIFless and his defender of a national ban on abortion and other loopy shit like excusing male violence in marriage.
She was chosen by the guy that was chosen to make the tough decisions. Biden made the choice, correctly, if someone wants to go against her they still can...if they believe in kamikaze missions. this was the smart choice and I commend Biden for making the tough choice when the numbers went against him so strongly, whatever the reason. He was not up for campaigning AND running the country. There is too much at stake for playing baby ca-ca games and Biden is sharp enough to realize it. His legacy is safe. Now it is up to get the vote out and save democracy.
I'm skeptical of the motives of people who take your view but think, okay we've cleared out Biden now let's remove Harris. Plus even if she becomes president they can hold a very short primary of delegates that doesn't include the votes of millions of actual primary voters IMNAHO In my not always humble opinion.
Linda, You give up way too easily. There are endless examples of times when the impossible happened. But in this case the possible can happen just as soon as we join together and make it happen.
You are an older people hater. So, the candidate cannot get sick? That is some twisted logic. Every campaigner is tired. What defeated him is that he did the best job being president and from the beginning people did not appreciate it and now have turned on him. Just waiting for this fickle party to turn on Harris, or whomever the candidate ends up being. I consider the party and the people that supported this behavior the problem, not the candidate. If you do not understand that Biden was pushed out, I do not see how you understand anything.
Linda, Joe Biden stayed on the national scene longer than he should have. You are being irrational in your emotional opinions. I don’t disagree that it takes a democrat to muck up. I was thinking of returning to Italy after having lived there in the 1970s. I’m not about to live under a Trump administration. Joe had a good 4 years and he might have done well for another 4. But he wasn’t looking good physically and mentally.
Ally, I am just tired of the same undermining argument over and over. She can disagree, but at this point she is simply haranging us, not expressing a thoughtful opinion. We know her argument. But we are where we are, and it's time to get to work. And as a number of people have pointed out, this is not a SCOTUS issue. We are still in candidate selection mode. The parties are not governmental entities. They are non-profit organizations who operate under their own organizational rules. They get to decide how candidates are selected and, if necessary, replaced.
Annie, believe me, I understand. There is a difference, at least in my mind, between a troll (someone fishing for reactions) and a commentator who irritates you for what could be a variety of reasons.
I’ve had that experience on another Substack page, and chose disengagement (for the most part) unless I agreed with them. I think it is working pretty well for both of us.
I am sorry for your line of thinking, Linda. I feel hope and change for the first time this year. I balled tears of joy and relief at the news. I hope for you that you overcome these thoughts.
Well Dana, obviously your feelings trump mine. I get to watch a racist frenzy on Harris that we have not yet seen because the press has ignored her to push Putin's talking points vis-a-vis DT. I am not White and do not feel your hope. It is not just that ugly press will get out, about her. Here is a beginning of what the Republicans can attack her on. https://popular.info/p/a-guide-to-the-coming-attacks-on
I see the American population who has turned on Biden as being on too much social media, not knowing any history outside the USA, and being easily manipulated by narratives that I can attribute as much to Putin as to Trump. I can see Trump getting talking points from Putin. What did Orban bring to him? So, if the Democratic party now claims Trump is too old, instead of too fascist, Trump has JD Vance as his back up. If they claim he is too fascist he will hide it. I can tell by talking to people that most youth don't know anything about either candidate. Are we going to be running Kamala ads on Tiktok now? Then, if she is the candidate, which she is not yet, and if she wins the election, the Republicans are already poised to claim voting fraud to SCOTUS, which is just looking for any irregularity to say, the vote was tainted, Trump wins. So, no, I don't feel hope because my party is fickle.
Talk about "undemocratic", the Dem prez "primary" had the fix in from the kickoff...Joe Biden vs....Dean Phillips? Dean bloody Phillips? A "democratic process" that shut down totally every "new generation" potential candidate, as in "Your time will come, just not in 2024". Oh, OK..."ridin' with Biden, is it? Ridin' to a landslide loss, that's where it was heading until Joe Biden did the right, selfless, and , yes, patriotic thing,
So, get over it, embrace the change, and we work for the new ticket, right?
We should all be heartbroken for President Biden. So sad to be dismissed like the high school football coach as too old. It should have been on Biden’s terms only.
I am not just heartbroken, I view his ousting as more sinister. We know that big money donors were pushing democrats that they fund to speak to Biden, and withholding funds for the party. So, now we hear about Reid Hoffmann ordering Harris to fire one of the best appointments Biden made in Lena Khan. She is truly making a difference.
Sil Val Tech Bros stick together whether they back Dems or Repubs and a lot of them back both. It sickens me, but of course Biden took on the super wealthy and they are fighting back tooth and nail. NYT Oligarch tanks Biden in his reporting to punish him for not kowtowing to his demands, and pushing Biden aside they are hoping Harris will be more amenable already having seen how they can push people out. So, can the people make up the difference? Biden has been the best president of my lifetime and the first one to really take on Reaganomics. Focusing on the bottom and the middle has angered them and it is going to get ugly. The Rich have the money to spend. So, Biden did leave on his terms in that he set things up to happen when they did, with everyone pledged to back Harris. Biden is loyal the people who pushed him out are not.
Folks, let us all of us separate Joe Biden, the very successful *president*, from Joe Biden, the poorly perceived and less than dynamic *candidate* for reëlection. Nobody is gainsaying what he brought to the presidency, perhaps the most successful Dem prez since FDR, but do NOT transpose this to candidate Biden, who was demonstrably flailing on several fronts.
Bowing out was a purely rational political decision, and that action alone cements his legacy...but we were on to a hiding come Election Day. Now, there is a chance to reverse the momentum, and vigourously go on the attack against a truly aging, felonious, fraudulent, and misogynistic rapist just ripe for a takedown. We can do this, a Harris team can do this, so let's go to war pronto!
Nothing is more demonstrative of the patriotism and devotion to this country than Biden’s decision to put his country and the viability of other down-ballot democrats above his personal desire to , as he would say, finish the job. He has been an outstanding President and an equally outstanding decent, honorable man.
I’m still suspicious about the whole episode. I’ve wondered whether an assault rifle would inflict a sort of graze wound like that. WaPost did a gruesome but excellent video on the damage an AR does. Suspicious we never heard from doc who treated him. I know Trump is kind of private about medical things, but when did a doc who treated a pres in an emergency not appear to inform/reassure the public? Statements from hospital seemed a little “off”.
I may have missed something-did anyone definitive say it was teleprompter or other debris.
Not very private about this one. He's posted at least two "truths" implying it was a bullet, but NBC news reported it was part of the teleprompter that was hit by one of the shots. They also reported it was an AK round, much lower velocity but still would have caused much more damage.
I was so sad for Joe when I heard the news, but the fight must go on, especially with Kamala Harris. A woman, elected President is a heck of a response to the overturning of Roe.
Given that he put his shoulder into the effort to remove Joe Biden, Obama could do no less than give a hearty and vigourous endorsement of VP Harris...he can't do anything else BUT implant his imprimatur on her candidacy.
how do you know who pushed Biden out? I am so pissed.... that they ignored the primary voters and some elite group of democrats appointed themselves the king's council and pushed our choice out.
Biden is the greatest one-term president in the country’s history. But despite his record, he is not the same person he was in 2020. Time is cruel. He still has the wisdom to be president, but he does not have the stamina for a presidential campaign. I’m sure it was hard for him to accept, but he decided that for the good of the country that he needed to step aside and did. Which further cements his legacy as a great American president.
Wealthy Dem donors did not want Biden. They put the pressure on Dems up for re-election to speak out against Biden. The media jumped on. It was a hit job, and under pressure, he stepped aside. He would never have done this without the chorus of Dem voices. So technically it was his decision but he was pushed out.
I think he wants to honor President Biden first, and will probably endorse Kamala in the near future. Today should be about making Joe Biden know how much we love and encourage him, and then we can get behind Kamala with enthusiasm.
I have been on a news break for 2 weeks because of the 192 NY times articles demanding Biden to step down were creating unhealthy levels of anger and I needed a break. I thought the news cycle would spin back to normal for August. but no. thanks. I will volunteer and donate, but can't participate in news for now.
Obama was very ineffective as a president. He can fund raise. But I have no respect for him because he back stabbed Joe Biden without whom he would not have become president. His endorsement means nothing to me. Putin has won! Less than half a year ago I voted for Biden, he won, and now my vote doesn't count. How much do I trust this party. Glad I am a dual citizen. I have somewhere to vote where the rules are followed. PUTIN HAS WON! I just cannot wait to see the press frenzy on her. The press that has ignored her because they are so sexist and racist. It sickens me what is to come. As a woman who shares her skin color, it is going to be open field on the racists, a large portion of whom are in the mainstream press.
Obama had a secretary of Education whom he used to play basketball with, who was totally unqualified to be in that role. As my husband put it, "Did Duncan do a good job with Chicago Public Schools?" He was being facetious. Arne Duncan was nice, but he sold our schools to Venture Capitalists and increased charter schools. Obama continued Bushes horrific "No Child Left Behind." Which was not helpful. In fact, much more in line with what Trump has planned than what Biden has tried to do. One big problem with Americans is that they change politicians too often, and so no one does long term planning. What will happen to the plans that were started? We can hope 8 more years, instead of 12, but we may get none.
That's one problem with holding primaries so early. Too early. One of our problems is an unrealistically long election season, because of too many states wanting to have the first primary moving further and further back. March is ridiculous.
There are so many things wrong with our electoral system, but I'll agree that the primaries are too early. So now what? What if SCOTUS does not let this stand? https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
When all the people were against Biden based on inuendo and not having the bandwidth to stand behind him did you say TROLL to them? NO YOU DID NOT! When people attacked the winning candidate after one bad speech, which we know was set up by fascist propaganda did you say TROLL to those people? NO! Because you were probably one of them. You got your way, but I will just be back to say what I have to in the end. I assume you are White Lynn. You have no idea what it is like to be Black in the USA, but I do. So, what do you know? Nothing. What books have you read on fascism of late? Do you watch MSNBC for your news? I am sorry, but what I am reading in books, leads me to believe that we have fallen for Fascist tactics 101. Do you know that the majority of nay sayers were not Russian Bots? If so, please explain that to me.
Wow, you've made many assumptions about me. I think you need to take some deep breaths and take a break from social media. Your anger is distorting whatever it is you're trying to say.
Lynn, I can say the same of you. If you were a Black woman I assume you would be claiming it. I am assuming not unless you correct me. So, you don't walk in my skin and do not have my experiences. I listened to people for weeks tanking my candidate but I did not see you telling them to take a step back. So, I am a Black woman, and if you cannot support my different point of view, how are you going to support Harris when the going gets rough? Tell me you were one of the people who did not want Biden to step down and I stand corrected. If you were, and now got your way, not at the ballot box, but by intimidation, and being the squeaky wheel, then maybe you need to take a break. I have been voting since 1977 and never missed an election, so how many elections have you been in. Black women's anger is something White people hate. Well, deal with it Lynn! I do not live for you, and you will not tell me what to do. I am expressing righteous upset, and if you do not understand it because you lack the life experiences to, so be it. But, as you tell me TO SHUT UP I will ignore you.
This is the sort of infighting that the GOP is hoping for. Undisciplined pouting over the “treatment” of Bernie Sanders probably cost the party winning the presidency in 2016. Buck up and get behind Kamala.
Linda is not a troll, I think she’s living in Germany where she is seeing up close putin’s savagery, we have an ocean separating us not that that means much to ballistic weapons. Poland and the Baltics are next if he’s not stopped in Ukraine, you can count on it, and the Germans know it. While I don’t agree with her, I get her concern.
Not a troll, and she is allowed to state her opinion and express her feelings just like any other real person here. She has been around a long time and she's understandably disappointed and upset. Name-calling is disrespectful and accomplishes nothing.
She’s playing the race card and that’s not wise. Many blacks and browns are here too that may not agree with her.
My brother married a black and my mother taught migrant workers in the basement of our public school in upstate NY. I’ve voted in a good many more elections than Linda. She needs to be a good bit less righteous and respect others more.
We have an existential crisis to deal with. Better we face up to it and not cry in our soup. Time to move on and get the job done.
I think I have shared a lot more than you Fran Bowman. Also, this is not how Trolls work. But, think what you want. I have a point of view that is unpleasant. Let us see if the Supreme Court allows this switch to stand, after the Republicans file the briefs that AOC told us they have. We can all endorse and work for the candidate whomever it may be, but SCOTUS was just given fodder that the people who are not thinking this through complexly gave them. Listen to AOC, or is she a troll too.https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
The lawsuits are lined up if the candidate is anyone but Biden. But, clearly you trust this court. I don't. I have been watching them be given fodder to claim that the election is unfair.
Many American citizens live and/or work in other countries. They are allowed to vote in US Federal elections. There are special procedures for that. I have a number of friends who actively work to get out the vote amongst Americans overseas for various reasons.
No, they do not vote here and there. As I clearly stated, they are American citizens who live abroad, and vote as absentee voters. These folks include members of our military, members of our diplomatic corps, people who work overseas in various capacities but are American citizens, and of course, retirees, and people who travel extensively. They are entitled to vote in US federal elections (and in local if they maintain a legal residence in the states).
Just look at what has happened politically. We went from having a president who did not follow the party line, and instead upended 40+ years of Reagan rules. None of these people who are endorsing him now did that, and so I do not care about what Clinton has to say. I see the establishment as having won here. Obama carried on Bush's horrid neocon education policies, turning our schools over to venture capitalists as charter schools where learning was not as important as creating little investors. Clinton made even more people poor, although he did address the debt. I see capitalism having won, not the people. I guess all of the people who threw their weight around and overruled the majority of Democrats are jumping for joy. Ema, I assume you are one of these people. I will vote for Harris, but I do not feel I am supporting Democracy, just another party that tries to cheat and intimidate itself to a win. Biden could have stayed in with Harris as VP, and once the dust settled and he got going, he could have resigned then and passed the baton to her. I am not energized by this news, and I imagine a lot of people who have put aside much of their time to work for Biden-Harris, not Harris-who knows who, are either.
I voted for Biden in the primary, too. And, am saddened at today's news. However, Biden is a very savvy politician. If he stayed in the race and won, then dropped out, yes, Harris would become president but...the NEXT in line, unless we win the House, would be Speaker, currently a Republican. If, heaven forbid, something happened and Harris had to drop out, we would lose the Executive branch and possibly the legislative branch. Keeping the Executive branch is key. If done properly, it can then swing the Judicial branch in the Dems favor (increasing the number on the bench, replacing a few who retire or are forced to retire). If Harris runs as Pres, we will still have a Dem VP, her running mate, which is an extra safety net, again assuming we do not take back the House. I see Biden's move as a very strategic one meant to keep Dems running things.
You assume I'M one of the people who "threw their weight around and overruled the Majority"? You couldn't be any more incorrect. For the past 3 1/2 weeks, I have been shouting at the backstabbers who are putting $ over voters. I am pissed and sobbed my heart out when I heard the news. I had called, emailed, or left a comment on Twitter against those backstabbers. I called every single Democrat's office and, while I mostly had to leave voicemails, I told them they were NOT going to nullify 14M votes. Shame on you, Linda - you're judging the wrong person because I'm on the side of democracy, don't have enough $ to throw any weight around and have volunteered for POTUS and other candidates for the past 12 years. Take your misplaced anger elsewhere lady.
He’s barely a year younger than Trump and he hasn’t been a Dem for years as far as his voting record so he needs to go back to WV and get out of politics.
I've loved Joe since forever. He has been one of the greatest statesman in our history. For my part I am sending the DNC $500. And after that $100 to Sherrod Brown, and John Tester, and Ruben. Folks money means winning. Now who is the old guy who is not physically or emotionally qualified to be even near the Oval.
As a Montanan, I thank you for donating to Jon Tester. He is the ONLY blue state level elected politician in our ruby red, supermajority magat government. Another good candidate is Collin Allred who has an excellent chance of beating smarmy Texan teddy cruz.
I give monthly to both Tester and Allred. And I am a Californian. Just gave to Kamala, too. As a retiree, I can't give big sums, but looks like $50 MILLION was donated to Kamala yesterday from small donors. GOOD!
I am sad that so much money needs to be given in these races, and we need to change the way elections are run and get $ out of it, but until then we must be practical and give what we can to save this beloved Republic.
There doesn’t seem to be a vacuum! Deligates are coming in hard and fast to support Harris! Most men suggested as candidates immediatly said they backed Harris!
Funny how it was okay for Haley to release her delegates in favor of voting for the traitor. Republicans are running scared. Maga Mike, the worst Speaker ever, is trying to interfere by claiming that the President needs to resign since he’s not qualified to run for reelection. The traitor is refusing to debate Kamala, vance said he wouldn’t debate her when she was running for reelection as VP. They’re cowards, afraid to debate a strong woman. It shows their misogyny.
Frankly it speaks volumes about the people of Louisiana that they have Mike Johnson and John Kennedy representing them.
Joe Biden is the most consequential president of my lifetime, and I’m sad and dismayed by what the media and his own party have done. But Joe, being Joe, stepped down with grace, and as always, did what he felt was best for the country he and we love.
Kamala Harris has my support. It’s about time we have a woman president. I believe she will be a strong president and advocate for our democracy.
I agree but the jump to a WOC as POTUS is not as simple as might be believed. EVERY racist and misogynist will forcibly act against Kamala. I hope her SS detail is not as incompetent as the psychopath's.
I never for a moment believed it was simple. You really think MAGA would accept a woman of color as President and a Jewish First Gentleman? I wish I didn’t think that—I wish we humans no longer saw differences due to color of skin or religion.
Shame to the contrary not withstanding, you must now put that aside and support Kamala Harris. Never forget that 78,000 Democrats in WI, MI, and PA who voted for Obama but not Clinton effectively elected Donald Trump. (IMO Biden was not forced out but merely had to face the fact he was in an impossible situation, i.e. stumbles that were formerly unimportant have now become international news. Also, never forget he wanted the debate and blew it.
The debate was everything. It wasn’t just a poor performance it was a disaster. I love Joe but he came off as a zombie that didn’t know what he was doing. How do you convince voters that the leader of the free world can deal with Russia and China looking like he did. It’s very unfortunate but age caught up with him. We need someone vibrant and alert to beat Donald Trump and Joe didn’t demonstrate that he was that.
And if he were to slip into zombieland (yes, even for just 90 minutes) just weeks or days before the election then where would that leave us? It’s a moot point now but I’m glad that he made the decision that he did. I wish that he would have made this move right after the debate. It’s not that I don’t like him or think that he’s been a bad president, quite the contrary but I do believe it’s easier to move forward now full steam ahead.
It’s funny how different people watched the debate and came away with different takes. I watched the whole painful event and thought that Biden actually answered questions and did do with truthful facts. Trump only spewed torrents of lies. To me, Biden won and I’m pissed at the chorus of pundits pushing the president out of contention. Oh, I’ll vote for Harris or any Democratic candidate nominated, but in my opinion, the best person was shouted out by folk who only look at shallow appearances. Oh, I’ll vote for a blue sock puppet before I vote for anyone from the party of MAGA. (The Sockapellas’ song from Pitch Perfect is an appropriate anti MAGA song, but I digress .) However, I worry that the Dems just screwed the country.)
He has COVID. I think if he had never gotten ill, he may have stayed in the race. He was exhausted at the debate. I think he was getting worn down then with his bad cold.
I too am heartbroken. I first supported Harris in 2020. All, please get to know her. She’s an understated powerhouse! She will be at the heart of a blue wave. Let us help her win. She will continue Biden’s legacy and make her own. And talk about a transformational presidency…
I first supported Harris too, and Biden was such a wonderful surprise as president. I see Biden stepping down as Putin having won. Having the same skin color as Harris and Obama, I watched Obama be an ineffective president because he was too inexperienced, and too afraid to appear to be a threat to White people. What did he get done? NOt a lot. I am grieving the loss of the most effective president in my lifetime, for what? Possibly a Trump win, or if Harris wins, nothing getting done. Because to feel safe with a Black woman in the White House, a lot of Dems will be giving their votes to Republicans in Congress. I live every day in Harris''s skin color, and I do not see the USA as ready for this. The White people who backed this are not understanding the depth of racism and how it works. So, I say, Putin has won, because no way he is worried about Harris whether she wins or not. NO one I know is anything other than heartbroken, 3 months before the election. The lesson that my daughter, niece and nephews who are ages 19-27 are learning from this, is that the Democratic Party is not democratic. We will change the rules to try to win, but money is ruling over what is right. How is that different from the Republican party who will also cheat to win. At least their candidate won. The law suits are lined up as AOC tells us against anyone but Biden as our candidate. https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
SCOTUS will be justified in questioning any win that Kamala might have, but some people don't care because they let the NYT and WaPo push out the candidate that I voted for.
I totally understand your concerns, Linda, but have not walked in your shoes. I know there are many misogynistic and racist people in our country. I am hoping young people will now see a reason to vote. This generation has got to step up if they want a world with their views
Kathi, I received an energetic, encouraging request for a donation from Voters of Tomorrow, looking to increase their campus organizers to get behind Kamala Harris, the first female president and defeat Trump. Their goal is to “Make sure Gen Z has a future they can look forward to”. Lately my donation requests start with the dark message of not meeting campaign goals and needing support before the next SEC filing. Harris attracts more attention from our young voters and independents and may get them off the couch to vote in November. Like Linda Weide, I too am very sad that Biden was driven out. I am proud of his courage and love of country that led him to realize it wasn’t him, but the greater political, party, and media machinery that had made his age a factor he could not fight and achieve his goal to defeat Trump, leaving him unable to continue the campaign. But now, we need follow the lead of enthusiastic young people and know we can defeat the weaponized law suits, voter suppression acts, and all the other blocks that will be thrown in front of us. Trump said, “We will not be stopped.” We have to expect many obstacles will pop up before the election, and be ready to work around them, quickly. We have been lifted over the first of many by our President. Stay in the game. Together, we can do this!
Judy, I am with you. Yes! I am as white as they come male very ready to do whatever it takes to elect the next Democrat as President. I stand against a criminal, misogynist/rapist, insurrectionist leader, fraud, liar, racist, vitriolic and divisive, incompetent and psychologically unfit man who is frighteningly evil to his core.
We now have new energy and the opportunity to move the United States of America forward, not backward. We now have a competent woman without the baggage of our previous candidates.
Moreover, I believe we have a country ready and eager to get beyond the horror show of TFG. I recognize the racist bigotry you write of but feel the time is now to double down with a strong and proud option to continue making the history we are seeing unfold. It is the best option and I’ll take that risk with the youth, feminine, diverse and exhausted voters ready to put their full focus on making it happen. Let’s talk positive and act loudly. We can do it!!
Great post, John. I, too, am as white as they come, (grandma). However, I am a firm believer, color has nothing to do with a brain and a heart. The color issue will never change if we all don’t step up. They were not given the beginning history of the white. (and are still being suppressed) a subject in its own for later.
We DO have a country that has been “hearing” nothing but HATE from “the [other side]”. Your Quote:“We have a country ready and eager to get beyond the horror show of TFG” hits that nail, and that is beside the fact that he has never been held to account. We have had enough. FULL STOP 🛑 we not only can do this… we WILL do this TOGETHER. 🇺🇸
Excellent reply and reminder that this will attract new voters- Fan-TAS-Tic!
Biden's a TRUE MENSCH!
The new moniker now is WE KAM DO IT!!😀
Great comment, Judy
I’ve been supporting Voters of Tomorrow as well. This is an amazing organization, getting high school seniors to register to vote. They focus on fournissurs that young adults have a serious, vested in…gun violence, abortion rights, limited, and. Other suppression. They are now in 20 states and working hard to make sure Gen Z votes with an interest in their own good, and in the rights of those who follow to have a stake and future that looks different from what the Republican vision for the future is going to be, if their candidate is elected. This is a 501(c)3 Corporation so your donation is not taxed. Consider supporting them at votersoftomorrow.org .
All the young people in my household vote. They are ages 19-27. They were planning on voting for Biden, and already did. Who is being appeased is like my millennial colleagues who never vote, don't read, did not see the debate, and have no enthusiasm for anything except their Lattes and foodies restaurants, and their children. I will check, but after years of trying to get this YouTube watching constituency to vote, I will not try. I cannot speak to the youth vote. There are structural things keeping 18-21 year olds in college out of the vote, which is that it is too hard to understand how to vote. We are working on that with the US college students Abroad in Democrats Abroad. In a week will the press have talked Harris up or will they have let Trump slide as a fascist who plans on publicly hanging people on his enemy list. I see Biden as the only one who can win against him. This was never about age, but about Harris as AOC says. So, Nancy Pelosi did not get her golden boy in from California, but everyone who is in the race is now vulnerable and we don't know what skeletons the press will dig out. They are not going to go after Trump, they are not going to inform the people, and frankly explaining to those who sat home why they are voting for Harris now, when the party is fickle is a hard sell.
It was mostly about age, Linda. And to be perfectly honest, Harris wasn’t my idea of a good VP. Biden was in his own words, to be a “transitional president.” Biden scared me. There is no argument about decline of his mental facilities.
Any VP is kept in the background. Did you see Pence very often? Nope. However Harris was quietly active. Don't underestimate her. Get behind her, support her ... if you don't, Trump wins.
I disagree
As per usual, Mr. Katz, I agree. I am very optimistic. Not my first choice but standing with tradition the VP inherits the candidacy.
I fear you are mostly correct Linda. Ingrained racism and misogyny are underestimated in this country. And to my dismay, women voters themselves can exhibit this. Misogyny denied Hillary Clinton from the presidency I believe, a person who could well have gone down as the greatest president ever. My opinion, and we will never know. And not only are racism and misogyny underestimated in this country, so is outright stupidity and willful ignorance. Deplorables. The country is full of them. I was thinking the other day about high school, long long ago. How many of my fellow students were just dumb as rocks, or equally important, didn't care one iota. Too many. It isn't different today, and most of those kids in all likelihood didn't change much when they grew up. If they vote at all, they will vote Trump. He appeals to the deplorable.
Kamala or whoever gets the nod has a big hill to climb.
I disagree with you though on Biden. I too was pleasantly surprised in the effectiveness of his presidency. But the elephant in the room was his age. He was old in 2020, and to expect 8 years without a decline was a big ask. We lost that bet. And, our young voters who we increasingly must rely upon, saw him mostly as just an out of touch old man, more of same. Now they say "see, we told you". We do not have an excited young voter populace - age, Israel/Hamas, Willow project (a giant mistake), unsuccessful student debt relief efforts. Maybe Kamala will change that dearth of enthusiasm; but I just don't know. Biden and the Democrats should have been planning for a four year reign all along.
I have never seen Biden as an "out of touch old man". He may not have the apparent charisma that trump has, but I don't think he's out of it. I also want to point out that things like the lack of success in student debt relief was mostly about republicans and stacked courts, who were trying to take Biden down. IMO.
Susan I never meant to say our young electorate is correct about Biden. They took student debt relief as a campaign promise where he didn't quite deliver, whatever the reasons. I understand the reasons, but many of the young voters are not intrested in getting into the weeds. Same with the Willow project in Alaska. Joe ran on drivng back Big Oil, and no more drilling on public lands. Then what do they see - approval of the Conoco Willow Project - exactly the opposite of what he ran on. Never mind that the project was inevitable anyway - as I understand it the process was far enough along that reversing it would been more trouble than letting it go. But young folks don't understand that. Then they tune out, and never even realize teh great stuff he has done for climate mitigation since.
As for "out of touch old man" - that is what some of young voters in my close circle think of me.
Kamala has to energize the young voting block, somehow. Bernie did. It's tough though. The young voters are much further left than the rest of teh Democratic voters, generally. And more impatient too.
I wasn’t so sure Biden could beat trump this time. I was canvassing for our Congressman and a registered Democrat told me he was so discouraged by the debate and Biden’s health that he wasn’t going to bother to vote.
It makes me angry that so much emphasis was put on a "debate", with no allowance for jet lag and being sick. Debates are artificial at best, especially when the other candidate is trump. I do not understand our country's fixation on performance, rather than what a person does, what their actions are. Joe Biden is not. never has been, and never will be a reality TV star.
Susan... I agree completely!!!
Susan, I voted for Biden, and planned on voting for him in November. Biden asked for an early debate, trolled Trump about being "free on Wednesdays," and had the task of once again standing up to Trump's endless BS. For whatever reason, he failed. Miserably. It was defining moment in the campaign, and crystallized many people's fears that he was simply too old to serve another term. As they say, politics is a blood sport. You don't get do overs. You rarely get second chances.
The main stream media is fixated and then feeds us opinion clothed as fact. I'm truly disgusted about our lack of really good information.
So our down ballot races were also at risk.
Which young people. The young people in my family were set to vote for Biden and frankly are shocked at this turn of events. I hope the old people still see a reason to vote since they are the most reliable ones. I hope you are right about young people. I assume you are in touch with a lot of them. I know I am. The ones I know were excited about Biden having worked for him the first time around. Now in college I noticed that many did not vote because we make it pretty damn hard to vote when you only live in one state. I will be busy in Germany providing assistance to American students in Germany to figure out how to vote as are others I know. However, election day is a Tuesday in the US, whereas in Germany it is a Sunday. That makes it easier for people to vote. Young people whose parents have told them that school and grades are the most important things will not necessarily skip class or exams to vote when they are already overwhelmed with being on their own. That is part of why they do not vote. Others are disengaged and this candidate is not going to make a difference to what I am hearing. So, I guess the young people you mean are the Millennials. The ones that I know who don't vote don't believe in it. If the switch of candidates was made just to "energize" the voters lets see if this works. However, I assume you know people who were not energized who now are. I hope so. Because I still feel that this is wrong, and we still do not know that Harris will be the candidate just because Biden stepped aside for her. I am going to wait and see before I invest my energies into figuring out what I am going to say about her.
Linda, my husband and I are old, and we are definitely voting. If anything, voting is more important now, than ever. We plan to vote democratic all the way, and I hope other people see the importance of that, too. I'm sick of all the racism and misogyny. I care about the quality of the people who are running for office.
Susan, I'm old (and white), too and so are my friends. Many of us are voting for Kamala and whoever she picks as VP (and I keep working on the rest). My granddaughter is dating and will probably marry a wonderful young man who is bi-racial. I think times are changing - albeit slowly.....Don't despair, just trust Joe Biden's choice. I wasn't sure about Kamala, either. But, after I heard her speech today, I was almost in tears (good ones) and excited and energized. I loved when she said, "We're NOT going backwards!" If you missed it, here it is. https://youtu.be/nKvJJR-6jO4?si=kujG83wGe7Woz3Ne
Ruth, I'll listen to it tomorrow. I had to fix dinner when she was about to come on (on MSNBC). I'm looking forward to being excited and energized, something I really need. You know, back many years ago, my white supervisor married a black man, and it seemed to be okay for all of her people. I definitely trust Joe Biden's choice. Who I don't trust are the bigots, who seem to be everywhere, not just djt followers. From what I've seen of everyone jumping on the Harris bandwagon, I think she will have momentum. I don't see anything in what I know about her that would derail her campaign. That said, I think the country ought to invest in a large supply of duct tape to tape over trump's mouth and the mouth of those who spout the same garbage. I don't think the first amendment gives anyone the right to destroy others.
Hi Susan, I know I can count on the older people to vote no matter who. However, this change is supposed to get people excited who haven't voted. Will it do that? The only complaint about Biden had to do with his age. There was nothing else. Harris could have gotten the baton in February too. Now we get to see what happens with the bets these people are making. I am going to support the ticket too. I always do, but I am not enthused. The process has taken that out of me.
My 82-year-old sister who was a lukewarm Biden supporter called me yesterday to tell me how enthusiastic she now is over voting for Kamala Harris. So am I. I will do everything in my power to work for her election. And so many younger people kept saying they weren't interested in choosing between two old men now have a chance to make a real choice. How much more different could two candidates be than Harris and trump?
I hear you Linda. All the happenings have taken a toll on me, too.
Hi Linda, I live in Belgium. Your post inspires me to contact a colleague who is in Democrats Abroad and find out how I can help.
I have always believed that voting needs to be, must be really, a national day off! Then you'd have more people voting, assisting others to get to the polls, more poll volunteers! In the truest sense this would be supporting our democracy!! No one of us should be worried or stressed we are missing a class, or a day of work, or getting to the polls! It needs to be a celebration of our right to vote!!
I thought the comedians who translated President Obama's anger from his conciliatory framing of issues were hilarious. I think President Obama's health care initiatives were ultimately wholly much better than what Presidents had managed to achieve since FDR and Lyndon Johnson. Bush helped to fight AIDs in Africa. Despite all the needless deaths Trump caused during COVID he helped the research efforts that led to vaccinations against Covid. Despite being an anti science moron and a truly stupid person. I don't remember I am not a historian. Hillary Clinton was villified for being a smart woman.
I have heard different discussions of the AIDS help. Not so straightforward. I have health care in Germany. While it needs better funding there is the will to do that. It is still so different to get health care than in the USA where we still have many people not insured. More under Biden. However, in Germany it is illegal to not have health and long term care insurance. Friends just moved from US to Portugal. She is pregnant and is part of their national health service which is free.
We need to catch up here. A mandate to require healthcare insurance for uninsured individuals seemed for a time to be a key feature of the Affordable Care Act. So that we'd have less people show up in emergency rooms unable to pay. I don't remember how or whether that aspect of the law worked it's way in or out. It's part of our tax returns now if you're unemployed or if your employer doesn't help. I am out of my depth on the details. My employer pays but what will happen when I retire? Medicare seems to be multitiered with tons of money for insurers to grab from retirees. I can recognize when I may not be as informed as I might be. Sorry.
Medicare does not cover you if you leave the country, other than part A. So, even having paid in all your life and moving to a country where medical costs are less, which is pretty much every country, so it is limited. If Biden were to add 4 people to the Court in his remaining months I would believe that everyone else's dream world is going to work out. However, how can that happen. Dick Durbin is not even taking them on when it is his job, and AOC is taking them on when it is not her job, except that she understands its importance and he is phoning it in.
Daniel, I remember when I worked in group health insurance, there were some people who just automatically used the emergency room as their doctor, even though they were insured. It was a mindset of a certain class of people. One of the problems with insurance is that it is too complicated for a lot of people. I would rather see us have Medicare for all, although there are some people who would still have problems with it, when they want procedures (think cosmetic surgery and the like) that are never covered by any insurance.
That's neat that they consider everyone's need for longterm care. How do they make it affordable for people who cannot pay?
The lowest rate is 215€ a month. That covers both health insurance (medical and dental) and long term care insurance. That same amount covers an entire family. If everyone pays into it on a sliding scale it covers everyone. In that sense it is like how medicare works, or social security. Also, Germans have a lot more insurances than Americans. Our family also has personal liability insurance which covers each person in my family for 10 mil €. It is not expensive. But, scratch someone's car with your bike and you are covered. My friend's 7-year old son accidentally broke someone's car window with a ball that bounced off a tree and it was covered. Some people may not be covered for as much, but if you own a gun you need to be covered for at least 1 mil €. There is also insurance for if you have a legal problem and need to pay a lawyer. It only pays your legal fees for the standard rate, so if you have a top lawyer it would not cover the extra cost, just up to the rate. That rate is true if you get legal fees back in a lawsuit for your legal costs, that too will only pay up to the standard fee even if you win and you had paid more. There is insurance if you are remodeling your house in case something happens to someone on the site as well as regular house insurances. People who work have work insurance. I have two friends whose doctors have found them to be burnt out. One is a teacher, the other a director of a school. Their work insurance has paid for them to be off for some time (it has been a year for both of them) and art classes, spa treatment and therapy. In addition Germans get money for their children. In addition people might get government support for energy bills. Also, for their children. Right now child money is 292 € a month per child. An American friend who moved to Germany to take a teaching job at the DOD and has 4 children gets it as well. It offsets the low cost of her childcare, which is a fee that covers their food. She says it is really good quality food too. Some cities in Germany are discussing making school lunch free for everyone like they do in some other countries.
What's problematic? Was it a payday for big drug companies at the expense of local infrastructure for medical care or something?
But Kamala is different, Linda. For one thing, she has issues such as Dobbs/abortion to draw colossal support to her. Not in the news so much, she has been actively campaigning for HBCUs and consolidating the support of black men and women. I hope she might gain support from Asian Americans, too. She has worked hard on solutions to immigration (such a complicated multinational issue!), and she's traveled to the global south to promote small business and economic independence, as an alternative to Russia and China's exploitation. While Obama may not have accomplished much on the international front, he did succeed at Affordable Health Care, and he "got" Osama Bin Laden without causing a phony war like "W" did in Afghanistan. He was an excellent, if not great, President who, like Biden, is a gentleman with integrity.
Take heart! In the five hours since the announcement, $27.5 million dollars have been donated to Kamala's campaign. LBNL, she is a very bright former Attorney General. If anyone can throw shade at the Republicans' legal-schmegal B.S. It's Kamala.
On immigration, I hope Harris pounds home the message that Trump scuttled the strongest immigration bill in history that Biden was ready to sign, bi-partisan legislation crafted by people as conservative as Oklahoma senator James Lankford (you can read Lankford's own position on his website: https://www.lankford.senate.gov/news/press-releases/lankford-releases-border-security-package-with-huge-wins-for-securing-the-border/). So please, please call Trump on his lies and nonsense about immigration.
And to Harris or whoever the nominee is, I urge you to speak with an open heart to demonstrate that our immigration policies require a balancing act because we are dealing by and large with very vulnerable human beings and their entire families. We must find a middle ground between enforcement of our borders and, yes, love or care for the stranger. That effort takes something that Trump can never possess, character that requires a deep sense of compassion for vulnerable human beings. We can be a mean spirited society or one that wrestles to find solutions that are humane and even caring.
The nominee must make the case that compassion is a strength that protects us from evil. And for those who are truly Christian, this belief comes from straight from the red letters of the Gospels.
Yes, expressed compassion for immigrants who are refugees from oppression has been missing on the campaign scene for far too long. It's as if Democrats are afraid to show their empathy for fear of being attacked by "patriotic," America-first Republicans as too soft. And, by the way, let's leave out the "Christian" appeal, please, as there are many of us in this country who are not Christian or even religious, and have tons of empathy nevertheless!
Totally agree that many people who aren't Christian are empathetic. If anything, it's those who call themselves Christian but deride the central teachings of Christianity (which call for compassion, empathy, and how to treat the stranger) that seem to lack empathy. I'm trying to make a distinction between those who call themselves Christian but ignore central teachings of Christianity with those who are truly Christian. I think that the Democratic party needs to counter the narrative on the right that somehow Republicans, including so-called Christian nationalists, are aligned with Christianity. I find their hard line on immigration issues, demonizing and dehumanizing rhetoric about immigrants, anything but Christian.
I have been where you are. We are supposed to honor and welcome strangers in many cultures and religions. In my teens and twenties possibly before when I was much younger, I questioned that some evangelical make the central tenet of such a loving religion a God damning unbelievers to hell forever. So goodbye Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs. Now I think when we're dead we're done. No experience of nothingness. Nothingness but no experience of it.
I don't see how some part of us remains other than in the experience of friends, family and loved ones. I don't think we'll experience any of that, but we can experience it now, when we are alive. The political discussion now looks like how can we beat Trump, how can we resist authoritarianism and fascism if he somehow installs himself with the help of big money donors and devil's advocate journalism and piling on.
Yes! "The endorsements have continued to roll in since Biden led the way" and so has the money!
This morning I was despairing and now feel High!
Up to 46.7 million now.
You are so right. Unlike Trump she researches and learns on the job. She was the Attorney General of California. Maybe she could choose Javier Becerra as her running mate. Two hard working prosecutors against an imbecile and an apologist for wife beaters. Part of the reason old SCIFless lies so much is he never does his homework. He is far below President Biden in his ability to work hard enough to understand anything. Any business acumen he claims comes from fraud and grift. He couldn't be bothered to study his daily briefings on national security.
Thank you for your positivity, Hope!
She is not yet the candidate. At this point I need to know that before I invest any emotional energy, and continue my work to get out the vote. All I can say is what is bad about Trump not what is good about the Democratic candidate. Biden passing the baton does not make her the candidate and according to HCR she still needs to get the majority of delegates that Biden released. https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-21-2024
Not sure I follow your line of reasoning; however, AOC just wholeheartedly endorsed Kamala Harris as of 8:16 pm tonight. "Kamala Harris will be the next President of the United States. I pledge my full support to ensure her victory in November. Now more than ever, it is crucial that our party and country swiftly unite to defeat Donald Trump and the threat to American democracy. Let's go to work."
I have always voted Democratic. I will vote for Harris if she wins the nomination. I voted for her back when she was running for president.
A good point has been made that the timing of what Biden is doing is deliberate and exquisite. The Repubs are locked into a very rigid agenda and candidates, ie Trump and JD Vance, appealing to white, Christian men. They are going to have their work cut out for them to now be running against a very different and unfamiliar landscape. And Joe gets 6 months to do the President's work without anyone accusing him of doing things to get reelected. This may turn out very well with the Repubs on their heels, outfoxed by Biden.
'Outfoxed by Biden'...AGAIN!!
Love it! Outfoxed by Biden.
Biden waited way too long in my opinion. For example, Biden could have announced in the middle of the RNC or [better?] after that Nato meeting.
I’m disappointed and a little more afraid than I was this morning, but our guy willingly backed out. That’s all. He didn’t have to and he might well have won had he stayed in. I think so. But he disagreed and did what he thought best.
So our job is to get behind the democratic candidates, surely Harris, and do everything we can to help assure her election.
Linda - I don't understand your comment that "a lot of Dems will be giving their votes to Republicans in Congress." Why would Kamala Harris as presidential candidate drive voters to Republicans down the ballot? I'll be voting for, and supporting voters in other states to vote for, Democratic Congressional candidates and on down the ballot at the state, local and school board levels.
Swing voters, not Democrats. That is what I meant.
Well, you wrote Dems but I still don't understand why you think swing voters will vote Republican. My fear is that if swing voters don't want to support Kamala Harris, they're more likely to stay home.
I also am not certain that Biden's endorsement automatically places her at the top of the ticket. Anyone know how that works?
take a lesson from LWV, voters may falsely believe they are tossing the dice: (D) in office has plans that take congress to work out, (R) in congress makes a blockaid against the (D) wave of a (D) exec & (D) congress = (D) is blocked by (R). The persons voting like this are hedging their bet.
Regardless, at this time, a vote for (D) is a vote for democracy/procsecutor v (R) is autocratic dictatorship/felon. In congress that would be (D) higher order thinking skills v (R) performative politics
I really wish that people who vote that way come to realize that what they are getting is not hedging their bets but a total blockade of anything getting accomplished. If that's what they want, the last two years are a perfect example of paying members of Congress to do nothing.
Because we have a lot of sexist racist people in the Democratic party.
Get involved with The States Project: https://statesproject.org/
We can do this up and down the ballot.
So on the mark, Linda, as your comments always are. One thing we do know, however, is that Kamala Harris was an ass kicking procecutor and she is up against a convicted felon. She knows how to address him. Forcefully. AOC would be dynamire as the VP, but, well you are one that knows.
I hope Trump is quaking in his shoes with lifts!
He’s not. I doesn’t know any better. That’s our greatest asset and his greatest liability.
Obama was a very good President! His best accomplishment was assembling the team that brought us from the brink of economic collapse under Shrub (Prince George) to the strong economy that tRump tries to take credit for.
I don't think her skin color is as big an obstacle as her sex. This country doesn't like powerful women.
I am assuming you do not have her skin color, but the being Black and female is so different from being Black and male and White and Female. Just a double whammy of discrimination. I assume she can do the job, but Biden is a gifted experienced politician. I would be happier if we were getting her 4 years from now when she had more experience.
This is precisely why we white women have to stand behind Kamala. When she is attacked, and she will be for being a woman, has a husband who’s Jewish, a combo of being black/Asian. We are tired of this bullshit rhetoric! We are practically the only country who has never had a woman leader. We have an amazing chance to make an historic difference so let’s do it! PROSECUTOR v. FELON
Actually Linda, I reached for the observation oft stated, “If not now, when?” Now is our moment to follow the lead of our European colleagues who led the way in recent election.
Her voice is biggest obstacle. Slow Californian drawl...... Rubs people the wrong way. That said, if you compare her cadence 4 years ago to now, it is a lot better. I think she has been taking lessons, [which is a sign of wisdom, not weakness].
Houston, are you serious here...go get checked.
Get the eff outa here.
Civil?
Compared to what I could've said. Yes.
Yeah, don’t kid yourself, Marycat.
Why ?
Linda, I agree with you about being unsure that America being unready for a woman of color as president. Never mind that she is imminently qualified for the position. Hillary Clinton was a well qualified candidate with all her years of experience. She had lots of baggage, and that "vast right wing conspiracy" that she called out years ago swung into action to defeat her. The Russians absolutely helped. On Election night, 2016, when I realized Trump had won, my first thought was "OMG! We really are as racist as country as I thought we were." I am seriously worried, but not about VP Harris's ability to handle the job.
I would mostly agree with you, but my expectations have been raised since Biden has been president and I hope that Harris will carry on his legacy and not that of the party which did not undo Reaganomics, it was Biden that did that. So, we shall see. It is early days.
Linda, don’t let “expectations” stand between you and our collective efforts to double down and win big.
Why would SCOTUS be justified in questioning a Harris win?
When I listened to Kamala debate her the California Attorney General around 2010 when she was running for office, I was blown away. I said to myself she is going to be President one day. I am soooooooo relieved. This ticket is going to be amazing and will bring out young people in droves. Just watch.
This is a political process not a legal process. SCOTUS can’t be the final arbiter. The rules are laid out by the DNC. Primaries are not mentioned in the Constitution. If I were to bring a case, I would only have standing in my district not even my state because I voted for delegates at the district level. So even though we cannot know how SCOTUS will act, this is not a legal or Constitutional issue. And 1968’s democratic convention gives us precedent.
Let AOC explain it to you. She tells us here that the lawsuits are already lined up if the candidate is anyone but Biden. That means that they can claim irregularities, with process. This SCOTUS Is looking for any reason to give it to Trump. https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
So PUTIN HAS WON, AND We the People have lost.
I do understand your concern, Linda, but the work ahead is serious and no one can be discouraging others to give up the fight. It's all hands on deck time.
exactly
You are contributing to voter suppression, and you need to STOP!
She's sharing her viewpoint. You may not agree but it's not voter suppression.
YES! Chill folks. Valid arguments aside, the work ahead is clear and if we give up, it is US who do Putin's work. OK??
Lynn, I am speaking the truth of the moment. I see mostly Millennials pushing older people out to have a candidate who was elected in the primary as the VP, not the President. The party is undemocratic, and if you do not see that too bad. I will of course be voting, as I have done since I was 18, unlike the people who are now supposed to be energized by a change last minute in candidate. The people who are fence sitting, and waffling. The ones who have discounted Harris all along and could not even wait 4 months for Biden to win and her to take over then after they had won together. I am not energized by the level of attacks that I am anticipating. I am depleated. A minority of voices just changed the candidate. The Russian Bots will be keeping more people home than anything I say. Just pointing that out. I will be voting from Germany anyway, as will my daughter. I will be at a loss to explain the change to anyone, because it does not fit the current rules of how elections work. All I know is that we have become the party of chaos and indecision, with no VP candidate a month before the DNC. So, if you believe my complaining about the party is undemocratic, then you do not understand democracy.
Stop being an Eeyore. Stop being everything the MAGA party could ask for. I didn't want Joe to pass the torch. He did. Here's my advice:
The 3 Gs
Give to the best of your ability, be it time, talent, or money.
Get others to help or help others to figure out the voting system or
Get out of the way.
This is too important, there is too much at stake for people to moan about what could have been. It's over. We have an election to win, or it may be the last election we ever get to honestly vote in. Do you really want to be part of a legacy that brings democracy to an end? So when someone from the future asks, "what did you do in 2024, you won't be able to answer with any dignity?
Calm down, Linda. Just calm down.
I watched CNN’s review of Biden’s presidency. He was very effective. However, it was hard not to see his physical and mental decline over the 4 years.
Isn't this a site for civil discussion? I’m not fond of slamming a poster for sharing thoughts, even depressing ones.
Putin has not won YET. I will not give up without a fight.
Let me be clear. I am not saying he has won our election, I am saying he won the disinformation battle #1. So, he gets the point for helping to put the Democratic party in chaos, and to leak and stand against the will of the voters. I remember when the candidate was chosen in back room deals, and now we have returned to that, so that is point #2 for Putin. I voted. My candidate won. My candidate was pushed out in back room deals. Back to 1960s. This is not progress. Those who hate old people are happy about it. Youth and not wisdom is valued. Point #3 for Putin. He is not young, but his years in KGB and Stasi taught him how to exploit people's insecurities. We have shown that we cave. We do not stand behind our candidate, so can he tank Harris too?
You appear to ignore all those who honestly felt Joe Biden was too old and making too many blunders. They now have a candidate they can feel comfortable supporting: Harris. All that has nothing to do with Putin.
Debating Trump should be easy and mopping the floor with him a no brainer. Joe could not, I’m betting Kamala can.
In any case let’s just work against Trump and not each other. United we stand, divided we fall.
We are where we are. There are opportunities in this for us to take. Not least of which is that most of what Trump had to run on is no longer on the table. Now let's get ourselves together and get to work to make sure we have a democratic government and not an autocratic one. UK (against all odds) and France (in a remarkable collaborative multi-party action) rejected autocracy. Now it's our turn.
I don't think AOC has this correct. Yes the GOP will file meaningless lawsuits. But it’s a stretch to say SCOTUS is likely to support. Not impossible, but I wouldnt have it as a major concern.
If you want something different to worry about. Rogue election counters in Arizona, Nevada, etc who refuse to certify in time for valid electors to be marked to the State. So noone gets to 270. So Trump wins. Those rogue electors already have list of specious reasons and local crooked judges to help slow decisions. Now they have another specious reason.
We are still in candidate selection mode. The parties are not governmental entities. They are non-profit organizations who operate under their own organizational rules. They get to decide how candidates are selected and, if necessary, replaced.
Yes exactly. Scotus would be on very thin ice if they tried to go down this road.
I am not sure why AOC was even mentioning the idea. CNN had a good summary of this earlier today.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/21/politics/legal-experts-skeptical-court-challenge-democratic-nominee/index.html
GOP will be on slightly firmer ground if/when they try to stop Biden's money from going to Harris. But that's ok, we can just submit more.
I sent a modest sum to Harris tonight, in fact.
Not yet. It’s really up to us.
And where are you in that pantheon? You seem determined to make people not even try. Why?
KL, I think they have proved they don't need justification.
Please recall rich, property owners started this country. The rich were taxed at 90% as late as the Eisenhower administration. Since then they focus on buying their Senators and House members and, of course, SCOTUS members.
I posted yesterday (somewhere) that I never thought this country would elect a black man(I voted for him twice) and was elated WE did elect him. I hoped Hillary would make it.
Now, the time is right for a strong, ethical, proud woman of Indian and Black background to be our President.
I hope Kamala can handle it. She has been impressive as a senator during investigations. She seems to control the conversations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Xv2kHGD4g
I am mainly a reader, but I watched this. Biden was impressive too, but not after Sulzberger got rid of him. When the press makes the news and determines the political direction I am afraid for our democracy in a different way than I am from my fear for our democracy with Trump. I feel like Trump has affected the Democratic party too much at this point. But, I realize it is just the old party, which is why I vote Green in Europe. Would in the USA too if it were viable. There is nothing about the way this was handled that gives me confidence in the Democratic Party. Still thinking realistically about SCOTUS and the lawsuits that the Republicans are going to get to them about replacing Biden. But, if you believe that Harris can stand up to an unethical SCOTUS we shall see. I just think strategically this was the wrong way to go. People have been assuming that it is the number of votes that counts, but a win where things have not followed the usual procedures gives SCOTUS an opening to say it was stolen. As AOC told us. Mike Johnson has said, they have the lawsuits ready to go? What is SCOTUS says we have to stick with Biden? Where is the energy then? https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
We are still in candidate selection mode. The parties are not governmental entities. They are non-profit organizations who operate under their own organizational rules. They get to decide how candidates are selected and, if necessary, replaced.
How are you going to defend her when she gets attacked? Right now people did not effectively defend Biden, so what makes you think they will defend her? I see a fickle party, and many who did not get their candidate. I do not ever trust polls, so I will not be looking at them. But, I just know that this is a hard sell.
Wow, Linda, I am used to your wise insight, but tonight, it feels like an endless loop of despair. I am almost certain that Joe has a medical issue and that dementia is a component. I don't think fellow Dems ganged up on him. As I have read, the debate was shocking, and Biden's attempts to quell anxieties afterward did not quite do it. Now, he has Covid. So, one way or the other, he is ill. He might have prevailed throughout the election, but I do not think he would have been able for 4 more years. I think he saw his decline and did the right thing.
Put all this talk behind us and focus on a vision and opportunity to look and act upon a future of a better, civil, healthy democracy - policies and actions that support the well-being of all citizens and the global community.
Hope, I have covid right now, and am on the mend. It is not stopping my life. I assume Biden will be going on with his job too. I did not see the debate, nor would I have. The alarm was so uniform that I felt like people were manipulated by Russian bots. I know no one with "dementia" could handle Biden's schedule. I was not worried about him, but I am not worried about Harris either. I was for her in the primary when she first ran for president. I do not trust the press or the courts. Now I am steeling myself for the racist sexist tropes that will be dragged out against Harris. I am sure we are going to see lows we have not seen before because look who is on the Republican ticket.
Linda! It is good to hear from you. Christ! Covid is a wrecking ball in so many ways. I am hoping you will soon fully recover. We need your voice—here and elsewhere. After the extraordinary high of Kamala's ascending, I am starting to worry about her well-being. Politics is too vicious, and now there are added components of misogyny and racism. May people of good will surround her, and may she be the spirit who brings toxic masculinity to its knees. (Sometimes, I allow an occasional conspiracy into my thoughts. I wondered about Russian bots, too, inasmuch as Pres Biden was shockingly debilitated at the debate.) Be well, have courage, be loved, and be happy.
Thanks for the downer, Linda. Just what we don't need. What do YOU think will help preserve American democracy?
Annie, that is what my cousin said to me when I told her her son had a learning disability. She felt it was a downer. I felt we had no time to waste, and honesty is helpful. I am very direct. I don't think the US is a "democracy," I think it is a striving Democracy. It is not democratic for many people, but has made amazing strides from where it has come. Being clear eyed about things helps. Of course the way to hold on it to make sure that Trump does not win, or Kennedy, but I am not so worried about him. I guess you mean hold on to the parts that we have, which would be helped by having a different media support formula. If you ask this seriously, and not sarcastically, it would be a long conversation. There are a lot of things to do differently, but for right now, it would be good to address SCOTUS because they are the biggest obstacle to us having a free and fair election. Supporting AOC in her attempts to impeach Alito and Thomas is a start. We might be asking Biden to have his Justice Department investigate them too. There is a bit of time.
I respect your view and pray you're mistaken.
The Bulwark points out that tRump is now officially the OLDEST EVER candidate for US president. Let's hear it, NYT, WaPo, et al: "He's too old!"
“He’s too damn old!” He must resign ASAP! J D Vance must also resign. The whole damn Republican party must resign is all I have to say.
I might add, "He's too damn demented." (Trump)
I like the words befuddled and random, selfish, uncaring, pompous. He doesn't put in the wjork to really learn anything. One of his son's was so proud that he hadn't bothered to learn the terms (they were relying on for their defense in NY) from an econ accounting class as Trump and the Trump empire was facing civil fraud charges. His kids are not that impressive. Everyone of them does something like what Hunter Biden was accused of, but President Biden hasn't weaponized then justice system against them. It seems likely to me that they may do drugs and own guns at the same time, or using their father's office to cash in biggly.
Both Biden and Trump are unpopular candidates. Voters have been unhappy with their choices. I hope a new Dem candidate will put some enthusiasm in the race.
Not heartbroken, just bloody relieved...Joe's candidacy was wholly unsustainable, now we have an energetic and strong nominee to see us through Election Day,
Pushing a candidate out who won fair and square IS AN UNDEMOCRATIC PROCESS. I no longer believe in the Democratic party as being the party of Democracy. PUTIN HAS WON, as far as I can see.
As a 77 year old white male veteran I think Joe Biden was the best president of my lifetime, hands down. I donated to reelect him the night of the “debate”, after it was over. So many conversations I have had since with committed democrats have left me thinking that this might be time to make a change. Kamala might not have been my first pick, but she was Joe’s, which says a lot to me. The last year or so he has had her deeply engaged in foreign policy issues, no sitting governor has that experience. Like so many things that he did for the good of the country, he prepped her to be his replacement, it was just like him to prep for a backup if needed. In a million years no one would ever say that about the orange turd. Like you I wanted him to succeed in implementing his agenda. I trust that she will follow through with that, after all she has had a front row seat. The one thing she has that can’t be denied is her relative youth, many people of my generation think it’s time to let a younger generation have the reins, I have no problem with that, especially if they understand what is at stake. If I had been sitting at Joe’s side these last 3.5 years I would understand it better, Kamala has and I expect she does. As you know I often like the things you have to say, but in this instance I hope you are wrong. I was a republican for over 40 years, in the John McCain vein, the orange turd put a permanent end to that, so if people like me can be committed to a progressive agenda, then there’s hope for our nation in spite of what we witnessed last week in Milwaukee. We are going to bury the repugnantkin party and send it to the land of the Whigs, anybody heard from them lately. Have courage there are a lot of good people that care deeply about this country, and we are going to fight like hell for its survival.
Dick, are you sure she is the candidate? I am not investing energy in believing in her until I am sure of this. I will however continue to do what I do to try to get the vote out. Jeff Stein raises doubts that just because Joe picked her she is going to be the candidate. So, I will wait to find out. It is early days. Here are the talking points on Harris that I also have had prior to this announcement. I voted for her in the primary in 2020. But I was not expecting Biden to turn the economy around for the first time since Reagan. No one else has done that and I am worried she is too party establishment.
https://open.substack.com/pub/spytalk/p/bidens-out-full-steam-ahead?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
https://youtu.be/DJeltMiTZXo?si=hOckpiRbQJACwsLJ
Linda, It’s wise to go into the campaign carefully and wisely. But if and when she becomes the candidate I hope you’ll wholeheartedly embrace her. The alternative (Trump) is just too awful to consider.
Funny, but when Joe got the nomination over Harris, I thought the same thing about him. He hasn't been perfect, but he has been damn good! Joe made me become a Biden supporter.
If he is backing her I am backing her. Time to unite and win.
I'm a 69 year old white male from the south, living in a small town in a very rural community. I drive by a half dozen each of Trump and Confederate flags just to get groceries.
The only way Putin wins is by Harris losing. Our first fight is see that she is the nominee. I certainly don't want Manchin!
Keep our collective eyes on the prize. A blue tsunami, then fix SCOTUS.
Trump needs to answer for his crimes.
I think fixing SCOTUS should be in the works now. 4 appointees could even the score. Or help AOC in impeaching Alito and Thomas now.
No Linda, Putin has the heart and soul of Trump & Vance (JD, of course) but thou doth protest too much. It has nothing to do with an undemocratic process. Biden chose to step down and he wanted Harris to be his heir apparent. Who are you to throw shade on his wishes? We understand your point, most likely do not agree with it, some might. The Democratic party is a big tent party that airs its laundry publicly, but eventually we must be adults and do as Biden did and pony up for democracy even when it hurts.
Biden is his own person and he made the decision to withdraw after serious consideration and many prayers, I'm sure. It was ultimately a political decision, based on seeing which ways the wind was blowing. I'm going to miss him sorely but, hey, I grew up with presidential candidates being chosen behind closed doors during the primary. This is nothing new, not the end of the world. We'll get through it. Time to pull together.
BTW, Putin hasn't won anything (not even the war in Ukraine).
If he resigns now he can make Trump and Vance face the first woman president, empowered with all of the advantages of incumbency to defeat any challengers and crush old SCIFless and his defender of a national ban on abortion and other loopy shit like excusing male violence in marriage.
She will have more power if she is chosen by the people and not considered a given, IMHO
She was chosen by the guy that was chosen to make the tough decisions. Biden made the choice, correctly, if someone wants to go against her they still can...if they believe in kamikaze missions. this was the smart choice and I commend Biden for making the tough choice when the numbers went against him so strongly, whatever the reason. He was not up for campaigning AND running the country. There is too much at stake for playing baby ca-ca games and Biden is sharp enough to realize it. His legacy is safe. Now it is up to get the vote out and save democracy.
I'm skeptical of the motives of people who take your view but think, okay we've cleared out Biden now let's remove Harris. Plus even if she becomes president they can hold a very short primary of delegates that doesn't include the votes of millions of actual primary voters IMNAHO In my not always humble opinion.
Linda, You give up way too easily. There are endless examples of times when the impossible happened. But in this case the possible can happen just as soon as we join together and make it happen.
United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
He is SICK! He has COVID. He was exhausted at the debate. He is MORE exhausted now. No one “pushed” Joe Biden out.
You are an older people hater. So, the candidate cannot get sick? That is some twisted logic. Every campaigner is tired. What defeated him is that he did the best job being president and from the beginning people did not appreciate it and now have turned on him. Just waiting for this fickle party to turn on Harris, or whomever the candidate ends up being. I consider the party and the people that supported this behavior the problem, not the candidate. If you do not understand that Biden was pushed out, I do not see how you understand anything.
Now you’re getting personal with other’s beliefs. Careful ….
Joe had every right to stay in and HE chose not to. It was up to Joe and he has spoken. Time to move on and do what needs to be done: Defeat Trump.
Joe Biden is his own person.
Linda, Joe Biden stayed on the national scene longer than he should have. You are being irrational in your emotional opinions. I don’t disagree that it takes a democrat to muck up. I was thinking of returning to Italy after having lived there in the 1970s. I’m not about to live under a Trump administration. Joe had a good 4 years and he might have done well for another 4. But he wasn’t looking good physically and mentally.
STOP with your voter suppression! I think you're a troll and need to be ignored.
She is not. She is justifiably angry. Just because you do not agree with her does not mean she is a troll.
Ally, I am just tired of the same undermining argument over and over. She can disagree, but at this point she is simply haranging us, not expressing a thoughtful opinion. We know her argument. But we are where we are, and it's time to get to work. And as a number of people have pointed out, this is not a SCOTUS issue. We are still in candidate selection mode. The parties are not governmental entities. They are non-profit organizations who operate under their own organizational rules. They get to decide how candidates are selected and, if necessary, replaced.
Annie, believe me, I understand. There is a difference, at least in my mind, between a troll (someone fishing for reactions) and a commentator who irritates you for what could be a variety of reasons.
I’ve had that experience on another Substack page, and chose disengagement (for the most part) unless I agreed with them. I think it is working pretty well for both of us.
I agree.
Well boo hoo hoo. Defeat Trump. That's job one through 1,000.
I am sorry for your line of thinking, Linda. I feel hope and change for the first time this year. I balled tears of joy and relief at the news. I hope for you that you overcome these thoughts.
Well Dana, obviously your feelings trump mine. I get to watch a racist frenzy on Harris that we have not yet seen because the press has ignored her to push Putin's talking points vis-a-vis DT. I am not White and do not feel your hope. It is not just that ugly press will get out, about her. Here is a beginning of what the Republicans can attack her on. https://popular.info/p/a-guide-to-the-coming-attacks-on
I see the American population who has turned on Biden as being on too much social media, not knowing any history outside the USA, and being easily manipulated by narratives that I can attribute as much to Putin as to Trump. I can see Trump getting talking points from Putin. What did Orban bring to him? So, if the Democratic party now claims Trump is too old, instead of too fascist, Trump has JD Vance as his back up. If they claim he is too fascist he will hide it. I can tell by talking to people that most youth don't know anything about either candidate. Are we going to be running Kamala ads on Tiktok now? Then, if she is the candidate, which she is not yet, and if she wins the election, the Republicans are already poised to claim voting fraud to SCOTUS, which is just looking for any irregularity to say, the vote was tainted, Trump wins. So, no, I don't feel hope because my party is fickle.
It's going to be a ham sandwich vs Orange Hitler. Does that clear things up for you?
You digging on the fascist vibe over whatever hurt feelings? Grow up and defeat the fascists.
Talk about "undemocratic", the Dem prez "primary" had the fix in from the kickoff...Joe Biden vs....Dean Phillips? Dean bloody Phillips? A "democratic process" that shut down totally every "new generation" potential candidate, as in "Your time will come, just not in 2024". Oh, OK..."ridin' with Biden, is it? Ridin' to a landslide loss, that's where it was heading until Joe Biden did the right, selfless, and , yes, patriotic thing,
So, get over it, embrace the change, and we work for the new ticket, right?
No. This is not a win for Putin.
We should all be heartbroken for President Biden. So sad to be dismissed like the high school football coach as too old. It should have been on Biden’s terms only.
Joe decided. Joe has spoken. I'm following his instructions to continue his legacy by standing with him in his choice of Kamala Harris for POTUS.
Let's honor his decision by getting this job done!
I am not just heartbroken, I view his ousting as more sinister. We know that big money donors were pushing democrats that they fund to speak to Biden, and withholding funds for the party. So, now we hear about Reid Hoffmann ordering Harris to fire one of the best appointments Biden made in Lena Khan. She is truly making a difference.
https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/billionaire-orders-kamala-harris
https://www.levernews.com/dems-billionaire-tech-donor-presses-harris-to-fire-antitrust-regulator/
Sil Val Tech Bros stick together whether they back Dems or Repubs and a lot of them back both. It sickens me, but of course Biden took on the super wealthy and they are fighting back tooth and nail. NYT Oligarch tanks Biden in his reporting to punish him for not kowtowing to his demands, and pushing Biden aside they are hoping Harris will be more amenable already having seen how they can push people out. So, can the people make up the difference? Biden has been the best president of my lifetime and the first one to really take on Reaganomics. Focusing on the bottom and the middle has angered them and it is going to get ugly. The Rich have the money to spend. So, Biden did leave on his terms in that he set things up to happen when they did, with everyone pledged to back Harris. Biden is loyal the people who pushed him out are not.
Let’s get this done. Kamala Harris will be the next president of the United States. Long live Kamala Harris.
Let's hope we get someone better.
Folks, let us all of us separate Joe Biden, the very successful *president*, from Joe Biden, the poorly perceived and less than dynamic *candidate* for reëlection. Nobody is gainsaying what he brought to the presidency, perhaps the most successful Dem prez since FDR, but do NOT transpose this to candidate Biden, who was demonstrably flailing on several fronts.
Bowing out was a purely rational political decision, and that action alone cements his legacy...but we were on to a hiding come Election Day. Now, there is a chance to reverse the momentum, and vigourously go on the attack against a truly aging, felonious, fraudulent, and misogynistic rapist just ripe for a takedown. We can do this, a Harris team can do this, so let's go to war pronto!
Meant understated, hate autocorrect
I call it autotypo.
Autotypo should become a new word, it's certainly descriptive.
Good one! 😹
Lol
I have always been calling it an AutoIncorrect. I may adopt your autotypo instead.
I agree. And she has gotten better and better. And I too am also sad. But now hopeful too.
I think she has a great playbook for every democrat.
Still stunned, but I want to make history with a woman as President and defeat Project 2025.
Yes on both counts. My hope is for Harris to win the nomination & defeating Project 2025 will be a win for all. Project 2025 will destroy our country.
Is it okay if I still say “I’m with her” ?
YES
Of course.
Oh, love it! I want a T-shirt with Kamala and those words, and the "Let's finish this job" on the back.
Nothing is more demonstrative of the patriotism and devotion to this country than Biden’s decision to put his country and the viability of other down-ballot democrats above his personal desire to , as he would say, finish the job. He has been an outstanding President and an equally outstanding decent, honorable man.
Trump is saying he took a bullet for democracy.
Biden did.
Courage, principle, love of America, self-sacrifice.
Things Trump knows nothing about.
If the psychopath had been hit by an AR round his ear would have been exploded. Ask a medic or a vet.
Did you know that was not a bullet, but a piece of a teleprompter that had been hit by a bullet?
Others nearby were hit with “debris”. His ear didn’t even need stitches.
I’m still suspicious about the whole episode. I’ve wondered whether an assault rifle would inflict a sort of graze wound like that. WaPost did a gruesome but excellent video on the damage an AR does. Suspicious we never heard from doc who treated him. I know Trump is kind of private about medical things, but when did a doc who treated a pres in an emergency not appear to inform/reassure the public? Statements from hospital seemed a little “off”.
I may have missed something-did anyone definitive say it was teleprompter or other debris.
Not very private about this one. He's posted at least two "truths" implying it was a bullet, but NBC news reported it was part of the teleprompter that was hit by one of the shots. They also reported it was an AK round, much lower velocity but still would have caused much more damage.
Did you hear now we have heard from Ronny Jackson, said to have provided follow-up care @ Bedminster. Does he still have his medical license?
😀😀😀
Thanks. Of course, i don’t believe anything Trump says. I’d like to hear a nexperienced ER describe the wound.
Amen to that!
He will be remembered by historians and Americans alike as one of the greatest presidents in modern history
I was so sad for Joe when I heard the news, but the fight must go on, especially with Kamala Harris. A woman, elected President is a heck of a response to the overturning of Roe.
I have 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters, I have no problem with a female president, as long as she’s smart and cares about the country. 🙏
I hope President Obama endorses Harris soon.
Given that he put his shoulder into the effort to remove Joe Biden, Obama could do no less than give a hearty and vigourous endorsement of VP Harris...he can't do anything else BUT implant his imprimatur on her candidacy.
how do you know who pushed Biden out? I am so pissed.... that they ignored the primary voters and some elite group of democrats appointed themselves the king's council and pushed our choice out.
Biden is the greatest one-term president in the country’s history. But despite his record, he is not the same person he was in 2020. Time is cruel. He still has the wisdom to be president, but he does not have the stamina for a presidential campaign. I’m sure it was hard for him to accept, but he decided that for the good of the country that he needed to step aside and did. Which further cements his legacy as a great American president.
💯
Joe decided. Time to unite and win.
Trump must be defeated a second time.
Trump's legacy will be twice defeated, twice impeached, over 80 times indicted, 34 times convicted, and most decisive president in US history.
We have to stand together to make it happen.
Make Biden proud. Make Kamala POTUS!
I hope no one pushed President Biden out. It had to be his decision.
Wealthy Dem donors did not want Biden. They put the pressure on Dems up for re-election to speak out against Biden. The media jumped on. It was a hit job, and under pressure, he stepped aside. He would never have done this without the chorus of Dem voices. So technically it was his decision but he was pushed out.
I'm the most pissed off that I have ever been over a President who is resigning against his will.
He didn’t resign; he’s still president. He made the decision not to seek re-election.
Disappointed that he hasn’t already done so.
I think he wants to honor President Biden first, and will probably endorse Kamala in the near future. Today should be about making Joe Biden know how much we love and encourage him, and then we can get behind Kamala with enthusiasm.
Well said.
I think he and Pelosi don't want to be perceived as determining who the nominee is.
What is your source that Obama pushed Biden out?
Google "Obama Joe Biden candidacy"...a boatload to choose from.
I have been on a news break for 2 weeks because of the 192 NY times articles demanding Biden to step down were creating unhealthy levels of anger and I needed a break. I thought the news cycle would spin back to normal for August. but no. thanks. I will volunteer and donate, but can't participate in news for now.
I did. Not a thing there but innuendo and “sources”.
All heresay. I’ve heard that Obama urged him to stay in . . .
"...I've heard..."
Umm, hearsay, right?
Obama was very ineffective as a president. He can fund raise. But I have no respect for him because he back stabbed Joe Biden without whom he would not have become president. His endorsement means nothing to me. Putin has won! Less than half a year ago I voted for Biden, he won, and now my vote doesn't count. How much do I trust this party. Glad I am a dual citizen. I have somewhere to vote where the rules are followed. PUTIN HAS WON! I just cannot wait to see the press frenzy on her. The press that has ignored her because they are so sexist and racist. It sickens me what is to come. As a woman who shares her skin color, it is going to be open field on the racists, a large portion of whom are in the mainstream press.
Obama helped us avoid Great Depression II. That wasn’t nothing.
Obama had a secretary of Education whom he used to play basketball with, who was totally unqualified to be in that role. As my husband put it, "Did Duncan do a good job with Chicago Public Schools?" He was being facetious. Arne Duncan was nice, but he sold our schools to Venture Capitalists and increased charter schools. Obama continued Bushes horrific "No Child Left Behind." Which was not helpful. In fact, much more in line with what Trump has planned than what Biden has tried to do. One big problem with Americans is that they change politicians too often, and so no one does long term planning. What will happen to the plans that were started? We can hope 8 more years, instead of 12, but we may get none.
Yikes, this is how it is. Please vote blue
I am voting Blue, but not a vote I believe will count for what I was voting for in March.
That's one problem with holding primaries so early. Too early. One of our problems is an unrealistically long election season, because of too many states wanting to have the first primary moving further and further back. March is ridiculous.
There are so many things wrong with our electoral system, but I'll agree that the primaries are too early. So now what? What if SCOTUS does not let this stand? https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
Well be sure not to wait to hear Kamala's first campaign speech, or her VP pick, or anything that might penetrate your all ready made up mind!
TROLL! No one has won.
Not a troll. A very upset voter. Linda has been around various Substacks for a long time.
When all the people were against Biden based on inuendo and not having the bandwidth to stand behind him did you say TROLL to them? NO YOU DID NOT! When people attacked the winning candidate after one bad speech, which we know was set up by fascist propaganda did you say TROLL to those people? NO! Because you were probably one of them. You got your way, but I will just be back to say what I have to in the end. I assume you are White Lynn. You have no idea what it is like to be Black in the USA, but I do. So, what do you know? Nothing. What books have you read on fascism of late? Do you watch MSNBC for your news? I am sorry, but what I am reading in books, leads me to believe that we have fallen for Fascist tactics 101. Do you know that the majority of nay sayers were not Russian Bots? If so, please explain that to me.
Wow, you've made many assumptions about me. I think you need to take some deep breaths and take a break from social media. Your anger is distorting whatever it is you're trying to say.
Lynn, I can say the same of you. If you were a Black woman I assume you would be claiming it. I am assuming not unless you correct me. So, you don't walk in my skin and do not have my experiences. I listened to people for weeks tanking my candidate but I did not see you telling them to take a step back. So, I am a Black woman, and if you cannot support my different point of view, how are you going to support Harris when the going gets rough? Tell me you were one of the people who did not want Biden to step down and I stand corrected. If you were, and now got your way, not at the ballot box, but by intimidation, and being the squeaky wheel, then maybe you need to take a break. I have been voting since 1977 and never missed an election, so how many elections have you been in. Black women's anger is something White people hate. Well, deal with it Lynn! I do not live for you, and you will not tell me what to do. I am expressing righteous upset, and if you do not understand it because you lack the life experiences to, so be it. But, as you tell me TO SHUT UP I will ignore you.
This is the sort of infighting that the GOP is hoping for. Undisciplined pouting over the “treatment” of Bernie Sanders probably cost the party winning the presidency in 2016. Buck up and get behind Kamala.
No. I don’t always agree with Linda but she is not a troll. I stomped around the house yelling F for awhile. Got my rage house cleaning done.
Linda is not a troll, I think she’s living in Germany where she is seeing up close putin’s savagery, we have an ocean separating us not that that means much to ballistic weapons. Poland and the Baltics are next if he’s not stopped in Ukraine, you can count on it, and the Germans know it. While I don’t agree with her, I get her concern.
Please don't name call. We all have our opinions and they are just opinions.
She said Putin won. According to ECM and others, that's voter suppression.
Not a troll, and she is allowed to state her opinion and express her feelings just like any other real person here. She has been around a long time and she's understandably disappointed and upset. Name-calling is disrespectful and accomplishes nothing.
As true for others as it is for Linda.
She’s playing the race card and that’s not wise. Many blacks and browns are here too that may not agree with her.
My brother married a black and my mother taught migrant workers in the basement of our public school in upstate NY. I’ve voted in a good many more elections than Linda. She needs to be a good bit less righteous and respect others more.
We have an existential crisis to deal with. Better we face up to it and not cry in our soup. Time to move on and get the job done.
Now I'm starting to think that you are a troll "who shares her skin color", and nothing more. Putin has not won.
I think I have shared a lot more than you Fran Bowman. Also, this is not how Trolls work. But, think what you want. I have a point of view that is unpleasant. Let us see if the Supreme Court allows this switch to stand, after the Republicans file the briefs that AOC told us they have. We can all endorse and work for the candidate whomever it may be, but SCOTUS was just given fodder that the people who are not thinking this through complexly gave them. Listen to AOC, or is she a troll too.https://youtu.be/hKOYyEjLCHI?si=GKtDwdChz7oAx1I9
The lawsuits are lined up if the candidate is anyone but Biden. But, clearly you trust this court. I don't. I have been watching them be given fodder to claim that the election is unfair.
I do listen to AOC. She has endorsed Harris.
Wait! You can vote in two countries?
Many American citizens live and/or work in other countries. They are allowed to vote in US Federal elections. There are special procedures for that. I have a number of friends who actively work to get out the vote amongst Americans overseas for various reasons.
But are they citizens of foreign countries who vote there AND here?
No, they do not vote here and there. As I clearly stated, they are American citizens who live abroad, and vote as absentee voters. These folks include members of our military, members of our diplomatic corps, people who work overseas in various capacities but are American citizens, and of course, retirees, and people who travel extensively. They are entitled to vote in US federal elections (and in local if they maintain a legal residence in the states).
Where are you also a citizen? Just curious. I see, Germany where the nationalists are in2nd place. Watch your back.
I thought all the living past-pres's including shouldabeen Hillary already did almost immediately.
I have not seen an Obama endorsement yet.
Obama endorsed her. It’s out there.
You guys are right. Possibly wanting to give a tiny bit of space for Joe.
have not
The Clintons already have!
Just look at what has happened politically. We went from having a president who did not follow the party line, and instead upended 40+ years of Reagan rules. None of these people who are endorsing him now did that, and so I do not care about what Clinton has to say. I see the establishment as having won here. Obama carried on Bush's horrid neocon education policies, turning our schools over to venture capitalists as charter schools where learning was not as important as creating little investors. Clinton made even more people poor, although he did address the debt. I see capitalism having won, not the people. I guess all of the people who threw their weight around and overruled the majority of Democrats are jumping for joy. Ema, I assume you are one of these people. I will vote for Harris, but I do not feel I am supporting Democracy, just another party that tries to cheat and intimidate itself to a win. Biden could have stayed in with Harris as VP, and once the dust settled and he got going, he could have resigned then and passed the baton to her. I am not energized by this news, and I imagine a lot of people who have put aside much of their time to work for Biden-Harris, not Harris-who knows who, are either.
I voted for Biden in the primary, too. And, am saddened at today's news. However, Biden is a very savvy politician. If he stayed in the race and won, then dropped out, yes, Harris would become president but...the NEXT in line, unless we win the House, would be Speaker, currently a Republican. If, heaven forbid, something happened and Harris had to drop out, we would lose the Executive branch and possibly the legislative branch. Keeping the Executive branch is key. If done properly, it can then swing the Judicial branch in the Dems favor (increasing the number on the bench, replacing a few who retire or are forced to retire). If Harris runs as Pres, we will still have a Dem VP, her running mate, which is an extra safety net, again assuming we do not take back the House. I see Biden's move as a very strategic one meant to keep Dems running things.
You assume I'M one of the people who "threw their weight around and overruled the Majority"? You couldn't be any more incorrect. For the past 3 1/2 weeks, I have been shouting at the backstabbers who are putting $ over voters. I am pissed and sobbed my heart out when I heard the news. I had called, emailed, or left a comment on Twitter against those backstabbers. I called every single Democrat's office and, while I mostly had to leave voicemails, I told them they were NOT going to nullify 14M votes. Shame on you, Linda - you're judging the wrong person because I'm on the side of democracy, don't have enough $ to throw any weight around and have volunteered for POTUS and other candidates for the past 12 years. Take your misplaced anger elsewhere lady.
Joe Manchin strikes again. Democrat, then Independent, and now???? Democrat again?
Manchin is simply a waste of political space.
He’s barely a year younger than Trump and he hasn’t been a Dem for years as far as his voting record so he needs to go back to WV and get out of politics.
He's waiting until the convention to make it as powerful and inspiring as possible. That's a good thing!
I've loved Joe since forever. He has been one of the greatest statesman in our history. For my part I am sending the DNC $500. And after that $100 to Sherrod Brown, and John Tester, and Ruben. Folks money means winning. Now who is the old guy who is not physically or emotionally qualified to be even near the Oval.
Yeah, now the media should give the attention to Trump's gaffs as they did to Biden's.
Amen to that.
As a Montanan, I thank you for donating to Jon Tester. He is the ONLY blue state level elected politician in our ruby red, supermajority magat government. Another good candidate is Collin Allred who has an excellent chance of beating smarmy Texan teddy cruz.
Agree… I’m in Texas and Ted Cruz needs to be put out to pasture…. I love Colin Allred!
Wouldn't that be the greatest. Cruz loses
I give monthly to both Tester and Allred. And I am a Californian. Just gave to Kamala, too. As a retiree, I can't give big sums, but looks like $50 MILLION was donated to Kamala yesterday from small donors. GOOD!
I am sad that so much money needs to be given in these races, and we need to change the way elections are run and get $ out of it, but until then we must be practical and give what we can to save this beloved Republic.
You are so welcome. My situation is very similar OK. Not only red but one with the lowest intelligent rate. Thank you I also like Allred.
Everyone but schiff. He make it a spectacle - also I wanted Katie to win.
Let's go girl!!!
Just sent a donation to Harris/? campaign, currently still listing Biden as candidate and signed up to start working phone banks. I’m with Kamala!
Me too. Started a monthly donation
Me too!
The narrative and trajectory has been changed. Let’s get on with securing victory and changing history. Let’s stand with Kamala.
Until the convention concludes we need to have all Democrats run and advocate policy not personality. We cannot leave a vacuum for Trump to fill.
Almost Everyone who has been suggested is supporting Harris. They understand the need for unity to beat Trump
Tennessee and Florida delegates now committed to Harris.
https://danielsolomon.substack.com/p/thanks-joe-now-lets-go?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=742145&post_id=146857019&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=false&r=zc69i&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
Indeed, wrosing. It must be straight up , by the books. As it will be.
The likes of Trump will always find some dark and slimy crevice.
We need and live by the sanitation of daylight, truth, and the consent of the people.
There doesn’t seem to be a vacuum! Deligates are coming in hard and fast to support Harris! Most men suggested as candidates immediatly said they backed Harris!
Saddened to see President Biden step back. Excited to help elect Kamala Harris!
Joe Biden is a great man, concerned for his country, devoted to his family. People who do not recognize that are missing out.
If Democrats are smart (despite some evidence to the contrary), they will unite behind Harris without any drama.
If there are challengers, a ranked choice voting ballot would be appropriate.
They can have a nice dignified debate on VP.
The presidential candidate picks the VP
Funny how it was okay for Haley to release her delegates in favor of voting for the traitor. Republicans are running scared. Maga Mike, the worst Speaker ever, is trying to interfere by claiming that the President needs to resign since he’s not qualified to run for reelection. The traitor is refusing to debate Kamala, vance said he wouldn’t debate her when she was running for reelection as VP. They’re cowards, afraid to debate a strong woman. It shows their misogyny.
Frankly it speaks volumes about the people of Louisiana that they have Mike Johnson and John Kennedy representing them.
Prosecutor Harris will mop the floor with the convicted felon at the debate.
Thanks for writing this, Joyce.
Joe Biden is the most consequential president of my lifetime, and I’m sad and dismayed by what the media and his own party have done. But Joe, being Joe, stepped down with grace, and as always, did what he felt was best for the country he and we love.
Kamala Harris has my support. It’s about time we have a woman president. I believe she will be a strong president and advocate for our democracy.
I agree but the jump to a WOC as POTUS is not as simple as might be believed. EVERY racist and misogynist will forcibly act against Kamala. I hope her SS detail is not as incompetent as the psychopath's.
I never for a moment believed it was simple. You really think MAGA would accept a woman of color as President and a Jewish First Gentleman? I wish I didn’t think that—I wish we humans no longer saw differences due to color of skin or religion.
I am heartsick that Biden has been forced out.
Truly ashamed of the dems.
same. truly ashamed of some elite group of Dems overruling primary voters choice! you should be mad. "they ignored us" and decided to act like kings.
Biden’s decision.
The kingmakers are on the Supreme Court and Trump (with the help of the Heritage Foundation) put them there.
Shame to the contrary not withstanding, you must now put that aside and support Kamala Harris. Never forget that 78,000 Democrats in WI, MI, and PA who voted for Obama but not Clinton effectively elected Donald Trump. (IMO Biden was not forced out but merely had to face the fact he was in an impossible situation, i.e. stumbles that were formerly unimportant have now become international news. Also, never forget he wanted the debate and blew it.
Did you miss the debate?
A debate is nothing - only 90 minutes - this one of watching someone lie!
There have been many instances of a lousy debate - which did not affect an election.
Perhaps without the constant yap of the media? It might not have ended this way. But Kamala Harris is qualified and ready.
The debate was everything. It wasn’t just a poor performance it was a disaster. I love Joe but he came off as a zombie that didn’t know what he was doing. How do you convince voters that the leader of the free world can deal with Russia and China looking like he did. It’s very unfortunate but age caught up with him. We need someone vibrant and alert to beat Donald Trump and Joe didn’t demonstrate that he was that.
Biden has been alert and vibrant in many settings before and after the debate.
And if he were to slip into zombieland (yes, even for just 90 minutes) just weeks or days before the election then where would that leave us? It’s a moot point now but I’m glad that he made the decision that he did. I wish that he would have made this move right after the debate. It’s not that I don’t like him or think that he’s been a bad president, quite the contrary but I do believe it’s easier to move forward now full steam ahead.
It’s funny how different people watched the debate and came away with different takes. I watched the whole painful event and thought that Biden actually answered questions and did do with truthful facts. Trump only spewed torrents of lies. To me, Biden won and I’m pissed at the chorus of pundits pushing the president out of contention. Oh, I’ll vote for Harris or any Democratic candidate nominated, but in my opinion, the best person was shouted out by folk who only look at shallow appearances. Oh, I’ll vote for a blue sock puppet before I vote for anyone from the party of MAGA. (The Sockapellas’ song from Pitch Perfect is an appropriate anti MAGA song, but I digress .) However, I worry that the Dems just screwed the country.)
No. And Trump was insane.
He still is insane
And miss the polls for the last year?
He has COVID. I think if he had never gotten ill, he may have stayed in the race. He was exhausted at the debate. I think he was getting worn down then with his bad cold.
Yes, so am I