That was humiliating and demoralizing on every level.
Easy choice would be Whitmer, hence why she won't be picked, even if Biden somehow drops out.
Gretchen Whitmer would be an amazing, bold, forward-thinking choice. And I agree, it's too much of a winning strategy for it to happen.
If not Bernie, is there any Democrat who would have a chance v Trump? Bernie could pull some of the pro-Palestine voters as well since he would have a better standing with them.
I love Bernie. I canvassed for him and made phone calls. His ship has sailed, I believe. You have to counter the whole age narrative. Also, the Palestinian support is overstated. There are far more Democrats who side with Israel than with the Palestinians.
Very weird. Biden has played completely into the main republican narrative. It's like he put in zero effort whatsoever to try and sound slightly energetic, almost like he went the other way. It was announced beforehand he has a cold, but still.
Any objective view would still put his performance as better than Trump's, because Trump is throwing insane lies with every other word. That's par for the course for Trump though and its already established it doesn't really effect him. Whereas all initial media reactions, even the pro-dem ones, appear to be focusing on Biden's performance.
It'll take a few days for the fact check type reporting to take prominence, but first impressions... damage done.
At least this is an unusually early debate, he can only improve in the later ones when its crunch time.
Maybe there's someone behind the scenes who realized the only way to turn this aircraft carrier away from hitting the rocks in time is to stage an early debate and let the world see that Biden is unfit. Job done?
Biden isn't fit anymore. However, Trump never ever was fit to be president and never will be.
This. The media has abetted Trump for the last 8 years by editing his comments and interpreting his stream of consciousness freestyle poetry. It's utterly bizarre that Trump with his history of lies, divorces, cheating scandals, bankruptcies, criminal convictions, criminal business dealings, overt racism, casual racism, sexism, cruel, demeaning, bullying behavior is still a candidate. I thought we were simply in a post-information age, but I think we're now in a post-reality age.
It'd be super interesting to see how it would go. There would be two problems with it. First, the narrative of not selecting Harris would be a challenge. Logically Biden's VP would make most sense, but she isn't really popular. Second, it could be seen as undemocratic, because there is no time for a new primary process. Technically Dean Phillips is second in the ongoing primary process (after "Uncommitted"), but no way in hell he's going to beat Trump.
The DNC would have to step in and select Gavin Newsom, in my opinion, to maximize their chances of winning. But I have no idea what kind of power they have to do that, or what process would be needed.
I don't think Harris is a problem, or at least getting her to accept reality won't be a problem. She knows she's not popular. Her only chance of attaining the Presidency would be Joe dying on the job. She was symbolic, and I'm glad that the Dems put a woman of color on the ticket. But she has zero support.
What chance the democrats break glass and bring in Hillary Clinton?
For the lols it would be tremendous. Hopefully she's not considering this option. Whatever is one step past the nuclear option is called, this would be it.
A bit too late for that, even if they bring anyone new the momentum would be insurmountable
It's not. If Joe died before the nomination is made and officially accepted, they would have to do this regardless.
Its hard to hear or understand what's Biden saying most of that debate.
Problem is Trump's lies and not answering any questions got lost in Biden's awful debate and the fact he should be in some park playing chess instead of running for president.
For instance Trump said he'd stop the war in Ukraine but of course he didnt explain how exactly.
Probably by agreeing a 'peace deal' with Putin which would mean Putin keepng occupied territories.
Biden's stutter was massive last night. It was painful watching him struggle. I agree, Trump would stop the war by pulling out of NATO and letting Putin retake Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania...
What is the better outcome for the American people? And of course the rest of the world?
Biden and his age related issues
or the maniac that is Trump?
I can’t say anything positive about Trump, so I can’t help but lean towards a deteriorating Biden with hopefully a capable team around him over that Loon that is Trump
I'd take a dead Biden over a living Trump.
I don't mean to come off harshly, but anyone should be able to see that a Dem POTUS is always better than a Republican - especially after the extreme radicalization of the GOP. It's not even a dilemma, for anyone who is not part of the Far Right.
Biden's old as feck and should ideally stand down, but at least he's got competent and qualified people around him. If Trump gets back in you can be certain that he's going to bring more extreme and less qualified people than he did in his first term. Just look at the some of Trump's former staff, who although politically not aligned with most of us, were competent people that have been heavily critical and been warning against another Trump term.
At the end of the day, the President is a focal point and a figurehead, but not a ruler. It's always about more than the standard bearer. But in this case, the Dem standard bearer is going to sap enthusiasm and energy. People want to bandwagon, they want to be part of a winning team. The independents are all that are in play, and if someone really at this stage doesn't know which of the two they support, there is something fundamentally wrong with them.
Surely the Dems won't just stick here and do nothing. Biden can't go on. Imagine another 4 years what he will be like.
Newsom is the best option. Just get him in and hope for the best. Kamala becomes Gov of Cali
I've got a call into him now. Stay tuned.
Debates are never this early, are they?
Maybe team Biden wanted to get it out of the way early, and hope it fades from memory of most people.
Someone will write a book about their saving democracy by goading Biden into this debate and the world watching his death live on air. The saddest thing is this debate was never going to be about substance, it was always going to be blustering and bravado. That the Dem camp thinks - at this late date - that the undecided public cares about stats and percentages and policy, is utterly absurd. This was a time for talk of unity and what makes us great is our diversity of beliefs and opinions, and to really highlight how Trump's whole brand is division and bullying. Nope.
Ezra Klein published a piece back in February that said the DNC should do an actual vote at the delegates conference in August - let members pick the next candidate. At the time I thought it was wishful thinking, but hopefully last night secured it as the only option.
Literally everyone could have seen this coming, except those that matter. Have to hope Jill does the right thing I guess.
A week is a long time in politics. A few months is plenty to on board a new candidate. Plus it gets rid of the only GOP talking point: Joe is bad.
If it's candidate Whitmer, I think we may finally get over the Hunter laptop, for example.
Anyway, SURELY the DNC will now act. Surely. Right? No one? .
I read that piece too. I agree, it should happen/has to happen.
I wonder why they went with her as the VP last time. Surely there were better candidates who could be VP than her.
She was part of the also-rans who had national name recognition and she ticked all the boxes except the box marked "likable". She's actually a very smart person, but she has terrible people skills and her offices have always been hostile work environments. I'd take her in a heartbeat over Trump, but if we throw this thing open, she has to step aside.
Republicans can just run clips of Biden from it in all their ads until the election. And I'm sure they will.
Good point. The only way to counter that avalanche is to remove Biden from the equation. There's no other option. Biden proved he can't do it last night.
On a completely unrelated topic, does anyone with EU citizenship want to sponsor an American family? Asking for a friend.