How did Democrats let this happen?
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
HOW DID DEMOCRATS LET THIS HAPPEN? How long did it take Democrats to panic after President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump walked onstage for their debate in Atlanta? One minute? Two? Three max? Whatever the exact time, it was quick. Biden's weak, raspy voice, his stiffness, slow uptakes, and weird, vacant expression confirmed in a few awful seconds what Democrats had denied for the last three years: that there is no way the 81-year-old president is physically or mentally fit to serve for four more years.
But you knew that, didn't you? Was there anything in Biden's demeanor on Thursday night that would have surprised anyone who watched his performance in dozens of public events? Of course he is not up to being president until he is 86 years old. He's not up to being president right now. The question is, why didn't everybody already know that?
Groupthink spread through the commentariat like a prairie fire. Democratic-leaning reporters and pundits were unanimous: This is a crisis, "DEFCON 1," as one senior Democrat called it on MSNBC. They were hearing from party activists, officeholders, donors, and they reported that everybody was stunned by how bad Biden looked and sounded. What now? Will some respected Democrat publicly call for Biden to step down? Will some of the party's wise men and women go to the White House to tell Biden he needs to go? Will Biden listen to any of them?
None of that is clear now. But it is clear that for years, Democrats at all levels of the party have looked the other way, buried their heads in the sand, and lied to themselves about Biden's condition. Just in recent weeks, they have nodded their heads in approval when sympathetic journalists attributed troubling video of Biden to Republican "cheapfakes." They have told themselves the GOP was spreading lies about the president's condition. This month they looked at Biden standing frozen for two minutes amid a joyous concert and explained it by saying he was never much of a dancer. They deceived themselves.
Then, at about 9:01 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, the self-deception stopped. The CNN debate presented a brutal picture of the president's condition. Until now, everyone's comparison of Biden's vs. Trump's mental and physical abilities rested on comparing videos of the two men in different situations and at different events. In the debate, they were side by side in real time on a TV split screen. The contrast was unavoidable. Biden looked out of it. Trump looked with it.
Now, of course, Democrats face a problem made much more difficult by their denial of Biden's condition. If they had faced reality a year ago, the party could have moved forward with an orderly selection of a 2024 candidate. Maybe it would have been Vice President Kamala Harris, and maybe it would have been someone else. But the party could have made the choice in a way that gave Democrats a voice in choosing their new candidate. No, Biden did not want to leave, nor did his wife, the first lady. But a unified Democratic Party could have changed their minds.
That did not happen. Now it is nearly July. The Democratic convention is in August. The primaries are long gone. There is no new candidate. And Biden appears to have chained himself to the Resolute Desk. Many Democrats feel powerless.
Of course it is not clear what will happen now. But at some point, if they can solve the terrible problem they face at this moment, Democrats should look at themselves. They should look back to 2020 and to the first three years of the Biden presidency, years in which the president was in observable decline, and ask themselves: Why didn't we do something?
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There should be an investigation of treason for anyone involved in the big lie trying to tell the American people Joe is fit to serve another 4 years much less fit to serve today. They are obviously trying to maintain a puppet regime and destroy democracy.
Not as funny as Democrats and leftists believing in the Russia collusion hoax, Jan 6th being an "insurrection", or the lawfare that has dominated the run up to 2024.
You put Brandon (yes he is Brandon again because he can fuck things up like no one else; and his administration has done nothing but that for going on 4 years) in the Oval Office; and have the audacity to bitch about Trump?
No more excuses Brandon and Democrats must go. November can't come quick enough. Time to take out the trash.
I believe many Democrats were locked onto Biden because of their unhealthy obsessions with all things Trump.
They knew in their hearts that Biden isn't fit, but were so focused on getting Trump they ignored the realities of Biden's health and mental fitness.
They will reap what they sowed, but unfortunately we ALL will have to deal with it.
Republicans could have selected someone better than Trump, but didn't. And now we all have to deal with that poor choice, too.
Ain't it grand we have TWO such 'stellar' candidates which people sworn to party loyalty will be voting for?
It’s amazing isn’t it? Both sides question the patriotism of the other side while voting party over country. And then they tell you there are only two viable candidates re-enforcing their party over country stance.
Sheep will keep both parties alive.
Name the third viable candidate.
Does seem odd and counter-productive.
On what basis?
And I thought you watched the debate.......
you havent called for trump to drop out yet
I would LOVE to see another Republican there.
Can you say the same for Biden, or are you going to NOT believe what your eyes saw and your ears heard and keep pretending Biden is fit?
How could you POSSIBLY think Biden acquitted himself well in the debate?
HOW??!?!?!?!
Based in the fact that he prepared for a week for thus 90 minute debate and was still feeble and incapable. How can you think someone like that is capable of a high pressure job like PotUS?
because he's doing it
by the way, are you calling for trump to drop out
Or not...
No, are you calling for Biden to drop out?
a lot of people would rather have an old man than a mentally ill narcissistic traitor
Well, he IS the President currently.
Merely holding office is no guarantee of success, as we have seen from many Presidents.
Biden does poorly.
i posted two articles about him maybe dropping out, how many have you posted about trump dropping out ?
Yes, but not one that is mentally incompetent. He isn’t just old, he is mentally unfit!
what does he do poorly? just admit you have no fucking idea.
While some of us merely want someone competent in office.......
jesus, do I really need to cite the litany of Biden failures because you insist he is doing great and ignoring reality?
Please look at the border FIRST.
When you can explain ANY success Biden has had there, do IT!
Inflation is another thing.
Deficit in non-pandemic years is another.
So then, yes, you are calling for Biden to drop out. What are your reasons?
Easy-peasy!
So you dont like his policies and that is why you think he is mentally incompetent to be president.
If we use that standard none of the 45 presidents have been competent because they all had political opposition.
I also saw the debate and can easily see his inadequacies.
Pretending Biden is a-okay is just dumb now.
Please list Biden's great handling of the border, what steps he took to avert the crisis he claimed didn't exist?
if you choose to assign standards that is all on you what they are.
Don't pretend we have the same standards for who is fit for office.
Address the growing deficit if you can.
No wonder President Biden looks so old now - a bit beyond his years I think because of the stress of the Presidency and dealing with magats and the king magat's delusional/projectional/diarrheal non-stop demented deluded rants and hate
Mmmmm, perhaps it's because he's in his 80s and had 2 brain aneurysms that required surgery?.... or maybe it's the onset of Parkinsons. Do you think he's fit to be president?
Seriously, what is wrong with Trump's mind ?
He is clearly mentally disturbed.
Why arent Republicans calling for him to drop out?
Trump is the perfect representative for MAGA voters!
As is Biden the perfect choice for sycophants.
True!
No one seems to want to talk about the deficit, inflation, or the border, but sure do want to bag on Trump.
Must be a day ending in a y.
But in reality he is not. MAGA voters (in general) have a false perception of Trump. They think he is out to fight for them. That is delusional.
I believe President Biden is fit to be President again.
Do you believe that about traitor #34?
What does the psychologist that has been seeing him for years say?
It’s amazing how so many were bullied and insulted for saying Joe was incompetent. And the Biden sycophants are still making excuses and denying reality. The only people they are embarrassing at this point are themselves.
Amen!
How ridiculous that you think there are “Biden sycophants”. If anything, intelligent citizens are sycophantic about keeping Trump out of the White House, regardless of who his opponent is.
Sycophant is a logical conclusion for those who watched the debate and still think Biden is fine.
This pretense that we can't criticize Biden without also criticizing Trump is just stupid. A man can be judged on his actions alone without comparison.
How many have criticized Trump DAILY for YEARS and won't criticize Biden?
You have access to all your comments.
Produce one or two where you specifically criticized Trump, or stop saying you are neutral about this race.
One can read my comments if they choose.
2.3 right here would be one.
then there are these:
If you want to see more, all my posts are here.
Stop pretending I haven't criticized Trump.
I realize I haven't criticized him enough according to you, but that isn't a me problem.
Now, will you address the issues that you wanted to talk about earlier--the deficit, the border, inflation?
I have now produced for you more than one or two times I criticized Trump.
Am I now free to claim I am neutral and want neither clown?
Can anyone point to one thing Biden said in the debate that would convince you he is fit for office?
Can anyone make a case FOR Biden?
Other than he's not Trump, I doubt it.
I don't consider that Biden supporters will be able to come up with much more.
So quiet you can hear a pin drop..............lol.
Doesn't look like much else has been offered up.
Biden not being Trump is a critical distinction. Trump is unacceptable for PotUS; he should never be allowed access to any public power much less the presidency. It thus is rational to favor anyone else who is seen to be better for the nation than Trump (and that, for those who can be objective, is an extremely large set of people).
That he’s a six handicap?
It was over when he pointed at the podium.
Well, let’s see: The media/democrat party has been backstopping him for over five years and no primary for starters.
It's so quiet here. I've seen seed after seed and countless posts asking "how could Republicans let Trump become the nominee?" Yet when the question is asked of them nothing but fucking silence.....
lol
so whiny
that's probably why
Yes, they do seem rather whiney....
Do you think it's clever just to repeat what someone says and reverse it?
Just shows you have absolutely nothing to offer, original or otherwise.
Good question. What do you think?
The GOP held a primary and had many easy options other than Trump. All they had to do was vote for someone else.
The Ds had an incumbent. Incumbents (in both parties) who decide to run generally will run unopposed or will have very weak opposition (i.e. the case for the Ds this year).
To wit, the D voters had no real option other than Biden since he chose to run. However, the GOP voters had several good options and chose Trump anyway.
I see, so the Democrats had no option but to accept an obviously "slowed down" or flawed nominee?..
Yes, the D voters were given no viable option other than Biden. That is typically what happens when the incumbent chooses to run. Typically the strong candidates from the party defer to the incumbent.
I explained and you still ask a question. Are you truly not aware of how this works? It is a fundamental dynamic that is true in both parties.
So now let's move from the voters and focus on the party operatives.
The DNC could have pushed hard for Biden to NOT run for a second term. They should have done that. They did not. This is another fundamental dynamic but now it is of the party machinery. The incumbent has major momentum. It is extremely difficult to go against that momentum. The DNC did not try hard enough and for that I fault them. But the main person at fault is Biden himself. He should have done his single term and then let the party pick a vibrant candidate.
The GOP establishment basically just followed the voters (basically followed the largest voting bloc ... MAGA). That is their failure. They cast integrity and responsibility to the sidelines for fear of hurting their own bids for reelection. They are at fault for being spineless.
So,it's party machinery?.. it has nothing to do with the Democrats base or establishment?.. please
Greg, it amazes me that you choose to pretend that you do not understand that I explicitly blamed the DNC and high ranking operatives (which is the establishment) for failing to talk Biden out of running for a second term. And I put the key blame on Biden himself.
But yes, the D electorate had no real choice. The same was true in 2020 when Trump was running for reelection. The R electorate had no real choice.
This is such basic stuff and I am confident I have been crystal clear.
Is it your opinion that the GOP (both establishment and the voters) did not have ample opportunity to pick someone other than Trump??
Didn't the 2024 gop field start out with about 21 contenders?
How many contenders did the Democrats start out with?
Yes, the Democrats did...
Are you asking about when the D president was incumbent or when the R president was incumbent?
When a D president has decided to seek a second term, the strong primary challengers will typically defer to the incumbent and not run.
-similarly, and for the identical reasons-
When an R president has decided to seek a second term, the strong primary challengers will typically defer to the incumbent and not run.
Not sure this can be stated clearer. You can look this up too. It is a very well established trend.
Looks as though you cannot see anything wrong when done by Rs ... only when done by Ds.
The Ds deferred to the incumbent. It is much more difficult to prevent an incumbent from running for a second term than it is to pick a fit candidate from an open field in a healthy primary season.
The Ds had an incumbent who was determined to seek reelection.
The Rs had an open primary with several good candidates.
The Rs could have easily solved their side of the problem, much easier than the Ds, but you give the Rs a pass.
Even if the incumbent isn't capable of performing the duties?.....
Whereas you give the Ds a pass,cause why?...
Yes, Greg, it is difficult to buck an incumbent. The machinery is calibrated to defer to the incumbent.
I suspect that if Biden was routinely fucking up like he did in the debate that this would have given counter forces better ammunition to dissuade him from running. But the bottom line is that they would be fighting against the momentum of the machine. ( And no, he was not routinely fucking up. The Ds are in panic mode right now (understandably) because they have seen Biden at a new low. )
The Rs, in direct contrast, had no such problem. They were free to engage in a primary season and pick their nominee. They failed to do so. The Rs had a much easier and cleaner path to a decent nominee and they failed miserably.
The Ds had an uphill battle since Biden wanted to run for reelection as the incumbent. They should have run someone else but it was no where near as easy for them to do that as it was for the GOP.
I don't give them a pass. You simply have no rebuttal so you just made one up. It is extremely obvious in my comments that I blame the Ds for Biden (and blame Biden for Biden).
Be honest.
So, it was too hard for the D's?.... but you think the R"s should have done better?... I'm not even sure how to respond to that.
Yes, clearly you have no thoughtful response.
The Ds had to buck the momentum of having an incumbent who wants to run.
The Rs had a primary with several good candidates; picking one of them was simply going with the natural flow.
And this is so easy to see in our history. The party with the incumbent has a natural momentum to go with the incumbent if he seeks reelection. The party without the incumbent has a natural momentum to engage in a primary to pick their nominee.
You can switch the labels and this holds true. This is an obvious, easily verified trend in politics. I do not believe you do know this yet you pretend otherwise. Why?
I have been.
C'mon Greg, you are not stupid, stop pretending to be. What would happen if you even question Ttrump? He runs someone against you. The incumbent has the power and momentum, usually. Hell Trump wouldn't leave even aftyer LOSING in 2020, and no longer the incumbent
Sure, I'm right behind you...
if i stop fast, don't rear end me Greg, i don't swing that way, unless it's a right hook, so check your brakes, cause i won't stop
100%
Thanks for your posts. Even if they were besmirching or less than thoughtful. Have a good evening!
I contributed to your seed with soundly factual, thoughtful posts. In spite of your efforts to the contrary.
Sure
deodorant
Sweaty people
right behind me, sweaty people, are you a little light in the loafers, cause that's fine, just keep away from my damn behind
I don't think it really matters.
Sure doesn't seem like too many are at all concerned about it.
At this point Joe is making it clear he cares more about himself and his ego than the American people.
And his fan club is lapping it up!
Funny how they can overlook Joes selfishness as they scream about Donald caring more about himself than the country.
Not sure if it is a hate for Trump or the blind partisanship that would make some people support a dementia ridden person (exhibiting sundowning) that seems not to know where he is half the time.
In looking at these discussions here, it is undoubtedly a toxic mixture of both!
Trying to equate Trump with Biden in order to defend (normalize) Trump.
Not at all like Trump. Trump tried to steal a US presidential election with fraud, coercion, lying, and incitement because his ego could not handle losing. Trump violated his oath of office, broke laws, and tried to disenfranchise voters.
Biden, in contrast, is (I suspect) failing to recognize he is likely to lose to Trump. This failure is certainly partly based on ego given Biden is a human being. But failing to withdraw does not even remotely compare with unconstitutional, criminal acts.
If Biden ever becomes convinced that he will not stop Trump and that someone else can, I would expect that he would suck it up and bow out. His ego gets trashed either way. Losing to Trump would be devastating, withdrawing at this stage is mortifying. Staying in the race and losing would trash his legacy far greater than bowing out. I suspect he knows that (or will realize it).
To wit, if Biden is genuinely convinced that he can beat Trump, he will stay in the race. If he ever is convinced that he is clearly going to lose, he will likely bow out.
Now, personally, I would not hazard a guess on how this might play out. It is certainly possible that D operatives conclude that they have a better chance of winning with Biden then trying to pull a switch. If so, they will encourage Biden and he will likely be emboldened by it. If, however, they believe that a different candidate holds a significantly better chance to win, they would likely put intense pressure on Biden to 'voluntarily' withdraw. No way of knowing how this will play out.
Regardless, comparing this to Trump's Big Lie con job is absurd on its face.
Democrats and Biden supporters, your name is Hypocrite!
Nope.
The backstopping for Biden, like TDS, has become a chronic condition for many on the left. It’s been going on for so long and at such an intensity, some just won’t be able to let it go.
Now it’s somehow morphing into it’s the GOP’s fault that Biden is a failing candidate when many of us were saying that as far back as 2019.
Put the blame for the Dem’s current candidate dilemma squarely where it belongs. Right on the shoulders of who enabled it. All those who voted for him, all those who supported him, all those who backstopped for him, etc, etc.
You don’t make your bed today, you sleep in a messy bed tomorrow.
Pretty funny when we can't even get a reason to support Biden other than the inevitable "He's not as bad as Trump" bull.
How inspiring!
But but but Trump is a powerful motivator for some. Some are turning out to be one issue voters and an opinion of "traitor" is the one issue
Where in these words do you see where he did what you claim?
One trick ponies.
Traitor is not an opinion. Traitor is truth. The former 'president' and anyone involved in 1/6 and its' criminal enterprise of an administration is a traitor.
So do you think just reversing anything TiG or anyone else says, is clever?
I disagree with your first sentence.
'even if they were besmirching or less than thoughtful'
Is that irony or just being an ass?
I prefer Secret
The projection.
So profound.
Your usual hive minded drone nonsense.
Traitor becomes truth only after conviction and appeal of traitor charges.
The denial
Thx, that means a lot
Mmm, before I answer. Do you know the difference between irony and hypocrisy? I'm fairly confident you know what being an ass is....
Shhhhhhush, that's a Secret
ok Jack, for stubborn as a mule, causes one to burro inn just one dual, ass that Donkey named Richard, was a donkey Dick duel threat ass sesment for ewe
Passive aggressive and cryptic?..... Huh, and I always thought you were older than a millennial. Go figure....
How sad for America!
We have accepted two complete twits as nominees, and some are proudly going to vote for one of them.
Not because they think that their choice is any good, but merely because the other guy is worse.
What a way to elect someone.
Your keep repeating this nonsense. If you have the choice between certain death or suffer through chemotherapy to extend your life, you would be making a choice between two bads. Rational people will pick what they feel is the better of the two bad choices.
If that does not clear things up, another example is a governor having to choose between raising taxes or cutting programs. Neither is a good outcome so the governor will attempt to pick the choice that is best for their state.
You continue to criticize everyone who recognizes that both choices (Trump or Biden) are bad and are using their vote to help achieve what is better for the nation.
You are ipso facto criticizing everyone on NT who realizes that neither Trump nor Biden is a good choice for PotUS but are using their vote to help pick the better of the only two options (as they see things).
AND?
Please expand on what is precisely wrong in what I wrote.
Do you dispute the words before you?
Do you think we have great choices? I suppose you could take issue with calling them both twits, but why defend either one?
Do you think any people will proudly vote for one of them?
You yourself have said you would prefer someone else, so why chastise me for pointing out the sorry choices?
Please, address precisely what I wrote and counter it with some thoughtful commentary.