Editorial: One candidate is patently unfit for the White House: Trump - Los Angeles Times
By: latimesopinion (Los Angeles Times)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
By the Times Editorial Board
Democrats are in crisis at the moment, divided over whether President Biden should stay in the race after his disastrous debate last month or clear the way for another, younger candidate.
Biden's shaky performance raised concerns about whether he can win in November, and prompted calls from prominent Democrats, columnists and others for him to step aside. It's up to the Democratic Party to sort this out. But it's time to refocus attention on the only candidate in the race who is patently unfit for office — any office — and an imminent threat to democracy: Donald Trump.
It's unbelievable that the nation is spending so much time on the question of Biden's verbal acuity, when the greatest concern ought to be that his challenger is a self-aggrandizing felon and twice-impeached election-denier. Trump fomented the Jan. 6 insurrection, shows contempt for the rule of law and shamelessly lies in pursuit of more power. He's an authoritarian who admires murderous despots, wants to jail his political enemies and has publicly flirted with declaring himself a dictator on his first day back in office.
With fervent support from the Republican Party, he peddles cruelty, racism and misogyny, demonizing immigrants as "poisoning the blood of our country," demeaning women's looks and intelligence, and using disgustingly fascist language to criticize his opponents as "vermin." He's a man who lied about his wealth for years to cheat on his taxes, whose business was convicted of criminal tax fraud, and who's been denounced by many former aides and Cabinet members as a "malignant narcissist" who recklessly puts himself before the American people.
Trump is the only man in the presidential race manifestly unworthy of holding a position of power, and has no business ever returning to the White House. If the GOP had any decency left, its members would be discussing whether to dump Trump for a candidate who isn't out to bulldoze democratic institutions in favor of autocracy.
Voters should resist viewing this contest through the politics-as-usual lens of past elections. This November is not about dueling personalities, middle-of-the-road policy differences, or as some might see it, an 81-year-old man being the lesser of two evils compared with a 78-year-old man. It's nothing short of a referendum on our 248-year democracy, and a choice between a trustworthy public servant who upholds American values and a serial liar who wants to push the country into authoritarianism.
Leaders of the Democratic Party have to stop the self-defeating discussion about Biden's fitness and decide whether to replace him or unify behind him. And Americans must start hearing more about how the records, positions and character of Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and any of the prominent Democrats being floated as possible replacements make them all unquestionably superior to Trump.
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This editorial tells it like it is as did the recent editorial by the New York Times.
Biden gave a commanding performance in his campaign speech in Michigan this afternoon before a raucous and wildly supportive crowd. He spoke in detail about his accomplishments so far, outlined his plans for the future and took it to Trump.
Trump was undoubtedly watching and must have been choking on it.
One thing is clear. Biden is not dropping out, nor should he.
I can feel the momentum starting to shift...
I am fine with it either way. If he doesn't drop out, I vote for Biden; if he does drop out, I vote for whoever is nominated. It's a simple math problem as far as I am concerned. Voting for a republican is simply not an option.
Agreed.
Agreed.
And agreed.
If he remains on top of things, he should remain the nominee, but if he continues to falter and be lost, i'm for whomever replaces him, cause if there is one thing we can be pretty damn sure of, no matter who would replace them, they'd be lightyears ahead of and better than the maniacal miscreant himself , Don the deviate Con, All Pro mvp of destroying our country and democracy. Hey Don, tell your man Putin to quiet down over there, sick of sabre rattling...
Amen Iggy...
I agree, but I replace 'a Republican' with Trump.
I can tell you the number of trump flags on trucks and golf carts on the beach in texas is significantly less than previous summers, scarce even. I think trump has a major problem among republicans. big fun to be all maga around your drinking buddies, but nobody really knows what box you checked on the ballot in november.
Then they all start looking at each other... Hey. I wonder
that's when they break out the bibles and color match wheel...
Was just explaining some of the 2025 plan to people lost on social media. Peop;le need to know how draconian and wardsback it will spin US, Trump MUST be defeated at the ballot box,for with the justices less than supreme, and immunity taken a tad extreme, it's not gonna be rectified by our played DOJ.
But we have the 2030 manifesto from the right. Crazies in the shadows with the chief crazy leading them to oblivation.
Project 2025.
At least we're starting to see a little movement in the right direction from the nation's newspapers.
It's a really well-worded article too!
that skin covered bag of shit isn't fit to be an inhabitant of this planet.
I wonder how much money that shit bag will be making from his sheep when he cuts up yesterday’s suit and sells the swatches. He’ll probably have a nurse draw some blood so that he can personally add a drop to every swatch.
the trump campaign had a fund raising email sent out before his ear stopped bleeding...
He's probably got the cloth that wiped the blood off his face taking bids on Ebay
team trump 2024 just ordered a 55 gallon drum of pigs blood and 100K djt monogrammed chinese handkerchiefs. $999.99 each
$999.99 each
They’ll probably quadruple the number of sales by pricing it less than $1,000.00.
I had the coverage on TV in the background most of the day watching/listening to interviews of rally participants. one comment from a maga moron that struck me was her observation of local ambulance services rotating in and out all day hauling off maga relics for heat stroke.
the maga acronym almost got a new meaning on saturday, major asshole gets assassinated...
Massive, mammoth, monumental, and monstrous would all work too.
moronic, monotonous...
murky
don't be using those fancy water quality terms on us here ...
stop holding back
yeah, universe is more appropriate...
As much as I would prefer a good candidate, I grudgingly think the best chance the Ds have is with Biden. The key concern I have at this point is if he can make it to election day without another disaster. He is basically batting with an 0-2 count and is hitting some foul balls. Not comforting knowing that if he strikes out the game is over and Trump wins.
If the Ds do not replace him now (and I mean now) they absolutely must ensure that he wins.
This is a truly abysmal situation to be in. Who could have invented a scenario where the United States of America is faced with electing a vindictive, loose-cannon, narcissistic traitor (and felon) and the only person who can counter him is an 81 year old incumbent whose party is questioning his ability to even successfully campaign against the scoundrel.
It is surreal.
what i expressed above. if he can continue as appears coherent and all faculties functioning, it's his presidency and he did a pretty good job, but having to worry about ole Joed not having a senior moment cause it could elect the social and political defect, is ashiitty situation for those pullingfor this nation.
biden can have a senior moment because of party guardrails in place. when trump has a senior moment, there are none...
voting for the least of the worst is very tiresome...
It is frustrating to see every election grow worse than the prior one. The 2024 presidential situation is surreal and dangerous.
It's like what is said about a drug addiction of one type or another: This won't end until voters get "sick and tired" of being "sick and tired" of it.
accept, by that time, it may be too late to not accept,
for the power transition to the power vaccuming more than was ever allotted,
may have sucked more than this country can remember, for forgot it, may be what will then be forgotten as we forgot it, and
this ain't the story of Johnny Rotten, hey hey my my, cause for more than just Denmark,
things will have been spoiled ,
and a dream of a country, may wake up to what has been foiled,
with antenna's aluminum made base so not aware
that blind fully given, was not their care...
Then, . . .let this be indicative that we have reached 'rock-bottom' and must begin the climb back up! This election win for democrats must indicate to the masses that all is not lost and democracy wins over a return to 'former' corruption. The stage has been set: This election needs a reset! Let's get about it. We have no time to sit and 'stew' we must (all) get about it. If inspiriation is in short supply: Make your own.
Repair the 'breach.'
... completely engineered by the robert's SCOTUS.
I'm wondering of a left-wing nut job just tried to assassinate him???
If someone tried to assassinate him, it would most likely be opposition. Logically. And anyone who tried to assassinate someone is a nut-job by definition.
And so they will paint the whole of the opposition as nutjobs
Of course. Partisan politics nowadays is beyond slimy and geared for the gullible.
Works somewhat for the left when talking about republicans.,...
Based on the motivation for killing, or attempting to kill, famous people in many contemporary situations it would seem very likely to be for something other than political reasons. See Comment 9.2. for some examples.
Everyone wants to jump to conclusions before the evidence has been fully uncovered.
thomas matthew crooks, age 20, registered republican, gun nut, and lived with his parents.
As I noted, it is logical that the attempted killer is his opposition. That is not rushing to a conclusion, it is simply logical speculation for the most visible politician of our times.
It is logical that the attempted killer might be his opposition. It is also possible that the attempted killer might have acted for any other number of reasons that have nothing to do with a political motivation.
Yes, G2, I am aware that there are other possibilities.
Undoubtedly. I didn't think you wouldn't be aware.
It's illogical to think that the attempted assassin targeted a political candidate at a political rally and wasn't politically motivated.
Of course but that isn’t how the NT crowd plays the speculation game. You need to pick a political angle and run with it.
It's illogical to pretend to know the rationale for anyone's conduct without actual evidence. For all you know at this point, the intended target could have been the man who was killed because of some personal disagreement with the shooter. Prove he wasn't based on what you know now.
And Trump's head almost got in the way?... please
Exactly, and that was the plot of the first Jack Reacher movie which had Pittsburgh for the setting, just 35 miles away.
Yep, collateral damage.
The point, G-tx, is that it's all speculation at this point. You're free to speculate all you want, and your speculation may eventually prove to be correct, but I prefer to wait for the evidence.
I think that it works on people who do not invest the time and energy in finding out what really happened.
If you watch the rally footage, Trump was standing there and spewing a steady stream of lies. He is still a piece of shit, traitorous liar who tried to not follow the spirit and letter of the Constitution. He helped to create the atmosphere and the political climate that we have. He is the one who has raised the temperature through his lies and other actions.
Should the person have tried to shoot him? Absolutely not. It is criminal. But if you live by sowing discord and hatred there should be little surprise that it it circles back around to bite you in the ass.
In life we tend to reap what we sow and karma is quite the bitch
Should the person have tried to shoot him? Absolutely not. It is criminal. But if you live by sowing discord and hatred there should be little surprise that it it circles back around to bite you in the ass.
Ah,,, the ole don’t wear the short skirt if you don’t want go raped defense.
Nah. I prefer to think of it as karma. He's a lying sack of shit that has once tried to remain in office though he was beaten fairly. He belongs nowhere near any position of power.
Karma would have killed him, not given him a narrative of strength and resilience.
Maybe some god wanted him to atone for his sins.
How about "Live by the sword, Die by the sword" ? I discarded that one because he is not dead. I know: What comes around, goes around.
Whatever platitude we choose or don't, the fact remains that he tried an end run around the CotUS. He is a traitor who is morally bankrupt and belongs nowhere near governmental authority.
Ive never said otherwise.
You surely do leave an impression otherwise...
That’s just your bias running away with you.
Sincerely no...
What else could it be?
An expectation derived from a seemingly depthless pool of snark??
You got that right.
I can't imagine why anyone would change their vote because of this.
Anyone who was voting Blue is still voting Blue.
Yes- Hold On
It was more likely someone mentally deranged who had a personal grudge against him or wanted to be famous. Or like the guy who shot John Lennon because he thought God told him to. Or like the guy who shot Reagan because he wanted to impress Jodi Foster.
No doubt, like that guy that shot up the Republican softball practice.
It's funny how right wing types mention the softball practice shooting case as their one example of proof of whatever it is you guys think it proves. You're the second one in as many hours (the other one is a friend I've known for 60 years) who mentioned it. It's like if I only brought up the Reagan case and that's supposed to prove that the motive for any shooting of a Republican is to become famous and impress Jodi Foster. The same standard of proof, right?
that and the bible is all they have to swing at their opposition. 18 years of violent rhetoric by rwnj's led to this...
Exactly, Biden doesn’t have any other vulnerabilities. It amazing that more and more Dems want to dump him.
Who died there?
They're comparable don't you know?
Fortunately like this time, just the shooter. You didn't know?
So how are they comparable? Just the usual deflection since you have nothing
Maybe he had a John Smith moment (The Dead Zone)
... another rank amateur lone wolf.
Was that the Stephen King story and movie that Martin Sheen's character was running for President and Christopher Walken's character saw the future after his accident?
Yep! So he decided he's going to assassinate him. The candidate sees John Smith with the rifle and picks up a little kids to use as a shield. That moment ruined his life
that wouldn't have worked with an AR...
Original dead zone movie, not the tv series.
Right and it was also in the book
the kid was bullied throughout high school, in an ultra conservative part of pennsylvania...
Pittsburgh and the Bethel Park suburb in not ultra conservative
It was a registered republican who shot Trump.
Exactly, the shooter wanted a right wing candidate instead of Trump.
exactly, the shooter obviously wasn't leaning far enough to the right...
Trump is as far right wing fascist as it gets.
... that's still left breathing in the US.
yikes. after watching trump's acceptance speech last night, I felt embarrassed for our country. 93 minutes of melodramatic, on the verge of dementia, falsehoods, and outright lies by a convicted felon, con artist grifter. how anyone could be so ignorant as to be taken in by that loser is a testament to the reality of rightwing mass hysteria. last night the legacy of the republican party died, got buried, and was replaced by a cult of mentally defective personality, made complete with the introduction of the new royal family of, and for, despicable morons.
He attempted to be pathetically grandiose while his body and mind were screaming lethargy. It was truly weird.
no big deal. he knows his supporters are even more ignorant than he is...
couldnt agree more