It's unsolveable as long as the leadership of the party circles the wagons and says, "There is no problem". Which right now is what I would guess they're going to do. Hell, they're even being abandoned by their pet pundits, which should tell them something.
1. This was a massive "own goal" for the Democrats. There was no need for Biden to debate Trump, no need to give him a platform. What did he expect would happen, that the ratings-addicted TV anchors would fact check Trump? That it would not turn out to be a shit show? The rank incompetence of the Democrats is astounding.
2. There's no excuse for failure. Biden simply had to "win" (whatever that means versus Trump) and he proved inept. Consequently, the pundit spin is all about Biden failure rather than Trump lies. That was the risk of platforming a convicted felon.
3. Like RBG, Biden arrogantly held on far too long. The gaslighting from the White House about his acuity has been exposed. The only upside to the disaster is that voters have short memories. There will certainly be fresh Trump trauma in the coming months that can be instrumentalized by the Biden campaign. Sadly, it is a campaign now reduced to running on a platform of fear rather than one of accomplishments (of which there are many).
I believe CNN is partially to blame for inviting and then allowing a twice impeached, many times felonious fraudster, sexual assaulter, admitted sexual assaulter, admitted liar, someone who has publicy stated he does not and will not uphold the oath of allegience to the constitution, open supporter of anti-semites, white supremacist, deadly misogynists, homophobes and transphobes to be taken seriously as someonw who should be the US president. And then allows him to blatantly lie throughout. But difficult as it is to admite, I have changed my mind. I think Biden and Harris should step down. I think there needs to be a totally new slate. I recommend Whitmer and Wes Moore, with the promise that Harris would become Attornery General. Not that I agree with everything they say and do, but this would be a generational change, Both are centrists leaning a tad left; whitmer is from Michigan and while Moore is only twp years in the political spotlight, take a look at his resume. It's more than impressive. If some of you are concerned based on the HRC experience, Whitmer has none of the baggage if HRC; and I would hope that now with HRC, Palin, Harris, Haley and other women who have run for the US presidency, most misogynists might be somewhat inured. Harris was a good prosecutor while in Ca;ifornia and I think that might assuage her ego as well as sense of betrayal.I also think this slate would drive the rapepubliKKKlans mad. They wanted to run against Biden, who all they had on him was age and his son. These two are younger, and I think they could better (than Biden) energize the base. Please don't ask us to wait until 2028. By then it will be too late. Read the pieces by (people I don't like) Thomas Freidman and Frank Bruni, or people I do, Michelle Goldberg, Paul Krugman. I think this could be done without the 1968 blood bath. Yes, the dems are divided mainly by Gaza but also by immigration. It's not yet a 1968 party divide, but it could happen.
Anda reminder. Today's and no doubt thru the rest of their term the SCOTUS' decisions are far far worse than Biden's performance.
Claire, I'm grateful for your words the morning after the sad and terrifying debacle (not debate) of last night--Perhaps if there is any good news it is that this happened yesterday instead a week or a month or several months from now. Carol Edelstein
Reading you write this is far more convincing that reading Thomas Friedman write it a different way in The New York Times. I was very, very sad last night. R. and I were talking about your retirement (announced in your excellent essays years ago in the same New York Times), about his retirement, and about the joys of knowing when it's time to go—not just for others, but also for oneself! I was thinking about Dr. Jill Biden and wondering how she feels today. I hope she has a talk with her beloved husband today. It looked so hard for him, it was like watching my own parent struggle. One wants to defend but the alternative—what is it? I have never thought Kamala could win. I do, however, think there are others who could.
It's unsolveable as long as the leadership of the party circles the wagons and says, "There is no problem". Which right now is what I would guess they're going to do. Hell, they're even being abandoned by their pet pundits, which should tell them something.
I have *no* faith that the Democratic Party will do what's right. They will take us down with them, all the while asking for just $5 from me.
1. This was a massive "own goal" for the Democrats. There was no need for Biden to debate Trump, no need to give him a platform. What did he expect would happen, that the ratings-addicted TV anchors would fact check Trump? That it would not turn out to be a shit show? The rank incompetence of the Democrats is astounding.
2. There's no excuse for failure. Biden simply had to "win" (whatever that means versus Trump) and he proved inept. Consequently, the pundit spin is all about Biden failure rather than Trump lies. That was the risk of platforming a convicted felon.
3. Like RBG, Biden arrogantly held on far too long. The gaslighting from the White House about his acuity has been exposed. The only upside to the disaster is that voters have short memories. There will certainly be fresh Trump trauma in the coming months that can be instrumentalized by the Biden campaign. Sadly, it is a campaign now reduced to running on a platform of fear rather than one of accomplishments (of which there are many).
I believe CNN is partially to blame for inviting and then allowing a twice impeached, many times felonious fraudster, sexual assaulter, admitted sexual assaulter, admitted liar, someone who has publicy stated he does not and will not uphold the oath of allegience to the constitution, open supporter of anti-semites, white supremacist, deadly misogynists, homophobes and transphobes to be taken seriously as someonw who should be the US president. And then allows him to blatantly lie throughout. But difficult as it is to admite, I have changed my mind. I think Biden and Harris should step down. I think there needs to be a totally new slate. I recommend Whitmer and Wes Moore, with the promise that Harris would become Attornery General. Not that I agree with everything they say and do, but this would be a generational change, Both are centrists leaning a tad left; whitmer is from Michigan and while Moore is only twp years in the political spotlight, take a look at his resume. It's more than impressive. If some of you are concerned based on the HRC experience, Whitmer has none of the baggage if HRC; and I would hope that now with HRC, Palin, Harris, Haley and other women who have run for the US presidency, most misogynists might be somewhat inured. Harris was a good prosecutor while in Ca;ifornia and I think that might assuage her ego as well as sense of betrayal.I also think this slate would drive the rapepubliKKKlans mad. They wanted to run against Biden, who all they had on him was age and his son. These two are younger, and I think they could better (than Biden) energize the base. Please don't ask us to wait until 2028. By then it will be too late. Read the pieces by (people I don't like) Thomas Freidman and Frank Bruni, or people I do, Michelle Goldberg, Paul Krugman. I think this could be done without the 1968 blood bath. Yes, the dems are divided mainly by Gaza but also by immigration. It's not yet a 1968 party divide, but it could happen.
Anda reminder. Today's and no doubt thru the rest of their term the SCOTUS' decisions are far far worse than Biden's performance.
Claire, I'm grateful for your words the morning after the sad and terrifying debacle (not debate) of last night--Perhaps if there is any good news it is that this happened yesterday instead a week or a month or several months from now. Carol Edelstein
I have said this often..the first party to change candidates wins the 2024 election..sounds so simple, but alas, will never happen.
Reading you write this is far more convincing that reading Thomas Friedman write it a different way in The New York Times. I was very, very sad last night. R. and I were talking about your retirement (announced in your excellent essays years ago in the same New York Times), about his retirement, and about the joys of knowing when it's time to go—not just for others, but also for oneself! I was thinking about Dr. Jill Biden and wondering how she feels today. I hope she has a talk with her beloved husband today. It looked so hard for him, it was like watching my own parent struggle. One wants to defend but the alternative—what is it? I have never thought Kamala could win. I do, however, think there are others who could.