I try to stay out of intra-Democrat conflict these days, but Biden's defenders underestimate how his age has become a symbol, especially for younger voters, of not just how the party has failed but all institutions.
His refusal to budge validates Trump's "give up and give in" campaign message.
The fascist's best friend is cynicism. When good people believe "they're all corrupt anyway," they peace out of politics, allowing fascists to take over.
To win, Trump doesn't need to convince more people to vote for him. He just needs to convince them not to vote. Biden is helping.
It's not just that Biden is old. It's that the gerontocracy is understood by younger voters, for a good reason, as a form of corruption.
Not financial corruption, but still. Putting your ego needs in front of the country is a form of corruption. It's still greedy.
I was skeptical of the "step down" arguments earlier this year. Now, however, I'm starting to believe it may be the only way for Democrats to demonstrate good will and to prove that they do believe what they say: That beating Trump is the most important thing.
For a normie, it's just hard to believe that Democrats think Trump is that much of a threat to democracy. Because, if he was, they'd have run a candidate who had basic skills like completing thoughts while speaking or going on the attack when necessary.
It is what it is.
Anyway, I have no faith that Biden will step down. But he should. Failure to do so sends a strong message: "Actually, we don't care about the country. The egos of our elderly leaders come first. So don't bother voting."
And that is hard to argue against with young people. Just try, you'll see.
Biden defenders point out, correctly, that Trump lied 30 times or so during a 90 minute debate.
But I think they're failing to understand voters feel Biden told a *massive* lie. A *fundamental* lie: That he has got this.
They feel betrayed. Hard to call Trump a liar when that's in the mix.
You're not wrong about cynicism; it's got me already (though I'm still voting). I wouldn't recognize the Democratic party if they followed through on a massive change thats obvious necessary.
Hard agree, but the reality is he should never have run in the first place. And he did. So I'm very skeptical he will do the right thing, unless people around he respects(like Obama) strongly urge him to step aside.
Even if he DID step down the machine would want him to do it in favor of the person whose “turn” was next. But nobody’s much interested in their bench.
This is exactly backwards. If there were going to be a different nominee, it had to happen much earlier. It's too late now, any attempt to replace Biden (especially with a non-Harris candidate) would cause chaos and acrimony. The process for choosing the candidate was the primary, and Biden won.
He won’t. It’ll be down to turnout and the GOP hasn’t even opened campaign offices in battlegound states yet, while the Democrats already have dozens up and running. They also haven’t fired all the people with experience.
I’m not browbeating anybody, nor is that my intent.
I am simply pointing out that there was a democratic process to choose the nominee and actual voters did choose him.
I phonebanked for Warren in 2020. There was no betrayal. Biden won and has been a better president than I expected. I’m happy to support him in 2024. Your assumptions are based on nothing but vibes.
Hey, can you unpack what you mean by saying Trump's message is valid? It seems like you're saying he's making cogent points, and I didn't see that on the stage at all?
The message of fascists is "resistance is futile." They don't persuade, they overpower.
Getting their opponents to give up requires convincing them there are no viable alternatives.
Biden made that point for them.
So, this is an interesting shift of the goalposts I'd like you to reflect on; I asked you to explain how it validates *Trump's* arguments and you subtlety shifted your justification onto a generic fascist. I might think you're letting Trump's piss poor argumentation go unexamined!
Trump, on Biden: “He’s not equipped to be president. You know it and I know it. It’s ridiculous. […] We shouldn’t be having a debate about it.”
Trump is right. Biden is not fit to be president for another four years. Trump is even worse, but that doesn't mean he's wrong, here. And voters know it.
Is that a cogent argument? That everyone already agrees? Why make it in that case? Should the press treat it as fact that the entire electorate, including the millions who just voted for him, can see it?
Fascists build a mountain of falsehoods on a single truth. Trump is saying "this guy shouldn't be president (true) so you shouldn't vote for him (false, but complicated)." It's straightforward and resonates with voters. Biden refusing to drop out confirms it further.
Why is it the pundit class continues to insinuate that a man who's had a stutter all his life and was met with an onslaught of a Gish Gallop retire from the field, and never suggests the convicted fraudster who's not allowed to run a charity? Why aren't they hammering Trump every day?
Fair. But there was a mechanism for expressing that (the primary). I dont know what “budging” would mean aside from withdrawal. He cant be just a little younger as a concession.
Try that argument with anyone skeptical of voting. They will point out, correctly, that there were no other options in the primary to vote for.
And then what do you say?
They're right. Biden bigfooted the competition. It's low grade corruption, but still corrupt.
Which candidate did they want to vote for and were prevented from doing so, who they would go and get all of their friends to vote for, who they would turn out every day to make sure people knew about and would vote for. I’m actually super curious who that person is.
Literally every single other Democrat could have managed the basic task of getting under Trump's skin.
I could do it right now. Biden couldn't clear literally the lowest bar.
I'm not asking for a perfect candidate. But someone who can say sentences and finish them would be better.
I just think this is all so awful, that Biden - a guy who has always stumbled in public speaking to the point that we all used to be like oh god what did he say now, does Obama have to clean it up - now must be perfect, all the time, never gets credit for when he can finish a sentence.
Meaning: he was fine in his campaign events before and after, in the state of the union, but one (admittedly highly catastrophic) debate, and media pile on and here we are. It’s baffling to me, because no matter what, we weren’t getting the progressive I and young voters wanted.
I mean, by this standard basically everything that both parties have ever done is corrupt. Parties are not an expression of pure democracy. And maybe corrupt is a fair descriptor, but it’s not new.
I certainly agree that this may not persuade anyone skeptical of voting.
There were steps that could haven been taken prior to actual primary voting (by both prospective candidates and regular party members) to create an alternative.
They did not do so for a host of reasons including that joe biden is the incumbent president and fairly popular within the party.
It’s such a perfect example of painting oneself into a corner. You’re exactly right, but the time for course correction has seemingly passed. I see no way he can maintain sufficient faculties for another 4 yrs, it’s now a faith that he can install “youth” to carry on the fight, if you will.
