Biden Stands Down

[GoblinCampFollower]

I have mixed feelings about it. I love Biden, but I did have concerns that have deepened. Now we are in uncharted territory, which is scary. The writing was on the wall the past few days. Still, it makes me sad.

Biden was honestly the most effective President ever to be so unpopular. The way the media and donors treated him was just terrible. I just know democrats need to rally behind a new nominee right about now... can't wait till they have everything scheduled and big venues picked out, etc. I like Harris, but do have some concerns. She kind of botched her debate performances back in 2016. Can't afford such mistakes now. All the most likely democrats have a bit of baggage. ...not nearly as much baggage as Trump, but his supporters don't care.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

She's the only one currently on the ticket. Any legal challenges to ballot access are weakened if somebody not in the primaries replaces Biden. I am not comfortable with an annointed candidate, although I will vote for whoever it is (and my vote won't matter because Ohio).

Ohio votes aren't totally useless! I'm in deep red Missouri, where my vote is 100% useless, lol. I'll still do it though.

 

[Monica Dream]

(and my vote won't matter because Ohio).

Alaska here, which will go to Trump, so yeah.

The real contest is legal; how many blue and swing states can the GOP block the Democrat's candidate on? That's the $64,000 question.

 

[Monica Dream]

Ohio votes aren't totally useless! I'm in deep red Missouri, where my vote is 100% useless, lol. I'll still do it though.

Well, same; but with no illusions of it being effective (esp since the election's called by the time the polls close on the west coast).

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

She's the only one currently on the ticket. Any legal challenges to ballot access are weakened if somebody not in the primaries replaces Biden. I am not comfortable with an annointed candidate, although I will vote for whoever it is (and my vote won't matter because Ohio).

Yup, but if AOC is right who knows which kinds of trouble some of the Democrat backbenchers are now trying to brew up since they were successful in making Biden go.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

So what would have happened had the assassin succeeded last week and left the Republicans without a nominee? Would they not have been in the same position as you say the Democrats are now in? Would they not have been able to nominate a new candidate?

And surely the question "what happens if we get our way?" must have occurred to the various Democratic politicians and political operatives who have been urging President Biden to stand down. Presumably President Biden gave it some thought, too, in reaching his decision.

I'm not commenting on the desirability or otherwise of this turn of events. I just find it difficult to believe that the US electoral rules mean there now can't be a Democrat on the ballot paper this November, which is what you seem to be suggesting.

We don't have a clear procedure either way. If Harris was the plan all along (and endorsements are starting to roll in) then we have a defensible solution.

Biden is alive and not incapacitated. There is not really a framework for this situation. It has never happened and our laws don't take it into account in every state.

If Trump had died in the attack before the convention then there would have been a floor vote. After the convention Vance would be expected to take over.

The Democrats have placed themselves in a position where the convention is after several nomination deadlines. Ohio already took the position that that's a Democrat problem.

eta: The produres that we do have are for when a candidate is killed or incapacitated. Courts are inconsistent on what happens when a candidate withdraws for strategic reasons.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Ohio votes aren't totally useless! I'm in deep red Missouri, where my vote is 100% useless, lol. I'll still do it though.

Absolutely. I am turning out for Sherrod Brown.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Yup, but if AOC is right who knows which kinds of trouble some of the Democrat backbenchers are now trying to brew up since they were successful in making Biden go.

AOC has little leverage. It was not her group that pushed Biden out. It was the donors.

 

[Sid]

You're just a fucking cheerleader for it. You have been calling for it even when you have no fucking clue what to do now that you got it. I never saw you call for Trump to stand aside. You wanted the adult out of the race and not the fascist. You got your god dammed wish. Savor it. You still don't know what happens next. The old man got shit done. But he ws too old for you. So fuck right off and live in the utopia you wihed for.

Don't be silly.
I've expressed over and over what I think about the orange baboon and I ain't gonna appoliogize for not mentioning that every post.
Some things can be expected to be a given after all those years.

Don't blame me for the cluster fuck that enfolds in American politics, just because I find Biden too old for another term in the office.
I did not plan the Democratic Convention after the deadline to get the outcome of the convention on a ballot in some states.
I did not change the election laws in Ohio recently.
I did not nominee Biden.
I did not totally screw up in the TV debate against Trump. Against Trump mind you.
Target your anger to those who are responsible, not towards someone from the other side of the pond.

I'm a fucking socialist from the worst kind in the eyes of the Republicans. So stop insulting me.

 

[Monica Dream]

AOC has little leverage. It was not her group that pushed Biden out. It was the donors.

Speaking of monied interests, Mother Jones published an interesting article about the role Peter Theil has played which I posted in the 2024 election thread.

This election will be decided by the rich, even more so than usual.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Don't be silly.
I've expressed over and over what I think about the orange baboon and I ain't gonna appoliogize for not mentioning that every post.
Some things can be expected to be a given after all those years.

Don't blame me for the cluster fuck that enfolds in American politics, just because I find Biden too old for another term in the office.
I did not plan the Democratic Convention after the deadline to get the outcome of the convention on a ballot in some states.
I did not change the election laws in Ohio recently.
I did not nominee Biden.
I did not totally screw up in the TV debate against Trump.
Target your anger to those who are responsible, not towards someone from the other side of the pond.

I'm a fucking socialist from the worst kind in the eyes of the Republicans. So stop insulting me.

Stop fucking gloating then, asshole.

 

[Beebo Brink]

So now that the steam blowing out my ears is slowing down a bit, there one big advantage to this clusterfuck, if we can take advantage of it. This takes the limelight away from Trump, and he's going to HATE that. This increases the chance he'll escalate his rhetoric to regain people's attention, and lose votes rather than gain them.

Secondly, it takes away Biden as a target of all their carefully crafted propaganda, with little or no time to re-engineer it for whoever takes Biden's place.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

AOC has little leverage. It was not her group that pushed Biden out. It was the donors.

You should really pay better attention to what I write. I mentioned AOC only as person who reported that stuff to the public nothing more.

 

[Cindy Claveau]

Secondly, it takes away Biden as a target of all their carefully crafted propaganda, with little or no time to re-engineer it for whoever takes Biden's place.

Oh, I'm sure they'll cook up something for Kamala involving race, gender and misogyny. But they'll be dusting off old tropes from years past. This is the chance for the Dems to repackage the whole campaign around Kamala and throw Trump off balance.

Sidenote: Harris is an accomplished debater. Trump won't frazzle her.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Speaking of monied interests, Mother Jones published an interesting article about the role Peter Theil has played which I posted in the 2024 election thread.

This election will be decided by the rich, even more so than usual.

"Second verse, same as the first."

 

[Veritable Quandry]

You should really pay better attention to what I write. I mentioned AOC only as person who reported that stuff to the public nothing more.

I did. My comment extends to the small sliver of the back bench she speaks for. It's a half dozen reps in safe Blue districts at best. You did credit them for making Biden drop out, which is absolutely not the case.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

So now that the steam blowing out my ears is slowing down a bit, there one big advantage to this clusterfuck, if we can take advantage of it. This takes the limelight away from Trump, and he's going to HATE that. This increases the chance he'll escalate his rhetoric to regain people's attention, and lose votes rather than gain them.

Secondly, it takes away Biden as a target of all their carefully crafted propaganda, with little or no time to re-engineer it for whoever takes Biden's place.

I've been thinking about that as well. The media can no longer go, "but his age and cognitive abilities" anymore. For now, if they want immediate click clickbait, they'll have to go after Trump.

 

[Jolene Benoir]

So disheartening. This news leaves me deeply saddened. Despite how they tried to spin it as 'good for the party' and 'he's too old and decrepit', this process struck me as a pile-on by both his party and the media. Nothing equivalent ever happens in the republican side of dirt-churning. They hide it and whisper about it secretly, never dragging their own leader down into the mud.

I agree with this. I was very disappointed in democratic leaders, past and present, calling for his ouster, losing the incumbent advantage.

I don't believe Harris can win, and it has NOTHING to do with her experience, abilities or skills. It has EVERYTHING to do with the racism and misogyny in this country. 2016 was a huge wake up call in this regard and if anything, these fucks, feel even more emboldened. I believe we are STILL at a place in this shitty country where only a male can win.

 

[Zaida Gearbox]

The Democratic convention happens after the nomination deadline for a half dozen states. It is irrelevant. If there is no nominee in the next week we lose ballot access.

Hubman who is far more knowledgable than I says the courts have invalidated such laws. Plus the Ds are planning to do a virtual roll call before the election.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

Oh, I'm sure they'll cook up something for Kamala involving race, gender and misogyny. But they'll be dusting off old tropes from years past. This is the chance for the Dems to repackage the whole campaign around Kamala and throw Trump off balance.

Sidenote: Harris is an accomplished debater. Trump won't frazzle her.

I vaguely remember Harris botching a debate or two in 2020, but it's been a while and my memory could be off. But I'm sure she'll do better against Trump who is honestly a terrible debater against a strong opponent who knows what to expect. I'm willing to bet Trump won't face the new nominee in a debate. After all, why would he? He has a lead right now and odds are good the new candidate will be someone much more able to hammer him and he knows it.