We need to finally get rid of the spineless surrender monkeys of the so-called "Democratic elites." They have added nothing and prevented the party from effectively opposing the GOP for the past 50 years, self-important boobs that they are.
How can everyone not see what is happening and what trajectory we are on? We had such momentum and now it’s slipping from us. I had been denial but now I’m starting to worry.
Mainly what I cannot understand is that the only other option is Kamala Harris and she’s already VP so problem solved about Bidens age. I just don’t get this. Furthermore, doesn’t the press see that they are first on the chopping block should trump “win”? Why aren’t they helping us succeed!? I’m legit worried.
I’m contacting Shiffs office today. I should have voted for Katie Porter damn it.
“Mainly what I cannot understand is that the only other option is Kamala Harris and she’s already VP so problem solved about Bidens age. I just don’t get this.”
I read the NBC link you provided about the criticism of female Secret Service agents. Not surprised at all by the absurd talking points of these brainwashed. Did these people not see the 'victim' that the agents were risking their lives to cover continually and agressively try to break out of their cover?
And what particularly galls me, is that he caused them to stop doing their job so he could raise his fist in the air and pump twice… Which put him in potentially further danger at a time when the risks were unknown 😡. Imagine the blame game if he would have been taken out while he was raising a fist to his masses.
The (NRA-funded) lawmakers are always eager to shift the blame. So appalled that Trump was shot *at*!!! But if your kid gets killed by a shooter, you get thoughts and prayers.
A couple of things: First, thank you for this. Second, I just gave to the TPM Fund. Third: That bandage is ridiculous and unnecessary. I mean I know the air is full of germs there at the RNC, but really. Fourth: The hypocrisy of the repub folks attacking the SS head, so outraged that Trump got shot *at* but only thoughts and prayers when someone's child gets killed. Fifth: The election -fraud-if-we-lose grooming is ramping up. It's scary. And election workers are geting burned out, frightened, depressed. And voters are getting disillusioned, scared, apathetic, hopeless. The grooming has got to be addressed.
Not to go all tin-hatty here, but that oversized bandage IMHO is more to hide the actual cause of the initial bleeding than to "protect" his ear. He's going with "the bullet did it" rather than, say, fragments from the shattered TelePrompter screen, but the absolute blackout of medical details is most puzzling.
Knowing tRump's predilections for lying or exaggeration, we can only imagine what the truth of the matter really is.
It is disheartening to read the stories about my fellow Dems attempting to force Biden from seeking re-election. After our resounding victory in the 2020 election, which brought nothing but absolute joy within the party and a collective sigh of relief at Trump's defeat, it's perplexing to see Biden now being considered too old, too feeble to take on Trump again. We, as a united Democratic party, have the strength and unity to support our chosen candidate.
Here are the things I believe work in Biden's favor and point toward another victory over Trump. Let's focus on these positive aspects and the potential for a successful re-election.
Biden received 81,283,36 votes in 2020, defeating Trump by more than 7 million votes. Two questions apply here: first, given all that Biden and Democrats achieved during the first part of his term in office, is it likely that fewer people will vote for him now? Second, given all that Trump has shown us during his time in office out of office, will more people (than the 74 million in 2020) vote for him now?
How is it that my party's leadership is incapable of taking what should be a winning message (Biden/Dems' legislative accomplishments, America's improved standing globally, Trump's criminality, and stated intent of making America nothing more than a banana republic during his second term, the likelihood that Trump will, if he wins, be able to nominate more federal justices, leading to a further loss of Constitutional rights, etc) and defeat Trump soundly?
Why is my party so ignorant of political history, i.e., the Johnson-Humphrey debacle that led to Nixon's election in 1968?
Why (and this point is particularly annoying) is my party so willing to organize themselves into a circular firing squad instead of supporting a decent candidate who only wants the best for America and its future? I don't see Republicans suffering from —what to call it? — this collective, massive self-doubt; they are all in on supporting a convicted felon/sociopath.
When I was six, my late-great grandfather teased me about having the Democratic donkey stamped on my butt when I was born. I will always be a Democrat. But this is more than frustrating, it's infuriating!
I appreciate your reporting but I don’t appreciate the framing “The Knives Are Out.” This isn’t a game or worthy of your usual reporting for TPM. If POTUS has lost confidence of party leadership, perhaps there is a reason beyond just wanting to back-stab for shits and giggles.
Add Barack Obama to your list, as WaPo is reporting that he is "telling allies that Biden must seriously consider his viability as a candidate", and therefore do the right thing.
Re: your French generals in 1940 comment - VP Harris as Pierre Laval?
Must agree with your post, as we are assuredly NOT in a "Et tu, Brutus?" moment here, as Joe Biden has been more than patiently indulged by Dem leaders, who have been pleading with him for weeks to reconsider his candidacy in the face of poor polling, poor approvals, and poor performance vis-à-vis Dem Senate candidates on a state-by-state basis.
There hasn't been , for example, reports of a shadowy group coalescing round VP Harris, ready to depose Joe at a moment's notice, or a latter-day Goldwater-Scott delegation coming to the WH telling Biden that it's over, so decamp ASAP...at least, not yet.
Not a bit of it, the hope here is that Biden will indeed do the right thing voluntarily, and if he doesn't, well, we'll take our chances, however diminishing they may be.
Just to clarify my previos response. His successor is VP Harris, and an awesome one. I was referring to his replacement on the ticket, since the punditry doesn’t want KH either. Ugh.
I agree with you Laura, I just don’t get any of this resign because you’re old nonsense. Kamala is an excellent VP and should something happen to Biden we’re covered. What’s the problem here!? I’m so dismayed. Why on earth are we creating problems when the situation is so very dire. We are losing momentum! We can’t afford to do that. I’m starting to worry.
We cannot control what the punditry does, but we control what we do. I’m writing postcards to voters. It’s very Zen and helps me keep what’s left of my sanity. Regardless of what happens, I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re going to win. We can’t let the doomsayers deflate us. That’s called psyops. And if we didn’t have a winning hand, they wouldn’t be trying so hard to convince up to give up. We’re not giving up.
I love this and should be the top comment. Yes! I’m with you! I honestly feel that you and I are in the majority here. I just cannot understand why forces are working against us. We will keep up the hard work! We will not be discouraged.
Understood. I just think we lose our Dem base- black voters, particularly black women, if we skip over Biden’s first black woman and most obvious successor. I am less worried what the punditry thinks (except that I think Biden cannot adequately counter their ridiculousness any longer). They will always criticize Dems and normalize R’s. It’s what their overlords demand.
Nice. She’s the VP already and the main reason Biden is being attacked. Or one of the reasons. And a faction is attacking her already. And would she accept this?
Realize that there will be attacks against whoever is the Dem candidate. That is baked in. VP Harris isn’t the reason Biden is struggling. Further, Harris is the only Dem who could mount a campaign at this late date and actually legally use the money raised for the Biden/Harris campaign. And she has been increasingly polling very well.
The really sad thing is that if we had a real democracy in which the candidate who won the most votes would actually WIN, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Trump has not and never will win the popular vote. Alas, it does no good to lament what is. Despite his presidential accomplishments Biden should never have been the nominee. He is clearly too old and he is a bummer to watch. Harris would be more inspiring, especially to young voters. Just my humble opinion.
I’m with Martina Navratilova, that shooting was some stunt. I want better media, I’ll subscribe to press that doesn’t rehash anti Biden propaganda from NYT, WAPO, and WSJ.
Saying the knives are out might be clever and historical but people concerned are not Brutus. Honeybees do a better job of swarming to a new hive site than we in the USA for selecting leaders.
Being the party of cowards (arguably deliberately so), odds are no one's real thought through how things play out. So let's ponder!
Biden resigns as candidate and is replaced by Harris: if she wins, there's no credible way she can run the J6 proceedings in the House. I can't imagine that happening without anything like J6 2.0 being provoked or incited.
Biden resigns as candidate and is replaced by anyone but Harris: seriously? Y'all think that can happen without let's say electoral problems IYKWIM?
If Biden is too decrepit to be the candidate then he's per sé too decrepit to continue as POTUS. Maybe I'm old and cynical but if there's a credible argument that's he's too decrepit for one he has to be too decrepit to serve.
So we then have Harris as POTUS because the only way she gets replaced as VP is through the House and... not going to say it's impossible but given the opportunity to have the Speaker running J6 proceedings and thereby provide freedom for Republicans to engage in fuckery, suffice to say I'd have to see the Rs sign off on a replacement for Harris to believe it'll happen.
And since all the buzziness and screwing of Biden is limited to everyone but the mass of voters, there's the issue of depressing Democratic voter turnout.
Meanwhile, if the D candidate wins the Electoral College, there's still J^ and other hurdles including SCOTUS which has at least four votes IMO to make Trump POTUS given an opportunity -- Bush v Gore has very helpful language -- probably five votes.
So all reality-based scenarios end with Trump being elected.
This has all been insane.
And then there's my questioning of just how dedicated the DNC is to being a true opposition party. I've got an argument but some other time for that.
And that crap against Biden sucks.
Agree completely. I'm disgusted with the whole lot of them.
We need to finally get rid of the spineless surrender monkeys of the so-called "Democratic elites." They have added nothing and prevented the party from effectively opposing the GOP for the past 50 years, self-important boobs that they are.
Here's the difference right
now between MAGA and
Dems.
MAGA - when their leader is
attacked, they stand up and
stand shoulder to shoulder
with him, no matter how
reprehensible he is.
Dems - when their leader is
attacked from within, they
pile on the scrum, pull out the
knives and start stabbing
him, even though he has
given every single one of
them the best 3-3/4 years
of a booming economy
they've had in too many
years. Helped campaign for
them, raise money for them,
and been their friend. NEVER
asked them to bend a knee or
swear loyalty.
Yep, this is my party currently
and I'm really DISGUSTED
with them, except for a few.
Too few.
I feel like I am living in the twilight zone.
How can everyone not see what is happening and what trajectory we are on? We had such momentum and now it’s slipping from us. I had been denial but now I’m starting to worry.
Mainly what I cannot understand is that the only other option is Kamala Harris and she’s already VP so problem solved about Bidens age. I just don’t get this. Furthermore, doesn’t the press see that they are first on the chopping block should trump “win”? Why aren’t they helping us succeed!? I’m legit worried.
I’m contacting Shiffs office today. I should have voted for Katie Porter damn it.
“Mainly what I cannot understand is that the only other option is Kamala Harris and she’s already VP so problem solved about Bidens age. I just don’t get this.”
Exactly!! This is all about nothing!!
I’m beside myself with incomprehension of the anti-Biden Dens. You got it - Harris is already VP so problem solved about Biden’s age…
I read the NBC link you provided about the criticism of female Secret Service agents. Not surprised at all by the absurd talking points of these brainwashed. Did these people not see the 'victim' that the agents were risking their lives to cover continually and agressively try to break out of their cover?
Female and male agents.
And what particularly galls me, is that he caused them to stop doing their job so he could raise his fist in the air and pump twice… Which put him in potentially further danger at a time when the risks were unknown 😡. Imagine the blame game if he would have been taken out while he was raising a fist to his masses.
The (NRA-funded) lawmakers are always eager to shift the blame. So appalled that Trump was shot *at*!!! But if your kid gets killed by a shooter, you get thoughts and prayers.
Want better media? Find out
about Trump's ear! If you
zoom in on the photo where
he's raising his fist, you can
see his ear pretty clearly.
Since he was playing golf the
next day and posting his
usual trash on Truth Social,
I doubt his wittle cut,
probably from shattered i
teleprompter, will have ANY
long term health effects, or
spiritual for that matter, on
the orange yam.
The morning after, he called it "the world's worst mosquito bite". The truth is it was and is a nothingburger that he's conning the world with. Again.
A couple of things: First, thank you for this. Second, I just gave to the TPM Fund. Third: That bandage is ridiculous and unnecessary. I mean I know the air is full of germs there at the RNC, but really. Fourth: The hypocrisy of the repub folks attacking the SS head, so outraged that Trump got shot *at* but only thoughts and prayers when someone's child gets killed. Fifth: The election -fraud-if-we-lose grooming is ramping up. It's scary. And election workers are geting burned out, frightened, depressed. And voters are getting disillusioned, scared, apathetic, hopeless. The grooming has got to be addressed.
Not to go all tin-hatty here, but that oversized bandage IMHO is more to hide the actual cause of the initial bleeding than to "protect" his ear. He's going with "the bullet did it" rather than, say, fragments from the shattered TelePrompter screen, but the absolute blackout of medical details is most puzzling.
Knowing tRump's predilections for lying or exaggeration, we can only imagine what the truth of the matter really is.
Agreed.
Let’s listen to Bernie and AOC. They’re riding with Biden. Thank you!
Schiff and the others are stuck in their Washington bubble where they believe ignorant pundits and polls.
It is disheartening to read the stories about my fellow Dems attempting to force Biden from seeking re-election. After our resounding victory in the 2020 election, which brought nothing but absolute joy within the party and a collective sigh of relief at Trump's defeat, it's perplexing to see Biden now being considered too old, too feeble to take on Trump again. We, as a united Democratic party, have the strength and unity to support our chosen candidate.
Here are the things I believe work in Biden's favor and point toward another victory over Trump. Let's focus on these positive aspects and the potential for a successful re-election.
Biden received 81,283,36 votes in 2020, defeating Trump by more than 7 million votes. Two questions apply here: first, given all that Biden and Democrats achieved during the first part of his term in office, is it likely that fewer people will vote for him now? Second, given all that Trump has shown us during his time in office out of office, will more people (than the 74 million in 2020) vote for him now?
How is it that my party's leadership is incapable of taking what should be a winning message (Biden/Dems' legislative accomplishments, America's improved standing globally, Trump's criminality, and stated intent of making America nothing more than a banana republic during his second term, the likelihood that Trump will, if he wins, be able to nominate more federal justices, leading to a further loss of Constitutional rights, etc) and defeat Trump soundly?
Why is my party so ignorant of political history, i.e., the Johnson-Humphrey debacle that led to Nixon's election in 1968?
Why (and this point is particularly annoying) is my party so willing to organize themselves into a circular firing squad instead of supporting a decent candidate who only wants the best for America and its future? I don't see Republicans suffering from —what to call it? — this collective, massive self-doubt; they are all in on supporting a convicted felon/sociopath.
When I was six, my late-great grandfather teased me about having the Democratic donkey stamped on my butt when I was born. I will always be a Democrat. But this is more than frustrating, it's infuriating!
Sorry for the rant, but...
You’re so right about all of this.
I appreciate your reporting but I don’t appreciate the framing “The Knives Are Out.” This isn’t a game or worthy of your usual reporting for TPM. If POTUS has lost confidence of party leadership, perhaps there is a reason beyond just wanting to back-stab for shits and giggles.
The "Democratic elites" are doing a good imitation of the French generals of 1940. And the MSM is now openly the enemy.
Add Barack Obama to your list, as WaPo is reporting that he is "telling allies that Biden must seriously consider his viability as a candidate", and therefore do the right thing.
Re: your French generals in 1940 comment - VP Harris as Pierre Laval?
Must agree with your post, as we are assuredly NOT in a "Et tu, Brutus?" moment here, as Joe Biden has been more than patiently indulged by Dem leaders, who have been pleading with him for weeks to reconsider his candidacy in the face of poor polling, poor approvals, and poor performance vis-à-vis Dem Senate candidates on a state-by-state basis.
There hasn't been , for example, reports of a shadowy group coalescing round VP Harris, ready to depose Joe at a moment's notice, or a latter-day Goldwater-Scott delegation coming to the WH telling Biden that it's over, so decamp ASAP...at least, not yet.
Not a bit of it, the hope here is that Biden will indeed do the right thing voluntarily, and if he doesn't, well, we'll take our chances, however diminishing they may be.
This.
And his purported successor would be? Is there a solid name?
Her name is Kamala Harris.
Just to clarify my previos response. His successor is VP Harris, and an awesome one. I was referring to his replacement on the ticket, since the punditry doesn’t want KH either. Ugh.
I agree with you Laura, I just don’t get any of this resign because you’re old nonsense. Kamala is an excellent VP and should something happen to Biden we’re covered. What’s the problem here!? I’m so dismayed. Why on earth are we creating problems when the situation is so very dire. We are losing momentum! We can’t afford to do that. I’m starting to worry.
We cannot control what the punditry does, but we control what we do. I’m writing postcards to voters. It’s very Zen and helps me keep what’s left of my sanity. Regardless of what happens, I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re going to win. We can’t let the doomsayers deflate us. That’s called psyops. And if we didn’t have a winning hand, they wouldn’t be trying so hard to convince up to give up. We’re not giving up.
We can have an influence on the otherwise-unemployables of the punditocracy - cancel them. Cancel subscriptions, turn them off.
I love this and should be the top comment. Yes! I’m with you! I honestly feel that you and I are in the majority here. I just cannot understand why forces are working against us. We will keep up the hard work! We will not be discouraged.
Yes, we are in the majority and will not be discouraged. Onward!!!
Understood. I just think we lose our Dem base- black voters, particularly black women, if we skip over Biden’s first black woman and most obvious successor. I am less worried what the punditry thinks (except that I think Biden cannot adequately counter their ridiculousness any longer). They will always criticize Dems and normalize R’s. It’s what their overlords demand.
My point exactly. They’re screwing the pooch for no good reason. And if not Kamala, who? There wasn’t any need for this crap.
Nice. She’s the VP already and the main reason Biden is being attacked. Or one of the reasons. And a faction is attacking her already. And would she accept this?
Realize that there will be attacks against whoever is the Dem candidate. That is baked in. VP Harris isn’t the reason Biden is struggling. Further, Harris is the only Dem who could mount a campaign at this late date and actually legally use the money raised for the Biden/Harris campaign. And she has been increasingly polling very well.
I know, right? This is getting weirder by the minute.
The really sad thing is that if we had a real democracy in which the candidate who won the most votes would actually WIN, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Trump has not and never will win the popular vote. Alas, it does no good to lament what is. Despite his presidential accomplishments Biden should never have been the nominee. He is clearly too old and he is a bummer to watch. Harris would be more inspiring, especially to young voters. Just my humble opinion.
I’m with Martina Navratilova, that shooting was some stunt. I want better media, I’ll subscribe to press that doesn’t rehash anti Biden propaganda from NYT, WAPO, and WSJ.
Saying the knives are out might be clever and historical but people concerned are not Brutus. Honeybees do a better job of swarming to a new hive site than we in the USA for selecting leaders.
Oh Brutus is definitely stalking.
Yes, Brutus’ exist. But what is gained by elevating the lowest common denominator, in journalism that is suggested to be thoughtful?
Being the party of cowards (arguably deliberately so), odds are no one's real thought through how things play out. So let's ponder!
Biden resigns as candidate and is replaced by Harris: if she wins, there's no credible way she can run the J6 proceedings in the House. I can't imagine that happening without anything like J6 2.0 being provoked or incited.
Biden resigns as candidate and is replaced by anyone but Harris: seriously? Y'all think that can happen without let's say electoral problems IYKWIM?
If Biden is too decrepit to be the candidate then he's per sé too decrepit to continue as POTUS. Maybe I'm old and cynical but if there's a credible argument that's he's too decrepit for one he has to be too decrepit to serve.
So we then have Harris as POTUS because the only way she gets replaced as VP is through the House and... not going to say it's impossible but given the opportunity to have the Speaker running J6 proceedings and thereby provide freedom for Republicans to engage in fuckery, suffice to say I'd have to see the Rs sign off on a replacement for Harris to believe it'll happen.
And since all the buzziness and screwing of Biden is limited to everyone but the mass of voters, there's the issue of depressing Democratic voter turnout.
Meanwhile, if the D candidate wins the Electoral College, there's still J^ and other hurdles including SCOTUS which has at least four votes IMO to make Trump POTUS given an opportunity -- Bush v Gore has very helpful language -- probably five votes.
So all reality-based scenarios end with Trump being elected.
This has all been insane.
And then there's my questioning of just how dedicated the DNC is to being a true opposition party. I've got an argument but some other time for that.