SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2024
His view was correctly reported: We're going to guess that this was Ezra Klein's debut on the Fox News Channel morning show, Fox & Friends Weekend.
For the record, the view he expressed in his latest column was not misstated or misrepresented by the trio of friends.
At this site, we had already pulled that new column, most likely for discussion today. In that column, Ezra calls for President Biden to withdraw from his search for a second term.
He reads the essay in his own voice. Headline included, here are some relevant passages:
Democrats Have a Better Option Than Biden
[...]
I’ve had my own journey on this. I’ve written a number of columns about how Biden keeps proving pundits wrong, about how he’s proved me wrong....I’d grown wary of underestimating him.
We had to wait till this year—till now, really—to see Biden even begin to show what he’d be like on the campaign trail. And what I think we’re seeing is that he is not up for this. He is not the campaigner he was, even five years ago. That’s not insider reporting on my part. Go watch a speech he gave in Pennsylvania, kicking off his campaign in 2019. And then go watch the speech he gave last month, in Valley Forge, kicking off his election campaign. No comparison here. Both speeches are on YouTube, and you can see it. The way he moves, the energy in his voice. The Democrats denying decline are only fooling themselves.
But even given that, I was stunned when his team declined a Super Bowl interview. Biden is not up by 12 points. He can’t coast to victory here. He is losing. He is behind in most polls. He is behind, despite everything people already know about Donald Trump. He needs to make up ground. If he does not make up ground, Trump wins.
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest audiences you will ever have. And you just skip it? You just say no?
[...]
I want to say this clearly: I like Biden. I think he’s been a good president. I think he is a good president. I don’t like having this conversation. And I know a lot of liberals, a lot of Democrats are going to be furious at me for this show.
But to say this is a media invention, that people are worried about Biden’s age because the media keeps telling them to be worried about Biden’s age? If you have really convinced yourself of that, in your heart of hearts, I almost don’t know what to tell you. In poll after poll, 70 percent to 80 percent of voters are worried about his age. This is not a thing people need the media to see. It is right in front of them, and it is also shaping how Biden and his campaign are acting.
On Fox & Friends, they teased the topic at 6:56, discussed it at 7:10. They played the audiotape of Ezra reading his column in his own voice. His views were correctly reported.
There are several parts of the passages we've posted to which we'll return below. First, though, let it be said:
Ezra isn't the only anti-Trump New York Times columnist who has expressed similar views within the past week. In last Sunday's print editions, Ross Douthat called for Biden to step aside. Then too, there's Pamela Paul.
In yesterday's print editions, Pamela Paul seemed to assume that Biden will be the Democratic candidate. She then offered her views as to the manner in which he should campaign.
That said, she followed Klein down one winding road. Headline included, here's part of what she said:
Biden Must Win. But How?
[...]
[T]his isn’t 2020. Biden cannot run the same campaign he did last time, when all he had to do was appear normal. Back then he still had some of the Obama sheen; today, he and his vice president are both unpopular. Little in his first term seems to be serving him well. Though he’s done a good job as president and the economy is thriving, few give him credit. And multiple polls show him running behind Donald Trump.
Most troubling, he’s too old and he looks tired. My brain wants to delete everything it’s heard from people who have spent time in his presence in the last year. (It’s not encouraging.) Only 23 percent of voters, according to a January NBC poll, say Biden is better than Trump on “having the necessary mental and physical health to be president,” a statistic that, no matter which way you bend it, doesn’t mean anything good.
[...]
First, the issues that matter to voters. The border remains Biden’s biggest weak spot—then again, Trump didn’t fix the border, either. But rather than simply blame Republicans for the failed border deal or more of the same dithering and pandering to the progressive wing, Biden needs to take concrete measures, through executive orders, to address the crisis now. He needs to articulate a longer-term plan to put before Congress in his second term. He needs, at long last, to say: Here is what my administration will do to secure the border and prevent uncontrolled migration.
[...]
Early polls are unreliable, and a lot can change in nine months. Once Trump quashes Nikki Haley and secures his party’s nomination, the reality of Trump will set in. With four criminal trials coming up and as Trump’s increasingly batty assertions reach beyond the ears of his disciples, he will surely set off alarms among those voters who favor sanity.
But Biden can’t wait for that to happen. Trump is running like he’s already president. Biden needs to act with similar urgency. He needs to talk about the future. He needs to start making the threat of a second Trump term—in all its unbridled terror—real now. Lord help us, we’re relying on him to prevent that from happening.
We note the use of the phrase "at long last." At long last, Candidate Biden needs to say what he'll do with respect to the border, Paul says.
That formulation reflects a troubling fact. Like our pundits on blue tribe cable, President Biden has dithered the past year away, failing to state, in a forceful way, his position with respect to this very significant topic.
Instead, our tribunes have focused on the pleasures provided by such topics as this:
Trump Trump Trump Trump Jail!
Paul says that Biden is too old, and she says that he looks tired. She's tired of hearing people say how great he seems in private, with no cameras around.
From there, we move to Damon Linker, writing for The Atlantic. For the record, Linker isn't a Donald Trump man:
At the end of his essay, he refers to Trump as "a sociopathic menace who must be defeated in November." For ourselves, we're glad that The Atlantic let Linker use that language.
Linker explicitly calls Donald J. Trump a sociopath. For that reason, he says the Democratic Party needs a stronger candidate this year.
He even offers a set of names. Dual headlines included, here are some relevant excerpts:
Democrats Should Pick a New Presidential Candidate Now
[...]
The party needs to wake up and stop sleepwalking toward disaster with Biden as its nominee.
The Democratic Party is heading into the 2024 election with a presumptive nominee who may well be incapable of defeating former President Donald Trump. The incumbent on whom the party is relying to run against Trump’s dangerous threat to the country and the world currently rates at an anemic and steady 39 percent approval. Worse, no less than three-quarters of Americans and half of Democrats worry that President Joe Biden lacks “the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term.” And those figures come from a survey released before Special Counsel Robert Hur’s damning comments last week about Biden being an “elderly man with a poor memory.”
Yet partisan Democrats, from the president on down, responded with anger and defensiveness to Hur’s report. This is so unfair! How dare he use his office for a partisan hit job! To which I’m inclined to respond: Stop whining! The reason Hur’s comments seemed damaging is that they confirmed what most of the country already believes: Biden is too old and frail for the job he holds right now. So the prospect of his serving another four years is a reasonable source of concern (especially because his vice president is as unpopular as he is).
[...]
Let me be clear: As a former conservative who hasn’t voted for a Republican candidate since 2002, I am going to be voting for the Democratic nominee in November, whether or not it’s Joe Biden. I would be doing that even if the party ran a potted plant in Biden’s place. A potted plant in the Oval Office would be infinitely preferable to a president who embodies a potentially fatal threat to the country’s democratic institutions.
[...]
As for those insisting that Biden would have to treat Vice President Kamala Harris as his heir apparent for fear of alienating the party’s base of Black voters, this is another good example of misplaced risk aversion. The party’s message should be that no one is entitled to a presidential nomination. If Harris wants it, she will have to persuade her party that she’s more likely to defeat Trump than formidable alternatives such as Governors Gretchen Whitmer, Josh Shapiro, Gavin Newsom, Jared Polis, and J. B. Pritzker, and Senator Raphael Warnock. That’s how politics works—or should work.
More generally, I’d like to see the Democratic Party and its defenders spending more time running popular, charismatic candidates and less time desperately trying to work the refs—that is, more time doing whatever is necessary to win and less time trying to prove that Democrats deserve to win.
Trump is a sociopathic menace who must be defeated in November. However well-suited Biden was to the task of dispatching him four years ago, the situation has changed. Biden cannot possibly be the best person for the job today. The time to fix this mess is now—before it really is too late.
At this site, we don't necessarily believe that a Democratic replacement candidate could win November's election. That includes the six or seven possible replacement candidates named in Linker's essay.
That said, we agree with what Klein and Linker have said about the current behavior of many Democratic officials and many blue tribe pundits. These people seem to be sleepwalking along in a state of denial about "what most of the country already believes."
This morning, Ezra's essay was featured on Fox & Friends. The friends didn't misrepresent his views. In fact, they played the audiotape of Ezra reading a key part of his column.
According to Ezra, Joe Biden is no longer capable of running a winning campaign. Meanwhile, this is what the gentleman says about those who are stuck in what he sees as denial:
To say this is a media invention, that people are worried about Biden’s age because the media keeps telling them to be worried about Biden’s age? If you have really convinced yourself of that, in your heart of hearts, I almost don’t know what to tell you. In poll after poll, 70 percent to 80 percent of voters are worried about his age. This is not a thing people need the media to see. It is right in front of them.
It's right in front of us, Ezra says. We're inclined to agree with that view, though we don't see any clear way out of this serious problem.
As we said in real time, we've been deeply concerned about this matter since we saw President Biden deliver the first of his two public speeches on the island of Maui back in August 2023. At this time, we see no sign that he will be capable of running a vigorous campaign, though we could always turn out to be wrong about that.
In fairness, Candidate Donald J. Trump may yet crash and burn as a result of his many and various trials. This year's election is unfolding in the absence of anything resembling a precedent.
Still and all, the denial seems to be very deep on our blue tribe's side. Some of it comes from our multimillion dollar, "cable news" corporate tribunes. Some of it comes from those who seem inclined to repeat whatever "the semi-anonymous Twitter personality" Acyn Tobari says.
We note one last part of Ezra's essay—the part where he says this:
I know a lot of liberals, a lot of Democrats are going to be furious at me for this [column].
We're sorry that Ezra felt he had to say that. We're glad that he stated his view all the same.
Our personal view would be this:
Here within our challenged blue tribe, we need to understand ourselves better. We need to understand our instincts and our impulses. We need to understand the way we look to other people—to tens of millions of neighbors and friends who do show up to vote.
We badly need to see ourselves with greater clarity. At this site, here's one question we'll be exploring:
Can ventures into the world of literature possibly help with that task?
Somerby says that Avenatti is a better candidate than Trump because Trump is digging underground tunnels to the White House, while Republicans have elevated Bobulinski via fiat. Setting aside that the DNC and Democrats do not represent the left and that the DNC has nothing to do with elections, what does diurnal mean?
ReplyDeleteBiden's age ain't nothing but a number. He is fit for office and has been prosecuting each and every one of our wars with extreme prejudice. Scores of billions are being spent every month and being spent well. This way they die and we don't. amiritie? He rides bikes and go carts on the weekends. Somerby insists that both the red tribe and the blue tribe watch Tucker. How can you have something be tertiary and at the same time babelized within the scope of the laptop scandals and Bobulinski's interview ?
ReplyDelete“Our wars”?
DeleteOur killings. I think it's half a million dead in Ukraine.
DeleteDoes Putin figure into those deaths in any way?
DeleteYes, 300,000 of those are Russian. And not just deaths but also injuries. A half a million soldiers killed or injured.
DeleteIt’s hard to imagine that Putin attacking and bombing a country could cause that country to defend itself, resulting in the deaths of Russian soldiers.
Delete12:35 Why?
DeleteOk, I won’t use sarcasm, 12:35. Putin attacked Ukraine, which led to the deaths of those soldiers. Those are not “our killings.”
DeleteOh. I see. I understand your point. Thanks for clarifying.
Delete@12:41 Don't forget that a good percentage of those commenting are non-native English speakers at Eastern European troll farms and thus do not pick up on the nuances of language use.
DeleteI’m not in Eastern Europe.
DeleteThe giveaway is their excessive courtesy.
DeleteIt’s not a media invention, the media keep telling us. They also keep running opinion pieces telling us that Biden is old, implying of course that he is incapable of performing the job, even as that assertion seems disproven by his actual performance as president.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Democrats will hate what Klein has to say, says Klein. He adopts the faux martyrdom of Somerby, the “only” truth teller about Biden in a world ironically filled with such “truth tellers.”
The issue isn't his capability of performing the job, it is that people don't like him and think he is too old, therefore he will not have enough votes to get the job.
DeleteThat is possible, but not a certainty. But as long as people like Somerby persist in telling us that Biden is too old without trying to persuade voters otherwise, it becomes a media narrative which almost seems designed to undermine Biden.
DeleteThe main thrust of these columns is that Dems are in a state of denial about "what most of the country already believes.".
DeleteAnd who is telling us what most of the country already believes?
Delete11:53 -
DeleteIt would not be a very good plan to sit around and wait for bloggers with when we disagree to dedicate themselves to dissuading millions of voters from something that they already believe.
And you know what millions of voters how, exactly?
DeleteAnd you know what millions of voters believe how, exactly?
DeleteYou think it's false that millions of Americans think Biden is too old?
DeleteAnd by the way, it very much is his capability of performing the job that is a big part of the issue, 11:50. Surely, being “old” doesn’t necessarily equate to being incapable. “Liking him” is an entirely different matter.
DeleteHow do you know it to be true, 11:59? You or some other anonymous made that claim.
Delete11:57 from the piece:
Delete"To say this is a media invention, that people are worried about Biden’s age because the media keeps telling them to be worried about Biden’s age? If you have really convinced yourself of that, in your heart of hearts, I almost don’t know what to tell you. In poll after poll, 70 percent to 80 percent of voters are worried about his age. This is not a thing people need the media to see. It is right in front of them."
If you think people don't think Biden is too old, I also almost don’t know what to tell you.
That is an opinion, 12:01, masquerading as a fact from a media pundit with a large platform.
DeleteIf you want to argue that people don't think Biden is too old, please state your case. But that's kind of another conversation. And one I can't really be a part of because of the ignorance of the premise, no offense.
Delete12:01 shows the main thrust of these columns is that Dems are in a state of denial about "what most of the country already believes.".
DeleteWhat is obvious.
Trying to argue that millions of Americans don't think Biden is too old. Oh my.
What does “too old” mean, 12:04? Trump is only 3 years younger. Is he not too old also? Should age in and of itself be disqualifying? I don’t believe it should. It isn’t obvious to me that polls, or whatever evidence you or media pundits cite, reflect an inevitable outcome for this election, much as Somerby and others want us to think.
DeleteThe issue isn't if age in and of itself should be disqualifying or that the polls indicate an inevitable outcome for this election.
DeleteThe issues is liberals are denying his decline, the way people view his age and his ability to pull off a traditional campaign.
DeleteThe future is yet to be seen. It isn’t written in stone. But thanks for warning us.
DeleteThe latest poll showed that Biden does better against Trump than any of the other younger candidates.
DeleteNotice that Klein is appearing on Fox. That is because he is saying things friendly to the red tribe. Republicans would love to have the most effective Democratic candidate step aside in favor of someone who will attract fewer votes.
Paul is married to a climate denialist and conservative and I do not consider her one of us. That she doesn't support Biden is not a surprise to me, given her other expressed opinions in her editorials. These people are not blue "thought leaders".
How well other candidates fare against Trump is besides the point. The point is liberals are denying Biden's decline since 2020 and the way people view his age and his abilities.
DeleteI did notice the audio of Klein appeared on Fox and that was because he is saying things friendly to the red tribe.
DeleteThat doesn't disqualify what Klein said though, does it?
It strongly suggests that what Klein said is compatible with right-wing interests, attitudes, beliefs, because Fox tends to avoid any contact that would be against right wing talking points because that would upset viewers and distance them from Trump and MAGAs.
Delete@2:32 Biden is doing better than other candidates against Trump BECAUSE they do not agree with the idea that Biden has declined. Whether that is denial or not depends on the facts -- what Biden's capacities are. Those are measured best by his performance on the job, which has remained strong and doesn't show any decline, according to a large number of people who work with him closely.
DeleteI think the media is reflecting stereotypes about aging and applying them to Biden without considering his effectiveness in the job. That is unfair. I do not believe that Democrats are in denial about some real decline. It is up to those who think he is declining to supply proof beyond his age alone, since old people do not all decline in the same way or at the same rate. They have not done so yet, since most of the complaints are about verbal gaffes that Biden has been making all of his life, and do not affect his decision-making abilities.
Perry, thank you for your response. I understand that you feel this way. It makes sense that you disagree with Klein at al.
DeleteAll you have to do is see with your own eyes and listen with your own ears. Biden comes across as frail and aged. It delusional to think this won't hurt his chances. There is also pretty widespread antipathy toward Harris. Maybe Biden is sharp as a tack carrying out his duties in spite of his appearance of being ready for the retirement home, but that's not the way he projects himself.
DeleteAnd Al Gore came across as inauthentic, uncomfortable in his own skin, willing to lick the bathroom floor to win office. All you have to go is see it with your own eyes. You see how this works, AC?
DeleteHarris was second only to Biden in those polls testing alternatives against Trump.
DeleteAC/MA. Biden isn’t projecting his appearance. Age isn’t a choice. He is capable despite his looks. Who judges capacity by looks? Someone who decides you are incapable because of race or gender.
DeleteTrump does. He hires people based on looks not ability. As if he were casting a film.
DeleteThe large majority of Americans believe abortion is a right that should be protected.
DeleteAre Dems really in denial about what the voters think?
IMO the election is almost totally negative. Dems say Trump is insane. Reps say Biden is demented. Voters will mostly be voting against one of these candidates.
ReplyDeleteFor that reason, there's no rush about replacing Biden. The Dems could replace him with a younger candidate in October, and that candidate could win simply by not being Trump. In fact, a late choice might do better, because the Reps would have less time to sufficiently demonize that replacement.
For this reason, I expect the Dems to win the 2024 election. If Biden is leading, they'll let him win. If Biden looks bad, they'll replace him and win.
Your well-considered opinion is noted.
DeleteThe Dems are rally set-up, what with Republicans nominating a self-proclaimed sexual predator as their Presidential nominee.
DeleteJust to correct you, David, it’s Somerby that thinks Trump is insane. Democrats think he’s a bad person, a liar, a cheat, and a vindictive sob.
Delete
Delete"Voters will mostly be voting against one of these candidates."
Actually, I saw an exit poll for NH Republican primary, and in that poll most of those who voted for Haley indeed said they voted against Trump. But nearly all of those who voted for Trump said they voted for Trump, not against someone.
People will definitely vote for Trump (assuming he's one of candidates in November).
I mean, Trump is such a good negotiator and comedian with good policy ideas. Why wouldn’t people vote for him, David?
DeleteDavid, on the left, Biden supporters are touting his many accomplishments. Perhaps you have not been listening -- there are a lot of them. And that is NOT negative campaigning.
DeleteIMO Biden hasn't shown the kind of dramatic leadership that would lead people to give him credit. His lack of leadership can be seen regarding Gaza. After the horrific Oct. 7 attack, Biden said he would support Israel no matter what they did. Now he's demanding or requesting that Israel not attack the city of Rafah. Israel is blowing off Biden's request. Biden seems to be accepting Israel's actions.
DeleteI'm not saying that Biden is right or wrong. I'm saying that his words and actions do not look like strong leadership.
Of course that is your opinion about his leadership. You are a Republican and a conservative who supports Trump. What else would you think?
DeleteUnless Biden shares his intimate thought with you, you have no idea what Biden has been doing behind the scenes to deal with the Gaza war. I judge that by the cease-fire and hostages released, not by what Fox tells me. Posturing for the press so you can think of Biden as a tough guy is what Trump would do. Biden tends to announce results after they are agreed upon and about to happen. That means you have no clue what is going on re: Israel.
Are you really complaining about Biden's "leadership" because he wants to reduce deaths in Rafah, but is "accepting Israel's actions"? What would support for Israel look like to you?
David no doubt thinks Biden is responsible for the Gaza war.
Delete@3:32 As I said, I'm not saying Biden is right or wrong. You may well be right that Biden is doing good things behind the scenes. But, secret actions do not demonstrate leadership to the public.
DeleteThere is a theory that Presidents get credit for any good things and blame for any bad things that happen during their Administration. Trump will point out that Ukraine and Gaza were at peace during his reign.
What would support for Israel look like to me? it would be simply allowing our ally Israel to choose whatever strategy they deem best in the long term, without second-guessing.
There are war crimes being committed in Rafah -- by Hamas. Hamas intentionally built their military installation below a residential populated area. You can't win a war without attacking your enemy's military installations. Israel has to attack the area below Rafah. The civilian casualties there are the fault of Hamas.
BTW as you know Israel is allowing the Rafah civilians to leave the city before they attack. This is an unusual courtesy. The US didn't allow Germans to leave Berlin or allow Japanese to leave Tokyo before bombing those cities during WW2.
Israel will keep bombing Gaza as long as Washington enables this behavior with material assistance
DeleteDIC Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, during the Obama administration
DeleteWhat Israel is doing in Gaza is immoral, illegal and indefensible. If someone is robbing a bank, we don't go in and kill everyone just because they are in the way of catching the robbers.
DeleteAnd Israel is doing this with our money. Therefore we are complicit with Israel's illegal and immoral overreaction. It is imperative that Biden put restrictions them or he must be voted out.
@4:35 - yes Russia invaded Ukraine during Obama and Biden’s reign, but not during Trump’s. Was this luck or does Trump deserve some credit?
Delete@5:23 - by supporting Hamas’s war crimes you are encouraging Hamas and Hezbollah to continue building military installations in civilian areas. You are making yourself partly responsible for future Palestinian casualties.
DeleteI don't support Hamas’s war crimes. I condemn them and believe Hamas should to be destroyed.
DeletePoint taken, @5:23. However, Hamas also uses US money to commit war crimes. The US and Europe have long been donating substantial amounts of money to help the Palestinians. In reality, most of this money was used by Hamas to build a powerful military structure.
DeleteTrump appeased Putin by letting him keep Crimea and infiltrate Ukraine, while trying to weaken NATO.
Delete@7:32 What you call "trying to weaken NATO" was in fact actually strengthening NATO. Trump motivated NATO countries to strengthen their militaries, making NATO more capable of resisting Russian aggression.
DeleteBTW how do you think President Trump should have acted to wrest Crimea back from Russian control?
Trump has never said a positive word about NATO, to whom we are bound by treaty, and never uttered a single criticism of Putin. He just announced publicly that he would refuse to defend NATO, and would urge their enemies to attack. You and he are sick.
Delete“ how do you think President Trump should have acted to wrest Crimea back from Russian control?”
DeletePlay more golf and praise Putin harder?
Trump motivated NATO countries to strengthen their militaries, making NATO more capable of resisting Russian aggression.
DeleteThis gets to the heart of the difference between the extreme right wing and the democrats. The extreme right are always looking for their Fuhrer, one man whose force of will alone can bring about their goals. David Frum recently wrote that Trump has convinced republicans that his will alone should replace anything resembling the democratic process.
"Only I can fix it"!, and DiC will snap his heals together and say Hail Trump! No, David, we don't need an buffoon with delusions of being Carlos Gambino or John Gotti, on the world stage threatening to abrogate our solemn treaty obligations because he doesn't understand the first thing about Nato.
In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 of its founding treaty for the first time. Member nations responded together to the 9/11 attacks in the United States.
They could have said, sorry America, you decided to hand your country over to an idiot who fell asleep at the switch and ignored hair on fire warnings.
Israel is starving people and chasing them out of their homes and we're supposed to be happy they invented an app for Palestinians to be compliant
DeleteDavid, are you saying there was no fighting in Ukraine during Trumps disastrous reign? Like he was literally impeached for withholding armaments for Ukraine to fight the Ruskies for ducks sake.
DeleteThe Democrats should nominate David in Cal. He should choose Cecelia as his running mate. To show that he’s vigorous, he should publicly have sex with her.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t vote for myself because I’m too old.
DeleteI would vote against you too, but not for that reason.
DeleteIf you and Cecelia would show the world how it’s done, I’d vote for you.
DeleteAnonymices, the internet is a big place. Surely you could go to some website where you can fantasize with fellow pervs.
DeleteYup. Here's the link.
Deletehttps://gop.com/
You could have become vice-president.
DeleteI mean, if you believe polls, this one shows that Biden polls better against Trump than other Democrats:
ReplyDeletehttps://emersoncollegepolling.com/february-2024-national-poll-biden-performs-strongest-against-trump-among-prominent-democrats/
Of course, existential dread is too cool for some pundits to stop doing it, so Newsom it must be. And once Newsom is installed as candidate, we can proceed to hear how terrible and neoliberal he is.
The future is yet to be seen. It isn’t written in stone. But thanks for warning us.
DeleteNewsom is a surrogate for Biden and has said publicly that he will not run against Biden in a primary. Newsom supports Biden. If you are an admirer of Newsom (as I am, because he legalized gay marriage in CA), you might take seriously his opinion that Biden is our best choice. After all, Newsom knows Biden and has seen him close enough to know how capable he is.
DeleteAOC is supporting Biden. Kamala Harris (who showed her mettle in congressional hearings) is not trying to push Biden aside but is supporting Biden.
Somerby says that Biden is not campaigning energetically enough. Somerby neglects that this is only the very beginning of primary season, way too early for general election campaigning. No one starts this early, so perhaps Somerby is mistaking a strategic campaign decision for Biden's incapacity, which is an idea inspired by his belief that Biden is too old (i.e., prejudice) instead of facts about what Biden can do.
Biden has been preoccupied with foreign relations more than usual for a sitting president. He has both the Ukraine war and Gaza wars to provide diplomatic input and military support, while the ineffective Republican house blocks his efforts to conduct US foreign policy. That means Biden has been involve in Congress more than would be normally true. These extra demands are arguably part of why he has been distracted from starting a campaign that is too early to be his sole focus.
Somerby tends to absorb Fox disinformation. He may not be aware of how actively Biden has been speaking, holding press conferences and meeting with constituents around the country. Trump and Fox lie about that routinely. When we hear Somerby echoing those lies, it suggests that Somerby is forming his opinions of Biden on bad info and not really aware of all the Biden is doing in his campaign.
Simply turning down an interview at the Superbowl, which his campaign decided perhaps might jeopardize a much more important Taylor Swift endorsement (which would attract young voters) by feeding Republican conspiracy theories that Biden dictated the Chiefs playing so that Swift could endorse him at halftime. Biden perhaps did not wish to put Swift on the spot that way. It is bad enough that Republicans have been attacking her with violent threats or that they may affect her career.
I don't think Somerby has really thought this through. Some of the people proposing themselves as alternatives to Biden are in their 70s too (Manchin, Warren, Bernie, RFK Jr.). But it should be obvious that whatever Republicans are encouraging is bound to be bad for Democrats, and that applies double for today's essay by Klein, being actively promoted by both Somerby and Fox.
2:36 I think these are valid points. There's no one else that could run and be as effective as Biden. And Biden still has a chance to win. Reflecting on whether or not Democrats are in denial about his age and abilities and how people view them isn't important. (if I am understanding your point correctly.)
Delete2:46: it isn’t as though Democrats aren’t hearing reflections about “whether or not Democrats are in denial about his age and abilities and how people view them” across the entire media, left and right. Somerby is one of scores of such pundits. We are aware of it. You may also be aware that how people view Biden’s abilities is influenced in part by the way the media reports on them.
Delete2:55 the point is not whether or not Democrats hear these reflections or are aware of them. The point is that they are in denial about them.
Delete(Aren't all opinions influenced in part by the way the media reports on them? I think that's a given.)
If opinions are influenced by the media, then what are we arguing about?
DeleteI don't think Democrats are "in denial" about Biden's abilities. Many of us know that Truman took over from FDR during a world war and was effective enough to be considered one of our great presidents himself, reelected to his own term (despite predictions he could not win). We know that there are systems in place, that work, to deal with disability or death of a president. It happened immediately when JFK was shot and Johnson was sworn in (on an airplane). And Johnson became a highly effective, admired president as well.
DeleteThose evaluating Biden's presidency objectively have been saying highly positive things about the way he dealt with covid, prevented recession, created jobs, is rebuilding infrastructure, and is now dealing with foreign relations challenges. This is more than a routine presidency and Biden has risen to many occasions that have earned him praise. Because he has done such a good job, those of us voting for him believe he has earned a second term. If he subsequently becomes sick or dies, we are confident that Kamala Harris can take over. I personally watched her career in CA as she went from DA to State District Attorney to Senator, and then to presidential candidate and VP choice by Biden, winning in 2020. She has the right experience and strength to take over should anything happen to Biden. That negates the criticism that Biden is too old. A younger person could be in a car accident or be shot (as Ronald Reagan was) and leave their presidency in other hands.
If the founding fathers thought that age should be a barrier to the presidency, we would have an upper age limit. In these times when health care leads to retention of capabilities far longer than in the past, we should accept that our politicians do not retire as young as in the past, and that this is the time to recognize that age brings experience and wisdom that is an advantage. Nancy Pelosi had it, and so does Biden. If others do not, that is the luck of individual health. Trump obviously does not have Biden's stamina in any respect and he is younger.
It is wrong to call Democrats "in denial" when many of us disagree with the things being said in such essays. Some of us disagree because we are old and still "sharp" (as young people put it). Some of us disagree because we work with old people, are physicians or neuropsychologists or memory experts who understand the realities of today's aging. Some of us disagree because we recognize the impact of ageism and negative stereotypes on the "common sense" views of the general public, including media portrayals of old people that are highly inaccurate, ugly jokes about old people that reflect youngsters fear of death, and similar tropes. And some of us just think that Biden deserves his chance because he is the right guy for the job.
Of course. I don't think anyone is suggesting that everyone would agree with people who think Democrats are "in denial" about Biden's abilities.
DeletePerry, your thoughts about accusations that Democrats are "in denial" about Biden's abilities are consistent with the values, logic and beliefs that you have expressed here before. Thank you for taking the time to share these thoughts.
DeleteIf there are "systems in place" why not discuss replacing Biden now? What's the point of a system you have to wait for someone to die to go into effect?
DeleteNo Democrat stepped up to challenge Biden. Should he be forced off the ticket?
DeleteExcept Dean Phillips, a non-entity who gets close to zero votes.
DeleteBiden is doing the job well. That’s why no one is coming forward to replace him except the media and right wing shills.
Delete@5:44. By your logic, they should have replaced FDR at the beginning of his race too. Lots of Republicans and Nazis wanted that.
DeleteRecall that FDR was seriously ill during his last campaign. His doctors were afraid he might not last till inauguration. He died a month after inauguration.
DeleteTruman was a great man who found his moment in history.
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ReplyDeleteI would love to retire, but my genius son's painting won't sell themselves. And that's millions of dollars, millions I tell ya.
Plus, this job is not too burdensome, really.
I am Lorby.
Genuine.
DeleteIsn't your genius son selling his own paintings? Biden has a genius son too, but Biden doesn't have enough time to meddle in his son's career between naps, being so old and feeble.
DeleteAlas, my dearest son can sell his genius painting only if I'm in this job. This is the cross I bear. But on the bright site, I take 50% of the income. I'm Lorby.
DeleteHow did you get a deal for 50%? Agents make 15% at best. Your son probably needs the money more than you do -- have you no family feeling? Biden is so generous toward his son that he is taking 0% and letting his son stand on his own two-feet, by doing nothing to help him with his painting career. You should follow Biden's example with your son.
Delete
DeleteBecause my dearest son can sell his genius painting only because I'm in this job, 50% is more than generous. He's but a middleman in our ingenious genius paintings enterprise.
I'm Lorby.
Genuine.
DeleteExcept Hunter is a good artist, unlike George W Bush, who only sells his paintings because he used to be president. If you are going to call this bribery and not art investing, you need to find the quid pro quo, the favor Hunter supposedly sold
DeleteI’m not sure “too old” is a problem. A majority may say Biden is too old, but how many say they will vote for Trump because Biden is too old?
ReplyDeleteAnd the elephant in the room is Nikki Haley. She may not be pulling huge numbers away from Trump in these early Republican primaries and caucuses, but the people voting for Haley WILL vote for Biden as their second choice, and they are saying they will not vote for Trump under any circumstances. That means that no matter how enthusiastic Trump's base may be, there are not enough of them to offset the loss of these Hayley voters.
ReplyDeleteThe fewer votes Trump gets, the fewer votes Biden needs to defeat him. There are already fewer registered Republican voters than there are Democrats. Independents have been swinging toward Democrats and Biden in special elections and polls, as have female voters. In 2022, undecided swung left too. That's why some pundits are predicting a Democratic landslide.
As a consequence, Republicans are desperate to do whatever they can think of to attack Biden. This appearance by Klein (and Somerby essay today) are part of that effort -- clearly not intended to help Biden and the Democrats win in November.
We must see these efforts for what they are.
How anti-democratic of you! Anyone who meets the requirements can run for president in any party.
DeleteBiden never told Dean Phillips or RFK Jr. or Marianne Williamson to stay out of the Dem primaries. Any of the other Democrats mentioned as alternatives to Biden could be running now. Have you ever wondered why none of them are? Respect for Biden (as incumbent) and a desire to have the party win and beat Trump.
Trump must be really insecure if he feels he needs to limit the competition in order to win. Nikki Haley knows her career is toast if Trump beats Biden, but she also sees that it is her duty to give Republicans a choice between a crazy autocrat dictator-wannabe (and criminal rapist and con artist) and a real Republican who has the public service and experience to serve as a competent president. If Republicans are too stupid to grasp the opportunity she has given them (at personal cost), at least she tried.
Calling her a rat for doing that strikes me as an exhibition of the anti-democratic sentiment on the right. I'm sure she would rather be called a rat than a traitor.
Deletehttps://alphanews.org/dean-phillips-campaign-democratic-primary-corrupt-rigged/
This is what losers say these days. Bernie said it when he lost primaries/caucuses because his staff couldn't figure out the rules. New candidates are less adept at the political process than established candidates. It is on their campaigns to navigate the requirements and if they cannot do it, that is not the fault of their opponents (or the DNC). Needless to say, new candidates are less likely to have the money or to attract seasoned campaign manager and workers. That doesn't mean the rules are rigged.
DeleteDean Phillips may be claiming this out of embarrassment or to make himself look more viable than he his (to attract funders), but that doesn't change reality. And clearly, he isn't going to gain traction or defeat Biden even if he were on all the ballots nationwide. Most people view him as a spoiler.
Anything is possible. But it seems far more likely that the democratic primary is corrupt and rigged.
DeleteIf icky Nikki doesn’t think Trump should be president she can endorse Biden.
DeleteNobody wants dean Phillips.
DeleteTrump calling Haley a "rat" is an example of his narcissism. From his POV anyone who opposes him is a rat. Even Pence, by not going along with Trump's foolish desire that Pence not certify the election, is a rat in Trump's eye's.
DeleteI thought it was just his comedic skills, David.
DeleteIt’s telling that republican primary voters want Trump, by wide margins, despite his indictments and obvious sociopathy and unfitness. Does anyone in the media suggest republicans dump him? Or do the primary voters get to choose whom they wish?
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, if democratic primary voters overwhelmingly support Biden, should they not get to exercise their right to vote? But oddly, they’re being told that they are stupid and in denial to support such an obviously terrible candidate, and that the DNC must take steps by fiat to choose the “right” candidate.