He went out: Yesterday around 2pm, President Joe Biden published a letter on X announcing some welcome but not entirely surprising news: He will be suspending his bid for re-election as president.
Previously, he performed poorly in the presidential debate on June 27. Interestingly, Biden’s campaign team has been lobbying for this debate. They want the first debate to be held earlier than traditional requirements, seemingly aimed at shaking up the race (Biden is trailing in the polls) and drawing attention to Donald Trump’s recent felony conviction.
The debate succeeded in changing the outcome of the campaign. Once he took office, Biden suffered from alarming cognitive decline and was sometimes unable to speak convincing sentences. Whether this is dementia or Parkinson’s disease or just the normal deterioration that can occur in an 81-year-old man, it is clear to almost everyone that Biden will not be able to serve as president for another four years.
That is, everyone knows it except the actual person in the driver’s seat. His wife Jill; his sister Valerie; his son Hunter: they all reportedly advised him to stay in the race (certainly not the self-interested groups themselves). His campaign manager, Jen O’Malley Dillon, and his former chief of staff, Ron Klain, also urged him to stay in the race and publicly expressed their support.
Trying to keep a well-meaning old man with a bad memory in the presidential race is an unkind thing to do. Trying to get closer to power by appointing a president who is incapable of making good decisions is a mistake. Dishonorable This should be the end of the careers of these political strategists.
Autopsy: Nate Silver wrote, Silver Medal AnnouncementThere are many reasons why Biden failed:
Biden’s fundraising is drying up;
Every public appearance was a disaster.
Many prominent Democrats have called for him to drop out of the race or shared damaging stories about him.
Democratic majority voter also Want Biden to leave – which was not true for Trump in 2016 and could create huge problems in terms of voter enthusiasm;
Many White House staffers and prominent Biden supporters have begun lying to people and themselves about the polls and the viability of supporting a Biden campaign;
And voters aren’t buying it, so Democrats risk damaging their own credibility, and risk further driving down vote losses, by pretending that reelection before Biden turns 86 is a good idea.
Dropping out of school is a rational choice. But now Democrats must figure out where to go next.
About 30 minutes after posting his initial withdrawal statement on X, Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as his nominee. (Why the two announcements were not better synchronized is unclear.) Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro — the latter two are generally considered to be the ones who could fill the role.
House Progressives—Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Cory Bush (D-Missouri), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Ilhan Omar (D-Wash.) Minnesota Democrats) also immediately endorsed Harris.
Former President Barack Obama was less sure. He stopped short of endorsing Harris, saying he was “very confident that the leaders of our party will be able to create a process that will produce an outstanding nominee.” Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Neither Chuck Schumer nor House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries endorsed Harris.
Harris would face an uphill battle if she does become the nominee, especially in Pennsylvania, a notoriously close swing state where Biden won after Trump won the state in 2016. Only in 2020 did he win by a narrow margin. Harris has no such advantage. Trump had just chosen Rust Belt figure Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate. Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, a town north of Pittsburgh near the Ohio border. .
New York scene: The city’s crackdown on unlicensed weed shops continues. However, it is unclear who will be helped.
Quick click
- Lefty pundits expressed their overwhelming appreciation for Joe Biden via X, with some praising him as a hero and feeling “overwhelmed” by his “sacrifice.” I’m sorry but he just did at the lowest limit Resigning despite apparent cognitive incompetence. This is the minimum threshold that needs to be cleared.
There is so much gratitude for this sacrifice that Joe Biden has made. His incredible presidency was undoubtedly the best of my lifetime and one of the greatest presidencies in history. His achievements in office will make this country a better place for decades to come. What a legacy.
— Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) July 21, 2024
- What would White House economic policy look like if Harris were elected?
Based on a few calls and reports, my impression of Harris on economic policy is premature:
– Very close to the workforce. Opting out of a Los Angeles hotel in solidarity with the 2023 workers’ strike and a TV interview due to a writers’ strike. Particularly aligned with SEIU/Care Economy Advocates – think…
— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) July 22, 2024
- Ozone scammers reportedly everywhere Bloomberg.
- All of Airbnb’s problems: regulation, declining demand, and algorithm troubles for hosts.
- Heartwarming:
Family photo! pic.twitter.com/UlWLsW5MPL
— Stella Assange (@Stella_Assange) July 22, 2024
