Thank you. The thing that pisses me off more than anything else in commentary on the 2024 election is the idea that the Democrats lost because they did X or didn't do Y. It seems almost overwhelmingly likely to me (although I DON'T KNOW) that nothing they did or might have done would have changed the outcome. Like you, Michael, I do blame the 77 million people who voted for Trump over Harris knowing exactly who they both were.
Well said, Michael - We don't know. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but to continually play the blame game, making Biden a scapegoat, and condemning each other, is not productive or helpful. However, I do have a hard time not blaming and forgiving all those who knowing full well Trump is a convicted fraud artist, sexual predator, unfathomable liar, and so much more - all abominable, and said, 'sure, why not?'. These first 100 plus days were more than enough to answer that one.
I think Biden emasculated the Dem Party by dragging it (Harris included) along with his material and political support for Israel's Gaza genocide. It was clear that genocide was Israel's master plan from the beginning. On Oct 9, 2023, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on TV:
“We are putting a complete siege on Gaza … No electricity, no food, no water, no gas – it’s all closed".
I voted for Harris, but if Biden was the candidate I think I would have stayed home. And I think that the Party lost a lot of its energy because of the Gaza situation. Without that, Biden, or a successor, would have had a fine liberal/ progressive record to run on. Trump has proven that he can double up on Biden's unsavory Gaza record, whatever Netty wants, Netty gets, without the handwringing.
The question of whether Biden literally handed the election to Trump to me is irrelevant. First, on a 'real' level: of course he didn't! Harris had agency and ran against Trump and she lost! But to me the question is not whether Biden was the primary reason why Democrats lost, and more whether Biden should have declined to run at all. The evidence on this score is increasingly and obviously yes!
Biden is old, and the Presidency clearly aged him. I don't think he's senile: but he lost his ability to campaign. He was protected from talking to the media, he avoided easy interviews, and he made so many gaffes and errors that the public lost confidence in him. I think a lot of why Americans had such a sour view of the economy is that they had a sour view of Biden's age. Biden choosing to run again was a terrible error, and by leaving when he did he forced us to run Kamala Harris against Trump.
This is a massive, colossal, and fatal error on Biden the man and Biden the President. I will defend Biden's term as consequential, I think he governed well. But he also at least contributed in Trump's second win by refusing to acknowledge reality and moving forward. I think he THOUGHT he was doing the country a favor by continuing to serve into his late 80s, but he was wrong. He was dead, horribly, and miserably wrong: and it's going to cost Biden any serious legacy.
Consider: Biden's achievements are now actively being undermined by his successor. The IRA is getting dismantled by Republicans. The American Rescue Plan is over. The alliances he rebuilt are being ripped apart. So yes, I can defend what Biden did: but little of it will last because Trump is tearing it apart.
THAT is way more important than the minor question of how much blame we should actually give Biden in the defeat. If you want to quibble over whether it's 100%, 98%, only 50%, or less: fine. That's a waste of an argument (even if I agree with it). More importantly Biden damaged the country he helped repair. He also destroyed his few remaining friendships within the party. He won't talk to Obama or Pelosi, which to me is a sign of weakness not strength. He's an elderly man, who nobody likes, with a tarnished legacy. He's not even up to doing what Carter did and rebuilding something in his post-presidency. So yea; I think being critical of the man is more than fair.
Thank you. The thing that pisses me off more than anything else in commentary on the 2024 election is the idea that the Democrats lost because they did X or didn't do Y. It seems almost overwhelmingly likely to me (although I DON'T KNOW) that nothing they did or might have done would have changed the outcome. Like you, Michael, I do blame the 77 million people who voted for Trump over Harris knowing exactly who they both were.
Totally agree.
Well said, Michael - We don't know. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but to continually play the blame game, making Biden a scapegoat, and condemning each other, is not productive or helpful. However, I do have a hard time not blaming and forgiving all those who knowing full well Trump is a convicted fraud artist, sexual predator, unfathomable liar, and so much more - all abominable, and said, 'sure, why not?'. These first 100 plus days were more than enough to answer that one.
I blame Americans in general for Trump's victory, 40% of whom couldn't get off their asses to vote when Trump promised what he is now delivering.
I think Biden emasculated the Dem Party by dragging it (Harris included) along with his material and political support for Israel's Gaza genocide. It was clear that genocide was Israel's master plan from the beginning. On Oct 9, 2023, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced on TV:
“We are putting a complete siege on Gaza … No electricity, no food, no water, no gas – it’s all closed".
I voted for Harris, but if Biden was the candidate I think I would have stayed home. And I think that the Party lost a lot of its energy because of the Gaza situation. Without that, Biden, or a successor, would have had a fine liberal/ progressive record to run on. Trump has proven that he can double up on Biden's unsavory Gaza record, whatever Netty wants, Netty gets, without the handwringing.
The question of whether Biden literally handed the election to Trump to me is irrelevant. First, on a 'real' level: of course he didn't! Harris had agency and ran against Trump and she lost! But to me the question is not whether Biden was the primary reason why Democrats lost, and more whether Biden should have declined to run at all. The evidence on this score is increasingly and obviously yes!
Biden is old, and the Presidency clearly aged him. I don't think he's senile: but he lost his ability to campaign. He was protected from talking to the media, he avoided easy interviews, and he made so many gaffes and errors that the public lost confidence in him. I think a lot of why Americans had such a sour view of the economy is that they had a sour view of Biden's age. Biden choosing to run again was a terrible error, and by leaving when he did he forced us to run Kamala Harris against Trump.
This is a massive, colossal, and fatal error on Biden the man and Biden the President. I will defend Biden's term as consequential, I think he governed well. But he also at least contributed in Trump's second win by refusing to acknowledge reality and moving forward. I think he THOUGHT he was doing the country a favor by continuing to serve into his late 80s, but he was wrong. He was dead, horribly, and miserably wrong: and it's going to cost Biden any serious legacy.
Consider: Biden's achievements are now actively being undermined by his successor. The IRA is getting dismantled by Republicans. The American Rescue Plan is over. The alliances he rebuilt are being ripped apart. So yes, I can defend what Biden did: but little of it will last because Trump is tearing it apart.
THAT is way more important than the minor question of how much blame we should actually give Biden in the defeat. If you want to quibble over whether it's 100%, 98%, only 50%, or less: fine. That's a waste of an argument (even if I agree with it). More importantly Biden damaged the country he helped repair. He also destroyed his few remaining friendships within the party. He won't talk to Obama or Pelosi, which to me is a sign of weakness not strength. He's an elderly man, who nobody likes, with a tarnished legacy. He's not even up to doing what Carter did and rebuilding something in his post-presidency. So yea; I think being critical of the man is more than fair.