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Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

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Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#281
post #32

One of the most effective presidents since Johnson or Truman. But he did campaign on a single term. Let’s hope the Dem’s circular firing squad puts down its guns so they can quickly concentrate on winning the election with someone … probably Harris is the simplest answer.

> Let’s hope the Dem’s circular firing squad puts down its guns so they can quickly concentrate on winning the election with someone … probably Harris is the simplest answer. On the contrary, the processes that anointed Hillary in 2016 and Biden round 2 in 2024 were exactly the kind of "well, it's this person's turn now" decisions that were bad, anti-democratic (lower-case d) choices previously. I'm not looking for a…

> ...but neither do I think some sort of automatic anointment of Harris is what people want either.

Regardless of what people want (and FWIW I agree that Hilary getting rammed down our throats was highly anti-democratic) at this stage of the game, Harris is the only person who can benefit from Biden's warchest. Barring somebody like Dwayne Johnson deciding to enter politics and stealing the show, Harris is the solitary candidate who is poised to hit the ground running with an adequate campaign today. And with so little time before the election, I think the only choice Democrats have today is to hold their noses and vote.

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#282
post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem isn't just his age, it's his decrepitude, both physical and mental. I know people in their 90s who are able to speak clearly at any hour of the day...

I say this as someone that agrees that Biden should have stepped down earlier (for the 2nd election I mean). But please, people, do not compare the average person in their 80's to what this man has to do daily. Just alone entering a war room and giving an order to bomb a place, or watching the raw videos of war (which we luckily don't get access to) is something you don't come back from. This is not an average person…

many people that age have been in actual wars. not saying which is more intense or which causes more stress on your body it definitely matters context of what you went through. although id say most vets that went through vietnam or korea probably been through a lot.

at least i know my korean gpa has. man is crippled and vocal cords basically non existent due to his job there. but man is so sharp and smart mentally its actually shocking.

but bidens has had serious brain surgeries. that alone should have disqualified him from even running imo regardless of how his term went

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

how do you measure who is effective?

It's a very tough thing to objectively measure, but one metric we can point to is his ability to push a surprising amount of bipartisan legislation through an incredibly divided congress in just 4 years.

I obviously haven't read all the bills that were passed (ha!), but my impression is that many of the bills are just spending money - which is always popular with both parties. I don't get the sense that there was a lot of policy reform going on.

And an issue with just spending money is that we have to wait a year or two to figure out if the spent money was effective (unlikely?).

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#284
post #28

Dang, this shouldn't be flagged. This is hugely important and relevant.

I don't personally think it's relevant... but more importantly the comments are pretty much a dumpster fire. I don't begrudge people their positive opinions of Biden (even if I do disagree), but even fairly tepid pushback on that idea is being flagged into oblivion. That's completely one sided, and not worth much as a discussion.

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#285
post #32

One of the most effective presidents since Johnson or Truman. But he did campaign on a single term. Let’s hope the Dem’s circular firing squad puts down its guns so they can quickly concentrate on winning the election with someone … probably Harris is the simplest answer.

[flagged]

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#286
post #32

One of the most effective presidents since Johnson or Truman. But he did campaign on a single term. Let’s hope the Dem’s circular firing squad puts down its guns so they can quickly concentrate on winning the election with someone … probably Harris is the simplest answer.

[flagged]

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#287
post #32

One of the most effective presidents since Johnson or Truman. But he did campaign on a single term. Let’s hope the Dem’s circular firing squad puts down its guns so they can quickly concentrate on winning the election with someone … probably Harris is the simplest answer.

[flagged]

How are usernames like this allowed? Very on-brand btw

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#288
post #91
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Trump would (has promised to do so on live television) just give Ukraine to Russia. Biden/USA/allies have stood down Russia, which has been seriously damaged both by battlefield losses, by not achieving their strategic goals and instead entering a second Afghanistan, and by the rapid conversion of the EU economy to no longer need Russian energy.

I think you are spot on (and a bit puzzled why you got downvoted). The energy transition in Germany away from Russian gas was a economic achievement I didn't think possible. It costs Europe dearly but has accelerated renewable transition remarkedly.

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#289

Oof. This guy has been the biggest positive surprise of the US presidents in my lifetime. Expectations were low, but he actually turned out to be a good president (from a European perspective). No new wars, no more talk about shifting defense focus to Asia, generally nothing unreasonable. Good support for Ukraine, no doubts about NATO - rather the opposite. Basically, the rich uncle on the other side of the pond has…

[flagged]

Re: Joe Biden stands down as Democratic candidate

#290
post #90

I am, admittedly, very glad that Biden stuck to his word in 2020 that he will be a single-term incumbent president for the last 4 years... I just wish the DNC kept their word on bolstering a more compelling candidate within that timeframe as well. They had 3 1/2 years to bolster the reputation of Kamala, and largely sidelined her after using her as a play for minority vote. Now they're (likely) running her in a remai…

I wouldn't frame "he was campaigning and only pulled out when it became clear everyone was against him" as "he stuck to his word that he will be a single term president". Sticking to his word would've been never campaigning to begin with.

No, you're completely right; I still have a bone to pick with Biden for waiting this long and doing almost no favors for his VP's image over the period of his term. But, he still fulfilled an old promise by technicality, and I'm not one to cut corners for giving credit.
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