Fuck everyone who did this. I believe you’ve handed the election to trump. And doing this to the best President in my lifetime.
I’ll be taking a long break from here because there is no way, with this news I’ll feel like any respite or even climate news is worth my time.
Hopefully, we can save the country. But I have serious doubts now. I will not forget, or forgive those who forced him out, no matter the results in November. Fuck them all
((I just realized I titled this submitted without comment and then went on to comment anyway…that’s how stressed I am))
SiubhanDuinne
Just announced: HE IS ENDORSING KAMALA HARRIS
ETA: I feel as though everyone and everything I care about has died. Will probably get over it but I am beyond furious with most “senior Democrats” and the entirety of the MSM right now.
japa21
I’m with you. If we lose…
JeffH
Well we just had a coup.
ssdd
Right there with ya, TaMara.
trollhattan
To quote a treasured area philosopher: blecch.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@SiubhanDuinne: Ok, that is good news.
The Thin Black Duke
Goddamn it.
Ishiyama
He must resign now, if he really wants Kamala.
TaMara
@SiubhanDuinne: She would be my only choice. But this is still fucked.
mali muso
Yeah, I’m right there with you. I will not forgive nor will I forget. This is a fucking travesty. I have a seven year old daughter. I don’t have a choice but to fight (and look for avenues of escape) for her sake. I feel sick.
Shalimar
@SiubhanDuinne: If people coalesce around Harris quickly, there won’t be a huge amount of damage. If the in-fighting is still going on during the convention, we are screwed.
Doc Sardonic
Deleted too angry
TBone
Please don’t get demoralized by this very demoralizing news. Easier said than done of course. We must take it in stride, there is no other way. We can’t go around, we must go through.
I’m trying to remain calm and strong and trusting that President Biden is doing what he thinks is best.
Forward.
Keith P.
Biden was getting clobbered *in Michigan*. What was the going to be the impetus to turn things around?
ETtheLibrarian
EFF the pressbon this. They are addicted to clicks and Biden only really gave them any because of the debate.
EFF somebody the DC pols. They better get behind KH. Because we (and the country) don’t have the time typical DEMOCRATIC WHINING.
SiubhanDuinne
@TaMara:
Completely.
TaMara
I’m not playing people – if you are a troll and I’ve never seen you before, I’m trashing your comment. You can contact WG to get you out and bitch to Cole. The worst he can do to me is take away my keys and that would be a blessing at this point.
Nukular Biskits
Well, time for all those who kept demanding this to shut the fuck up and work their asses off to make sure Team Blue wins in November.
MP
I don’t know where this all ends up, but I do know Joe Biden is a good man.
debit
This is 2016 all over again.
The Thin Black Duke
@TaMara: But Kay will be happy. She said it’s going to be so easy, right?
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@TaMara: Please keep in mind that this Harris, who can talk like a rational adult, verses a man who tried to fuck a fireman’s helmet last Thursday and 3/4 of own voters have no sympathy for him getting shot at.
Spanky
I’ve got a few words for the first motherfucker that stands up to challenge MVP Harris for the nomination.
debit
@The Thin Black Duke: So easy! Nothing to it! Jump, the water is fine!
RandomMonster
In some ways, I’m relieved that we can just get on with getting Kamala elected.
skerry
ah, fuck
Nukular Biskits
Not what I wanted but I respect Joe’s decision and I know he made it with the best counsel and is putting the country first.
dc
Why is he waiting until later this week to speak to the nation about this?
Nukular Biskits
@Spanky:
Seconded.
Al Rennick
Happy Trails Joe and thanks for your service!!
youtube.com/watch?v=oG_fSoYFWLA
Harris / Kelly 2024
SiubhanDuinne
@TBone:
I’ve admired your wise words in the past and I admire them now. Still — hoo boy, this is a gut punch.
Shalimar
I guess now we find out how many of the anti-Biden people were serious when they claimed that Kamala Harris was the alternative. I frankly didn’t believe any of them an hour ago.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@dc: Perhaps to kneecap any attempt to pull the same shit on Harris?
Bruce K in ATH-GR
@dc: Likely waiting for COVID recovery to take its course.
bbleh
(Reposting.) Harris: young mixed-race woman former prosecutor. Trump: old (very) White male felon fraudster and
rapistsexual assaulter. And btw also Dobbs, deportation, and Dominionism. (Hey, I just thought of that!) Donate, volunteer, vote! There are way more of us. Aux barricades!Wapiti
@Keith P.: He might have been getting clobbered in Michigan, but it was because of the steady work of the press and the donors and the “senior democrats”. Who will now turn on Harris or whomever else gets in the frontrunner position. So what’s the impetus to change that?
TaMara
@dc: He has covid. JFC.
Cmorenc
This does free up Biden to be a complete pit bull attacking Trump in a manner he could not have as effectively done with the bad debate performance meme hanging over him
Bill Arnold
All “Biden must go” people now OWN any Trump win. For everyone, and especially those people, I strongly suggest treating this election as if your life depends on it.
The rules of opposition change when authoritarians/borderline fascists are in power. The process of removing authoritarians from power almost always hurts a lot of people, including many innocents. That’s best case.
Chet Murthy
@TaMara: First, thank you for moderating today. You shouldn’t have to do it, but … there it is.
Second, I agree with you in specific and exhaustive detail: “She would be my only choice. But this is still fucked.”
MisterForkbeard
Am hugely angry with those “senior democrats” in general. But Harris will (good god, I hope) be the nominee now, and anger and recriminations how this happened aren’t going to be useful.
Support Harris, support the ticket. And do it enthusiastically. And remain really proud of the work Biden did.
If this makes you sick, just make the decision to not be angry and move past it as soon as you can. That’s the only good, practical thing.
debit
@TaMara: I hear you. I have so admired all you’ve done, but if you need a break, take it. I may join you.
3Sice
guachi
@TBone: This news is the opposite of demoralizing. We’ve got a fighting chance now.
Joe Biden did something incredible and selfless today. He should and will be honored for it.
dc
If Biden is fine to be president, he’s fine (his health, I mean) to be our candidate. I have to respect his decision because it’s his to make. But right now I don’t see any possible upside.
TaMara
@Keith P.: It’s July. Show me where polls in July predicted anything. This was about big donors and the media getting their scalp.
JMG
TaMara, I have no wish to anger you or the many many other Biden supporters on this board, but please consider that only one person, Joe Biden himself made this decision. In the considered judgment of an experienced and accomplished politician, he couldn’t win the election with the Democratic Party not fully united behind him. If I trusted his judgment before, I’m going to trust it now.
Betsy
Kamala!!!
ETA: this is the only response that I feel is sane and heartfelt. I (we) get only a the briefest moment for heartbreak over what white men centrist fucks did to our Joe, one of the best presidents ever to serve.
No time to waste gathering behind the only possible nominee. None.
Citizen Alan
@Al Rennick: Your mother should have aborted you.
TBone
@SiubhanDuinne: well we can still
Come up swinging!
Every. Damn. Time.
ETA thank you! my manners were distracted for a minute
kalakal
I was behind Biden, now I’m behind Harris.
We can win this and grind Trump and his fellow fascists into the ground
Kay In MD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager))
@SiubhanDuinne: He just endorsed Kamala Harris.
This is the only part of this that’s good news.
@JeffH: This is a coup.
Yes. Yes it is.
sixthdoctor
I would’ve preferred he had stayed in but now that Joe’s out, I’m glad at least he doesn’t have to deal with this bullshit anymore. I’m happy for him even as I’m sad he felt this was necessary.
Shalimar
@Keith P.: Why are we sure Magic Candidate will do better in Michigan? Democratic priorities won’t change, especially if it is Harris.
TBone
@Bruce K in ATH-GR: that’s what I first thought – Covid (now that makes me so effn angry I can’t see straight).
dc
@TaMara: Sorry, I was thinking he was feeling well despite the virus (and therefore could give a televised speech and speak to the press by phone).
Redshift
Well, fuck.
scarcelight
Welp, good luck Democrats. Hope y’all have a plan.
TaMara
@debit: I’m pretty tenacious and solution driven usually, but this and Steep, I just want to sit in a corner and cry today.
Elizabelle
I am just sick about this. But. We will elect President Kamala Harris.
And we must overturn Citizens United.
trollhattan
Saying it right now: not a single person from Kamala’s 2020 campaign team on Harris-Somebody 2024.
John S.
@JMG: My sentiments exactly.
Lapassionara
Now Trump has gotten the incumbency advantage.
TBone
@Cmorenc: 👍
I like that thought.
Gvg
Feel sick to my stomach.
Well guess we find out if Americans can really vote for a woman finally. A shrill angry one.
I don’t like giving in to bullies.
Citizen Alan
They won’t “own it.” If shitgibbon wins, they will just blame biden and the rest of us because he didn’t get out earlier.
Scout211
He still has COVID. I’m not as old as he is but I coukdn’t get off the couch for the first week when I had COVID in February.
dc
@Bill Arnold:
The ones with a platform will continue to jeer from the sidelines, it’s what they do.
EarthWindFire
I’m beyond pissed off at everyone who canceled my primary vote. I’m voting for whoever team blue deems appropriate. And that’s it. No donations. No postcards. Center-left Facsism isn’t going to be any better than the right-wing variety. Fuck it all. Pie me all you want.
jefft452
unfortunately
This makes a Trump presidency much more likely
Dorothy A. Winsor
OK, then. Harris it is. Maybe I’ll live long enough to see the first woman president after all.
Shalimar
@JMG: No one is mad at Biden as far as I can see. We’re terrified that there isn’t time for the Democratic Party to unite around anyone. The time to do this was 6 months to a year ago, not now.
Elizabelle
@kalakal: Yes. We will turn out, and we will win.
And I hope that NFLTG Biden turns out to be a phenomenal surrogate, for the ages.
3Sice
Thanks for your service Joe.
You did your country proud.
Redshift
@JMG:
Yeah, but he didn’t make the decision for them not to be, so I can sure as hell blame everyone who wasn’t.
Spanky
Well, now I can see why all those “senior Democrats” started giving their full support to Biden in the last 24 hours. Trying to clean their hands.
(Corrected for fucking grammar.)
lowtechcyclist
@Spanky:
You and me both. And I’m sure we’ll have plenty of company.
TaMara
@The Thin Black Duke: Uh-huh 🤬
MinuteMan
@SiubhanDuinne:
Consider the source: a short while back he said he was staying in the race. Another Democratic own-goal. Joe Biden has become America’s Neville Chamberlain.
M31
A few days ago I decided to stop thinking and worrying about this and just wait for Joe’s decision. It (and the pie filter) helped my blood pressure stay out of the danger zone.
OK, Joe’s decided, and I can only believe that he did what for him and for America was the best thing.
I still am very surprised, though, and furious that the worst of our MSM (may I add, Fuck the Fucking New York Times?) and ‘centrists’ and misc. Dem bedwetters now feel vindicated and empowered. Hopefully the real Dems can rally around Harris and crush the Trumper fascists.
Juju
I agree 100% and my heart is broken right now. I just hope she actually becomes the candidate. I’m scared shit will happen to keep her out.
mrstealyourcostcosample
I hate it. But it’s Joe’s call, and I respect the judgment that got us the last four years.
Kamala now.
Jinchi
I think it’s time now for us to contact our Democratic leaders and tell them to knock of the circular firing squad, end the nonsense about Blitz primaries, and rally around VP Harris.
The Biden/Harris ticket is the one with Democratic votes behind it.
jackmac
My God. I hate all those backstabbing Dems and the MSM and other ratfuckers who all contributed to this. Joe Biden is good man and a great president. And now we’re likely facing another four years of the Worst President Ever.
ArchTeryx
We’re fucked. The media will get their brokered covention, the party splits a dozen different ways, half our party stays home – the white half – and Trump waltzes back to the White House.
Those of with targets on our backs: Arm up and make your plans now. History through the entire 20th century shows how this ends when the opposition party fractures. You get Hitler, Pol Pot or Idi Amin.
Anyone targeted by Project 2025? Prepare RIGHT NOW. January 2025 is far too late.
Elizabelle
@TaMara: Hug some pets. Terrible day. We have witnessed a political assassination in slow motion.
Quinerly
We got this. Quit the infighting.
Now, maybe we can actually win.
Go Kamala!!!!
Citizen Alan
@MinuteMan: go to hell. Pied
bjacques
Goddammit. I’m sorry too. I hope the story is true that Joe agreed to step down if the party closed ranks behind Kamala. Time to see if they do.
Kamala or fuck off. And she can still use the $81 I gave Joe yesterday. I can live with this.
As for the Republicans and the feckless media, let’s go ram our agenda down their throats
EDIT: And I want to see Kamala in the next debate kick Trump from one end of the stage to the other,
Cmorenc
Harris is vastly better positioned to be a viscerally effective attack dog on dobbs than biden could have been because- well, ovaries for starters. Let’s hope she can effectively stare down the border issue – Trump did NOT want any pre-election solution, and ordered Rs to refuse any.
Steve LaBonne
Disappointed to lose a President I deeply admire but 250% behind Harris (my second choice in the 2020 primary behind Warren and my strong first choice for VP). This turns the age and mental fitness argument on its head, and she can go after the Groyper party hammer and tongs on reproductive rights. Let’s roll.
Kay In MD (formerly Kay (not the front-pager))
@dc: Why is he waiting to speak to the nation?!? Because he has covid and is in isolation. That’s still what you’re supposed to do, remember?
Fortunato Velasquez Jr
Damn, damn, damn, damn. My first comment to this site.
Elizabelle
@MinuteMan: have you heard of our pie filter? Buh bye.
Poe Larity
The money has already decided who the candidates will be but we’ll have a few weeks of dominating the news cycle with drama and speculation.
TBone
@TaMara: hugs
Juju
@MP: Thank you for that. He truly is a good man.
TaMara
@dc: Sorry I was harsh. I’m a little raw right now.
Jackie
Posted on WaterGirl’s post, but I’ll post it here, too.
TaMara, your words echo mine.
This blog is going to be insufferable for the rest of the day. I’ll check in for Medium Cool.
After this news, coupled with Steeplejack’s passing, I need a time-out to properly process and grieve.
Elizabelle
@Steve LaBonne: Yes. Rolling with Kamala. And some white male in the VP slot.
John S.
Some of you people just suck. It’s always bad news for Democrats no matter what happens.
Looks like I need to step away from this place again while the doom posters spend another 2 weeks turning it into the pit of despair.
JoyceH
Harris. That’s the only message. Has to be Harris. (And BTW, has Aaron Sorkin always been crazy?)
Tony Jay
Great. Now the chicken coupers move the goalposts over to “Whelp, no one voted to make this woman ‘our’ candidate for President, did they? Surely she must open the Convention to a free vote, yeah? More Democratic than a coronation. You don’t think she’s a bit divisive, do you? Maybe if she chooses a proper moderate to run alongside her as VP. An independent figure of great stature and gravitas. A man from a Red state, perhaps? Otherwise calls for a – real – passing of the torch might start up, and that would be her fault, wouldn’t it?”
They got the scalp. They’ll want the full pelt.
Fortunato Velasquez Jr
My first comment here: damn,damn,damn,damn
TBone
@Dorothy A. Winsor: come sit by me and happy birthday to you dear sweet heart
Elizabelle
@Quinerly: Team Kamala it is. We can win this.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
Proving that Democrats are better at everything than Republicans, they succeeded in pulling off their coup.
Eyeroller
I am utterly distraught and devastated. I feel he made this decision because he knew the backstabbers and the press would never let it go, and he would not get a fair shake from here till November.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck.
I am not confident Kamala can win. Not at all.
I am a white, cishet, 66-year-old widow with no children. In principle I should be OK. I probably have enough to pay for my health insurance if they destroy Medicare. I am all too aware that a lot of people are not so lucky.
Fuck fuck fuck fuck.
I do not see how we keep a democracy with this media and political environment.
jimmiraybob
If there had to be an option this is the only one I will endorse wholeheartedly. I’ve already checked to see if there is a Harris 2024 campaign site – apparently not yet.
I’m not wasting any time going the woulda, coulda, shouda route and am in 100%.
Icing on the cake would be Kamala offering Joe a senior advisor role.
100%
Shalimar
@Spanky: I will go even further than that and say I am completely done with any Democrat who supports anyone other than Harris over the next month. No votes again ever. No money again ever. Only contempt. The country is facing an existential crisis. This is the worst time to put their personal ambition and greed first.
TaMara
@EarthWindFire: Come sit next to me
Leto
@TaMara: I’m recovering from a major surgery I had on Tuesday, and it’s taking all my energy just to be comfortable sitting here. I simply don’t have the focus to deal with these worthless fucking fucks. When I heard this, I flipped over to MENBC and Jen Psaki had this sly fucking grin, and I just can’t forgive them. I can’t forgive the press for fucking doing this for the past 3 1/2 years while the worthless fucking maxi-pad ear is just allowed to mentally decompose and it’s covered as “just Trumpov being Trumpov”.
We have one of our two major parties just go full cult/authoritarian and it’s treated as business as usual. We nominated a fucking amazingly qualified woman last time, but couldn’t get her across the line. We’re facing an even more dire set of circumstances and now it’s the double whammy of misogyny and racism that we need to defeat. I just fucking can’t.
Every motherfucker here better group around Harris, now. Fucking now. We’re beyond all hands on deck. The fucking orcs are at the gate, and we gotta kill’em all. You fucks got what you wanted, time to shut the fuck up, get behind her, and do the work. Fucking fucks.
Bruce K in ATH-GR
I take solace from the following:
If Biden and Harris have any intelligence, which I think can be assumed, they’ve got a plan ready to go. She’s the Vice-President to a President over eighty years old, and they both have to have known since Inauguration Day that she might have to take over at any moment – not just the office, but the 2024 campaign.
I guess now we see how good the contingency planning is.
TBone
@Tony Jay: they’ll not get any piece of anyone’s pelt from me unless I’m stuffing it down a throat.
Archon
There is still going to be a fight for the nomination. No way this went down the way it did because the donors and elected officials that abandoned Biden want Harris at the top of ticket.
Mousebumples
@Keith P.: were there elections I missed in Michigan?
Polls are a snapshot in time of respondents. They aren’t always accurate and often aren’t predictive 3+ months out.
And now I’m stepping back before I say something I regret.
Thank you for your service, President Biden. You deserve better.
Ivan X
Triple TBogg incoming.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
No, that would be Adam Schiff.
Litano
@Cmorenc: That and the fact that Biden has always been personally squishy on abortion and reticent to run on it. The moment in the debate when I first thought he might have to go was when he got an opportunity to hit Trump on Dobbs and pivoted to murderous immigrants and rapist sisters. Harris can actually prosecute this case effectively– let her.
trollhattan
@MinuteMan: Our Chamberlains are all Republicans. You are Ross Douthat and I claim my prize.
Belafon
I’m gonna get Harris and Democrats elected, and then I will be contributing to the “Replace Schiff” campaign even though I live in Texas.
Steve LaBonne
@Elizabelle: Buttigieg would be fine. We can’t afford to lose any elected.
ssdd
@Spanky: yeah now they’re all rushing to the microphones to praise Joe after they spent the last three week crapping on him. Far as I’m concerned they all take the proverbial long walk off a short pier.
RJM
I just tossed a medium donation at the Biden Victory fund in the hope that the Harris campaign can use it and if there’s an outpouring it will show support for Kamala.
Is there a better way to support MVP at this point?
dc
How will the money question work, Biden-Harris war chest can’t be transferred, or so I believe from what I’ve read and heard? What about the ballots, it may be law in all the states that whoever parties choose coming out of their national conventions is the presidential ticket (I’m also basing off of what I’ve read and heard). But here in NC, our state supreme court will make any decision that the Repubs want, and make up any argument to support it. And NC is not the only state in that situation. So, “the law says this” is not an effective argument.
trollhattan
@Ivan X: Going for a bike ride. Did that last Sunday and Trump gets near-shot, so I figure it’s good for the news cycle.
MazeDancer
NO!!!
Just when all the Dem chairs of the battleground states issued a letter that they want Mr. Biden.
mrstealyourcostcosample
@MinuteMan: shut the fuckin fuck up.
he took the time and consideration to have a serious conversation (and presumably get enough folks lined up behind Kamala) then changed his mind.
Eolirin
Covid may have forced his hand here. Speedy recovery is not a guarantee. Especially at his age.
But it would have been infinitely better if there hadn’t been an obvious pressure campaign for him to drop out preceeding needing to make that decision, if that was the case.
We will lose labor votes over this. Harris does not have the same level of bona fides in that community. We have to hope we pick up youth vote and increase minority turnout to make up for it. And some of that group is going to be mad. And we’re going to lose some white people though I think that may have been baked in to some degree.
Brown’s going to have a harder election now. If black people don’t turn out for him he’s guaranteed we lose the senate.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
Today is the day Donald Trump became President…again.
JerseyBeard
This has been a dismal three weeks, and this is not the outcome I wanted. That said – I AM NOW A LION FOR HARRIS. Let’s get her elected. Work to do.
TaMara
@Citizen Alan: Just this side of me deleting his comment. Let’s see his next idiocy and I’ll happily trash them all
rikyrah
Will say it my entire chest..
Phuck all you traitorous azz muthaphuckas.
You will never be forgiven.
Ever😠😠😠
Tony Jay
@TBone:
I’ve got nothing to add to that. 👌🏻
Spanky
LISTEN UP
It is now ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL that we take the House and keep the Senate. No matter what your feelings are on the Presidential race, we need to do everything we can to elect every Democrat on every ticket.
schrodingers_cat
I feel betrayed by my party.
NeenerNeener
AOC said the Republicans are preparing lawsuits for when Joe drops out, and are planning on this going to their pet Supreme Court. We’re getting Trump again, good and hard, whether he loses the election or not.
Bill Arnold
@Citizen Alan:
I do not care. They are the ones who rolled the dice.
Those who do not go all out to help the Democrats win, own it.
mali muso
@rikyrah: Come sit by me.
lowtechcyclist
@JMG:
Well, that was the problem, wasn’t it?
I’m just scared that now it’s MVP Harris’ turn in the barrel, and by next weekend the pressure for her to step aside will be ferocious.
I hope to God that doesn’t happen, but given that the WaPo and Slate have already had pieces in the past day or two aiming their guns in her direction, I don’t have a whole lot of confidence.
Never give a inch, dammit
ETA: Oh, and I just saw this NBC headline from this morning:
‘Ludicrous’: Donors leave call with Kamala Harris frustrated and annoyed
Swell.
May they be first in line when the leopards come to eat people’s faces.
jimmiraybob
@Elizabelle: “And some white male in the VP slot.”
This probably has to be, because …. well everybody knows.
UncleEbeneezer
This! Like I said earlier, everyone who kept pushing this bullshit and making excuses for it were all willing to spit in the face of Black voters. Don’t think people will forget that or hold it against you going forward. You got what you wanted assholes. You can celebrate with Putin and Joe Manchin and Elon Musk and Peter Thiel…lovely company you all decided to keep.
kwAwk
If you don’t care what the results are in November, are you really on our side to begin with?
3Sice
@Elizabelle:
They’re going to double down.
2016 – never forget.
NaijaGal
This is horrible. I pray that we are somehow able to prevent Trump’s presidency.
I know that I will never register as a member of a political party in the US again.
It has been wonderful lurking and occasionally commenting on Balloon Juice over the last twenty-something years (under different nyms). I will stay away for my own sanity for a while but thank you for all you’ve done as front pagers and members of this community to bring hope and simple actions that people can take. My first experience canvassing door to door in Nevada for Dems was because of this group – I don’t think I would have tried anything like that if I hadn’t found Balloon Juice.
Be well everyone.
TaMara
@John S.: Don’t let the door hit you
guachi
@Redshift: If followers have no confidence in their leader it is not the fault of the followers. It is the fault of the leader.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
Depending on the results of the convention, my relationship with Democrats may be over forever.
suzanne
I cannot believe this. Here we go. Oh God.
Mr. Suzanne and I just discussed and we are making separate donations to Harris today, and encouraging everyone we know to do the same. And I’m gonna get a new yard sign tout-suite. Time to unite around her like we have never united before.
I already have my KAMALA hat.
Elizabelle
@Cmorenc: That’s what I think.
Give ‘em hell, Joe.
Seeker
@Tony Jay: I think this is right. The big money boys are not going to accept Harris (although they might if they think she is really unelectable). But I think the fix is in that the nominee will be someone like Joe Manchin. Maybe a Manchin/Cheney ticket something like that.
The process is now out of Joe’s hands and anything can happen.
schrodingers_cat
@rikyrah: Indeed. The Dump Joe Biden Sealions on Balloon Juice are pied forever. Not a red cent to any elected who plunged a knife in Joe’s back.
TaMara
@JoyceH: Coked up and crazy, yes. I know folks who worked with him…it was unbearable.
Bupalos
@SiubhanDuinne: It was the entire party. And ultimately Joe decided what almost every dem pol suggested in what they did and did not say. That it was in the best interest of the Democratic vision for him to withdraw.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@guachi: You were “following” the wrong leaders, the donors and cynical old pols who don’t have our best interest at heart.
Lee H
Fuck the Democratic Party. GOTV to elect Democrats this fall, do it because our collective futures depend upon winning.
FDRLincoln
KAMALA HARRIS for president!
Joe didn’t deserve this. I kept going back and forth on what he should do. But what an incredibly selfless act, and ultimately I trust his judgment.
Preserve Biden’s legacy. Save America!
The election is in the starkest relief now: the multicultural democratic future, or fascism.
We can win. WE WILL WIN.
TaMara
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
@TBone:
Oh, crap, it’s your birthday! I forgot. I’ll find something day brightening to post on the book of faces later today.
Gravie
I’m with you. I think forcing him out was ethically and tactically wrong. It makes the Democrats look weak and disloyal. I don’t know what we gain from this, but I sure know what we lose.
Elizabelle
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: say that AFTER the election. We have elections to win, and a country to save. Two countries. Save Ukraine too.
Scott S.
@kalakal: 100%
Al Rennick
@Citizen Alan:
Right back at you, pal.
Who the Hell are you and the rest of Balloon Juice to question the collective judgement of Pelosi, Schumer, Obama, James Carville, David Axelrod, Stan Greenberg, Adam Schiff, Jon Tester, Sherrod Brown, and all the other Democrats who called on Joe to drop out? Unlike you who lives in a fantasy world, these folks all live in the real world.
Cacti
Immense respect to POTUS for acknowledging the stakes, realizing the election is bigger than himself, and voluntarily relinquishing an office that he worked 4 decades to obtain.
Thank you for the good you have done in a lifetime in elected office and may we all come together to defeat the fascist movement that is one election away from ending 248 years of government by, of, and for the people.
I’m all-in for Vice-President Harris and whoever she chooses as a running mate.
lowtechcyclist
@Betsy:
Oh, I’m 100% behind her. I just fully expect the hyenas to come after her, now that they’ve taken down Joe.
guachi
@UncleEbeneezer: Stop trying to speak for Black voters when Black voters can speak for themselves. Somewhere between 40-55% of Black Democrats don’t want Biden to run. That’s a very high %. The idea it’s just white people who want Biden to withdraw is false.
jimmiraybob
@NeenerNeener:
“We’re getting Trump again, good and hard, whether he loses the election or not.”
That was always – always – going to happen. Always. I am fairly confident they will be as successful as all the lawsuits brought over election 2020.
Hungry Joe
Joe has been one of the best Presidents EVER. I was fairly confident that he’d win.
I was writing Postcards to Swing States when Ms. Joe came to me with the news. It took me a few minutes, but I’ve bottled up the heartsickness and, except for this short break, will continue writing postcards.
Eyes on the threat, everyone: TRUMP. Please, before you post/say/do anything, consider the possible effect. I’m not saying we shouldn’t discuss this, but … please. Concentrate. Focus. ACT. We have to win in November, and our energy isn’t infinite.
Reminder: TRUMP.
Now I’m going to write a few more postcards.
tobie
Well, I’m devastated, disgusted and angry and scared for the future. Joe Biden has been treated worse than any President by his own damn party in my lifetime. He did so much to invigorate the party, help struggling Americans, and restore US global leadership. He deserved so much better than what he got.
Citizen Alan
@guachi: If guachi is a piece of shit, It is not the fault of the people who readguachi’s shitposting but of guachi’s shitiness.
Belafon
I am a Democrat because it’s the party that most aligns with my values (I actually don’t know of any that align with the Republican party, so there’s that). I voted for Biden in the 2020 primary because, by the time the primary got to Texas, I saw him as the best candidate to beat Trump. Now, I am backing Harris because she’s the best chance to beat Trump, has backed Biden, and represents what I want our country’s future to be.
Oh, and Schiff had better be willing to take a bullet for her.
Quinerly
@FDRLincoln: 🩷🧡💛💚💙🩵💜
PJ
Everyone who worked to make this happen, and wanted this to happen – go fuck yourself. We will remember.
TaMara
@Belafon: ❤️❤️❤️
Jinchi
I think it’s really important that they hear that from voters before they come up with some other brilliant idea.
TBone
@Tony Jay: smooches
Mingobat (f/k/a KareninGA)
I feel like I did when the court handed Bush the presidency in 2000.
I hope Harris wins, the Dems take the House and keep the Senate, and they tax the fuck out of these donors. And they call it the Be Careful What You Wish For Act. I doubt it’ll happen.
Fuck every single person who wanted this.
PJ
@guachi: I reiterate – go fuck yourself.
M31
and on National Ice Cream Day too
:-(
schrodingers_cat
I am logging of BJ and all social media. I need to process this knife in the back of democracy to preserve white supremacy.
Joe was too old because Kamala is black. They were afraid that if he died in office she would become President and run in 2028 as an incumbent.
I don’t trust Gazasealions and Coconut Kamala mememakers who were spouting Genocide Joe until just 3 weeks ago.
dc
@Seeker:
Is this a joke?
Juju
@Lapassionara: but is that really a good thing? He was a terrible president and that’s easy to document.
slybrarian
I am so angry with the press, the donors, and the spineless centrists who forced him out. Lots of respect and sympathy to Joe for doing this and endorising Kamala. I’m all in for Harris-Whoever (Beshear would be my favorite) but I am making a list for the next primary season.
Nukular Biskits
Folks, I think y’all will understand if I take a break from this for a while.
Bupalos
@Bill Arnold: No one owns any Trump win but global warming, inequality, racism, and technology disruption. Biden was a long shot that got a lot longer when his communication skills headed south on him. Harris will be a long shot. Either could have won, and neither is better than even odds to do so.
Archon
@UncleEbeneezer: Look I get it but there is no moving forward if we lose this election.
If we lose there won’t be party recriminations because if Trump does what he says he’s gonna do party politics will be over and the only path forward will be blood in the streets.
UncleEbeneezer
@suzanne: Can’t you? You made it happen.
Tehanu
@dc: my thought too. if this is for real, goddammit.
Omnes Omnibus
Jasmine Crockett’s take.
Zzyzx
I wish it could still be Biden, but I moved from this is an overreaction camp to starting to worry myself. People I normally trust were weighing in.
Fine. Let’s go Harris!
She’s definitely getting a honeymoon right now on npr.
Elizabelle
Could folks please stop saying this means Trump will win. No. It is just going to be a different race.
TaMara
@kwAwk: Troll alert! Pie baked.
JMG
The convention delegates who will vote on the nomination are what used to be called party regulars. I would be astonished if they did not unite eagerly around Harris. To a person, what they wanted most was for the July shitshow to end. Now it has.
catothedog
Do not, do not pay a penny to the NYT – subscriptions or clicking on their links
Destroying the NYT should be the stated goal for all progressives and liberals, irrespective of who is the candidate, or who wins the election
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Elizabelle: If Democrats pick anyone other than Harris they have shown definitively that elections don’t matter to them any more than to Republicans.
geg6
@MisterForkbeard:
Nope. Staying furiously angry. It will be the only thing to sustain me through this election and into the probable authoritarian dystopia we will be facing after.
Liminal Owl
@SiubhanDuinne: Yeah. This.
scav
I’m not limiting it to “Senior” democrats either. There are a long lineup of grassroots ones that deserve every future we’re likely now embarked on. Media first against the walls, so no change there. There are times when it’s soothing to have archaeological training. Ruins (and garbage heaps) are firmly in view and what there is to work with.
Eyeroller
@Elizabelle: Now we are dealing not only with the ingrained sexism that faced Hillary, but racism as well. I fully support Harris but I am very skeptical about her chances.
Pittsburgh Mike
FFS, this is good news. Biden did a great job as President, and he’s a good man, but he simply wasn’t going to win this election.
Harris will win this. And Biden did something truly remarkable for a President and clearly put the interests of the country ahead of his own ego. For that matter we should contrast this with the Republicans who put their fear of Trump’s ego above the interest of the country.
Bill Arnold
@guachi:
Hey, maybe say something negative about racist felon Donald J. Trump and his chameleon running mate? I mean, a bit stronger and more specific than that he’s a “low bar”, or that you “hate” him. (There are people on the far right who hate him.)
UncleEbeneezer
@Elizabelle: People deserve to be mad and say whatever the F they want right now.
Tony Jay
@Seeker:
They’re all going to go after her. Anyone who thinks this part of the plot wasn’t gamed out weeks or months in advance… well, there’s no point in talking about it because anyone that dense is probably trying to read this by licking the screen.
Since I can’t see any scenario where this doesn’t split the Democratic Party between the Money and the People… I’m zipping it.
Elizabelle
@schrodingers_cat: Hugs. A break is good; I plan to do the same. And then: in it to win it. We must, and we will.
MomDoc
Well, my husband and I will get to see who is right. We were behind Kamala in 2020 so she has our support. But as an African American woman, I have plenty of concerns about the real levels of support she is going to get.
Also, I expect a whole bunch of full-throated endorsements from all those powers-that-be who wanted Joe out starting tomorrow. I know I won’t get it, but I would love to see them put their money where their mouths were…
MomSense
Harris can do this! I’m sad for Biden personally but he did the right thing for the country. She can win – and she can run the kind of grueling campaign we need which will make trump look so pathetic by comparison.
Shalimar
@Belafon: Whoever runs against Schiff in the 2028 primary is going to break donation records by huge margins.
FDRLincoln
I do not know if this is the tactically sound move or not. I simply don’t know. I have been undecided on the whole mess.
But I do know that Joe Biden has more information than I do, wants me to support Kamala Harris, unite, and defeat Trump.
Bupalos
@Al Rennick: And let’s be clear here, Pelosi and Schumer represent the two houses generally. The reason they were as open as they were was because (as multiple reporters have suggested) there are essentially zero electeds who positively and strongly wanted Joe to stay. Generally the best support he had was “I will support whatever he decides.”
Mapanghimagsik
Covid is no joke. Everyone and every cause will take credit and cast blame. I still know who I’m voting for in November
Archon
Hopefully now we can start talking about a cognitive declining convicted felon running on a fascist agenda.
CaseyL
I am glad Joe endorsed Harris.
But I am heartsick, nauseous, enraged, and better not have ANYONE come near me in person to say this was a good thing. Because I am feeling very stabby right now.
mrstealyourcostcosample
@schrodingers_cat: you right not to trust it.
let’s see
TaMara
@Omnes Omnibus:
MomSense
@Eyeroller:
Then we will never have a woman or a black woman president if we cannot fight for her and our country in this moment with fascism at our door.
BellyCat
Dear Joe: Thank you for being the most effective President of my lifetime. You’ve earned my full trust and I supported your nomination without question. With your withdrawal today, I must trust your wisdom again, even though this decision is terrifying to many. Thank you for endorsing Kamala to replace you. She’s terrific, knows well the incredible team you’ve assembled, and will make a great President. I look forward to her DESTROYING Trump and his cronies, with absolute and unconditional support from Democratic leadership. LET’S GET HER ELECTED!
PatD
@Shalimar: I’m not sure that Harris is the best candidate but I’ve thought she would have the easiest transition to running an effective campaign. I’m hopeful Biden’s endorsement smooths her path to the nomination.
lowtechcyclist
I hadn’t spent enough time commenting from my desktop to realize that the people I’d pied on my laptop aren’t pied here. They sure are out in force, aren’t they? Fuck them all. Now I guess I gotta pie them all over again here.
Nelle
@schrodingers_cat: “Joe is too old because Kamala is Black.” Short and succinct. Trump wasn’t too old. Grassley wasn’t too old. But Kamala is still Black and Asian.
UncleEbeneezer
@TaMara: I think there will be a LOT of that sentiment from the Dem Base.
MomSense
@TaMara:
Who in the hell couldn’t sell his accomplishments? He couldn’t. It’s sad but that is what happened.
errg
Enough bedwetting. This isn’t the ideal scenario as of 6 months ago, but it’s the one we have. Biden has endorsed Kamala Harris, and I’m 100% behind her. I don’t see her on ActBlue yet, but I’m donating to Biden’s campaign (which I assume will roll over to Harris when she’s the nominee).
geg6
@The Thin Black Duke:
Dude, don’t get me started.
M31
All in for Harris.
Also all in on making a list.
Also all in on holding grudges.
But for now, fuck Trump and his Nazi goonsquad.
Juju
@Citizen Alan: I pied him a long time ago. He’s a…well, you know.
MomSense
@Nelle:
Trump is too old. Grassley is too old.
Pittsburgh Mike
@Bupalos: I’m going to predict that Harris will beat Trump like a gong. Trump just picked a kinder, küchen, whatever VP, while Harris will make good case about reproductive freedom.
TBone
Spit out yer mouthguard, take a deep breath, and let the coach splash ice water in your face while you gear up to give back the knockout punch the fascists need. They have jaws of glass.
TaMara
Okay, I need to walk away for a while. I’ll leave with, don’t feed the trolls, they live for oxygen and if you ignore them, they eventually wither and go find greener blogs.
I will check back in to see if anyone need to be trashed. You can email me if you feel someone it really offensive and come back and take care of it.
Seanly
Have seen some analysis (reposted from Twitter a few days ago) that Harris has to be the nominee. Since she was already on the ticket with Biden only she could get on official ballots and could use the money he had raised. Anyone else being the Democratic nominee and having a chance to be on all 50 states is pure fantasy.
Does she go Whitmer or another popular governor as running mate?
I’m wondering if Joe had to give this a little time for the senior Dem leadership & the big money folks to fall in line to support Harris? Lose some time now to get things done in the background rather than have a messy nomination if not enough of the leaders & money go to Harris.
TaMara
@MomSense: You know what, bite me. You own this. So you best be getting out there and making Harris happen.
Archon
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: If we do that the Republican ads would write themselves.
Jinchi
@MomDoc: I think Kamala has a great chance as long as the party rallies behind her.
She’ll have some of the advantages of incumbency, having been part of the administration with a record of success in a healthy economy and she’s running against an unpleasant, 77-year old, mob boss wannabe who never won a majority of the popular vote.
SatanicPanic
I wanted this to happen and I promise I will work hard and donate much more than I was. Trump cannot be elected again. I understand the anger but I hope we can move forward.
Dangerman
@RandomMonster: Ditto. Deep breath. Carry on. Make Trump carrion.
I’m gonna get flamed but this was predictable. Who predicted it? Joe Biden, who said in 2020 he was in it for one term. Shoulda played the hand that was dealt in 20.
Subsole
@Cmorenc: Nah. He’s a loser now. A quitter. That’s what the public will see him as. What American wants to hear from that? He’s done.
A lot of folks are fixing to get what they asked for, good and hard.
Sadly, so are the rest of us.
Ksmiami
@Betsy: I’m excited to elect Kamala Harris. End of story. I’m not going to second guess Biden at this point except to say our nation is very sick.
Eolirin
@Archon: Not going to happen. Media’s never going to focus on that.
Percysowner
God FUCKING Dammit! I will go balls to the walls for Harris. Money, post cards, phone banks. I will support Sherrod (not thinking nice things about him) Brown, because he is necessary for the Senate. It will take me a long while to get over this, but we have to win. I have a 6 year old trans grandson and the Republicans will screw him every which way till Sunday. All I can do now is fight, fight, fight. And buy stamps, I already have 100 post cards.
MomSense
@Tony Jay:
Of course they are. That’s how this works no matter the nominee. But she can be tough and state the case better than the orange asshole for sure.
PaulWartenberg
My first thought is that the goddamned Beltway Media – led by the goddamned NY Times – finally got their scalp.
My second thought is that the same Beltway Media are NOT going to go after trump to step aside due to age because they know goddamned well trump wants his goddamned throne.
My third thought is that now all the people who attacked Biden to drop out are now going to attack Kamala for being too feminist/too racial/too whatever ticks them off, like as though they are the judge and jury of who runs America.
I am angry as hell right now.
TRUMP IS THE THREAT AND WE’RE ALL GETTING SCREWED OVER WITH THIS SOAP OPERA CRAP.
Mousebumples
@Shalimar: 2030, I think believe, with a 6 year term.
ArchTeryx
@Elizabelle: History suggests otherwise, both in U.S. history and elsewhere. This has ALWAYS ended in totalitarianism. Always. And we are facing Trump with POC woman in a racist, sexist country that could not stomach voting for Hillary Clinton. A majority of white women voted against her, and chose a serial rapist in her stead. White. Women.
We the opposition just fractured like glass getting hit with a sledgehammer, and that makes Trump’s victory a walk down the red carpet. Always has in history. Always will.
Spanky
Well they took your party leader
And they drove him to despair
Won’t you please come to Chicago
Maybe make a difference there
Well the money boys decided
Now it’s all up in the air
Won’t you please come to Chicago
Just to be seen
I dunno. Needs work.
Layer8Problem
Congratulations Kay. I said it.
Harris, up, down and sideways, for the win. I will fight, I will donate, and I will postcard for her win.
But congratulations Kay.
M31
At the Harris/Trump debate, I can’t wait for Harris to say “yeah of course I’m concerned about debating Trump, he’s spent a lot of time in front of prosecutors so he’s had lots of practice”
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Pittsburgh Mike: I truly hope Harris blows this out of the water. I still will never trust or forgive the Donorcrat class.
FDRLincoln
When the 2020 primary season began, my top two candidates were Harris and Biden.
I think Harris is an excellent candidate. The key now is to unite behind her and do what Joe asks us to do.
schrodingers_cat
Chris Evans on Twitter
Soprano2
@Citizen Alan: Yep, this is true. I’ll make one prediction that I think is pretty safe – if TCFG wins, it will destroy the Democratic Party as we know it.
EZSmirkzz
ETA If the Reflubitaagins get into office America’s going to look like a Sears store full of coat hangers.
Mousebumples
@TaMara: ❤️ to you
Archon
@Pittsburgh Mike: I think it’s delusional to think its going to be anything other than a painfully close election but I truly, truly hope you’re right.
TaMara
@SatanicPanic: You know what, and I respect that because you haven’t been mean about it or done the magical thinking route.
I’m team Harris now, but this election is going to be all about anger now for me and as I said, there are folks I’m never going to forgive for doing this.
Ishiyama
You know it’s going to be Hillary Clinton. That’s what was behind all of this.
Subsole
@guachi: Sure.
PJ
@Pittsburgh Mike: Again, I reiterate: go fuck yourself.
Getting a black woman elected in the racist, misogynist USA is going to be more difficult than getting an old white guy elected.
Bupalos
@Bill Arnold: I’ll second this and start the ball rolling… and maybe give disappointed folks a glimmer of hope: Old man Trump has very noticeably cognitively declined from 2016. He has weird glitches and rambles incoherently about Hannibal lecter as if that’s a real person he thinks might break into his Alzheimer’s ward.
Jinchi
The silver lining in all of this is that Trump will be defeated by a black woman, and that would be the best sort of karma.
Nelle
@Jinchi: Sweet summer child. The Washington Post already ran a headline about her failures as a presidential candidate in 2019. You don’t think they will be out their hammer and tongs? I suspect the Republicans are chortling with the chance to run against her and the media will get their clicks right along with the chortling.
Going to go listen to my book on the history of cancer treatment (Emperor of Maladies). Maybe that will cheer me up.
Belafon
@Al Rennick: The whole list of people that openly stabbed Biden in the back have one term left. I’ll help get them elected now.
We, my dude, are the voters. The ones who chose him. Don’t be raising them up over us.
Mousebumples
I’m going to do more postcards tonight. Who’s with me?
schrodingers_cat
@PaulWartenberg: Mostly white elected Dems lost their nerve and here we are. They couldn’t stand up to NYT and CNN and MSM and their rich donors bullying.
B1naryS3rf
I have a great respect for many posters and commenters here, but I’m honestly shocked at how many have decided that Biden’s campaign was salvageable in some way. Honestly, some of you remind me of the Bernie dead-enders in 2016. We had fact, after fact, after fact confirming that he was losing ground after the debate. And again what seems to get lost in the discussion is it wasn’t even the debate itself that made it a crisis as much as Biden and team’s grossly insufficient response afterwards for weeks. Instead of doing the things which could have pushed back against doubt or reversed it, Biden had more underwhelming, stage managed interviews, more major gaffes, and more loss of donor confidence both minor and major because his tone deaf, wagon-circling team basically used the Tinkerbell revival technique.
And don’t you dare get me twisted – I have been personally and tangibly helped by President Biden, loved him for decades, and was totally on board with everything until about a week and half ago when I saw nothing was reversing the awful trends. You all truly think Obama, Pelosi, Schumer and others in congress did this for mere bloodsport? Biden was only going to continue to become a worse candidate over time. That’s different than being a great President, which he has been.
And no, I have zero illusions things will be easy for Harris. But her chances at this point are better than Biden’s. And if she executes the campaign she needs to, possibly far better.
Sister Golden Bear
Happy now?
Let’s see how long it takes for the pundits and mega donors to start baying for Harris to step aside. Because reasons.
zhena gogolia
@SiubhanDuinne: Well, that’s the only possible straw we can cling to now.
Belafon
@Nelle: And we all know that. What is everyone going to do about it, freak out? Or are we all going to stand our ground?
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
Worth the effort, to be sure. Still this whole ordeal has kneecapped her. Y’all just made her job a million times harder today than it would have been in 2028.
MazeDancer
Dan Savage on Twitter:
Jinchi
Exactly. Trump has looked very out of it for a very long time. It’s going to be hard for most people to ignore the comparison with a younger candidate.
geg6
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation:
Yep.
Eyeroller
@PaulWartenberg: The media now have a new chew toy. Trump is old news so he will be ignored. They’ll hound Harris.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
Buttigieg, to piss these fuckers off.
FDRLincoln
Just to be clear, the pile on against Biden has been preposterous. I loathe the media and the backstabbers and will not forget them. I’m angry it came to this.
But if Joe can put his ego and anger aside, I can too.
Channel that rage into supporting Kamala and defeating the orange rapist traitor.
jimmiraybob
@errg:
“(which I assume will roll over to Harris when she’s the nominee).”
I just loaded up on merch and sent $100 and will be on the lookout for the Harris 2024 site.
Yarrow
I cannot in good faith encourage people to vote in primaries again. Why should they bother? The candidate will be chosen by someone/something else – donors, party elites, the media. Voters don’t matter.
We are not modeling democracy. People know Joe Biden didn’t want to drop out and was pressured to do so. Apparently the will of the voters doesn’t matter. This will have long lasting repercussions. How can we say we advocate for democracy when what we model is that we toss out election results when some unknown group of people don’t like them? This is terrible.
Belafon
Something for all of you: an account listing out the Project 2025 stuff: bsky.app/profile/project2025.bsky.social
zhena gogolia
@Omnes Omnibus: I agree totally.
ellie
Well, I hope the motherfuckers who wanted this are happy. Because I’m terrified.
Mousebumples
Any thoughts on VP selection?
Harris/Buttigieg? (I don’t know if he’d want the job, granted)
Harris/Doug Jones (probably too prosecutor heavy)
Harris/???
itstrue
None if this is fair, but it took on a life of its own after the debate. We can’t control public opinion or where the media frenzies next. We were given these circumstances. Politics sucks but there’s no time for purity tests. We have a strong candidate, a deep bench of surrogates, a massive track record to run on, an oppo file a mile thick, and a future to defend. Mourn til Monday morning, then get to work.
Al Rennick
@Bupalos:
Harris will be Trump’s worst nightmare and I bet he won’t even have the guts to stand on a debate stage with her.
Belafon
@Yarrow: The primaries are how we take out Schiff and the House Democrats that went after him.
Shalimar
@MomSense: Reflect back on that in November. The negativity of the last month from media and foreign influence operations is a tiny little hill in Florida compared to the mountain range we’re about to see. I don’t think it is the Biden campaign’s fault that their message wasn’t resonating.
zhena gogolia
@catothedog: Yes, I think you’re right.
eclare
@Mousebumples:
Still waiting for mine to be delivered.
pika
@rikyrah: Never forgetting, never forgiving. Not ever
Quinerly
@Mousebumples: Harris/Mark Kelly
brendancalling
@Cmorenc: Pit Bull Biden is my favorite Biden.
ArchTeryx
@Sister Golden Bear: Id be making your prep now if I were you. You, like me, will be the first to be targeted for elimination.
randy khan
@guachi:
The really sad part is that it’s not going to happen that way, and Biden knows it. He’s now going to be remembered as the only major party Presidential candidate who had to drop out in the middle of the campaign.
I never really was convinced that it was necessary for Biden to drop out or that it wasn’t, but in the end I will trust his political judgment.
Regardless, Biden has done more great things in three and half years than anybody since FDR. We should not forget that.
Subsole
@EarthWindFire: I have a chair right over here, amigo.
I’m voting blue no matter who. I’ll do postcards and all that.
Beyond that? Go beg George Clooney’s ass for money.
@Jackie: Oh shit. I didn’t hear that about Steeplejack.
Man. Fuck this day entirely.
geg6
@Spanky:
Easy for me since none of my people were in backstabbing caucus. But I’m stopping all donations I’ve been sending to those in the backstabbing caucus, like Brown. Fuck him.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mousebumples: Landrieu.
japa21
I was confident Joe would win.
I am hopeful Kamala will.
I know anybody else will lose.
Joe and Kamala have a great record of accomplishments, and despite what others have said, Joe was quite good at selling them.
I am positive Joe and Kamala had a long discussion before this decision was announced and that Kamala feels comfortable with running.
I don’t believe Joe dropped out due to pressure or because he felt he couldn’t win. He dropped out because he saw the party tearing itself apart and he couldn’t let that go on.
Belafon
@Mousebumples: I like Pete, but some also suggested Whitmer. I like either, partially because both will totally be the opposite of what Republicans want. I would prefer Pete just because of how well he can talk and convey ideas.
WaterGirl
I have BJ-peep-funded postcard stamps for any regular commenters who want to write postcards but paying for the stamps is a big stretch.
Send me email if you are one of those people.
zhena gogolia
@Quinerly: Yeah, give up a senate seat. Brilliant.
Quinerly
@ellie: I’m less terrified. Biden couldn’t win.
Harris can win.
Subsole
@John S.: People are allowed their grief. Do what you need to keep yourself sane.
Shalimar
@Mousebumples: It’s Feinstein’s seat. She was re-elected in 2022.
edit: Checked and you’re right. she had announced she wouldn’t seek re-election this year. so it will be 2030.
Eolirin
@Soprano2: God, it won’t even matter, he’ll be able to just arrest the entire party and the Supreme Court will let it happen. Or Vance will refuse to certify the election results in 2028 if they don’t go to him. Whether there’s a party or not won’t mean a damn thing, functionally it’ll be dead either way.
They already have the two things they need in place. The law can be interpreted by the court to mean whatever they want and the executive cannot be held to account for breaking it. Short of a military coup, there’s no longer a check on a Republican being in power. If they ever hold the white house again, there’s no longer a way to resist without resorting to violence or mass protest.
brantl
@RandomMonster: Maybe, and that’s a Big fucking maybe. I have nothing against Kamala Harris. I think she’s a great candidate, but I also think Joe Biden was a great candidate and he was barely scraping by and he didn’t have the misogyny and the racism that’s gonna be thrown at Harris. There is also the problem, but now they’re going to be saying when did Cameron know that Joe had a problem even though he didn’t. Nobody seems to realize how much they’ve given these assholes for ammunition.
Josie
@Mousebumples:
I’ll be with you doing my post cards to Nevada. It’s the only positive thing I can do at this point.
Bupalos
@TaMara: Father Time should be your prime target here.
and maybe an electorate that still insists that a president is someone who performs dumb individual feats of strength and wasn’t going to reward or recognize the real strengths of Biden given the superficial appearance of weakness.
Layer8Problem
@Bupalos: Patiently waiting for your next wall of sophistic text on how there’s a lot to be said for both sides, fifty-fifty chance here, but Harris isn’t up to snuff. I don’t know, prove me wrong.
Jinchi
@Nelle: The media has published attack articles on every Democratic presidential candidate in my lifetime.And yet, still we’ve had some great successes. Obama, Bill Clinton, Carter and Kennedy weren’t supposed to be electable in their time either.
Harris will be running against Trump. As long as the party rallies behind her, I think she’ll walk away with it.
I’m not interested in doom and gloom, get out and vote and you can call me a sweet summer child in November if I’m wrong.
Scout211
First up, law suits from the red state secretaries of state. Because made up legal reasons.
zhena gogolia
@brendancalling: If I were him, I wouldn’t lift a goddamn finger.
Expletive Deleted
I’m furious. But right now we turn that fury to winning. Revenge and recriminations can wait till January 7th.
Steve Stuart Stonestacker
I know the Ohio republicans were threatening to keep Biden off the ballot since the Democratic convention was after the cutoff date. They later allowed him onto the ballot since he was the undisputed winner of the primaries. Will they extend the same courtesy to Harris or whoever emerges from the thunderdome of the convention?
Quinerly
@zhena gogolia: Harris can win.
Biden couldn’t win.
Citizen Dave
I cannot take any “poll” showing Biden way behind in Michigan seriously. Or any Dem ticket.
I am sad. Have been remembering when Joe started he said he would always be straight with us, the American people.
Trump could not pronounce, off the teleprompter, the word “purses” last night. He had a weird dark streak on the side of the head in his hair. Suddenly he’s the doddering old man.
Kamala will BRING IT.
The Thin Black Duke
@schrodingers_cat: That’s because you were.
Subsole
@Tony Jay: Pelosi was already making noise about that.
(Sigh.)
I really hope I am wrong about how this all ends.
Emily B.
Heard the news while sitting around with a couple of friends who are visiting from out of town. We all feel as though we’ve been sucker punched. And we’re grieving.
Way to rally the base, Dems.
Math Guy
I think one of the hallmarks of the Biden administration has been competence. Joe made this decision, and now we need to back him up, including our full support for Kamala Harris,
E
@Al Rennick: this kind of shit tells me you are not here to help a Democrat win.
Spanky
@Jinchi:
Doesn’t matter. It’s going to be a real life Weekend at Bernie’s (no, the other Bernie) since tfg has been surrounded by remora with their own agenda (Project 2025) who will be dragging his sorry addled ass to the end in November.
brantl
@guachi: and you’re still an idiot, live with it.
Belafon
@ArchTeryx: Then let’s make history.
Yarrow
@Belafon: Sure. Until someone decides they don’t like the primary results and then they get changed. Because not going with the will of the voters is how we do democracy in the US now.
zhena gogolia
@Bupalos: Yeah, and the MSM has spent so much time talking about that. NOT.
Kay
@Enhanced Voting Techniques:
Whitmer and Newsom declined
I think it’s Beshear, Shapiro or Cooper as VP
Citizen Dave
@Jinchi: Indeed. Republicans have not won the popular vote for 20 years. People (voters) are either tired of 8 years of Trump bullshit or they are not. LFG!
Layer8Problem
@ArchTeryx: Steady on, man/woman. We’ll continue, we’ll fight.
Martin
Sorry TaMara. I agree that having a bunch of rich white guys calling all the shots feels shitty, regardless of their intentions and result.
Kay
We’ll see who endorses now – it’ll come fast
Eolirin
@Ishiyama: She said he should stay in. As always, Hillary is right and no one listens to her. :p
SatanicPanic
@TaMara: Anger can be power ✊🏼
ArchTeryx
@Subsole: If you are a student of history, you know already how it is going to end. Human nature being what it is it can’t end any other way.
I’m not enough of an optimist to believe we will defy millennia of history and I will be among the first to be sent to the camps. I can’t afford hopeless optimism. It’s time for the three basic choices. Fight to the death, flee, or let them torture you to death out of sight of the pubic.
brantl
@Citizen Alan: No, The grandmother should’ve aborted the mother no point taking a chance on all that bad seed
zhena gogolia
@Jinchi: I hope you’re right. But I think you’re wrong.
TF79
As someone who’s voted for Biden for every ticket he’s ever been on, all I can say is LET’S GO HARRIS!!!
Elizabelle
@japa21: Very good comment. I think you are right.
columbusqueen
@TaMara: Yep, in about a million ways.
zhena gogolia
@TaMara: You and I are on the same page today!
Aziz, light!
What the fuck is wrong with those of you pledging to abandon the Democratic Party? Does trashing the party make you feel better about yourselves? This election is not about you.
Harris 2024. Shout it from the rooftops.
jayne
@Jinchi: I think you should ask some people who aren’t terminally online what they think about Kamala Harris.
The media has spent the last 4 years painting her as either a ditz who doesn’t take her position seriously or a commie sleeper agent (Fox News says both, but they’re like that.) Pair that with the fact that she clearly hasn’t been working the crowd with the goal of showing that she’s the obvious choice for next President (because she shouldn’t have had to for another couple of years) and throw in a healthy dose of sexism and racism, and you’ve got a Veep who some people really hate and most people are just sort of indifferent to. And this is the person who is entering the race late, amid a shit-ton of scandal that mostly makes the Democratic Party look like a disjointed mess, against a literal cult leader with the full weight of the Republican machine behind him.
We are so fucked.
Elizabelle
@ArchTeryx: typo on your last word
Quinerly
@zhena gogolia: I Googled this the other day.
“If Kelly were ELECTED vice president, he would have to resign his Senate seat, and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs would appoint a replacement.”
It is my understanding, he can run just like Kaine did, Vance is doing without stepping down.
Please check my info, though.
Jinchi
I can’t be the only person who remembers that Trump has been politically toxic to the Republican brand over the last several years. Democrats have been winning in places that have been considered off-limits for years.
Mousebumples
@eclare: if your have postcards (*not for an official campaign) there’s 5 or 6 orgs on the Postcards page WaterGirl put up.
She/we just added Postcards4VA today!
Kay
Bill and Hillary Clinton just endorsed her
Theyll be a flood now
Layer8Problem
@Litano: And who the hell are you?
ETA: Ah, thanks Google, a “Biden Hates Gaza” troll.
cmorenc
@guachi: exactly. The MSM doesn’t have “joe is old” to kick around – he will become a fierce attack dog for harris with no fucks left to give.
brantl
@trollhattan: I expect she will subsume the entire Biden/Harris team and run with them. She doesn’t have time to make a new one
Kristine
Well, the ratfucking op succeeded.
I will write my assigned postcards, continue to donate, pray for the best.
AnthroBabe
I really love coming here to read about news and politics, but today I just can’t. I read through the first 70 or so comments…I want to send everyone light and love and to tell people to sit down, close their eyes, and breathe normally. However, when I saw this news on Twitter earlier, I was hyperventilating and shaking for about five minutes.
On board totally with Harris, of course. I just need a bit of time to digest this crap.
Sister Golden Bear
@Bill Arnold:
My life absolutely depends on it. And I mean that quite literally.
Quinerly
@Aziz, light!: eexactly what I just said to myself.
Al Rennick
@Belafon:
In a time of existential crisis, I place my trust in the rational judgements of Pelosi, Schumer, Obama et al. over the raw emotions of a bunch of bloggers who have neither the knowledge nor the expertise of veteran politicians, campaign managers, and professional pollsters.
Kristine
@Mousebumples: Me.
UncleEbeneezer
Yarrow
Entirely uninterested in who the theoretical VP is. It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters. People will vote and then some shadowy entity or the Supreme Court will say, “Nope. Not those results. Those results aren’t what we want. Toss them out.”
Why would anyone bother to vote? It’s irrelevant. No wonder people tune out politics. And no wonder people think the Democrats are a bunch of feckless losers. They model that behavior every day.
Captain C
@FDRLincoln: Amen.
I just donated $81 to Kamala Harris, and set up a monthly donation. I will spend the rest of the day doing chores and errands and fun things, and then start working to make sure our next President and Congress are Democratic Party-controlled.
tobie
I will vote for Kamala Harris. I recognize that she has to be the nominee. I did not support her in 2020 because I thought she was a poor public speaker and did not do well at wide-ranging interviews and townhalls where she ran into hot water when pushed past her talking points. She’s gotten to be a better speaker. I don’t know how she fares when explaining policy.The President has to make the toughest of decisions. Joe did well, better than Obama, because of his experience. I hope Harris has learned as much as she could from him.
Eolirin
@Steve Stuart Stonestacker: We still have the same deadlines, which means Harris needs to be the nominee before the convention, not after it.
On the plus side, this means we can hopefully go into the convention with all of this done already. But it’ll depend entirely on whether there’s real coalescence around Harris or not. If there’s not, we’re fucked just because how this will affect the logistics of the campaign.
columbusqueen
@Jinchi: From where? The internment camps where most of us will be sent?
Bupalos
@Archon: I think anyone strictly focused on electoral advantage this cycle would probably pick someone other than Harris absent the potential backlash. Someone from Mich, Pa, or Wi.
But I’d guess people are going to be more practical minded and avoid that backlash and just pocket the increased black turnout Harris’s polling suggests.
I guess implicit to your post is a belief that Biden lost support for reasons other than a desire to beat Trump. I disagree with that.
Subsole
@rikyrah: Yeah. Just…I am so angry and so sad I don’t know what to say.
Mousebumples
@Omnes Omnibus: I’m assuming not the former LA (?) Senator? Less familiar with him (?).
@Belafon: I mostly don’t want to remove a Dem swing state governor from office. Same reason I’m not advocating for Evers.
@Shalimar: 👍
@Josie: what’s the script on that? I’m worried people have postcards supporting Biden they’ll need to trash.
Fair Economist
Horrified to see Joe go but grateful he endorsed Kamala. I expect the “Supreme” Court will tie up all the monies I and others have donated to the official Biden for President accounts.
Also, too, totally sucks that the MSM will use this as an excuse to continue not talking about Trump’s criminality, mental dysfunction, and horrific policies.
And remember to ignore the MSM. Make them pay for what they’ve done.
UncleEbeneezer
@Kristine: Somewhere Putin is laughing, but hey at least
“long-time valued” commenterstrolls got their fucking scalp…Captain C
@Mousebumples:
That might be a good balance for the ticket: Southern white former Senator.
Kay
Jayapal and Pressley endorse! Thye’re all jiust going to flood the zone with endorsements for her.
Kristine
@Enhanced Voting Techniques:
The VP debate would be a bright spot. Because given Buttigieg’s assessment during his Maher appearance, it would be a public flaying.
Jinchi
Everything I’ve read suggests Biden was very insistent that Kamala take his place if he left. So I assume the Biden/Harris team will move over without a hitch.
Yarrow
@Aziz, light!: The Democratic party has abandoned the Democratic voters. Maybe they should look at what they did if they wonder why people have lost enthusiasm and feel their votes don’t matter.
Subsole
@schrodingers_cat:
We were.
All we can do is keep fighting.
Dark Patriot
Thanks to everyone who betrayed and undermined my guy, the one who beat Trump already and has never lost an election.
I hope y’all end up higher on the list than anyone important to me.
Martin
@Kay: Pete would be fun – he’s proven really good at going after GOP bullshit. Plus, two first gentlemen.
It couldn’t have been Newsom – ticket can’t both be from the same state, so that’ll rule out anyone else from CA if Harris is the presumed candidate.
AOC is too young by like a month or two.
PJ
@randy khan: This is the truth. Republicans and the media will call him a quitter who didn’t have the stomach for the fight. And if, gods forbid, Harris loses, Biden will get the blame for it. Regardless, as far as the media is concerned, despite all of his accomplishments as President, his legacy will be one of failure.
Percysowner
I’m going to trust that Biden did this only after getting (as close to as he could) ironclad assurances that the big guns will support Harris and make the transition quick. That is the only way I can see him doing this. In any case the Democrats need to rally and rally HARD around Harris. I have no clue as to who should be VP at this point, although NOT A REPUBLICAN is top of the list. Wapo just printed a Letter to the Editor saying Harris should run with a Republican VP.
LMM
The GOP has repeatedly said that if Biden isn’t at the top of the ticket, they will sue. The last thing we need or want is for this election to be decided by the supreme court, but it looks like that’s going to happen now.
ArchTeryx
@Sister Golden Bear: Which is why I am advising, as a student of history, make your plans now. You should read what happened to the Jews in Poland and Germany who waited too long in the 1930s.
Sister Golden Bear
@TaMara: I’m sitting by you as well.
Chris
I was expecting angry text messages today. Wasn’t expecting the one I just got from one of my college friends, who’s generally liberal but doesn’t live for politics the way people here do – it’s mostly not one of the things we talk about when we’re together. He’s also Arab by heritage (though not Palestinian), and I know at least one of his close family leans Republican, so if anything, I’d kind of assumed he’d be getting more anti-Biden than pro-Biden influence in his social circle.
He’s now texted that if Trump wins, he’ll never forgive the Democrats, and compared the people who want to dump Biden to Brexiters in terms of how they’re risking, in his colorful words, ending up “ass-fucked by their own petards.”
If he’s at all representative of Dem-leaning normies, that’s not an encouraging start.
me
@Mousebumples:
Evers is our boring old white man, you can’t have him.
Mo MacArbie
Shit. This fucking sucks.
All aboard the Harris ticket. If any other names get floated as alternatives, I would just have one question about them: who did he rape? Judging by our worthy opponent, that would seem to be the benchmark for presidential fitness.
zhena gogolia
@Sister Golden Bear: That’s what will keep me going. We have to win.
Mousebumples
@Kristine: thanks for postcarding. I’m not doing postcards this minute since I’m afraid my tears will blur the ink.
zhena gogolia
@Yarrow: Yep.
Belafon
@ArchTeryx: You know we defied history in 2008 right? We were the first country to elect a leader from a minority group in the county. We’ve got our work cut out for us, for sure. But you know what won’t win? Staring into Palantir and knowing the world’s going to end.
Hungry Joe
Since I posted a little while ago I’ve written eight Postcards to Swing States.
TRUMP, everyone. Think TRUMP.
I’m going to be very tiresome about this.
TRUMP.
(See?)
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
The candidate was always chosen by the press and the donors. But at least Democrats showed up to consent. There is no consent here.
PJ
@Bupalos: The Democratic electorate wasn’t fooled, and selected Biden in the primaries. The voters in a general election haven’t had, and now will never have, a chance to reward and recognize Biden’s strengths as President.
Bupalos
@Captain C: It’s probably time to stop being triumphal about Biden’s advanced age. The best line we have going forward is “not even a freakishly healthy guy like Joe could beat Father Time, you think this 78 year old rancid blob of KFC fat held together by Alzheimer’s genes should try it??!”
Seeker
This is like Jimmy Carter redux.
An excellent president that Americans are convinced was a failure.
Ushering in an era of right wing rule that will benefit so few people
Mousebumples
@Martin: isn’t AOC’s birthday on October, I thought?
ETA – she turns 35 in October.
geg6
@guachi:
Will you, for once, shut the fuck up? I don’t pie anyone but I’m sick and tired of your shit and if you keep doing it in this thread, I’m definitely going to get myself a timeout.
Kay
Senator Kaine endorses Harris
Fair Economist
@Eolirin: Poor Hillary. The Cassandra of our times. Hopefully we will listen to her endorsement of Harris.
I will say I’ll bet Trump will run away from debating Harris.
Starfish
Someone posted that the Clintons have just endorsed Harris.
Dan Savage posted that Biden should go ahead and pardon Hunter. I laughed
(I am reading Twitter secondhand by trusting people who read Twitter so I don’t have to.)
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
To many of us without Congressional seats, Republicans look like an existential threat. These fuckers were just looking for a false sense of job security which will likely see them thrown out too.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mousebumples: Former LA Lt Gov, former NOLA Mayor, Biden point man on Infrastructure implementation. One advantage to him that he wouldn’t put a governorship or senate seat at risk.
ArchTeryx
Hell, Tony Jay can tell you in GREAT detail what happens when the opposition fractures. They got Brexit and a depression. What we will get is far, far worse.
Mousebumples
@Hungry Joe: thanks for postcarding! You’re regular posts inspire me to keep doing the work.
Bupalos
@PJ: most polls suggested a pretty strong majority of dem rank and file wanted a change. The primary ran mostly before a series of concerning events.
Seeker
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: I’m done with the Democratic party. I honestly think the party is done as well…we will have a one party state…so my lack of support won’t really matter.
zhena gogolia
@geg6: Good luck with that. They have to have their victory dance. they’re gleeful as hell.
different-church-lady
Fine. Debate over. START BEING SMART ABOUT THE REST OF IT.
Expletive Deleted
Speaking of Carter, here’s hoping Biden lives to a hundred and gets to speak at many of these backstabbers funerals.
Martin
@Mousebumples: Oh yeah. Got that backward. I don’t see her being picked, but I guess she’s not constitutionally excluded.
Belafon
bsky.app/profile/davekarpf.bsky.social/post/3kxsrjyk2z72l
Percysowner
I wanted to try a new wine this week and stopped by the store with the good wine selection right before this broke. I’m going to order in Chinese and start early on the bottle. The last time I felt like this was 2016 when Hillary lost. SHIT!
Thanks to this blog, because at least here I can say all the things that would get me booted from other media comment sections.
Mousebumples
@Omnes Omnibus: seems good to me. We have a much larger bench now. But that sort of person (no Senate seat or governorship at risk) seems ideal. Thanks.
Tony Jay
@MomSense:
Not my fight, but I’ll just say this.
If the corporate media decide that they have no time or space or interest in letting anyone talk about ‘policy’, and instead spend the next four months running multiple stories, daily, about how divisive Kamala Harris and her divisively divisive candidacy are, and about how ‘many Democrats’ feel she was imposed on them by undemocratic fiat…
Not like it hasn’t been done before.
But fuck it. Fuck them. Fuck it all. Just win in November and turn anger into action.
rb
@ArchTeryx:
Authoritarianism benefits most from those who see its victory as inevitable. We must work hard not to fall into that trap.
It’s a tough day, but it’s the hand we’re dealt. Time to belt up and get to work.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Seeker: They have one chance to retain my support, with Harris. But I will remember everyone who took a shiv to the President and even those hemming and hawing on the sidelines.
Subsole
@Pittsburgh Mike:
Sure.
zhena gogolia
@Belafon: “Not saying we won’t get our hair mussed.”
Michael Bersin
Still, we fight.
The stakes are the same.
Talk to people. Knock doors. Make the phone calls. Write the postcards.
I ain’t going down without a fight.
Sister Golden Bear
@rikyrah: I will not forget, I will not forgive.
Right now I will focus on winning the election, but afterwards there will be a reckoning for the folks who orchestrated this.
BellyCat
Hah!
lowtechcyclist
@errg:
This horrible charade had been going on for 23 days. You damn well bet I’m going to take a day for whatever mixture of anger, dread, and mourning is going through my veins. If that’s ‘bedwetting,’ well fuck you.
I’ll be ready to do whatever I can to support Harris for the nomination and the Presidency by Tuesday. But I’m giving myself a full day to let the emotions have their say.
Mousebumples
@Martin: picking any US House candidate up for election this year is risky. I guess they could run on both lines (*depending on state laws) but I wouldn’t want to give any of these seats up the GOP by default.
Belafon
So did you have your positions because you voted for Democrats, or did you vote for Democrats because you had your positions?
different-church-lady
Let me reiterate:
* The arguments are over.
* There is now one path.
* You can choose to be smart and helpful, or you can choose to be a fucking corrosive idiot.
* DON’T CHOSE THE WRONG OPTION.
zhena gogolia
@different-church-lady: Good luck with that too.
Almost Retired
I’m not going to post my hot take right now because (1) no one cares; and (2) I want to know more about what went into Biden’s decision; and (3) – related to No. 2 – a post about my current take may turn out to age even more poorly than Trump.
I really want to hear from Biden before jumping to any conclusion. I expect he’ll be unfailingly classy and gracious, but there could be some reading between the lines. Regardless, I’ll fight like hell for Harris.
ETA: I’ve decided I like reading about history much more than actually living through it.
A Ghost to Most
Just keep swimming. We got this.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
No coups, no matter who.
prostratedragon
@Enhanced Voting Techniques: Should be Buttigieg just on merit, imo. Though the caterwauling would be one of the few pleasures to extract from this … thing.
Martin
@LMM: Sue based on what? Primaries aren’t legal mechanisms – they are internal party policies.
If Trump is that upset about Joe not being at the top of the ticket, that should tell you something about who they preferred to run against.
Yarrow
@Kay: Who the fuck cares? Of course they got their ducks in the row and endorsements will happen. Yawn.
Please tell me how you can in future tell people to vote when if unknown figures don’t like the results of the vote the vote results are thrown out? How do we explain that? Democracy is sooooo important until unknown people with power decide it isn’t.
Kay
@Martin:
Mark Warner endorses!
I think they have to move fast and flood before anyone gets any ideas :)
She’d win just a straight delegate count anyway, easily, but the enfdorsements help.
Sure Lurkalot
Last week on a bike ride I listened to a bit of a Thom Hartmann show, I used to listen often but I hadn’t in quite a while. A caller promoted the “rule of 3” for what he suggested as our core issues this election…social security, abortion and democracy.
Hartmann suggested replacing “democracy” with “freedom” and I agree. It’s amorphous enough, cuts to the bone and needs to be taken back from those whose idea of it means its polar opposite. Freedom to be who and love whom you want are as basic as breathing.
Also ties right back to FDR’s four freedoms essential to democracy, FDR, whom I think Joe channeled to be the best president of my lifetime: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear
Belafon
@lowtechcyclist: Totally fair. Some need more time than others.
eclare
@Mousebumples:
I ordered postcards a couple of weeks ago, I just haven’t received them yet. I signed up with Postcards to Swing States.
different-church-lady
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: The ratfucking will continue. Fight it. If we go down, we go down fighting.
ArchTeryx
@rb: I never said that people should give up. Only that those with the 🎯 on their back need to choose their preparations now. If they aren’t necessary, awesome. I’m betting they will be, because my life is what I am forced to bet.
Let those with the privilege of not being direct and immediate targets of Project 2025 do the leg work for Kamala Harris. I have to concentrate my energies on saving my loved ones’ lives. Not to mention my own.
Josie
@Mousebumples:
The script only says to make a plan to vote–no names.
Juju
@Elizabelle: That’s the thing, team Kamala is not guaranteed. That’s what scares me the most.
Subsole
@SatanicPanic:
Sure.
Starfish
@Chris: Let your normie friend know that Harris is way better on Gaza-related issues. Here is an old link.
A lot of the tech people I know (men and women in their 30s-50s) were conflicted about who the candidate would ultimately be but they are really excited about Harris.
Jinchi
The GOP says a lot of nonsense, and they know full well that the nominee hasn’t officially be selected yet. That happens when the delegates vote.
ArchTeryx
@rb: I never said that people should give up. Only that those with the 🎯 on their back need to choose their preparations now. If they aren’t necessary, awesome. I’m betting they will be, because my life is what I am forced to bet, and I know history.
Let those with the privilege of not being direct and immediate targets of Project 2025 do the leg work for Kamala Harris. I have to concentrate my energies on saving my loved ones’ lives. Not to mention my own.
zhena gogolia
@Yarrow: But George Clooney!
Michael Bersin
@Tony Jay:
“…The corporate media has no time or space or interest in letting anyone talk about ‘policy’, and instead will spend the next four months running multiple stories, daily, about how divisive Kamala Harris and her divisively divisive candidacy are, and about how ‘many Democrats’ feel she was imposed on them by undemocratic fiat…”
Fixed it for you.
Fight back. Cancel subscriptions. Change the channel. Hit their corporate owners where it hurts…in their profits.
Fair Economist
@Math Guy: This is true. The Ides of March approach on the best President of our time haa been a horror, but given that it did happen, you’re right that Biden can be trusted to pick our best chance.
Kay
@Yarrow:
That isn’t what happened. No one would have challenged the 2020 Biden. I mean, we were all saying a month ago that his age didn’t matter because he had a VP. Now she can’t do the job?
Mousebumples
@eclare: sounds good! Thanks for doing something to help Dems – even if you’re waiting on supplies.
Mousebumples
@Josie: perfect. Whew. Thanks.
Chet Murthy
@ArchTeryx: @rb: I want to both echo what ArchTeryx said, and point out that we MUST do two things at the same time:
Doc Sardonic
@Quinerly: Only if she’s the nominee and I am not certain that is going to happen. The megadonors are now running this shitshow and after the “ludicrous” fundraising call yesterday, her being the nominee is seriously in doubt.
Jinchi
@ArchTeryx:
By all means do what you need to do for yourself and your loved ones.
Just please, drop off a ballot before you head out the door.
PJ
@Bupalos: Who polled “rank and file” Democrats? Nobody. People who have the time to waste, or are just clueless enough to answer a phone call from an unknown number are in no way representative of the Democratic electorate.
Captain C
@different-church-lady:
Seconded (or whatever number more-ed by now).
Yarrow
@zhena gogolia: Thank goodness George Clooney gets to decide the will of the voters doesn’t matter.
Omnes Omnibus
@Kay: You might not be the best person to talk people down at this moment. Just saying.
Michael Bersin
@ArchTeryx:
“…I have to concentrate my energies on saving my loved ones’ lives. Not to mention my own…”
I plan on trying to do both – save the world and save my family.
different-church-lady
@EarthWindFire: I don’t want to pie you. I want to reason with you. Put your quite understandable and justified emotions aside. We are stuck with the hand we have at this point, and it needs to be all-hands on deck to keep it from going down.
Everyone sack up and fight.
pika
From Representative Stacey Plaskett on Twitter (ok, Nitter):
“Y’all Dems who cried “step down” better keep THAT👏🏾SAME👏🏾ENERGY👏🏾 you used to run our President Biden out this race to elect @KamalaHarris #Harris2024 – sincerely the backbone of the party”
Yes.
Subsole
@B1naryS3rf:
Sure.
LMM
@Martin: Ask them, it’s not my plan. The GOP knows if they get this election in front of the court, the court will rule in their favor.
zhena gogolia
@Omnes Omnibus: Doing her victory dance in the end zone.
Eolirin
@Belafon: Every other contemporary democracy is a fraction of the size of this country by population. Japan is our the nearest neighbor, and has less than half the number of people.
There’s no comparison to other countries ffs. Elections don’t work the same here as they do other places. There really isn’t enough time to spin something up from the ground up. If the existing campaign infrastructure can’t be moved over, we will suffer greatly for it.
Nelle
I would like Biden to swing for the fences, on the basis of immunity and just launch out there and order the world he wants. Go for it, Joe. A consolation prized, as it were.
japa21
I would just like to point out that not a single commenter here influenced this decision and I will not hold any grudges no matter who wins in November towards anyone here. Other people…yeah, big grudges.
Wombat Probability Cloud
@Elizabelle: Kamala had my vote in the 2020 primary, but it became clear that Joe had the best chance to be elected. I’ve been thinking, non-cynically, about white males for VP who would (a) enhance the ticket and (b) not be a current senator or rep. Beto O’Rourke comes to mind: charismatic, still young, good knowledge of hispanic communities and border issues. Biden being forced out is fucked but we can win with the right combination.
Kay
@Omnes Omnibus:
Well he asked me specifically or I wouldn’t have.
zhena gogolia
@Nelle: How can he possibly do that when he can’t get into a car without assistance? //
M31
time for Biden to enact some new policies:
1) Presidential Commission to kick Clarence Thomas in the junk every hour
2) Presidential Commission to flick Samuel Alito in the junk with a wet upside down flag every hour
3) Medicare for all
4) Statehood for DC
5) North and South Dakota combined into one new state
6) GOP white people, centrist white people, told to shut the fuck up
7) New York Times yeeted into the sun
different-church-lady
@Kay: I don’t care about personal opinions: Harris is the only option that makes any kind of sense.
We can be smart, or we can be idiots.
I don’t have a lot of hope enough people will chose correctly, but I have some.
Jeffro
@Michael Bersin:
HELL YEAH!!!
Harris/(TBD)
I am so psyched and guess what?
THE GOP IS STUCK WITH TRUMP! L to the OL
zhena gogolia
@M31: I’m on board with all those proposals!
Captain C
@Kay: I suspect Biden wouldn’t have done this if he didn’t have key endorsements already lined up.
Bupalos
@zhena gogolia: No one is gleeful or treating this as an “I told you so” or haha moment that I can see. If you see that please quote it and I will tell that poster where to shove that kind of shit.
We went from a state where some folks wanted a change they weren’t getting (but universally vowed to support the party and nominee) to what you’re seeing now. Multiple people vowing they are done supporting democrats, generating conspiracy theories, and trying to be the division they predicted. I guess I may have misunderstood the nature of those predictions.
it’s a moment. We’ll get through it.
MagdaInBlack
@japa21: TY
PJ
@Sure Lurkalot: I think that it would be a huge mistake to replace “democracy” with “freedom”, because Trump has acknowledged in deeds and words he wants to do away with democracy. Self-government is literally at stake.
laura
I’m sitting here sick to my stomach, and when I look out the window all I can see is the giant unlubed dildo of white male hegemony.
Subsole
@Al Rennick:
He won’t need to.
The folks who shivved Joe are lining up for her, now.
We’re all about to learn important life lessons in loyalty and friendship.
rb
@B1naryS3rf:
You and I are on the same page that what happened today had to happen, even though it breaks my heart. That the accomplishments of this administration should be overshadowed and drowned out by this spectacle is a tragedy. But, it’s my belief that this is ultimately coming from Biden himself. It’s incredibly unfortunate that the President is ill and can’t come out to make a stronger statement live. But I trust his judgment.
However! To your point above: our understanding of what is happening and what SHOULD happen is hopelessly conflated with the absolute spectacle NYT and prestige media have made of themselves over the past month (and the past three decades, frankly.) It is difficult to square the fact that (in my opinion) Biden should have strongly considered withdrawing with the fact that NYT’s ‘Biden must go’ crusade was completely corrupt and disingenuous. Opposing the latter nearly to the point of allergic reaction (as I do) makes it incredibly hard to accept the former, knowing as we do that whoever becomes the nominee (Hint: initials KH) will be treated to the same butteremails bullshit they always pull.
I am somewhat heartened by the fact that everyone now seems to agree that it is Harris, period end of story. I can fully accept the anger and frustration of family and friends provided we are all pulling in the same direction in the end. Honestly, I welcome the rage. You punch me, I punch you, then we get to punching the other side. Let’s fucking go, as the kids say.
There is no other choice but to make the backup QB the starter, support her as the next POTUS, and win the fucking game. I know we all can see that, even as upset as we are.
different-church-lady
@japa21: As far as I’m concerned, all grudges are on hold until election day.
I’ll have plenty to indulge in after that.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Kay: You seriously need to go fuck yourself with the rest of your Coup Crusaders.
You assisted in the kneecapping of Harris as candidate. Her capabilities are beside the point. You and your allies in the donor class who are very much against you on the Palestine issue that you care of so deeply about have made her the person who hid Biden’s condition from us. Good work.
Kay
@Captain C:
Exactly.
prostratedragon
@Eolirin: I need to refresh my memory of what Cassandra had done, but as I recall her prescience was a curse.
suzanne
@UncleEbeneezer: I did nothing of the sort.
I encouraged you to consider a perspective other than your own so that you might actually persuade someone other than preaching to the choir on liberal blogs (I’m sorry, “signal boosting”). You might consider what it takes to win an election when sane people aren’t a majority.
I mean, or you could be a keyboard warrior and attempt to be censorious.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@prostratedragon: Oh, I like Pete. He’s done a good job as Sec of Transportation and as Martin pointed out he good at tearing the GoPers arguments up.
piratedan
for all of those people who say that the 46 administration wasn’t getting its message out are to blame.
It can issue press releases and has
it can run advertisements and has
it can circumvent normal media outlets and has
yet, if its drowned in bullshit from the MSM and is never seen, then I guess its on them?
how can you cope with the FACT that the US has had the best recovery from COVID of anyone in the nation, is addressing climate change and fixing infrastructure and putting people back to work and what people remember is that they once had to pay 4.79 for a dozen eggs?
How is it that so few of the lower and middle class understand who kept them off the streets and ensured that they had jobs to return to while the nation was shut down?
I have no problem supporting Harris and whomever she chooses to run on the ticket with her. To me the problem is not so much with Democratic policy or even politicians, its the fact that if you don’t have access to the fucking narrative it is damn hard to inform people.
Belafon
@Yarrow: Real simple, people who know this isn’t a sprint, who know this has always been a track with booby traps, people who know you have to keep going.
You might need to find a way to get back on board with that.
am
@Aziz, light!:
I think underestimating the quiet but intense support for Biden, in retrospect, will be one of several tragic miscalculations by the Democratic party leadership when historians look back at this.
I’m just talking for myself. I’ll vote, but my enthusiasm died. Other people were passionate enough to make this happen, now they have to be passionate enough to see it through. They own this.
The idea that the intensity was transferrable to another candidate was incorrect, it seem (sample size of one).
different-church-lady
You know what the proper response is to “I told you so’s” is?
“Fuck you. Get to work.”
Yarrow
@Kay: The result of the primary votes was that Biden was the nominee. Then some people decided they didn’t like the results of the primary election and made it impossible for him to stay. That’s our democracy now. A candidate can win an election but if unknown people who have power and influence decide those election results aren’t acceptable to them they will advocate to overturn the election results and out the candidate goes. Yay democracy.
Like I said upthread, this may solve a short term worry (Biden too old) but it is going to have very dangerous repercussions for democracy and the Democratic party long term. Why bother voting? Your vote may not count. Too many people think that already now. How do we convince them their votes count when we model this behavior? It’s a tragedy.
Bupalos
@laura: you’re going to have to help me on how uniting behind a black/south Asian woman for most powerful person on earth is just another “white male dildo” moment.
Sister Golden Bear
@Scout211: Don’t remember if it said it here or elsewhere, the point of the bogus lawsuits the GOP has been salivating to file isn’t necessarily to win — although I’m sure they’ll get lucky — it’s to force Dems to spend time, money and effort fighting. Especially when it probably involves the election law lawyers who are needed to fight Republican election rigging.
different-church-lady
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Stop.
MisterForkbeard
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Let it go, man. Kay’s not the enemy.
Trump is. Retarget.
Chris
@Chet Murthy:
Frankly, everybody needs to start planning. Even if you think you’re not “vulnerable,” it’s kind of the nature of fascism that no one is truly safe. Everybody needs to at least think about what exit strategy they might be able to employ if the rubber hits the road.
zhena gogolia
@Bupalos: She was not the candidate we voted for. Is that clear enough for you? She is not the sitting president. Is that clear? the sitting president was forced out by Adam Schiff, George Clooney, and the NYT.
me
@Yarrow:
To be fair everyone who voted for him knew they were voting for her too. If “they” shiv her now, you are totally right.
Jeffro
Dem endorsements for Harris are coming in at a rapid pace!
GOP still stuck with trumpov!
People, keep a light heart here. And thank you X a million, President Biden, for bringing this party together, saving our country in 2020, pulling it out of the trumpian ditch, and setting us on the fast track to success!!
GO BLUE! (Not Michigan, the other blue! =)
ArchTeryx
@Jinchi: Believe me I will. I won’t be heading out the door until the election is over, and may not be heading out the door at all. No Western country will take me as a political refugee, not least Canada, who has one of the most restrictive asylum policies in the Western World. I will not go any further into my actual plans because this isn’t a secure medium. People have to do what they feel is best for them, but know whatever you choose, the consequences are either your life or being tortured to death if Trump wins. They like torture. Take a good look at John Yoo, and read about Pol Pot and what happened in places like Auschwitz BESIDES the gas chambers.
Subsole
@Kay:
Sure.
Mr. Bemused Senior
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: please don’t. Today is hard enough already.
different-church-lady
All of you: GET THE FUCK OVER YOUR DISAPPOINTMENT RIGHT QUICK.
It’s understandable. It’s justified. It’s human.
GET OVER IT RIGHT QUICK ANYWAY.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@different-church-lady: Sorry, I respect you deeply. But no, I won’t stop.
I am deeply afraid of what is going to come from a second Trump Presidency and these fair-weather supporters of democracy made our job twice as hard.
Martin
@prostratedragon: Merit doesn’t mean shit here. You pick who you think will help you win.
But this changes the trajectory of the campaign a lot. I think it would benefit Harris to try and recover the young vote – which is part of what was really hurting the campaign. Israel policy was a big part of that, but also what I’ve described in the past as laying out a vision for what you want American culture to look like. Harris is pretty good at that – better than Joe was. Pete is VERY good at that. AOC is good at that. And those people don’t need to necessarily be the VP, but they need a vision they can run with knowing they aren’t undermining the campaign. I think there’s an opportunity here to run a really strong uplifting campaign, because you have this really strong contrast to run against Trump who is mostly doom and gloom.
Mingobat (f/k/a KareninGA)
One good thing – plenty of people screeching “Biden is too old!!!” over the past year or so were really saying “Oh no, if he dies in office we’ll end up with President Blackwoman!!!”
So let’s make damned sure we end up with President Blackwoman.
Starfish
@japa21: This. Exactly this. There have been a lot of regular commenters beefing and grudging for weeks in nearly every single thread. It has been very tiresome. I did not pie a single one of them.
Elizabelle
I wonder if MSM might notice a drop off in viewers and clicks. Because I don’t trust them anymore, and don’t care for their spit takes.
Eyeroller
@prostratedragon: Seems like there are multiple versions but the most common one is that she was a priestess of Apollo and rejected his sexual advances.
Subsole
@ArchTeryx:
Yeah. I’ve read a little and seen a little. That’s why I was hoping I’m wrong.
Very sorry you have to go through this now.
eclare
@Yarrow:
Yep. He has infuriated me, and I used to enjoy his work.
dc
@Eolirin:
The current vice president does the ceremonial certifying. That would be Kamala Harris for this election.
different-church-lady
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: It is what it is, and there’s nothing that can change it now. If we go down, then go down pulling on the rope.
Belafon
@am: I’m ready to support Harris, as intently as I am about Biden, because none of this is on them. As I keep repeating, let’s talk about the vocal Democratic Congresspeople who definitely sold themselves.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@Subsole: Indeed, but it looks like they got the shield wall for Harris set up before Joe announced he will resign, which make the shiving that much more absurd.
And let us note, the shiver’s don’t have shit – first it was that dumb-ass billionaire Dean and as for today Mitt Romney.
LAC
@Aziz, light!: fleck off with that rah rah shit. Weeks of dooming and glooming about Biden but now, let’s all rally because de white people say so now? You better focus on getting your white dem folks in line and stop lecturing us about where we should be. Because we didn’t cause this problem. And if Kamala is not the nominee, I am with jasmine Crockett on that one.
Belafon
@Mingobat (f/k/a KareninGA): +1
Eolirin
@prostratedragon: Able to see the future, never to be believed by anyone when telling them what she saw. Yes it was a curse.
Subsole
@Jinchi:
And that is the one sliver of hope I have right now…
Elizabelle
@M31: Yes! You had me way before “yeeted.”
zhena gogolia
@LAC: I’m white but I agree with you totally.
Yarrow
@different-church-lady: Why are you yelling at people who are struggling to deal with this massive change? You are doing harm by doing this.
ssdd
@am: sample size now two.
Eyeroller
@Kristine: Buttigieg is great but I am afraid that a woman of color and a gay man would be too much for Middle America, especially White America.
Some other political observers like Mark Kelly but there would need to be a replacement that could run and win if we are lucky enough for that ticket to be elected.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@different-church-lady: The Donor Coup isn’t over and it’s one step away from destroying everything before the election even occurs.
Captain C
@M31:
As always, out of the solar system, as it takes half the delta-V. No sense in wasting good propellant on those fuckers. Plus, it’s a longer ride for them.
pika
@different-church-lady: I agree. Back to work, which I’m doing right now
Bupalos
@Yarrow: this is the “Brexit means Brexit” argument. No backsies, never mind if new information means the majority has a different opinion now.
beyond that, the primary election is a vote on delegates to the nominating convention. No one took those away from Joe, he is making the decision to hand them back. He’s making that decision because he lost support up AND DOWN the party power structure. Polls were pretty consistent that people hoped for a different nominee because most people think his age emerged in a way that made him a bad candidate. We really shouldn’t turn this in to a “shadowy forces” story.
B1naryS3rf
@rb: you ain’t gonna find a bigger so called liberal corporate media hater around here than me. But until a truly strong Democratic government across all branches works together to smash them, this is only going to continue and get worse everywhere. I don’t mean to sound like a Stalinist, but big media needs a major kneecapping along with their brehs in so many other monopolistic and billionaire owned fields.
zhena gogolia
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Yeah, I’m not “putting my hand to the plow” until Harris is officially nominated. I won’t hold my breath.
Percysowner
@Michael Bersin:
@Michael Bersin:
Yep, gearing up to do my all while telling my kids to get passports for their kids. I have mine. I also know that I’m so old, no place will take me permanently, so if they have to flee, I’ll end up never seeing them again.
Starfish
@suzanne:
Democrats have raised over $5 million in an hour since this announcement was made.
x.com/EwallWice/status/1815108739671720119
Renie
I think Joe will be remembered as one of the top five great presidents. I was hoping to vote for him but I respect his decision even though I don’t believe it was his real choice. Now I’m ready to work for Kamala and can’t wait for that orange blob to be beaten by a woman.
Subsole
@Kay:
Sure.
JWR
Well damn. I just opened up the previous thread and thought the post title was some sort of inside joke, but nope, it is what it is. :( Any word on a VP? (I’ve long had a thing for a Harris-Mayor Pete ticket. Or Harris/Whitman.)
I just looked at NBC’s home page, and Mike Johnson is demanding that Joe resign immediately:
Maybe a blessing in disguise? We’ve got this young, intelligent face, a woman who was my first choice in 2020, and she scares the sh*t out of them, doesn’t she? Or am I overreacting to what he said? I guess we wait to see whether Trump agrees to any more debates.
But I’m not freaking out just yet, that’s how much I trust in Harris.
Yarrow
@me: Harris was the VP. People voted for Biden to be the Democratic nominee. But nope. Election results don’t matter anymore. Sorry. I thought that was only a Republican thing but I guess it’s how we do democracy now.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@zhena gogolia: Exactly this.
Eolirin
@dc: I’m talking about 2028.
Lochnessmom
@Quinerly: I don’t think there is any way Harris gets the nomination. They got one scalp and there is blood in the water. I think we are good and fucked. Fuck every fucking motherfucker who marched us into the dystopia hell we can now look forward to.
Dr. Jakyll and Miss Deride
@Kay: Assuming no possible legal challenge to a new ticket would have merit, can’t we expect the Republicans to file them anyway in every state and federal district where they can? (I believe Mike Johnson already promised that.) Even if the suits would be “totally without merit” (as we say in the law biz) on any existing theory of law, can’t some court or other just make up new theories to uphold them? Even if the Republicans lose in the lower courts, can’t they appeal everything? What are the odds that all those appeals would be finally resolved before election day? And if they’re not, couldn’t the Republicans refuse to certify Harris’s election because “we don’t even know if she’s a legal candidate”? In other words, unless she wins by a landslide the like of which no presidential candidate ever gets any more, I think the shit we’re in has gotten deeper. I realize this is the situation we’re in now, but I sure could use some help being talked off this particular ledge.
Elizabelle
@Yarrow: Good to see you here. Wish it was on a happier day.
Starfish
@JWR: Mike Johnson and his frat boy helmet hair need to shut up and go sit in church because it is Sunday, the day the rest of us should get some peace from these god bothering assholes.
lowtechcyclist
@Belafon:
I’m gonna give you the benefit of the doubt here and assume you didn’t really think about how that sounds.
A DAY is ‘needing more time than others’? I think a day is being goddamn quick about it, especially after all the anti-Biden people made us put up with more than three weeks of this crap.
And hell, we don’t know for sure that Harris will even be the nominee. The big donors were already upset with her before Biden stepped aside. By Tuesday, we could be in an entirely different political situation than the one we think we’re in now.
Omnes Omnibus
I want to see whether the people who were calling for Biden to step down endorse Harris quickly. The CBC, the Clintons, etc., were going to do so very quickly.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@Bupalos: Did you not notice the Shadow Forces were trying to anoint Mitt Romney the nominee? Yes, that is peak stupid, but that is the kind of stupid people they are.
Martin
@Kay: Endorsements are critical. From this moment forward, you need a unified party, and the appearance of a unified party.
There’s going to be a lot of people feeling the way TaMara feels, and they need assurances.
TB
@JMG: This is how I feel about it. Thanks Joe. You’ve been great.
Starfish
@Dr. Jakyll and Miss Deride: I think they are probably going to file some in a few states, but I would imagine that the Democrats already know this and have lawyered up.
Yarrow
@Elizabelle: I won’t be back. But thanks.
Edit: Should add because I was told I was a dick and my thoughts weren’t welcome and to go comment on some other blog. With the exception of this post, commenting on BC’s health announcement, and yesterday’s comment to DW I have not commented since. I understand I am not welcome here.
Mike in Pasadena
The media took Hillary’s scalp with a fake email story and took Biden’s with a fake senility meme. Democrats in Congress failed in job one — fight together against fascism. Trump is a criminal, He is a radical nutcase and his vice is a radical nutcase. That’s what they should have been saying, but no, they had to attack their own candidate, a great incumbent President! Biden should resign and let Kamala be President. Send a big Fuck You to everyone! (I deleted my first attempt at a comment. Too depressing.)
I’m sending Schiff a note: “You don’t deserve to be a Senator. Resign from the house, asshole! Get out of politics. I will fight against your election for the office of dog shit remover. Go to hell and take the other quisling Democrats with you.”
Elizabelle
@B1naryS3rf: Yeet them.
Bill Arnold
@Bupalos:
Did I miss some poll of Democratic Party primary voters?
Josie
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: You need to calm down. There is no way a couple of commenters on a blog have any power to affect the decision that Biden had to make. I have supported him as long as he has been in politics (50 years?) and I am gutted by how this went down. But I refuse to blame Suzanne or Kay or anyone else who was simply stating a political preference.
We have no idea as to how this went down behind the scenes, but none of us on BJ were to blame.
I have faith that Biden made his decision on what was best for all of us, and I will work my ass off to make sure his sacrifice is for the win. That is the attitude I would hope to see in his other supporters.
Chris
@piratedan:
Yep.
Nobody has a plan for stopping this from happening again, largely because half the party refuses to acknowledge what “this” is in the first place. Instead we keep fantasizing that the problem is that X candidate simply wasn’t Democrating right, and if only we got the perfect candidate doing the perfect things, surely that would be widely acknowledged as such with no message distortion from the media at all.
EarthWindFire
@different-church-lady: What is that hand? I don’t get a vote in it anymore and neither do you. I hope you’re right and the damage is minimal and Kamala waltzes her way into the presidency. Right now, all of that’s questionable.
What I think this means that we have lost all credibility as the party of democracy and your vote counts. And I think that’s going to have serious consequences, and my reaction is the least of them. I’ll at least still vote blue.
prostratedragon
@Starfish: He has a point, though he should still wait till the end. We might see several unexpected things, I guess.
LAC
@zhena gogolia: Gurrrrl….
nadjasdoll
@Omnes Omnibus: Thank you
Emily B.
@Enhanced Voting Techniques: That would be 77-year-old Mitt Romney?
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Josie: Lower level activists create a permission structure prominent media who created a permission structure for the donors who have struck a serious blow against democracy.
No more respect for anyone who pushed this at any level.
Starfish
Joe Biden wants you to donate to Kamala’s campaign. Apparently Elissa Slotkin is sending out emails too.
x.com/JoeBiden/status/1815089164372815910
Bupalos
@Yarrow: people voted for delegates to the convention bound to Biden unless he released them.
Mike in Pasadena
@Keith P.: Democrats in Congress should have turned a blowtorch on Trump and on the media for the last month. The day after the “disasterous” debate, they should have been dumping on trump every damn day and night. That would have been the impetus. Instead, they knifed a great incumbent President in the back. Weak weak weak.
zhena gogolia
@Starfish: What happens to my two monthly donations to Biden-Harris? Do they get transferred to her?
Fair Economist
@Mingobat (f/k/a KareninGA): I am all for thr BCWYWF Act. Lol.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
Yes, and Mitt “the destroyer of unions” Romney. That will bring them out in the Rust Belt. The only part of the Drop Biden that were ever serious where the Harris boosters.
Chris
@Enhanced Voting Techniques:
Ah yes, Aaron Sorkin, confirming literally everything any West Wing critic has ever said about him.
NutmegAgain
@TaMara: Oh, Honey. I hear you, and I can sense your stress from all the way across the country. Fortunately, you can spend (more) quality time with your excellent animals. I have it on good account that dogs are especially good at helping their humans through all kinds of upsets, catastrophes, unexpected life events that suck, and more.
That’s it. That’s my whole message. Just sending support, and recommending dog therapy (totally unnecessary recommendation, I know.)
O. Felix Culpa
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
It’s not guaranteed to be Harris. The delegates, once released, are not required to choose her, I suspect–and hope–that they will though. All bets are off about the VP selection. I fear a shitshow of a convention.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@zhena gogolia: Her and only her.
One of the Many Jens
Fuck. The best/most effective president of my lifetime, shivved.
There are a lot of people I am never going to trust again. Hope those big donors are worth it, since they’ll never again receive a dime from me.
Kamala better fucking get this nomination.
And now I’m leaving, since there’s a hell of a lot I want to say, and if I read one more hypocritical post by some of the people on this board, I’ll probably say it.
And to those who are as sad and upset about this as I am: Take care of yourselves, folks. Big fight ahead, and a lot of vulnerable people to protect. Not to mention, the environment/climate.
Starfish
@zhena gogolia: They do! It was the Biden/Harris campaign so Harris has access to that money now.
Swing Left sent out a message about a more generic Presidential Election fund, and I am looking a little more skeptically at that one.
Carolyn
BIDEN’S ADDRESS TO THE COUNTRY, FIRST DRAFT:
Folks, I prayed on this, spoke to my family, and those in the party. I will be honest with you, I believe I could have beaten Trump in November and was willing to continue on to do so.
But, I am head of a party, I am not a dictator. We are the Democratic Party, not a cult of personality. So, when the party felt it was in the nation’s best interest for me to step aside, I listened. I may not have agreed, but I did what was for the good of our party and the country.
I will confidently and fully endorse Kamala Harris to continue and build on the great achievements we’d done in the last three years. And also because it will really piss off the DNC who were planning on going with a younger white guy.
But let’s not pretend this is business as usual. It’s not. It is not hyperbole to say Trump and Project 2025 are the biggest threats to democracy and the free world since Hitler and the Nazi party. You don’t think so? Yeah, neither did most of Europe in 1933. Let’s not be Europe in 1933.
So, Jill and I will campaign vigorously for Kamala. And now that I’m not a candidate, I will speak my mind about convicted felon and all-round son of a bitch, Donald Trump.
And the Supreme Court – thanks for the expansion of Executive Privilege. I’ve got a lot to do in the next six months.
Now excuse me, I have to throw away my NPR tote bag, cancel my subscription to the New York Times, and I have a Supreme Court to expand.
zhena gogolia
@Yarrow: You are welcome! I’ve been told all sorts of things! We need you here.
SatanicPanic
@Aziz, light!: might be ok to let people be mad for a bit. This is a tough day for them
me
@O. Felix Culpa: Are they still doing the pre-convention vote? If they are then what happens at the convention doesn’t matter.
PatD
@UncleEbeneezer: and Pelosi, Schumer, Jeffries, Obama, and ultimately Biden himself. Could we stop using POC as a shield, please?
Hungry Joe
Okay … start over.
Our candidate: Harris
Their candidate: Trump
I like our chances.
different-church-lady
Repeat: suck it up and fight.
PJ
@prostratedragon: I am curious to see what President No Fucks Left to Give Biden does in his last six months in office.
zhena gogolia
@LAC: I’m not calming down any time soon. Goddamnit.
Yarrow
@Bupalos: Ballots didn’t say “Delegates.” Try explaining that crap to regular people. Voters voted for Biden. The result of the election was Biden won the primary. He left because he was forced out. It’s not like that’s some big secret.
zhena gogolia
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Exactly.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@different-church-lady: I’m not ready til the crying is over.
Betsy
@kalakal: amen bro/sis !!!!!!!!
Martin
@japa21: we would have lost, so….
zhena gogolia
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Okay, good.
dc
@SatanicPanic: “Them”? So you support fascism? Because we over here are your “them”.
Jinchi
I predict the Supreme Court will issue a “clarification” of their previous “presidential immunity” decision as soon as the election is called.
The Thin Black Duke
@Sister Golden Bear: Believe me, I understand. My Beloved and I have been freaking out since we heard the news. You and I know damned too well that if Trump wins, it’s hunting season.
mvr
FWIW, Biden linked the campaign website on Twitter and said that was the way to donate to Harris. I just tossed in 250 bucks.
M31
Congressional Black Caucus
Ted Lieu
James Clyburn
Doug Jones
Tammy Baldwin
endorse Harris
Subsole
@different-church-lady:
Nah. With due respect, y’all had your three weeks. We can have our one day.
Don’t worry. We will hold up our end. We’ll stick by the candidate. We’re not the ones who had trouble with that concept.
But we will grieve. And we are NOT in the mood for lectures from the proximate source of that grief about how our grief is some annoying frippery that needs to be set aside immediately because it is unsightly or unnecessary.
We’ll be back in the fight in a day or so.
The best thing you folks who wanted this could do, is just hang back for a day and let it be.
Layer8Problem
@Belafon: Seeker’s spreading bullshit. Seeker’s a troll, and Seeker’s been and is still sowing chaff and putting sand in the gears. Don’t buy it.
Gloria DryGarden
I imagine Joseph R, said,
” well if you white guys are going to take a few human missteps, happening while sick, and fan it into something way bigger, and more divisive, and you want to create this much doubt, weighing a night of illness in an unmoderated un- fact-checked verbal battle against 2 weeks of excellent speaking and reasonable clarity, then, well, I don’t want to play. Because you aren’t a team. I’ve worked hard. And made several, numerous strong stands. If you all want a cat fight, want to tear each other apart, I can think of something better to do than be torn apart from both sides of the aisle.
You didn’t know you had a good thing when you had it.”
Aziz, light!
@am: I’m enthusiastic about keeping trump and his enablers out of power. That’s the whole and only point. I don’t understand all this gloom and doom disenchantment, which is music to the ears of the other side. I wanted Biden to stay in, but he has made his decision, right or wrong.
Wrongly forced on him, perhaps, but politics are often messy. None of this should dampen our enthusiasm for stopping trump!
Kamala will win if we get behind and vote for her. There are more of us than them.
Yarrow
@zhena gogolia: Thanks but ha ha, nope. I haven’t posted for a long time and no one noticed. I understand how things are.
zhena gogolia
@Hungry Joe: IF IT IS HARRIS
I’m not holding my breath.
pajaro
@Quinerly:
You can’t know that “Biden couldn’t win” unless you are a seer with a perfect record of predicting the future. Where the past is concerned, President’s who were regarded as behind in campaigns have won elections, either because of the poor campaigns of their opponents, great campaigns themselves (one or the other in 1948) and events here or abroad not directly controlled by the candidates (Lincoln in 1864). Incumbent presidents who were in far worse physical/mental shape than Biden have won reelection (FDR, Reagan). As to Kamala’s chances, where the past is concerned, Democrats are 0-2 in the last 100 years where incumbent Dem. Presidents eligible for another term step down rather than running (1952 and 1968). There is no reason why we should assume that the process of getting to Harris is going to go smoothly, and there are plenty of donors who don’t want her, but even if it does, we are in deep, deep trouble, even if you ignore the difficulties of someone of her race and gender.
But I do hope you will work your tail off and give till it hurts to help make her election happen.
zhena gogolia
@Yarrow: We noticed! I’ve seen people ask about you many times.
Chris
@Mike in Pasadena:
It’s spectacular, isn’t it? It’s not enough to forget 2000 and 2016, we’ve actually gotten worse. Anybody can be forgiven fucking up once; pobody’s nerfect. But no, we’ve got to continue obediently following the New York Times’ party line, and it’s not enough that they can kneecap presidential candidates, they get to kneecap presidents too.
Suzanne
@Josie:
I literally didn’t even have a preference in this situation. I saw no good options. Betty Cracker described herself as “Team Fuckifino” and that describes me so accurately that I wish I had come up with it.
What I have objected to is:
1) The assertion that everyone who wanted Biden to step aside is racist.
2) The assertion that everyone who wanted Biden to step aside hates old people or has never spent any time around old people.
3) The assertion that polls are bullshit — except for the ones that show our Senate and House candidates winning.
4) The idea that our primary system is somehow a shining example of democracy when, more than half the time, my preferred candidate has dropped out before my state gets to vote.
So. The ground has shifted. The only stable ground is Team Kamala, so I’m there.
different-church-lady
Repeat: get over yourselves and pull on the rope.
Subsole
@japa21:
That is a good point. Thank you for making it.
Bupalos
@Bill Arnold: they broke out the registered D’s in the “replace” polls and they tended to fall over 50%. Just a data point. And that ain’t perfect, but an effectively unopposed primary conducted before Biden freaked everyone out is hardly the gold standard of democratic legitimacy either. People shouldn’t be throwing around this “coup” and “treason” shit. It has to be sending a tingle up Purim’s leg.
Omnes Omnibus
@Yarrow: It’s like say that you don’t vote for president but rather a slate of electors. Technically true, but not really the point.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Subsole: Different church lady didn’t want this. She’s just handling it “better” than some of us.
For certain definitions of better.
different-church-lady
@Subsole: Have your day and grieve.
Then get over it right quick.
I’ll be doing the same.
M31
@Yarrow:
I noticed! I kept having to say “Tick Tock Motherfuckers” on my own, damn you
E
@Subsole: yep. Some of us feel this was a coup. Some worry today was the day we lost the Republic. Maybe shut up for a sec with the glee.
zhena gogolia
If it weren’t for all the people who may die, be imprisoned, or otherwise immiserated by Trump’s reign and the resulting destruction of the environment and everything else, I would almost feel relieved. I was not looking forward to the festival of ableism over the next few months every time Joe couldn’t articulate perfectly.
danielx
@Tony Jay:
I wish I could think you were wrong, but alas….FNYT editorial staff is cheering right now.
We got him out! Now for Johnny Unbeatable to take the nomination from that shrill woman!
Mike in Pasadena
@Wapiti: Well stated. The media and the trumpists will not turn firehoses of shit on Kamala or whoever the dem nominee is. This country refused to elect a super-qualified woman President and they aren’t going to elect a super-qualified black, mixed-race woman either. Say hello to another four years of trump on steroids. I am beyond disgusted and demoralized. Disgusted with media and disgusted with Democrats. Democrats couldn’t find the guts to support one of the greatest presidents we’ve had in the modern era.
Yarrow
@The Thin Black Duke: One of my friends who is in the LGBTQ+ community called me in a panic. They are utterly freaked. They don’t think Harris can win. Direct quote was, “Well, I guess when Trump wins they’ll just kill me.” I didn’t know what to say because I’ve got similar concerns.
different-church-lady
@E: We will soon be finding out who was genuinely worried and who was more interested in being right on the internet.
Omnes Omnibus
@Subsole: d-c-l wasn’t calling for Biden to drop out.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Yarrow: Your friend is channeling the same fears I am.
zhena gogolia
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Yeah, she wasn’t one of the cheerleaders.
Layer8Problem
@Kay: Take your win graciously.
Ann Marie
@Chet Murthy: Agree. I am so angry and in tears right now, but I will support Harris with my whole heart — and my wallet too.
Subsole
@am:
Correction: sample size of two.
Soprano2
@schrodingers_cat: I agree about the Joe is too old stuff. They wanted an open race in 2028 so they could promote their favorite candidate.
Yarrow
@different-church-lady: Please stop telling people how to feel. If you think you are helping you are not.
Mike in Pasadena
@Aziz, light!: The Democrats should have united against the convicted felon the day after the debate. They didn’t. It’s too late, they failed. Say hello to four more years of the convicted felon.
LAC
@zhena gogolia: me neither…and we didn’t ask for permission, did we?
PatD
@LMM: They are going to sue regardless. That’s just what they do now when they lose. There is the strong possibility that they will once again cry fraud and put forth an alternate slate of electors should the Dem ticket win.
Mike in NC
Hoping that VP Harris asks our great governor Roy Cooper to be her running mate.
rb
@Lochnessmom:
I relate to your trepidation, but even dems aren’t that dumb. Harris will be the nominee and there will be no serious opposition.
Subsole
@Bupalos:
I believe they are saying that they fear the combined weight of misogyny and racism working in tandem is going to be insurmountable.
I may be wrong though.
Mike in Pasadena
@E: We aren’t gleeful. We are angry. Deal with it.
Bupalos
@Yarrow: He was not forced out and there was no way to force him out. He had the delegates. After watching pol after pol signal they thought he was wrong and felt strongly about it, after watching fundraising dry up, and likely after seeing the latest poling, he changed his mind.
Noskilz
While I think this has exposed some very severe issues with various Democratic party figures, that’s something best left to settle after the election.
Right now, winning the election is key. If we don’t, we are going to have far more serious problems than officials who don’t understand that CNN is not their pal.
Omnes Omnibus
@Bupalos: You don’t interact with a lot of people who have regular human emotions, do you?
different-church-lady
@Omnes Omnibus: To be clear, I never knew in my own mind what the best choice was. But I kept my mouth shut about it.
What I DO know is that the Democrats went about this about as stupidly as possible. And if they don’t stop acting like idiots we’re doomed anyway.
Cheryl from Maryland
Today I will watch stupid TV and think about how stupid and unjust to the President this is. Tomorrow I will work for Harris.
BethanyAnne
I’m livid. I can’t think much right now. Just fucking livid.
E
@Mike in Pasadena: you misread me.
Spc
@Litano: yeah that pivot proved he was completely off balance. It can happen to older people when they become distracted- in this case by the firehouse of bs coming from the other side – harder to recover.
Starfish
@Subsole: I think people really do fear that, but I think they are underestimating that younger voters are just really different. We need to be working hard like Bupalos to get them registered and to text them and remind them to show up.
Juju
@Quinerly: There is no guarantee she will get the nomination. The delegates will be free to do what they want.
LMM
@PatD: That’s the whole point. The GOP were always going to litigate the hell out of this election. The Democrats gave them more fuel for the fire.
Xentik
To all the people who wanted this, congratulations. You got your wish.
Anyone who is saying that we can go forward with Harris now needs a reality check. There is currently no plan for how the new nominee will be decided. Biden’s delegates are released, and endorsements mean *nothing*. The only thing that matters now is what the rules say, and that’s that anyone can be put up as a candidate for the nomination, and whoever gets half the votes first wins.
If you don’t think the same rich megadonors will now be pushing hard on the delegates to swing them to whatever white male republican-lite candidate they’ve decided will get them their tax breaks, you’re gambling a lot of people’s lives on naive optimism. They already got rid of one, after all. The second will be trivial in their eyes.
On top of that, it currently seems like we’ll be waiting until the convention to decide who will be the candidate. Two days after the convention is the deadline for submitting names for the ballot for MI. If the convention is contested and runs over, we’ll miss having a candidate on the MI ballot.
Kay, I *truly* hope you are right and Harris becomes the nominee. If she doesn’t, I’ll be leaving the Democratic party after this election (and the country if we lose, due to being openly nonbinary in the federal gov’t).
Hopefully someone can start a new party if that happens, one that’s actually progressive and not a wholly owned subsidiary of White Billionaires, Inc.
different-church-lady
@Yarrow: I am not telling people how to feel.
I’m telling people KEEP WORKING AND FIGHTING, NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL.
Nelle
Question – it was my understanding that the official nomination was going to occur before the convention because of Ohio’s deadline. Now, supposedly, the nomination will occur at the convention. So does Ohio get to boot the nominee off the ballot? I think that they sorta, kinda changed that, but the change wasn’t necessarily regarded as reliable.
geg6
@TaMara:
❤️
Darkrose
@Mike in Pasadena: I voted Porter in the primary, and I’m writing her in for the general.
rebelsdad (aka texasboyshaun)
@mrstealyourcostcosample: Come sit by me. Please don’t steal my Costco taquito sample.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@different-church-lady: I’m not even sure there’s anything left to fight for. The bad guys already won.
Subsole
@different-church-lady:
@MisterForkbeard:
Again.
It is mighty goddam rich that y’all get three weeks to vent your feelings nonstop, and we can’t have a day to work through ours.
You won, folks. You got what you wanted. I am not saying that with any recrimination. You asked for a change. You got it. It’s done.
I’m saying maybe just let people process shit for 24 hours before you pop up and tell ’em to get the fuck over it already.
Kay
@Dr. Jakyll and Miss Deride:
It’s not a new ticket because there never was a ticket. Nominations are made at the convention. They’ve become pro forma but it was always true that nominations are made that the convention. The delegates vote, they count the votes, they declare the winner and then the candidate accepts or declines the nominations. That’s that shouted first line of the speech “I ACCEPT your NOMINATION…”
That was real. That’s the actual process.
zhena gogolia
@different-church-lady: Fighting for whom? Our elected nominee was forced out.
Archon
Maybe the media will start focusing on Trumps obvious decline now.
I could barely type that with a straight face.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Subsole: Again, neither of those people were on the Coup bandwagon.
You aren’t helping.
Subsole
@different-church-lady:
This kind of obnoxiousness is not helping your stated aim.
Mike in Pasadena
@schrodingers_cat: Democrats in Congress folded like a card table when they could have united and the day after they debate they should have formed a chorus of “Trump is a criminal, a maniac, and hates the people of America.” Instead, they started talking about, “Well, Biden is old.” And the convicted felon ISN’T?
Yarrow
@Bupalos: Sure, technically the only one who could make the decision to leave is Biden himself and he did. However, anyone with eyes, ears and a brain could see the multi-week campaign against him. He was forced out no matter how you want to frame it to yourself.
Mike in Pasadena
@rb: “There will be no serious opposition.” You will take those words to your grave.
eclare
I am calming down by sharing a bowl of ice cream (caramel toffee crunch) with my dog.
RedDirtGirl
Just made a donation to Biden Harris. My way of moving forward.
UncleEbeneezer
@LAC: THIS!
Subsole
@Bupalos:
Sure.
zhena gogolia
@Mike in Pasadena: Yeah, what bullshit.
Mike in Pasadena
@Dr. Jakyll and Miss Deride: Sorry, can’t talk you off the ledge. The Republicans won’t hesitate to file a thousand lawsuits against the “unlawful slate.” You watch.
Starfish
@LMM: The Republicans didn’t need any fuel. They would just make nonsense up if they had nothing. We need to have a positive plan and not live in fear of the poo-flinging monkeys flinging poo.
Yarrow
@different-church-lady: You said, “Get over yourself.” That is telling people how to feel.
eclare
@Cheryl from Maryland:
Also watching stupid TV. My go to for stupid, comfort TV is Friends.
A Good Woman
I wanted Biden, but he removed himself. OK. Harris it is. However, the DNC is making noises again about an open convention, finding the right candidate, yada yada. I already tweeted my POV to Jaime Harrison. Not putting Harris on the ticket as the nominee is adding insult to injury.
For the skeptics who think she can’t win — I am seeing endorsements from Biden, the Clintons, Pramila Jayapal’s caucus and more roling through my feed. Those endorsements have to carry weight at the convention and on to the general. I think she can win. She just needs a good VP nominee to partner with. I hope she has someone in mind.
BamaLib
@SiubhanDuinne: How does one donate to Kamala Harris? Or do we need to wait for her to formally set up a campaign?
Starfish
I have no clue if this is real, but it is hilarious.
x.com/RpsAgainstTrump/status/1815117228834214179
It’s real. Yes, everyone, be like Donald Trump and donate to Kamala Harris’s campaign.
usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/08/13/fact-check-donald-trump-did-donate-kamala-harris-past-c…
M31
@Yarrow: I was so surprised when Biden dropped out. I was ready for him to get his angry self up to the line and just dig in to the motherfuckers telling him to drop out.
But I also knew that it wasn’t up to me, it was up to Joe, and that I had to trust he knew what he was doing, the best for him and for the world.
Hope he was right, and my only consolation is that he’s been right about a whole lot before this, not to mention the best president BY FAR of my lifetime which goes back to fucking President Kennedy
Xentik
@Mike in Pasadena: Hell, all they have to do is file in Amarillo, TX to get in the 5th Circuit and ask the judge there to put a nationwide injunction on putting the new nominee on any ballots. That hack won’t hesitate for a moment to do it, and he’ll happily set any hearing to go over it after deadlines to get on ballots.
They don’t even need a vaild case if they file there. Does anyone trust the USSC to take an emergency appeal in a timely fashion and rule correctly?
Omnes Omnibus
@Yarrow: If you’re pissed that Biden isn’t running for reelection, that’s OK. But don’t ignore what Joe Biden will ask of you.
I think that’s what she’s saying.
Starfish
@BamaLib: Donate to the Biden/Harris campaign like Joe told you.
x.com/JoeBiden/status/1815089164372815910
Kay
@Dr. Jakyll and Miss Deride:
I was an Obama delegate to the national convention in 2008. You’ll recall Obama won the primaries. What he did not win was the nomination. That has to happen at the convention. Now, they knew they had enough delegates but they did calls with the Clinton delegates to ask them to switch because they wanted a united front at the end. Most did. I think two in our (OH) delegation did not and voted for Clinton.
But Obama wasn’t the nominee until the delegates voted. He won the primaries! But he has to win a majority of delegates. They actually go into a room and vote, just like anyone votes.
Mike in Pasadena
@guachi: We have no fighting chance. Forget it. You won. Why don’t you run?
Captain C
@M31: Yep. I am now sure that Biden didn’t do this until he had everyone necessary lined up. I’m not saying that the FTFNYT and crypto donors
willwon’t get someone else in. But as of right now they have a very difficult battle to do so.Edited for typo.
Mike in Pasadena
@dc: Nor do I
zhena gogolia
Good God almighty.
Captain C
@Captain C: Damn, did I just miss Satan’s comment?
ETA: Got it!
LNNVA
@Mike in NC: He might be a really good choice and could possibly win NC for us. We barely lost it in 2020.
Starfish
@Xentik: The Supreme Court already told Colorado that we could not remove Trump from our ballot because what would that mean for other states. And several other states tried it.
I mean, I know this court is run on pure vibes, but it would look pretty bad.
Bupalos
@Yarrow: words have meanings. If he thought he was still the best bet to beat Trump he’d stay on. Biden and the party had a little escalation fest to see who felt more strongly about the clear opinions they formed after the debate. Ultimately Biden became convinced they really really meant it. He simply wasn’t going to be able to get back the confidence he shook. People also may be selling short the stretch of bad health here.
God love Biden, the dude barely climbing the steps on AF1 the other night might honestly not have felt quite the same as 5 days ago.
Subsole
@Aziz, light!:
Part of the issue is that a lot of us don’t trust these folks to get behind Harris. I damn sure don’t.
Not much for us to do but wait, right now, either way.
West of the Rockies
@Jeffro:
“It’s time to get busy living (and fighting), or get busy dying (crying).”
Let’s fight! Harris/? 2024!!!
Yarrow
@Starfish: Why would we tell young people to vote? The behavior Democrats model is go vote, get a result, then unknown people decide they don’t like the result and the results are overturned.
Republicans tried to do that in 2020. People said they were horrified by it. And now here come the Democrats tossing out their own election results. Why should anyone vote? Some unknown figures will decide who wins anyway.
Don’t look at what Democrats say, look at what they do. This is what they do. How can we in good faith tell people our democracy matters and their vote matters? People already think voting doesn’t matter. That elections are rigged. And look, that’s what Democrats are doing! I just don’t get it. It’s going to have terrible long term repercussions. It’s awful.
Chris Johnson
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: I’m not convinced of that. We elected a black man twice. And this has been Joe’s choice.
If Joe Biden, who I believe is up to speed with all that’s going on, thinks we can go for broke and keep continuity and elect an UNDER 60 YEAR OLD on top of the other things, I’m backing him.
This also means Joe has no fucks left to give and is still President with total immunity. Hmmmm.
Also, I’m not sure I have seen this said…
I VOTED FOR KAMALA HARRIS IN THE PRIMARY. Joe wasn’t the only name on the ticket. I voted for both of them. I expected them to do the best thing even when it was difficult, and I don’t believe it was because Joe was bullied: I don’t think that works on him.
Eyeroller
@Chris: I don’t want to sound like a conspiracy theorist but this has the signs of being coordinated. Donors and some “Democrats” wanted Biden gone. Even the media narrative would have faded if “Democrats” hadn’t kept pouring gasoline on the fire, day after day, leaking to Politico.
If you assume it was coordinated, then it would have had to happen before the convention, so they would have been looking for some stumble by Joe and then Debategate handed it to them on a platter. But that also means it wasn’t really about the debate.
O. Felix Culpa
@MazeDancer: Actually, I agree. He should pardon Hunter after November’s election. Might as well do something good for his family with his presidential powers.
Mike in Pasadena
@sixthdoctor: We will simply be dealing with the misogony and bigotry turned up to forty-seven-bazillion. This country has always turned on women and non-whites. That’s the way it is. Wake up.
prostratedragon
@Sister Golden Bear: Exactly. Backgammon is an underappreciated game.
Yarrow
@Omnes Omnibus: I’m pissed that the Democrats are modeling that voting doesn’t matter. It’s terrible beyond words.
Mo MacArbie
This talk of how nominations work is cool and all, but why are people advancing facts and process as an argument against what Republicans will do, what the Times will print, and what the courts will decide?
ellie
@Xentik: I agree. There’s absolutely no guarantee here.
Mike in Pasadena
@scarcelight: Today’s event was the result of no plan, Democrats don’t have one.
Xentik
@Starfish: Ruling about removing and adding are totally different things, you know they won’t hesitate to make that distinction. And honestly I think they would *love* to create a situation where the new nominee and Biden are both on the ballot.
But again the USSC doesn’t even have to weigh in, the 5th Circuit can put an injunction and then the USSC and twiddle its thumbs until its too late.
Layer8Problem
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Keep fighting, the stakes are that high.
Subsole
@different-church-lady:
We will. On our time. Not yours. We are allowed our grief.
Maybe take a deep breath and chill for a minute. People just need some time to get themselves in order.
Nobody here is running. They are disgusted and despairing, and if by some small miracle we keep our democracy despite everyone and everything aligning against us, there will be a rreckoning.
But that comes later.
But we will show up and do the job. No worries there.
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation:
Understood. My point still stands, if only in the general sense.
prostratedragon
@Martin: You don’t need to preach that to me.
Omnes Omnibus
@Yarrow: So am I. But we can’t fix that or anything else without winning in November.
Gloria DryGarden
@kalakal:
Amen
E
@Subsole: Yeah. I’m giving all the boosters the side eye even though I support Harris. I don’t trust them.
Subsole
@Omnes Omnibus: Yes. She is telling me to shut up and stop crying at the funeral. I kind of resent it.
prostratedragon
I was referring strictly to the comment that nominsting Pete would be an act of revenge.
Mike in Pasadena
@jefft452: You are spot on in your conclusion. Weak-kneed Democrats, ptui, just elected the convicted felon.
LMM
@Starfish: Has anyone heard the plan yet? I’ve been living on the White House’s website since this announcement, and I have yet to see anything about it. Maybe I’m not looking in the right place, but I can’t find the letter that Biden released to Twitter on the site. The only press announcements for today are a statement from Biden’s doctor saying he’s recovering nicely, and a readout of the Middle Eastern women’s conference.
Gloria DryGarden
@eclare: this really might be a day for ice cream. Sigh.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Layer8Problem: Fighting for what? Democracy? The rule of law?
We were just shown Democrats don’t give a shit about that any more than Republicans.
prostratedragon
@Eyeroller: Aha! Could be some hidden history, then.
Madeleine
@SiubhanDuinne: I’m with you and Tamara. Furious and grief-stricken.
pajaro
@Aziz, light!:
There is gloom, because some of us believe that the campaign against Biden carried out by the media, donors,and members of his party will have catastrophic effects, on us, our children and maybe the future of the planet. there is disillusionment, because the campaign has subverted the result democratically arrived at in the primary process. Some of us are old enough to have been a part of the effort to move away from nominations by party elites to nominations by primaries where Democratic voters get to choose the candidate. This is the first time since 1972 that the primary process will not have produced the nominee. In my view, it makes it harder for us to complain that it’s the other party that’s anti-democracy and unable to accept the result of elections that they don’t like.
Subsole
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation:
Then I will let it go. Apologies.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
Sure as shit didn’t look like a choice to me.
Mike in Pasadena
@Spanky: They did not clean their hands. We have the receipts and will remember their names. Schiff is dead to me. He could have said, “I support President Biden. I will never support the convicted felon, and neither should you.”
206inKY
@Nukular Biskits: Thirded!
Mike in Pasadena
@jackmac: I hate to say it, you are right.
Gloria DryGarden
@pajaro: good point. Caramba
im just trying to breathe..
Jeffg166
I am truly sorry to see him go. He was not my first choice in 2020. He surprised us all.
Maybe he was losing it. So is TFG. I would rather Joe than the TFG. I hope everyone will suck it up and fall in line and get out the vote for Harris. It’s going to be a tough sell.
Sister Golden Bear
@different-church-lady: JFC…
I agree, but could you give a day—hell even a few hours—before tone policing.
Yes, I will be getting back in fight shortly, but it’s an extremely raw moment for me, and I’m allowed to take today to vent about it.
zhena gogolia
@Mike in Pasadena: Except it won’t just be four years. Посмотрите на Россию.
pajaro
@Yarrow:
Yes, our argument is that we are pro-democracy and accept the results of elections, and that we are not the clown car, like the Republican House, but the grown ups. We’ve just abandoned the winner of the primary process and engaged in a circular firing squad.
zhena gogolia
@Jeffg166: HE WAS NOT LOSING IT
Layer8Problem
@Starfish: Your disappointing Biden is gone. No more worries there. Fight for Harris. Take the win.
Mike in Pasadena
@ArchTeryx: Yep, it is past time to face reality. The convicted felon and the Republicans are coming for very specific targets, specific humans. “Senior Democrats” piled on with the media and now we have a fractured party. Good luck.
George
@B1naryS3rf:
That’s total bullshit. Biden has been the most successful president in my lifetime, and the most forward thinking. There was never a scandal in his administration, so the GOP and the media had to fabricate false ones.
If democracy in my country indeed ends this November it will be due to the fascists in the GOP, their media enablers, and flying monkeys such as you. You will have brought down the longest democracy in modern times because … he had a poor half debate? Piss off.
prostratedragon
@One of the Many Jens: I think the question of trust was an important factor for Biden. A President needs to be able to trust many people.
Litano
@Layer8Problem: Guilty as charged! Also a long-time lurker here, but I won’t deny that I’m extremely upset at Biden’s complicity in the genocidal campaign Israel is prosecuting in Gaza. One of my exes is Palestinian, and she’s lost double-digit family in the war (including 4 children as of the last time we talked). I’m frankly furious at the to-the-hilt policy the Biden administration has taken here– denying obvious war crimes, blocking any sort of international response that might moderate Israel’s conduct, and steadfastly refusing to apply any meaningful leverage available to us. The people who are dead because of this approach are real human beings whose lives held value, and I’ve frankly been disturbed at the dehumanizing language this administration has adopted to obfuscate or distract from that fact.
That said, I still planned on voting for Biden because I’m not stupid and I understand that Trump would be much, much worse for the country. My #1 priority is keeping Trump out of the White House, and it’s for that exact reason that I’m glad Biden stepped down– he was a deeply damaged candidate who (as of 4 months out) did not have a realistic path to victory according to all the publicly available polling. I doubt that Harris will be much better on Gaza, but I’m still glad she’s the top of the ticket now since I think she’s got a better shot of winning in November. If I didn’t think that Harris was a better pick, I’d prefer that Biden stay in even with his terrible Gaza policy. The US has supported other terrible foreign policy atrocities in my lifetime, but Trump would only deepen our complicity here while reversing course on all the Biden policies that I support.
Mike in Pasadena
@Tony Jay: They won’t stop with she’s a bit divisive. She’s shrill. She’s a SHE! She probably sits down to pee! Oh my god!
Chris Johnson
@Josie: I’m not gutted, but that is because I trust Joe Biden to still be able to make the right decisions. I think he could have won. I think he is of the impression that by doing this judo trick and throwing it to his sitting Vice President, with the backing of dem heavyweights which I’m sure he required (and perhaps they were also of this opinion), we can win even HARDER than he would have won.
And again, I voted for Kamala Harris too, I wasn’t just voting ONLY for Joe Biden. I happen to have been voting for a black woman with the full intention that she be President if it proved needful.
If Joe tells me it is needful, I’ll believe him.
BethanyAnne
@different-church-lady: GO. FUCK. YOURSELF.
Renie
Anyone know where to donate to show support for Kamala?
Layer8Problem
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: What’s your alternative? When we get to general strike mode, I’ll be there and I hope you will too. Right now it’s put all our effort on Kamala Harris. Mourn? Yes. Then tomorrow, fight, same as yesterday. It’s that important. Collect yourself and fight.
phdesmond
@Enhanced Voting Techniques:
i was thinking Buttigieg!
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
Polls giving mixed results. Bullshit.
What we had was people not happy about the results of an election driving to overturn it by creating a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Layer8Problem: What makes you think the designers of the Palace Coup are going to allow Harris to become the nominee?
UncleEbeneezer
@Layer8Problem: FFS let people vent.
Layer8Problem
@206inKY: You did your work; pat yourself on the back for it. I’ll be waiting for you to cave on Harris in the coming weeks.
Archon
@Bupalos: Lets just accept what happened for good or ill and not play the “your lying eyes” game.
pajaro
@Bupalos:
Biden was unopposed in the primary because democratic voters thought he was doing a great job, as he was. Biden won a write in in New Hampshire when he wasn’t even on the ballot. It was possible to vote uncommitted, and there was a lot of effort, because of
Gaza, to get those numbers high, particularly in Michigan. They failed. There was a candidate, a Congressman from Minnesota, who had a seven figure campaign chest whose entire campaign was that Biden was too old. He didn’t get any delegates. And before you tell me he was unknown, so was Eugene McCarthy, a Senator from Minnesota, in 1968, before people worked for him and helped him to get 40% against Johnson in New Hampshire and convince Johnson to not see reelection.
Layer8Problem
@Litano: Well stone the crows, a troll who admits it.
206inKY
@Elizabelle: Yes we can! Kamala is the single most underrated politician of her generation. The more the country learns about her, the more they will love her. Cannot wait for my yard sign and canvassing clipboard.
UncleEbeneezer
@Chris Johnson: I’m gutted that White People showed their asses, once again. And this shit is 100% on us (not you and I, you know what I mean). White Liberals/Progressives just spit in the face of the Dem base, pushed aside a good man and threw my primary vote in the trash. All because they’d rather stand with Peter Thiel, Vladimir Putin and Elon Musk, then with our base.
Odie Hugh Manatee
Voting for Harris, betting on Trump and will remember who did this to our party.
Every single one of them. I am closing my tab here. C’ya.
Layer8Problem
@UncleEbeneezer: I know. I’m venting too, man. Angry as hell.
KatKapCC
@Chris Johnson:
Oh sweet Lord, please tell me you’re not doing the “racism stopped existing because of Obama” thing. Do you remember those years? Because I do! And what I remember is a whole lot of freaking racism. And in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s gotten worse, not better.
zhena gogolia
@Odie Hugh Manatee: Please don’t go.
Lily
@Dr. Jakyll and Miss Deride: I recall AOC said that the GOP has already been preparing for court challenges for Ds changing candidate name. (Court messes are how the bastids roll now.) Seems like Harris is I hope a good bet to avoiding that.
AOC also said Harris is the only one who can inherit the campaign ‘war chest’ of 100 million she said has been set aside to use after the convention.
Lochnessmom
@Yarrow: i felt your absence. Don’t listen to the loudest people, and there are a few on here are loud and intractable, but so many others that make it worthwhile.
NotoriousJRT
@Shalimar: oh, I don’t think so. I’m so demoralized.
NotoriousJRT
@TBone: nothing personal but I will absolutely be demoralized by this news.
pajaro
@Layer8Problem: Hell yes, I’ll contribute to and vote for Harris, because none of this is actually about her. Christ, she was my first choice in 2020. But I refuse to walk back my disgust at the way this has been handled or give my honest opinion, to the extent anyone seeks it, about how damaging to our future this has been, even if somehow Harris is elected.
Amy!
@Starfish: Thanks for the actblue link; I couldn’t find one, and I needed to find one that I knew was genuine.
Now the Harris campaign needs to update their suggested donation amounts. Maybe keep the $81? But change $46 to $47.
NotoriousJRT
@Spanky: me, too. Go right ahead. That would complete the self immolation.
Yarrow
@Omnes Omnibus: I’ll be a good little voter and vote in November. I’m not sure why. Maybe out of habit. I cannot in good conscience encourage anyone to vote in any primary ever again because I no longer think votes matter to Democrats.
I do not think I can encourage people to vote in any election because, again, the Democratic party has shown that they don’t honor the wishes of the voters and if they get their way they’ll toss out the results. The Republican party has already shown that’s how they feel and will act upon it. It’s just how we democracy now here in the US. Votes and voters don’t matter.
Chris Johnson
@Starfish: I dropped everything and donated $100. I’m poor, I have not as yet donated to Joe Biden, but this tears it. I didn’t make it repeating, that would be damn hard to afford, but I want the donations ticker to goddamn well explode, and though I can’t afford it, that doesn’t matter right now.
O. Felix Culpa
@me: I don’t know. Based on what Jaime Harrison said earlier, I think they will need to do the pre-convention vote. The process of confirming Kamala and choosing the VP candidate hasn’t been announced yet, to my knowledge. Smoke-filled back rooms for the latter, probably.
Ruckus
@SiubhanDuinne:
To me, not unexpected news. Joe Biden is a good man, and he has given much of himself to this country. But most of us reach a time when we look at the hustle and work of life and decide that we’ve had/done enough of the working part of life, the day to day grind. I’m not much younger than Joe Biden and I’m stepping over the doorstep of less work, more rest and enjoyment of the sun coming up and going down. I’m still doing some hobby stuff and still typing with all my fingers, even as it seems there are more of them that do not listen to the control center… Life slows down for all of us, and if we are lucky we get to back off the throttle rather than hit the wall. It’s life, if we are lucky we have fun the first part, do something positive – whatever that may be for any of us in the second long part and then, that third part, we get to relax, enjoy a week’s worth of Sundays off, 4 weeks a month. It would be nice if everyone got all that time and those 3 different parts – many do not, in one way or another. I had a cousin who made 6 months, I know a lady who is 98 yrs old. It’s different for all of us, this travel down the path of time.
Mike in Pasadena
@guachi: How do you know half of the blacks in this country didn’t want Biden. I call BS. The worst kind of BS.
NotoriousJRT
@bbleh: nope. This is the cliff they chose to go over. I’ll just watch them go, thank you very much.
Central Planning
I wanted to do some primal screaming when I heard this, but it’s bad form to be that loud in a car with 4 passengers.
Time to call my Democratic leaders (that wanted Joe out) to let them know I’ll vote for them this time but will do my best to make sure they never get elected again because we need people who aren’t ageist fuckwits.
I’m going to call Schumer’s office tomorrow and tell him he better not run again when his term is up because he will be older than Biden if he (Schumer) runs again (2028) because he will be too fucking old.
Central Planning
Also, to show support for Kamala, is ActBlue the best place to donate, or still JoeBiden.com?
Chris Johnson
@Hungry Joe: #YOURTURN :D :D :D
Drop out Donald! There is a jail cell waiting for you. Steve Bannon can keep it nice and warm.
rb
@Mike in Pasadena:
OK? Thanks for the well wishes I guess.
NotoriousJRT
@guachi: sure. Keep telling yourself that, skippy.
PatD
@LMM: Dems need to do their best to make this election too difficult for the SC to steal it. I don’t doubt that they would have done it last time if it had been closer. Either way, you fight.
206inKY
@Shalimar: Agree. There is going to be a furious effort by the GOP and other bad actors to try to trigger a contested convention since they know Harris is being dramatically underestimated and can demolish them. Bypassing Harris would be a slap in the face—her literal job as VP is to step in for the president in a crisis.
But I don’t think we’ll see any serious challenge. Kamala will very quickly set fundraising records and consolidate the party behind her enormous talents.
Central Planning
Also too: I just sent this to the DNC that asked me for money: I will never donate money directly to the DNC because I can’t risk you giving it to people who wanted Joe out.
BellyCat
@Carolyn: Love this!
B1naryS3rf
@George: if you actually believe Biden was on a trajectory to still win, I can’t cure your delusions. Resorting to name calling doesn’t make you look good. I refrained from it. I understand how you and others feel but it was becoming more clear by the hour that Biden’s issues were having really bad effects both up and down the ticket. And you conveniently totally ignored what I said about the post-debate strategy and response being worse than the event itself. Blame the media all you like, it’s a favorite sport of mine as well, but they are who they are and they didn’t decide to hide Biden’s decline from us for months. He and his inner circle did. In the end, the early debate might have saved our collective asses.
rb
@Xentik:
There are no ballots yet.
Chris Johnson
@mvr: I donated 100, and I’m poor and haven’t cracked my credit card yet! This tore it. All in on Harris, and donating to the Biden/Harris campaign that can only legally be used by our President and Vice President for re-election. I want that bank account to goddamn explode. NO money for interlopers. They can play along or they can find their own oligarchs and take their chances. Peter Thiel and Elon Musk are busy.
zhena gogolia
@NotoriousJRT: WaPo calling for open convention.
zhena gogolia
@206inKY: WaPo calling for an open convention. Obama not endorsing Harris. Just wait.
MrKite
@EarthWindFire: Pie you?? I want you to sit by me, and then let me buy you a beer.
Tony Jay
@danielx:
The FTFNYT got their revenge. Their owners are happy. Their owners’ friends are happy. All of the people they look up to at those cocktail parties are happy.
And now they and their allies in the Coalition of Fuckery get to tear down Harris, turn the Democratic Convention into a screaming shitshow, hopefully with multiple, tightly contested floor votes that they can breathlessly report on like it’s X-Factor or Crufts or whatever.
Then whoever the Dems pick, they can report that the candidate is wrong! And divisive! And not what America needs! And oh, isn’t it terrible how the Democrats have let their voters down. Sad face.
As predictable as plague, and just as reliant on rats, that’s the corporate media. I really, really, really hope that in November 80+ million very angry Americans shove their lies back down their throats sideways and splintery.
Ruckus
@TBone:
I’ve known of people who have given their lives for this country, I’ve been in a first hand position to at least have a real understanding of what that means. Joe Biden has done a version of that.
We now have to vote for his replacement to be the leader of this country. For me that person is Kamala Harris. She has the skills, the experience of watching and working the process up close, and from this old man’s lips/fingers I say it’s about damn time we have a leader from the other gender in human life. She is more than worthy of our trust and selection.
Chris Johnson
@Aziz, light!: I don’t think you can force that man. Certainly legally, it’s impossible: he’s the President. Still is, in fact. If he thinks this is the right thing, it’s in spite of the natural tendency to not want to delegate, to get it right himself.
I’m gonna call that statesmanly, historic humility and the bravest possible salute to all Americans and the American spirit. It’s NOT all about him. He has guided everyone well, built the ultimate team, and it’s so good that he can turn it over.
Next, TRUMP steps down! Youth vs. youth, no more of this old vs. literally insane and pudding-headed! Both of them should step down, surely that is the only possible conclusion from Joe’s brave and selfless act of faith in his team and their strength and courage!
Gvg
@Suzanne: the fact your preferred candidate drops out before your primary comes around 1/2 the time does not equal primaries aren’t democratic. Doesn’t have anything to do with that.
it just means that no dozen different candidates can actually meet the true preferences of all 330 million people in this country. The first state that has a primary would still have some voters who didn’t like any of the choices. It’s normal to have to settle. That’s part of democracy.
PJ
@B1naryS3rf:
How many times must I say it? Go fuck yourself.
zhena gogolia
@PJ: I am so fucking furious.
Greg
Biden had to realize that he was not physically up to doing two full time jobs. Very demanding full time jobs. He made the call. I respect that. I don’t think he was forced. I think he was shown what he has done recently and let him make his call.
zhena gogolia
@Greg: Bullshit.
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: Of course they are.
LMM
I don’t watch television news. Does anyone know if any Democrat has gotten in front of a camera to let people know what the fuck is going on? Somebody needs to get out in front of this now. The Dems look weak enough as it is. The only things I’ve read from Pelosi and Jeffries are statements on what a great guy Biden is. Aside from Biden endorsing Harris, has anyone heard about a plan forward? I’m still seeing absolutely nothing on the White House’s website.
Xentik
@rb: Captain Obvious to the Rescue!
They will sue before there are any ballots, that’s the whole point. Interrupt the process of adding our candidate to the list of people who will be on the ballot long enough for them to be printed without them, or get Biden on there at the same time as the new candidate.
Anyone who thinks shit is just going to magically work in our favor or Harris’s favor is just walking us into a loss in November.
NotoriousJRT
@Al Rennick: who are WE indeed?
Lochnessmom
@rb: dems aren’t dumb, just buy able. As I saw on someone smarter than me say “they realized they couldn’t reliably buy the Republican party anymore, because it’s full of morons, so the decided to buy the Democratic party.”
I’m betting the nominee eventually ends up some white boy who “appeals to centrists.”
stacib
@Yarrow: I’m with you 100%. I really think “they” have underestimated how many other people will feel like this, too. Folks already thought they’re votes didn’t count – people who use analogies like the democratic party = plantation voting to make their point. I’ve rejected this for the entirety of my life, and then the last three weeks happened culminating with Biden dropping out today. And now, this same “they” want to put up a candidate (I’m still doubtful it will be KH), and we’re supposed to vote for that person to save democracy. Damnit, we had a guy that was doing just that, and they used a bad debate to run him out of the race. Today, I see absolutely no reason to ever vote again.
geg6
@Kay:
Sure, let’s lose PA’s governor along with the GE! Brilliant!
I can’t take it with you people, so cavalier about other people’s lives.
PJ
@zhena gogolia: It’s enraging. The backstabbing has been eye-opening.
O. Felix Culpa
@zhena gogolia: God no. If our gutless leadership go for an open convention, we’re well and truly fucked. It will be a shitshow and there’s no guarantee that Kamala will be selected. It would be a fucking nightmare.
MariedeGournay
Mosty a lurker here. I had to flee from LGM’s almost gleeful taunting about Biden. I have not been this angry since the Iraq War. I will never forget this. Needless to say, I’m all for Kamala, and I’m looking forward to her kicking that grotesque freak of a man into the ninth hell. And if the discourse now swerves to “is Harris really qualified?” or “she doesn’t deserve this”, it will be my final confirmation that none of this was in good faith.
And I hope Joe Biden lives to a ripe old age of 120 and never loses a step.
Mike in Pasadena
@Yarrow:
“Republicans tried to do that in 2020. People said they were horrified by it. And now here come the Democrats tossing out their own election results. Why should anyone vote? Some unknown figures will decide who wins anyway.
Don’t look at what Democrats say, look at what they do. This is what they do. How can we in good faith tell people our democracy matters and their vote matters? People already think voting doesn’t matter. That elections are rigged. And look, that’s what Democrats are doing! I just don’t get it. It’s going to have terrible long term repercussions. It’s awful.”
You said it. You have concluded the thread. There’s nothing more to be said. All the wishful thinking on this thread is nothing more than garbage.
O. Felix Culpa
@geg6:
Tom and Daisy Buchanan redux. But no worries, they’ll be fine. Probably.
NotoriousJRT
@Elizabelle: if it’s what I think I’m going to say it as often as it takes to get this forlorn taste out of my mouth. God knows I’ve been hearing it from the dump Biden faction. So, deal.
Mike in Pasadena
@Aziz, light!: Democrats didn’t unite behind Biden, they won’t unite behind Harris.
NutmegAgain
@debit: Yup, me three. I have a very soft & furry dog who I can make virtually available for petting and challenging conversations, as needed. I don’t really drink anymore, but would be more than happy to supply virtual drinks of choice. I’ve arranged a postcards & wine evening with a sib, and that may be as far into the fray I get for a while.
NotoriousJRT
@Aziz, light!: go shout it yourself. Don’t forget to clap for Tinkerbell while you’re at it.
Gvg
@Yarrow: we need some after action facts naming names. We know some but not most. Then for the next 6 years we need to primary those responsible, and drive them away from consulting if we can. It won’t be all of the,. As the saying goes, more AND better democrats. This will also mean recruiting good replacements.
we will also need to keep an eye on how funding works in the party as a whole, so as to prevent unhealthy dependencies.
it would really help if we could get rid of citizens United.
KenK
@RandomMonster: exactly
bluefoot
@Sister Golden Bear:
I’m just bouncing through the comments, not reading them all but yes, absolutely. I will neither forget nor forgive. I will do my best to make sure we win in November, but after that, assuming we still have a country, there needs to be a reckoning.
(I don’t for one minute think that the Americans we need to vote for Harris is swing states will vote for a WOC as President. But this doesn’t mean I am not going to fight.)
Eyeroller
@zhena gogolia: Nancy Pelosi supposedly did not want a “coronation” of Kamala Harris at the convention. Remember what Zoe Lofgren said. That is what those “leaders” want and she was parroting it. Never mind the Gong Show aspects, which are nutty and not necessarily what the “leaders” have in mind; but they want a whole new ticket to “move past this era.” Being all-white would probably be a bonus though it may not be required.
This is because “Joe is unpopular. Joe has high negatives. So let’s wipe out his administration and start fresh and nobody will blame Johnny Unbeatable for inflaaation. Of course Trump’s negatives are even higher but these supposed political supergeniuses didn’t think about that.
Ksmiami
@Ruckus: Kamala all the way. She’s the only option now. And yes, as a former soccer/rugby player, I am incredibly pissed at the party leadership for not backing Biden, but too many people will be hurt or worse by fascist Republicans. So I’m all in on electing Harris.
bluefoot
@Mike in Pasadena:
I would LOVE to be surprised, but IMO here in blue MA and blue CA that no way will enough people who will vote for Kamala Harris. Much less in swing states.
Yarrow
@stacib: Yep. I am not sure people are seeing how corrosive this move is long term. For Democrats. For the US as a whole. For the global idea of democracy.
It’s so deflating for people who believe that voting matters. I guess I’m sort of glad to know I’m not the only one but it’s also awful to know more people feel like this. Why vote? It doesn’t matter.
Rupicola
i have been lurking since 2008 and have not felt the need to comment before. I think I want to weigh in for the first time after this announcement. I give the assholes that brought us to this point less than a day to pile on to Kamala. From both the right and left. She was my first choice in 2020 but I was happy to support Biden and thrilled when he chose her as VP. Our fight is with the MSM at this point and those who claim to be on our side but are only for themselves. I will support Kamala now as much as I can but am sad that Biden has pulled out.
RIP Steeplejack, who I have read for all these years.
Yarrow
@Gvg: Good luck with finding out who pushed Biden out. The lesson that will be learned from this is don’t speak up and circle the wagons to protect the donors at all costs.
I don’t think I’ll be bothering to vote in primaries after this. I’m an excellent voter. I think I’ve voted 8 times so far this year because that’s how many ridiculous one-off elections and runoffs we’ve had where I live. If pushing out Biden has broken me about the importance of voting I can’t imagine what it’s done to more casual voters. I’ve canvassed, made phone calls, donated and so forth. What the Democrats have shown is none of that matters. Voters don’t matter. Money matters.
B1naryS3rf
@PJ: go ahead and say it again if it makes you feel better. Bye.
Soprano2
@Yarrow: I’ve noticed you weren’t here and wondered where you went. Still can’t believe Steeplejack is gone. 😪
Ruckus
@Ksmiami:
Listen, I am not all that much younger than Joe Biden and I really, really do not want any more stress in my life than absolutely necessary. I’ve owned 2 businesses and signed paychecks and had to insure that those companies ran OK so that those paychecks actually cleared. I was in charge of a department on a US Navy vessel – as an enlisted man. Ran the technical side and the human side. Now as to Joe Biden. I don’t know whose decision caused this. It was 2 seconds ago that Joe Biden was running for a second term, and that’s changed. Was it outside pressure, was it Joe making a personal decision? None of us know. And likely never will. Does not matter, we now have a new situation that affects all of us and everyone needs to make a decision. Mine is that Kamala Harris, our VP, should run and we should elect her. She is smart, tough and a strong democrat. It is time, at least according to this old, male fart that we should grow the hell up as human beings and vote for the person in the best position to understand the job and it’s requirements and give that job to HER. The concept that half our population is only suited to cook and give birth is first bull and shit of the highest order and second demeaning to all of us as humans, but then many of us have our heads up our exit chutes, so we are often blinded by our own shit.
hrprogressive
There seems to be a small flood of important Dems coming out to endorse Harris.
I was on the Biden or Bust train, and this news has pissed me off in ways I can’t really elucidate.
I think the only way this works is if everyone coalesces, quickly, around Harris.
There cannot be a contested convention with some white “Not Harris” vying for the spot. Cannot.
Harris isn’t Hillary, and Trump isn’t a braggadocious outsider who had never held office before.
Harris won’t have the same baggage “being Hillary Clinton” came with, and Trump’s abysmal record speaks for itself.
Add to that, the scourge of Project 2025 making it’s way into the zeitgeist.
I am not going to pretend I think this is “good news”. It isn’t.
But I disagree that this is 2016 again.
People slept on Trump’s ability to win, and people’s disdain of HRC.
Trump has now *proven* himself to be a shitty, unfit person for the office.
People who got what they wanted need to be flying the Kamala flag right fucking now, and not even entertain anyone else’s.
From POTUS to VPOTUS to POTUS.
Let’s make that kind of history, instead of the kind that would end the republic.
Yarrow
@Soprano2: I explained upthread why I haven’t posted. I know when I’m not welcome. I will not post after the two threads today, barring exceptional circumstances. I understand my thoughts are not wanted.
Chris Johnson
@Yarrow: I literally voted for Harris in the primary, ‘cos she was on the ticket. I had other options and they were ridiculous. Because of Joe’s age, EVEN THOUGH he is 100% capable and would have won, there was the risk something would happen and we’d have President Harris.
My vote already included the possibility of President Harris and if Joe Biden (who cannot be forced, as the President, and in fact can’t even be held criminally liable now) says it’s time for President Harris, I say it’s time. He knows her better than you do, she’s been there with him this whole time.
Chris T.
@Captain C:
I sent $59, just for emphasis. (The $81 earlier transfers.)
Ruckus
@Yarrow:
Good luck with finding out who pushed Biden out.
How do you know he didn’t make the decision himself? I’m not saying he did but then I wasn’t there either. I can guess a number of possibilities but it’s all just guessing and it really doesn’t matter. He’s been a public servant for decades, and done a damn good job. I’m 6 yrs younger and I really, really needed to retire when I did, 2 yrs ago.
zhena gogolia
@hrprogressive: I agree with everything you say, but I find it ominous that Obama and Clooney haven’t endorsed her yet. They’re not going to let her be the nominee.
Yarrow
@Chris Johnson: Where did I say I know Kamala Harris better than Joe Biden?
Ruckus
@Yarrow:
They are.
Even if you disagree with me or everyone else, you have that right. Hell I served in our military, signed up for 4 yrs to insure that you have that right. That we all do.
So I’m going to say PLEASE STAY. You always have seemed to me to be a smart person and everyone is allowed to have personal opinions – it is after all supposed to be a free country. And if memory serves I believe that many of us have at least similar opinions. And no, they will not always be the same but we have the right to have them. And this is a place that we should be able to speak from our point of view, even if it is different, than some or many.
chemiclord
Pretty simple. The Democrats better fucking win. If they don’t, history and the people will not forgive them for usurping a democratic process, nor should they.
pajaro
@Ruckus:
Biden has said, emphatically, on several occasions during the last month, that he was committed to continuing. He was met, by certain members of the Congressional party, with passive aggressive statements like Pelosi’s that “it’s up to him” Every time he said he was in, a few more Congresscritters would say they wanted him to step down. This was amplified by media coverage, including leaks to the press that made this the top of the headlines even during the Republican convention. The only day it didn’t lead was the shooting in Pennsylvania, and even that was the top news item only for a day. He’s not an idiot, he knew that they could continue to do this for days at a time up to and including his nomination. Talk about a poisoned chalice. No, he was forced out.
Yarrow
@Ruckus: Ultimately he did make the decision himself because no one could force him to leave the race. He had to decide. But the pressure brought upon him by donors and so-called allies made it impossible for him to continue his campaign. He was damaged goods. That’s what I mean by forced out. It’s hardly far-fetched to see it that way.
Yarrow
@Ruckus: I appreciate your thoughts. It was made clear to me that I should not comment. That I wasn’t welcome. So I haven’t except for the above mentioned threads.
something fabulous
@SatanicPanic: Thank you. I am in the furious and heartsick camp, but I am glad to see this clear promise. This is how non-trolls should be responding.
Ohio Mom
@Al Rennick: I’m not sure everyone o that list lives in the real world, particularly Carville and Axelrod.
As for the rest of them, my faith in them is severely shaken. Because they are not sharing their reasoning with us.
Manyakitty
@TaMara: this is a horrible day 😞
Manyakitty
@Eolirin: fuck Brown. Yeah, we need him and I’ll vote for him, but he’s not getting another penny from me.
Manyakitty
@schrodingers_cat: nothing. No money, no postcards. I will hold my nose and vote as needed. Every last fucking one of these assholes needs to be screaming loudest for team Kamala.
Fuck.
Ruckus
@Yarrow:
Not at all saying it’s far fetched.
But.
As someone not all that much younger than Joe Biden and someone who worked in jobs that were both physical and mental for over 60 yrs I can say that retirement was one of the better things I’ve done. And yes some days I actually miss the work, the challenge. But. Those days become fewer and fewer and as I adjust to retirement, I’m finding out that I do not mind nearly as much as I did, not all that long ago. And it is different for each of us and also depends on the pressure of the work effort required. My job required both physical and mental effort and had a level of physical danger. At some point everyone has to stop, if for no other reason than personal injury possibilities can increase almost exponentially, doing what I did. They don’t for everyone at the same age, hell some are never in a place to make that decision and/or equipped to make those types of decisions.
zhena gogolia
@Manyakitty: I’m going to have to look at what Murphy’s and Blumenthal’s statements have been. Blumenthal was solid last time I looked, but not Murphy.
Eolirin
@Manyakitty: That’s kind of my point.
We do need him and he’s a really consistent vote on legislative priorities from a state we cannot otherwise win. He’s not a Manchin. By stepping into this at all he’s made it more likely that we lose him. That’s… extremely disappointing and frustrating.
Ruckus
@Yarrow:
It is not clear to me that you should stop.
But we are adults and we have to make decisions for ourselves because others may see us a lot different than we really are or think we should be.
It also may be that I’ve been in situations/jobs that I had to make decisions that other people did not like and I still made them as I saw fit. I’ve worked in physically dangerous jobs where the loss of or use of body parts was possible and where one could even die doing the job. My perspective may be entirely different than yours. But that does not mean that you should not make decisions based upon your needs/requirements/desires. We all do, I may for example be far more willing to take risks, even at my age, than others are or see fit to even have to think about, and a lot of that stems from situations I’ve been put in or have placed myself in. Please do not think I am saying you are wrong in any respect, we are different and we will likely make different decisions about a lot of things. That is humanity and it will hopefully not change.
TerryC
@TBone: !!!
TerryC
@Dangerman: I think maybe he did and this plan is 6 years old.
Central Planning
@Dangerman:
Cite, please. I can’t find that statement, and I thought he did not say that
Manyakitty
@zhena gogolia: I’m losing more and more of my shit by the minute. No idea how to reel it back in, either. Maybe I’ll give up on the day and go to bed.
Manyakitty
@Eolirin: yeah. He should have been better. Seriously disappointed.
Layer8Problem
@Central Planning: I don’t think he did either. Definitely hoping Dangerman can give us a cite, because I’m sure that would settle it to everyone’s satisfaction.
anitamargarita
@Manyakitty: feeling the same way about Heinrich, but more so. I don’t think he’s in danger of losing his senate race, and it is so embarrassing after the news came out about the big donor twisting his nuts.
Yarrow
@Ruckus: I will reiterate. I was told I was a dick, that my comments were not welcome and that I should go comment on some other blog. It was pretty clear.
Outside of making a comment in support of BC when she posted on her health issues and providing what I thought would be helpful info to DW on a difficult issue, I have not commented.
I only commented today because I feel very strongly that the the issues around respecting the will of the voters is important and hadn’t been mentioned in this drawn out discussion much if at all. I’m shocked and dismayed by what has happened and wanted to make sure people knew how this move could be seen by citizens. And that this issue will return and not in a good way. Not that anyone cares what I think but at least the issue has been identified so no one can say, “We didn’t know” when it comes back to bite Democrats.
O. Felix Culpa
@anitamargarita: Fellow New Mexican here. I am also disgusted with Heinrich. He has nothing to worry about in his reelection bid.
mvr
@BamaLib:
Biden tweeted that donations to his campaign will go to support Harris and when I donated I got a similar message as part of the thank you.
O. Felix Culpa
@Yarrow: FWIW, I care what you think and have missed you. That said, we each have to do what is best for us. I was recently the target of a spittle-flecked rage attack for the first time ever on BJ, and it’s unsettling. Take good care of yourself.
anitamargarita
@M31: the worst of it is the donors feeling empowered to overturn election result, and the Dems who give in to it, looking at you Heinrich, you slimy little fuck
anitamargarita
@O. Felix Culpa: I talked to a staffer in his SF office when he first made his statement. I was very restrained. I think that will change tomorrow, especially since he was the dumbass that got written up in the FTFNYT.
anitamargarita
@Al Rennick: oh my god, dude, we are all citizens! Having been elected does not make you smarter or wiser than any one else. Check in with Boebert or Gaetz or z Greene, for example.
planetjanet
@TaMara:
I am exactly where you are. I am taking names and will not forget.
Taobhan
TaMara, I’m with you on this. I’ve been fuming for days that Joe Biden was being hectored into dropping out of the race by senior members of his own party! Biden beat Trump in 2020 and he has easily gotten the most things done for the American people than any POTUS I can recall. The ones badgering him wanted the party to dump someone who’s been extremely successful – a known quantity – for someone who hasn’t really been tested at the national level. Now, that Biden has ceded to party wishes, I’m accepting it begrudgingly because I have no other choice. However, should Kamala Harris (or whoever the party selects to run in Biden’s place) NOT win the election in November, I will remember who it was that undercut Biden and handed the nation over to Trump and his MAGA cult.
Barry
@MinuteMan:
Do you like pie?
Barry
@ArchTeryx: ” The media will get their brokered covention,…”
I doubt it. These actions were taken in full knowledge of the likely outcomes.