I hate bullies.
Which is one of the reasons I hate what they did to Biden so much.
I see we’ve moved into the get over and get to work phase of the fucking over of Democracy. Look, I love Kamala Harris, she was my choice in the 2020 primaries until she dropped out. Then I was all in for Biden. AND I will be fighting for her like I would fight for Biden in 2024. I have a lot of anger to channel into this fight.
BUT, don’t kid yourself, this is a body blow for Democracy – and the outcome in November will determine if she survives the back-to-back blows of an attempted coup, the takeover of the courts, and the nulling of 14 million primary voters.
Every. Word. Of. This.
Two weeks ago I said that the Anti-Biden Brigade has it really easy. If he drops out and we win they can say ‘I told you so.’ If he drops out and we lose they can say ‘He should have done it sooner.’ If he stays in and loses they can say ‘I told you so.’ If he stays in and wins…
— Fred Wellman (@FPWellman) July 22, 2024
Two weeks ago I said that the Anti-Biden Brigade has it really easy. If he drops out and we win they can say ‘I told you so.’ If he drops out and we lose they can say ‘He should have done it sooner.’ If he stays in and loses they can say ‘I told you so.’ If he stays in and wins they can say ‘Our pressure made him work harder.’ Over and over. Every angle makes them heroes. Now here we are and all of us who opposed them, and the absolute chaos they cheered on, are busting our asses to pull together a coalition to win. Everyone to a person on this side has said “it’s time to pull back together and get to work. Recriminations can come later.” But…nope. Many have spent the last 24 hours saying “we were right! Look at how it’s working. We told you!” It’s working because millions of us are pissed off that we have wasted a month and want to get back to defeating Trump. So, sincerely. Shut the F up and get back to work. You got your wish. You fucked Joe Biden. A decent man. You aren’t the victims here. Now you are just a bunch of petty dicks. Im sorry some people were mean to you because you decided your full time job, for money, was to brigade a good man out of his job. Don’t fucking compare us to MAGA. We aren’t the ones that shit on our own side.
7:02 AM • Jul 22, 2024
So, if folks are telling you to get over it and get on board, I’m here to tell you, feel what you feel, grieve, be angry, walk away until you are where you need to be emotionally. Don’t let anyone bully you into thinking or feeling you have to rush this or you are somehow less-than if you need more than a minute to process the betrayal. I know you’ll come out fighting for VP Harris. I also understand the need for a breather before you do.
Take a breath and take care of you, please. We will need you in the fight.
That’s what I’m going to do. Step away from here for a while and focus on other things that are important to me and that bring me joy. But I didn’t want to disappear without leaving you with resources for respite. ‘Cause you know, I’m respite girl.
I’ve been on an MSM news blackout since the debate. But I do check in with a few folks for some empathy and political insight. Allan Lichtman, Lockets Meadow is a breath of fresh air, the always thoughtful Robert Reich , and Dan Rather’s Steady newsletter.
For entertainment: Netflix has a great documentary on the Indigo Girls, Prime has the wonderful and wild Asteroid City, and if you didn’t see it in theaters, I’m not sure how it will play on the small screen but Fall Guy was a hoot.
This may not be one of their big hits, but when I need a lift, I crank this sucker in the car (followed by Mary Chapin Carpenter’s Why Walk When You Can Fly):
For general good news and fun, I follow these folks: Josh Johnson – a complete breath of fresh air in comedy. The wry Trae Crowder and the always informative vlogbrothers. I also subscribe to a newsletter called “Reasons to be Cheerful” – not as cringy as it sounds, trust me.
Things to watch for in climate solutions (which I may or may not start compiling info here, depending on time and my mood): solid-state batteries, EV range increases, regenerative farming going mainstream, and the complicated grid solutions
If you’re missing Jeffreyw, he posts daily on our site Whats4DinnerSoutions.com he always brings the wild animals, birds, and food photos. He lives on an amazing piece of property, and shares that beauty with us daily.
For me, if you miss my critters, I’m posting pictures every Friday on my writer’s blog (AnnieDeMoranville.com), recipes every Monday, and occasionally fun/kindness over the weekends.
And finally! I need some hivemind recommendations. I cajoled my family into doing a monthly Family Game Night over zoom. I could use some (offline) game recommendations that would work. So far I’ve got Yahtzee, Scattergories, Trivial Pursuit and maybe Clue (I really have to look at the instructions, haven’t played since I was a youngin).
Now, hit the comments and share what you are doing to take care of yourself, where you go for respite, some fun sources for good news, etc.
ETA: Just a note for the trolls: 🎶It’s my post and I’ll trash if I want to🎶
edit by WaterGirl. The “Martin” commenting on this thread us not our long-term commenter Martin. I changed his nym to : “a differnt Martin, not our Martin” for clarity, but the replies are still to “Martin”.
Just wanted to let everyone know that our Martin has not lost is mind, nor has he turned into a total dick.
schrodingers_cat
With you @Tamara I hate bullies too. Ageist bullies.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
A lynch mob dancing on the shallow grave they dug.
Kelly
Same
Belafon
The flip side to Wellman’s comment is that those of us who stood by Biden will never let them off the hook no matter the outcome. I don’t do grudges, but I now have a list of Congresspeople whose primary opponents I will donate to.
Ishiyama
I like the optics of Prosecutor vs. Felon.
My first choice for VP? Wisconsin’s former Senator, Russ Feingold. That helps in a State that refused to elect Mandela Barnes b/c he was not white.
Old School
Glad to hear you like Josh Johnson. I want to like him on The Daily Show, but they haven’t seemed to have found a role for him yet.
RinaX
So is this where those of us who are happy for Kamala can vent about still being pissed about Joe’s treatment without hearing condescending BS?
Just so it’s clear, Kamala (hopefully) getting elected will never make up for what happened over the past month.
kindness
My fight is with Republicans and Trump, not fellow Democrats. Not even with the Democrats I’m not very happy with. I’ll happily accept their support of Kamela now and try to be gracious about it because I listened to what my Ma told me growing up.
TaMara
@RinaX: Yes, please. I want folks to be able have a safe place to do that today
Kelly
Open Thread: I’m currently going through family photos. The last 20 years are digital and easy to share. I have a books and boxes of prints and slides I’d like to digitize. Should I buy a scanner or hand them over to a service? The reliable local camera store wants a buck a piece for slides. Early in the sorting, probably several hundred slides and photos. My brother lost all his pictures in the 2020 Oregon Labor Day fires.
HumboldtBlue
Me too, I’ve also avoided here, except for Steeple passing, don’t need the heartburn. Plus, Noodles is an awesome distraction.
OId Man Shadow
Codenames is a very fun board game.
The way this went down feels so MAGA to me. People pitched a hissy fit. People repeated Republican attacks and lies. Joe was old, unfit, feeble, plagued with all the olds diseases of the brain, we were doomed, it was over. Don’t fight. Don’t rally. We’re going to sit here for weeks holding our breath until we get our way. Then look! The polls are dropping! It’s not like four weeks of negative press and Democrats attacking him could have anything to do with that!
Now it’s jubi-fucking-lee. Now we’re all supposed to rally and fight and unite and put aside the acrimony. Now Joe Biden is a real American hero again.
It’s fucking dizzying how quickly the fucking script flipped.
Now we’re all one big fucking happy party again and our leaders are geniuses. And let’s celebrate the immolating of the best president of most of our lives.
Well, fuck you. And you. And you. And especially you. Not you, you’re cool.
Anyway, whatever.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
Games:
I’ve been doing multi-player games using an online engine called ‘Vassal’ since the Plague Times began. We use Skype of all things for the audio. Things I’ve learned:
Games that require a lot of group talking (think a Roger Altman film) are very, very hard to play online because you simply can’t carry on side conversations, etc.
Use an online engine like ‘Vassal’. Yeah, it requires people to download and install it but once you have a common game everybody is accessing from their computer, it makes playing really, really easy. Plus, ‘Vassal’ has a ton of non-warming games.
Game recommendation for your crowd: Power Grid:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2651/power-grid
Vassal:
https://vassalengine.org/
If you need help setting up, etc., don’t hesitate to contact me. Hell, I could drive up and do some onsite support. I mostly have the time.
FYI, Yahtzee is a Vassal module.
TaMara
@OId Man Shadow: Codenames looks fun! Thanks
TaMara
@comrade scotts agenda of rage: Thank you.
Tenar Arha
I mean I know the MSM is not our “friends,” but this whole episode convinced me that they love their narratives more than democracy.
Anyway, I’m glad you posted this because as part of my resolution to “break up” with them I’m going to reset my news and podcast and social sources. Thanks for the tips.
TaMara
@Kelly: I hope someone has a good reply because as the oldest, I guess, my dad has put me in charge of the family photos since my mom died.
OMG, the boxes…
EarthWindFire
@OId Man Shadow: All of this. Except for Codenames, never played it. Will give it a try.
piratedan
we can walk and chew gum at the same time. No issues supporting Harris because the most important thing in my mind is to defeat not just Trump, but the GOP entire.
There is one thing that the 4th estate has shown us because of their perfidy is that we’ve gotten in the habit of keeping receipts.
schrodingers_cat
Can someone tweak the pie filter to make it case sensitive. When someone switches the case of the first letter of their nym the piefilter doesn’t work and I see their comment.
You have to delete the old nym with the wrong case and put them in the filter again.
Omnes Omnibus
I thought about posting Wellman’s Tweet in a comment earlier today. It, along with Jasmine Crockett’s remarks yesterday pretty much sum up where my head is right now. I chose not to post it because I am not interest in boosting the acrimony around here. You put it out there more context that I would have, so I am glad you did.
M31
Playing lots of Wingspan lately with the sweetie, it’s a great game. Trying to decide on which expansion pack to buy.
Anoniminous
Something to do over the Internet?
Sing Chanteys.
schrodingers_cat
I am still crying. Racist gaslighting by KH’s new found supporters is gross.
cintibud
Hello again Jackals, I am back.
Didn’t miss me? I rarely post but have started to a little more when this whole shit show started. I noped out last Thursday after following a posters link to Josh Marshall’s dispassionate analysis of where we were at the time and it hit me then that the fix was in. I posted a GBCBJ post that no one noticed and mentioned that I was going camping and whitewater kayaking and wouldn’t look at BJ until I came back. I told my wife that Biden would be out before I came back home.
I had a fantastic weekend with a bunch of old and new friends on the Lower Yough river in Ohiopyle. I know some here are familiar with it. Felt better and stronger than I have in years on the river. I kept my pledge not to look at BJ but the Yough isn’t that far from civilization and the news leaked out to me while I was loading up my boat to drive home.
The break did help me in dealing with the feeling of powerlessness the news engendered. I am now firmly in camp Kamala and energized for the fight. I’m marching forward and keeping notes about what I’m learning tucked away. There be a time to use them but not now. Forward.
TaMara
@Omnes Omnibus: I missed Jasmine Crocket, now I’m going to go look that up. Thanks
Fair Economist
I’m parking my grieving and anger over Biden’s treatment until after November 5, because we have a country to save and (whatever issues with how we got here) a good leader in the form of Kamala Harris. I’ve always been good at dealing with emotional issues *after* the crisis is over, ever since I was a little boy getting lost in the woods. (I was very cool and figured out a foolproof way to get home. *After* I got home, I collapsed in tears.)
Old School
@Kelly:
It seems like a question of whether you have time or money.
Fair Economist
@M31:
All of them! Get all the pretty birbs!
Planetjanet
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: amen
M31
Another thing to admire Joe Biden for is the way he did the handoff. I read that he only told his immediate staff 30 seconds before he announced it publicly. That way there was absolutely no chance for leaks and rumors to allow the “MUST HAVE MINI HUNGER GAMES PRIMARY” ratfuckers to get their shitflingers ready, and I think was pivotal in the Harris juggernaut that made it essentially over in a few hours.
Joe Biden, outfucking the ratfuckers one more time.
Wapiti
Yesterday, after Biden’s announcement, I stepped away from the computer and weeded a side yard that I’ve been neglecting. I also have some stuff to do with my dad’s property (he has dementia, I’m PoA), and I’ll “relax” by sorting out some of that. “Relax” means try to get through some of it while fuming about hoarders.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@TaMara:
Another game is Rail Baron:
https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/420/rail-baron
https://vassalengine.org/wiki/Module:Rail_Baron
It takes longer to play, typically more than one session. One of the great things about ‘Vassal’ is that you can save the game and pick it up during the next session.
kindness
You know what I won’t miss today? Jon Stewart bitching about how old and shitty Joe Biden is on today’s TDS. I only hope he doesn’t pat himself on the back too much as he takes his victory lap.
TaMara
@schrodingers_cat: I can’t fix the filter, but I am going to try and keep a close eye on the trolls and they will be trashed – I have the power. It’s my last post for a while, I doubt Cole will scold me for doing it.
Butch
Last year my brother in law gave me a game called Left Center Right. It comes in a box the size of a mints tin and involves no skill whatever; it’s just rolling dice. (The name has nothing to do with political affiliation; it tells you which player gets one of your chips.)
zhena gogolia
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Very well put.
I wish I could believe that they were going to let Harris be the nominee, or if she is, that the NYT will allow her to be elected.
Llelldorin
@M31: The ordering of endorsements of Harris has also been impressive — potential rivals early, foreclosing on the food-fight early; heavies like Pelosi much later to keep it from looking like it was being forced by leadership.
different-church-lady
OK. I know I made some pretty adamant statements to the effect of “sack up”.
I have said this a few times, but I want to repeat it clearly: I did not intent to tell people they should not feel strong negative emotions.
I was only trying to convince people to not give up the fight at a critical moment. The reason this seems to breaking in a positive direction is because so many people are getting behind Harris immediately. I didn’t know that was going to happen, and I was (and still am) concerned that focusing on the bitterness was going to widen the divisions even further. Going away and coming back was going to be too late.
I don’t want to negate people’s emotions. I want them to channel them and not give up.
ETA: I apologize if I was hurting more than helping.
TaMara
Loving the game recommendations everyone!
Omnes Omnibus
@TaMara: Here you go.
TaMara
@different-church-lady: ❤️❤️❤️
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@zhena gogolia: I’m fairly sure she’ll be nominated. I don’t look forward to the same cohort torturing us for the remaining 3 months or so by amplifying whatever narrative the media settles on to attack her.
EarthWindFire
Yep, that’s one lesson learned. The other is that we have two undemocratic parties in this country. One has the media and pundits cowed and the other one lets them lead it by the nose. That needs to change.
And the next politician or pundit who thanks Biden for his service is going to get my vomit soaked shirt mailed to their office.
zhena gogolia
@different-church-lady: I’ve given up. I can’t believe this happened. I’m still in disbelief at the way Biden has been treated. And I won’t forgive.
billcoop4
That and he did it after the Sunday morning shows.
On National Ice Cream Day.
BC
Villago Delenda Est
Fred Wellman is so right.
Wapiti
Of the two likely presidential contenders today, only one was found to have classified materials on their property. Just saying…
KatKapCC
@M31: Wingspan is AMAZING. The craftsmanship is terrific and it’s so much nerdy fun. I also have the Chai: High Tea game from the same company and it’s beautiful, too.
zhena gogolia
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: “Well, my teenager says this, and my teenager says that!”
Villago Delenda Est
@billcoop4: He fucked over the MSM but good with that move.
M31
@Fair Economist: firmly in this camp — furious at the treatment of Joe, furious that fucking America is so full of fascist enablers, furious that the accomplishments of Joe Biden, which were huge and EASILY make him the best president of the 20th C after FDR, got swept away by a tidal wave of shit, etc. etc.
so all in for Harris, but keeping a list
and fuck the fucking NYT, if that needs to be said
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@kindness: I watched the first episode when Stewart came back, having been a fan for a long time.
When I saw that episode, I immediately blocked him from my YouTube recommendations and haven’t regretted it since.
TaMara
@Omnes Omnibus: Oh, that was rightous
EarthWindFire
@different-church-lady: Thank you for posting this.
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: Their teenager is also paying attention how ageist their parent is and taking notes.
different-church-lady
@billcoop4: Biden might be out of gas, but he’s still smarter than, what, 95% of the rest of the party?
zhena gogolia
@schrodingers_cat: Yeah, they’ll be on the ice floe, if there are any left by then.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@zhena gogolia: Did this teenager participate in the primary?
Nelle
@OId Man Shadow: I told my friends that the last few weeks, I felt like the Democratic party had adopted the Republican party mode of crisis, innuendo, rumor, and bullying. Too much crap.
But then, I’m still smarting over the DC Dems picking the Iowa candidate to take on Joni Ernst in 2020. Theresa Greenfield was loaded with money and endorsements well before the Iowa people were thinking of anyone. She was a miserable candidate. So I’m not in the mood to accept the party leaders making decisions for voters and bullying them along.
All that said, I was supporting Harris in 2019 until she dropped out. Do read her book. Please.
zhena gogolia
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: Oh, but you didn’t realize that we don’t really have primaries. Our votes are just charades.
OId Man Shadow
@different-church-lady: There is no viable third party, so until Republicans find Sanity Jesus, you have my vote.
But I’m not going to be happy about it.
That’s probably the best you’re getting from me for a while.
TBone
Went to the library and got some great books. One to reread (The Shipping News) and four new-to-me fiction novels, one by Ken Follet (a fave author) titled A Place Called Freedom.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@zhena gogolia: The delegates can vote however they want which definitely means they ought to vote however I want when I have regrets.
different-church-lady
I’m glad the youngs are fired up again, but I am way not happy about this “I can’t vote for old people because they’re old” thing.
You know what? There’s smart young people and there’s stupid young people. And old people are the same way.
Hildebrand
My daughter (22) is very nervous about the possibility of the money people and pundit class going after Kamala like they went after Biden. I don’t think her fears are wholly unfounded.
I know that Biden really boxed those folks out with such a strong endorsement, and that many have followed suit, but she and I have no faith in the rich folks and beltway types to not feel like that since they got one scalp they will want another.
a differnt Martin, not our Martin
Oh, BS. The Biden people voted for in the primaries, which in their absence of true competition were themselves bot exactly democratic either, is not the Biden we are seeing right now. The only reason Biden had to be bullied into stepping back is because he has become a doddering old fool, and did not realize he should never have run for a second term. This has nothing to do with being ageist, it is just about facts.
Sister Golden Bear
Since the Corrupt Court has ruled presidents are immune from any criminal charges for official acts, I’d loved to see some major Dark Brandon Rising stuff between now and January.
Yeah, yeah, I know 1) an unchecked president is bad for the nation, and 2) it’ll never happen because Biden is a guy who’d never abuse power, but there’s definitely a part of me that would love to see the unelected, unaccountable justices get a lesson in be careful want you wish for. Leopards, justices’ faces.
Villago Delenda Est
@Hildebrand: My nym. Again and again.
Anoniminous
deleted
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@Martin: There were options. Unpledged, for example, or that one asshole who decided to base an entire campaign on Biden being too old. He would have been perfect for you schmucks.
motoran
@schrodingers_cat: It’s not ageist to point out that Biden is doddering around, incapable of debating Trump, of giving interviews, of holding a coherent train of thought. It is just pointing out the facts. Pretending otherwise is delusional, on the other hand.
Villago Delenda Est
Martin, this is far below the usual standards I associate with your comments.
TaMara
How could I have forgotton PoliticsGirl – her youtube channel is on fire. Here she is talking about Kamala Harris as president.
TBone
@Fair Economist: it is The Way. 💙
I remember my every day zen in times like these: be like the rock in the river, and let the chaos flow around you, not through you.
Percysowner
Jared Polis made me laugh. When asked if he would accept a VP spot he said “If they want a 49 year-old balding, gay Jew from Boulder, Colorado, they have my number. He’s probably not on the short list, but a chuckle is nice.
Ishiyama
I’m going to take odds on Trump having debilitating medical issues before November. What am I offered?
different-church-lady
I see some people have no interest in letting anything heal.
zhena gogolia
@Villago Delenda Est: Hahaha, you haven’t been reading his comments lately.
zhena gogolia
@different-church-lady: Yeah, my God, it’s been almost a whole 24 hours since our President was pushed off a cliff.
different-church-lady
@Ishiyama: You are offered my sincere hopes.
TBone
@Ishiyama: my heartfelt wishes that J.D. Vance has a heart attack during a public meltdown.
OId Man Shadow
Well, I knew all of the praise and hagiography the people who shived Biden were saying now was bullshit, but it’s always nice to have it confirmed.
Ivan X
@RinaX: I’d like to think you can do that wherever on this site, but my experience here in past years is that the stresses of high-stakes elections shows our less nuanced, less tolerant, and in some cases nasty sides. But I think what you posit is a very reasonable dual set of feelings to have.
Hoodie
Look, I love Joe, always have from the days when he got derailed in his first presidential run by a bullshit plagiarism charge. He always has had a great sense of humor and seems to be a genuinely good person. His takedowns of Rudy were epic. He’s also made some epic mistakes.
I’m having a hard time not laughing at some of this bitter stuff. We’re talking about Joe Biden, the erstwhile Senator from MBNA and author of the evil bankruptcy and crime bills, the guy who fucked up the Clarence Thomas hearings, right? On balance, he’s one of the better ones. But he’s a politician, and this is the sea that they swim in. It’s full of sharks.
There is a lot at stake. I didn’t think this was the right choice, but who am I to second guess people like Pelosi? I get a kick out of some of the very people who revere her as Nancy Smash and now turn around and talk about her like she’s Valdemort, and then reverse again as she endorses Harris (which was never really in question). She’s not Nancy Smash for nothing. She’s a killer, but she’s our ally.
SatanicPanic
@Martin: I feel like maybe it’s time to just let all this go
EDIT- I got kicked off GOS for suggesting Biden should drop out (it’s more complicated than that, but whatever) so I get it. But it’s over and we should let people have their time.
rb
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation: How long you been sitting on that one? It’ll be interesting the number of high fives and “well saids!” you’ll get for employing the most loaded and offensive language you possibly could in a thread supposedly against bullying.
I understand people are upset, I really do. But the language some people are turning on others here has been nothing short of shocking. Papering over it with “safe space” is a joke.
Friends fight, and it’s fine. It ain’t beanbag. But the dedication some of you have shown to making this excessively personal has been really disheartening.
zhena gogolia
@rb: Somehow, when someone yells “fuck you” repeatedly at me on a blog, I take it kind of personally.
EarthWindFire
@Ishiyama: I’ll see that bet and raise you zero. Zero being the number of pundits, media personalities, or GOP politicians who call for him to step down in the wake of medical issues. Shit, they’ll run his corpse.
suzanne
@different-church-lady: I think you’re okay. Isn’t this the “Don’t mourn, organize!” place? (Which I actually think doesn’t allow people time to process.)
I appreciate your viewpoint.
zhena gogolia
@Hoodie: I haven’t reversed and I’m not going to reverse. She can endorse Jesus Christ for all I care.
Anoniminous
@different-church-lady:
That’s politics. I have an uncle who is vehemently anti-Union due to the AFL-CIO sticking a knife in McGovern in ’72.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@rb: Months of dishing abuse. Can’t take it for a day when it wasn’t even directed at you personally.
mali muso
Um, wow. Did not expect to see a good man and excellent president like Biden be labelled a doddering old fool. I thought that today was the day for hagiography and praise from those who had spent the last three weeks stabbing him in the back. Can we not do this?
wonkie
I agree. Fuck the bullies. Never forgive them. I have cancelled my subscriptions to NYT and WaPo, blocked Politico and LA Times, and there’s a list of other sites I will no longer click on. I notified all of my decision and stated why.
rb
@zhena gogolia: Yeah, you and me both, told I’ll be “taking those words to my grave” for the crime of … <checks notes> … suggesting that the people would probably rally behind Kamala without much dissent.
Old School
So as I understand it, Biden not recruiting strong Democrats to primary himself is bad.
Democrats not challenging Harris is good.
Interesting. I have much to learn.
Ivan X
@different-church-lady: I mean, if voters, of any demographic, were smart, we wouldn’t be going through all this torture. It wouldn’t even be close. I don’t know why we ask more from the yoots. (Who also did turn out in numbers in 2020 for an old man, let’s not forget.)
EarthWindFire
@Hildebrand: You, me, and your daughter really need to hang out. I’ll buy your beverages of choice.
rb
@The Kropenhagen Interpretation:
Quote me once saying anything that qualifies as abuse.
I’ll do you one better: give me one quote where I criticized you personally for anything at all in any context.
You’re quick to make accusations. Back it up. I’ll wait.
Manyakitty
@Kelly: same. I even sent her money then.
schrodingers_cat
@TaMara: I am not talking about a garden variety troll but a “valued” commenter.
rikyrah
CALL TO ACTIVISM
@CalltoActivism
https://x.com/CalltoActivism/status/1815415820337705307
different-church-lady
@mali muso: It is going to be reeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaal easy in the coming days to sort out who had well meaning panic and who was just being an asshole.
TBone
Here’s something to boost morale, from the very recent past. France coalesced in a matter of weeks. Look at their faces!
ETA I’m the guy with his hand over his mouth 😍
TaMara
@rb: this entire comment is abusive. You just showed up to tell people how right you are and how wrong they are.
But sure, we’re the problem
schrodingers_cat
@Belafon: Same. And a list of commenters here who have been down on Biden since before ran for 2020 and pretending that their opposition is principled and based on the debate performance.
Manyakitty
@TaMara: Codenames is fun in person. Good for a crowd, too.
Scout211
@rikyrah: Thank you! That clip was awesome! Go Kamala!
zhena gogolia
@Scout211: I tried to watch but I can’t. Not until it’s signed and sealed.
schrodingers_cat
@zhena gogolia: They continue posting their op-ed sized screeds about me and I am supposed to not take it personally.
piratedan
@Sister Golden Bear: yeah, I could see him doing something along the lines of pardons for people with marijuana use charges, executive orders with Pete B to solve some transportation issues, working with Interior for a few more parks and wilderness areas into the public purse. Strengthening bank loan discrimination policies. Maybe even some federal public housing for veterans to ensure no vet is homeless.
steve g
When I first saw the letter from Biden posted, I felt so bad for him. Such a fine job done, and then treated like some errant pet poo found in the living room. But then I saw some posts on Twitter and realized that Harris was going to take off like a rocket and was just beaming and elated all day. If those fuckers who did this try to get someone else nominated instead of Harris I will scream bloody murder and go into a massive sulk and not vote, but that is not going to happen. Harris is going to get the nomination, because it is going to be Harris or Trump.
Rachel Bakes
Game recommendation: Encore!
Mira a 1990s board game based on music. Teams get a word and have a sing-off to see which side knows more songs using that word. (Only 8 words of song needed and musicality doesn’t count). It was a huge hit in my theater-geek group and my daughter’s.
We’ll miss the cooking, respite, and environmental good news threads! Hurry back, when you can.
different-church-lady
We have to remember: the press is not going to change. They are going to take every little fracture, every little disagreement, every little doubt expressed, and amplify the shit out of it.
Don’t give them material to work with. Disagree if you must, but don’t help them build their circus.
John Revolta
Well, I was totally against Joe dropping out, and I’m still pretty sore about it, and I don’t like the fact that the MSM and their rich owners seem to be calling the shots for us now and possibly from here on out.
But OTOH I’m also the guy who went “Barrack Hussein Obama??!! Nobody’s gonna vote for a guy with a name like that!! We’re totally fucked!!!”. So……………
different-church-lady
@guachi: Are you trying to prove her point or something?
Manyakitty
@Omnes Omnibus: Jasmine Crockett lays it out far more eloquently than I ever could. Wellman gets it, too.
Time to take a few breaths and focus on now. Clenched jaw and grim resolve. Here we go.
mali muso
@different-church-lady: I get the panic response. I think we have all been panicking (still am tbh) but it would be great if we could avoid using the same slurs that the other team has been using for our guy.
In any case, we don’t have the time or luxury for the circular firing squad. We have fascism to beat.
Sister Golden Bear
@different-church-lady: I appreciate the apology, but you were definitely hurting more than helping and came across as incredibly insulting. It came across as telling people who were raw and hurting to STFU, and that’s never a good strategy for motivating them. That may not have been your intent, but to me that absolutely is how it came across.
Just in case there’s a next time… a little reading the room, and a little “I know you’re upset, I hear you, and I realize you may need to vent for a bit, but after you’ve had a moment, let’s get back in the fight,” will go a long way.
And now that I’ve said that, I’m gonna focus on ensuring Harris is our next president.
different-church-lady
@rb:
I sometimes disagree with my friends, but I never fight with them.
Belafon
@TaMara: Martin is really Dean Phillips, and he’s still sore no one will consider him for the presidency, even after showing how he could destroy the party.
Hoodie
@mali muso: Eh, Martin can be a bit arrogant and put his foot in his mouth from time to time but his intentions are good. To put it more diplomatically, Biden was not doing well and the “doddering” narrative had locked in. Most 80 year olds would struggle to keep up the pace of a modern presidential campaign. Some are given a free pass because the idiot media don’t know how to deal with them if they don’t fit into a predetermined template. But those are the cards we’re dealt. The Dem leadership decided to take a gamble on reshuffling them because there is so much at stake and the trends were negative. We’ll see how it works out.
different-church-lady
@mali muso:
One would think that would be obvious.
One would be wrong, apparently.
rb
@M31:
Indeed! It has been handled expertly, as well as we could have hoped or expected.
RinaX
@mali muso: It’s all BS. The doddering old fool comment is on par with what they were really feeling.
I actually went to bed feeling somewhat OK, but the rage returned in full force this morning. All the celebration over Kamala can’t overcome the fact that an awful precedent’s been set. Let’s say Kamala wins. Who’s to say people won’t pull the same crap on her four years from now? The response they’re giving Joe now is what it should have been after the debate.
And I don’t give a crap about young people, the most fickle voting demographic, suddenly talking up Kamala on TikTok if they aren’t going to show up to the polls.
rusty
I’m having flash backs. The end of 2019 I lost my job, I was driven out by a vindictive faculty member that engaged in behavior that would have gotten them fired anywhere else, but because of tenure they were insulated and untouchable. My colleagues were all saying “Aren’t you angry?!?!” My answer was, I don’t have time to be angry. They gave me 4 months to find another job, I need to focus on that. I have kids in college, a mortgage, a family that depends on me. I went 100% into job search mode (my boss was super supportive, he told me to do the absolute minimum and use my time to job hunt. He was also a reference, which was also a big help). December is a crappy time to start a job search, but I jumped in and got going. As 2020 started, there started to be rumors out of China of something like the flu or SARS or something. With luck, grace and a bit of divine providence I landed a job in just over 3 months that started on the day everything closed down for the pandemic. Still there. (And in the ensuing chaos, new job, pandemic, delayed relocation of family, I just eventually moved on, being angry no longer mattered). We are in the same situation here, I want to be angry about Biden getting driven out, but instead we need to focus on the election. In 3 and a half months, we can win or it will be chaos. The timing sucks, but Biden will give Kamala time to campaign and will be supportive. I’d rather e focus and work hard, we can unpack the last several weeks after the election. As a country, the kids are in college, the mortgage needs to be paid and lots and lots of people are depending on us. So go, go Kamala!!
VFX Lurker
Damn. I just had to pie a long-time commenter and fellow Californian whose views I once respected.
BR
NYT is outrunning DougJ — no chance he can keep up:
https://bsky.app/profile/mtsw.bsky.social/post/3kxv7xv2edm2m
Magically they find a way to rate Harris as the least electable…as rated by NYT pundits.
Llelldorin
@Old School: I think you’re conflating multiple schools of thought down to two:
(1) Biden should have remained as the nominee.
(2) Biden should have remained as the nominee, but if he was going to step aside it’d better damned well be for Harris.
(3) Biden should have stepped aside earlier in favor of Harris.
(4) Biden should have stepped aside earlier, he should’ve invited primary challenges, and as long as we’re ranting Harris should step aside too to make room for «techbro-endorded dude du jour.»
From what I can see in the comments, camp (1) is still righteously pissed off, (2) and (3) are more or less merging into “let’s get Trump,” with camp (2) still seething a bit and peeking at camp (1)’s enemies list. Camp (4) are the only ones whinging about the primary “not being democratic” and otherwise spouting off nonsense about how we can probably pull off a full primary cycle by next week if we’re quick enough.
Longtime lurker from Madison
I personally love love love Joe and always preferred him over Kamala. I voted for Joe in the primary in 2020 and have been delighted with his performance throughout the past 3.5 years. But Joe dropping out is great news for all of us. Kamala can win this; Joe wasn’t going to.
Healing is good! Please heal! Feel better! And *as part of the healing process*, consider that those of us who disagreed with you on the tactical question (whether Joe or Kamala gives us the better chance to win in 2024) are nonetheless completely in agreement on the fundamental question (how amazing Joe has been).
Hugs to everyone who needs them. Love you all.
Omnes Omnibus
@suzanne: I can multitask task, but I’m also not as nice as some of the people who are also upset about this. As a result, I’ve probably developed a thicker skin.
Eolorin made a point in an earlier thread that some people see politics as primarily transactional and others have a more emotional connection. The transactional people looked at the situation and immediately moved on from Biden. The other people saw a person who had been and was controlling deliver for them and decided that they needed to have his back. Those two views are hard to reconcile. In politics, you need to balance the two and that always leaves you on a knife’s in a crisis. FWIW my sympathies are with the loyalists. As Cole put it, you gotta dance with who brung you.
Tractarian
Honestly, I don’t get where this righteous anger is coming from.
Before yesterday, many people were understandably concerned that Biden dropping out would lead to a full-on party crack-up and a contested convention. They feared that the “big money donors” were behind the high-level intra-party dissent, and they were dubious that the party actors would coalesce around Harris (looking at you, AOC!)
Well, it should now be clear to everyone now that none of this is going to happen. Your worst fears were not realized. The party is coalescing around Harris, and there’s no reason to think that her administration would be any less progressive than Biden’s was.
So the butthurt anger comes down to feeling bad, personally, for Biden, as if he is entitled to a second nomination just because he won the first time. OK. Well, no one forced him to run for re-election at 81 years old, and circumstances have changed in the many months since he made the decision to run. The party is not required to cut off its nose to spite the country’s face.
different-church-lady
@guachi: Yeah, you’re trying to prove her point.
delphinium
@Martin: So, you agree then with the GOP that Biden should resign from the presidency? If not, kindly stop with the Biden-bashing already. He has gracefully stepped down and we have Kamala now (hopefully). Instead, maybe direct your ire at Trump.
BR
@Martin:
Tells me you didn’t see his hourlong interview with Howard Stern, which was in late April and in which he was compelling and coherent for the entire thing. Don’t overstate your case just because you the outcome was what you wanted…
TBone
Tim Alberta, per Digby:
https://digbysblog.net/2024/07/22/time-to-prosecute-the-case-against-trump/
RinaX
Well, I see the condescending assholes are descending on a thread where people were supposed to have freedom to express their feelings without hearing what amounts to “Get over it.” Go to hell.
Sister Golden Bear
@VFX Lurker: Same. Disappointing.
The Kropenhagen Interpretation
@rb: The bandwagon effect is abusive. The victory laps and I told you so’s and continued rehashing of armchair diagnosis is abusive.
I can’t say for sure what you participated in. But that you are here upset at a comment that I did not direct at you suggests you recognize your own behavior in my comment.
Even if you didn’t support Biden; if you aren’t being a dick now about it. I’m not talking about you.
mali muso
I do have to say, as one who was firmly in the camp of Biden staying, I am grateful to him for what I imagine was a lot of his doing in setting up the quick transition and rally-round-the-candidate that we saw yesterday. Via Jeff Tiedrich…
Scout211
Oh never mind.
Thank you, TaMara for a very lovely and comforting front page post.
And thank you so much for moderating.
Jeffro
oh so we’re still at this, hmm? good lord.
VOTE BLUE! (see, it’s not hard)
TBone
@different-church-lady: that fucking guy. Cry harder, beyotch! 😆
rb
Did I? Or did I simply object to being called part of a ‘lynch mob?’
‘Insufficiently accepting of vicious insults’ is a wild definition of ‘abusive,’ but fine. It’s your sandbox after all.
TaMara
@Tractarian: So…you came to tell all the people who are still angry and need time – which I just said here’s a post where you can feel safe to do that, that they need to get over it, correct?
Nice. You folks are so fucking clueless
AnnaN
Here is my question. Would you claim that 14 million voters had been nullified if Biden dropped out of the race due to health issues? Because I think that’s what happened here. However, if he claimed to be in too poor health to run, then the calls would have started that his health was too poor to maintain as POTUS. And then we would have to endure the MSM going all flappy hand concerned about that issue.
This way it circumnavigates that additional mess. I think you underestimate Biden if you believe he can be bullied to do anything.
Manyakitty
@schrodingers_cat: oh yeah. Also, that person refused to acknowledge the antisemitic foundation of her relentless Gaza screeds. Like, give people credit for their own lived experience. JFC.
PJ
@Martin: Everything you have written about Biden over the last few weeks has been completely unobjective. You write as if your dislike of Biden were some kind of physical fact. To you, he’s a doddering old fool who won the primaries by some kind of spooky magic. I see an old guy with a speech impediment who has never been a great public speaker but who has a full command of the facts and issues and an astute sense of judgment who is still making smart decisions and advancing liberal policies.
Obviously we disagree about Biden. But I don’t think there’s any way you could objectively look at, say, his command of foreign policy issues in the recent press conference and see him as “a doddering old fool”. That just seems to be your personal animus at work.
zhena gogolia
@Jeffro: YEAH, MY GOD, IT’S BEEN ALMOST 24 HOURS
suzanne
@Omnes Omnibus: Yeah, I think that’s a good frame for it.
I fall firmly on the side of “it’s not personal, it’s just business”. But I feel that way because I do not feel I can afford to invest emotionally in candidates. They are ultimately just people. Flawed, imperfect people with limitations. The safety of my children and my friends depends on winning elections. I’m never going to apologize for that pragmatism. Just win, baby.
TaMara
@RinaX: Yup. I’m thinking I’m going to have to close down comments before it gets out of control. I really wanted a place for folks to feel safe from them, but they’re proving what assholes they are…
zhena gogolia
@AnnaN: He didn’t drop out due to health issues.
Old School
@Llelldorin: No, I was replying to Martin, but his comment was deleted.
He thinks Biden winning the primary was undemocratic, but he’s thrilled the support for Harris is keeping other people from trying to win the nomination.
M31
@BR: lol seriously, the NYT has so beclowned itself that I imagine DougJBalloon sitting at his desk in front of several overflowing ashtrays, a bunch of tipped over Jack Daniels bottles, empty crack pipes, used heroin needles, empty Oxy and Xanax bottles, and a can of Betty Crocker frosting with a spoon in it, saying “I can’t top this”
gvg
@schrodingers_cat: I don’t think you have to delete. I think you just pie the “new” nym too as if they were 2 different people. Sometimes there have been different people with the “same” names. I think there were some different Jims for awhile.
When things get bad, I have been checking names in the pie filter before I read a thread, because I read from 3 different devices and might not have someone pied in all of them.
Hoodie
@Omnes Omnibus: My only quibble with that is that a lot of people brung us here. Biden only makes the presidency because Obama plucks him out of irrelevancy. Biden’s big legislative wins got a huge lift from Pelosi keeping a razor thin majority in line (contrast with Mike Johnson and the Chaos Caucus). Those people’s inputs have relevance. Biden is part of a team and some of the rest of the team, with some justification, started to get worried that he couldn’t pick up the pace and might bring the whole team down. I can’t fault them for that. It’s their job to worry about things like that, not protect Joe Biden’s feelings. That’s not being transactional, that’s having a different perspective.
TaMara
@Jeffro: fuck off
ssdd
@BR: yeah, columnists like Willek and Bai over at WaPo are peddling similar Kamala doomerism today. They were so close to their dream, an open and maybe ever brokered convention, and now it’s being snatched away!
Tractarian
@TaMara: No. I’m trying to understand where the righteous anger is coming from. And I’ll admit, I’m still pretty fucking clueless on that point!
SatanicPanic
@Omnes Omnibus: This is a good read on the situation
TBone
@mali muso: me too.
And I just adore Tiedrich, thanks for sharing! I was at the library today and haven’t yet checked my daily email from him.
TaMara
@rb: Hmmm…who called you part of a lynch mob? Or is that just how you’ve been treating people, so you think all comments about being upset are about you. LOL
different-church-lady
@ssdd: Anyone who thought Biden stepping aside was going to make them stop was just naive.
TBone
@AnnaN: 👍
kindness
@Martin: Dude! I didn’t pie you during the last 3 weeks and now you are forcing the issue after Joe has dropped out? WTF? Don’t be such a shithead! Be kind to Joe and be kind to others. Even those you don’t agree with.
MagdaInBlack
@RinaX: It’s FOMO
MomSense
My son just added this to our group text
Joe Biden has had a long long life of public service. It has taken a lot from him, two children and a wife died and one is going to jail, and humbled him at every turn. Then he finally becomes president during a global pandemic, which he turns around along with the economy, while rebuilding a unified front against Russia and ending America’s longest war. Then he has to step down before he can even run for a second term. Biden has put the country first everytime. Even when it’s not always kind back to him
TaMara
Alright folks, despite my best intentions, I’m afraid this thread is going to be overrun by folks who want to tell you why you shouldn’t feel angry and betrayed. They couldn’t even give you one post for that.
Which tells you more about them than anything else going on. I’m shutting down the comments.
I have to get on with my day and I don’t want you to subjected to the abuse that looks like it’s coming.
suzanne
And I will note that I am not a total robot. I can see that Joe Biden is a good man who got pushed around and he doesn’t deserve the disappointment he’s experiencing. I wish it had been different. I respect him and I think he served the country well. I feel positively toward him.
But I do not think that, for whatever ineffable reason, he is the man best positioned for leadership at the moment we are facing. Voters need to feel excited about the future. This is bigger than one man.
Hoodie
@different-church-lady: I doubt anyone thought that. If anyone knows the ways of the press, it’s DC pols.
OId Man Shadow
@TaMara: Funny how the people screeching “WE DON’T HAVE TO FALL IN LINE! WE’RE NOT REPUBLICAN CULTS” to us for four weeks are now insisting we have to not only fall in line, but be happy to fucking do so.