Having been endorsed as the only viable candidate to battle Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential elections, Joe Biden was subsequently browbeaten and harried into leaving the way open for another candidate. It involved some movement of political furniture, but nothing more.
The process resulting in Biden’s decision had increasingly bulked over the last two months. With each day, another Democratic figure would come out to suggest he pass the torch to another appropriate appointee of the establishment. Whispers became roars. Former President Barack Obama, whose deputy Biden had been, also joined the camp of dissent. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi likewise.
With the announcement made, tedious commentary claimed it was a “shock”. What was shocking was the lengthy pondering from Democratic Party hacks and plotters that Biden had the reserves to carry off a campaign that would lead to another electoral victory. In doing so, the president was understandably gulled by the false assumption that he had the support that mattered. For a moment, the puppet had forgotten his various masters, the strings loosened, the fantasy in reach.
Confidence in his own indomitability was seemingly shattered by the June 27 presidential debate with Trump. But even then, he remained obstinate, his sense of delusion brimming. On July 7, Biden declared that the only force that would convince him to stand aside was the “Lord Almighty”. Subsequent interviews revised such a celestial standard by suggesting that matters of health or a sharp decline in the polls could also play a part.
A letter to Democrat lawmakers sent on July 8 had one purpose in mind: snuffing a movement that had begun gaining momentum. “I can respond to all of this by saying clearly and unequivocally: I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump.” In a heavily coloured account, he suggested that his position as a presumptive nominee had never been in doubt. “Only three people chose to challenge me. One fared so badly that he left the primaries to run as an independent. Another attacked me for being too old and was soundly defeated.”
To challenge his standing, imputed Biden, was to effectively ignore the rank-and-file of the party, suggesting a crude disenfranchisement. This was a gloriously rich assertion, given that presidential nominations have far more to do with corporate, unelected donor interests and stratagems conducted out of public view than they do with the average voting citizen.
The view was also patently deceptive, given that rival contenders were not allowed onto the ballott in certain states (take Wisconsin and North Carolina as examples) or permitted to face a proper primary process. Ironically enough, attitudes among the average voter Biden waxes lyrical over were already hardening in favour of an alternative candidate in polls conducted last year. In April 2023, an Associated Press/NORC poll found from a sampling of 1,230 US adults that 73% would prefer he not run again, with age being a critical factor.
It has been left to the Democratic establishment to maintain the illusion of presumptive nomination right to the point the decision was made to scupper the whole effort. Indeed, much of the Biden presidency has been stage managed, heavily padded and often choreographed to repel journalistic scrutiny of conduct and policy. The New York Times even went so far as to find this hermetic capsuling “troubling”, given that the president had “so actively and effectively avoided questions from independent journalists during his term.” By the end of June this year, the paper’s editorial board had openly endorsed the Joe Must Go viewpoint.
In a call-in to MSNBC’s Morning Joe after sending his letterof defiance, the president made no secret of his disdain for various party operatives who had begun to doubt his mettle. The measure was theatrical, given that those same operatives have been his prop and stay. Resorting to a tactic he has previously deployed, he scorned the unnamed elites who knew little about the true inclinations of the Democratic voter. Amidst his rambling answers to program hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, his agitation was clear enough: “I’m getting so frustrated by the elites – now I’m not talking about you guys – the elites in the party, ‘Oh they know so much more.’ Any of these guys that don’t think I should run, run against me. Announce for president, challenge me at the convention.”
A few days later, Biden’s performance at the NATO Washington summit produced sharp intakes of breath when introducing the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky as Russia’s Vladimir Putin. He also managed to mangle his Vice President, confusing Kamala Harris with Trump. The elites proved increasingly disgruntled. With the donor based now in open revolt, threatening withdrawal of support, the decision was a foregone one. Pity they are not willing to step aside as well.
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It wasn’t so much age but mental acuity that would have had many concerned. The media has largely ignored trump’s incoherent ramblings, not to mention his lack of diplomacy, rudeness, arrogance, racism, homophobia and transphobia! There needs to be a candidate who can defeat trump and defeat him soundly.
The author misses what also happens in the UK and Oz, i.e. disappear or report in an anodyne way at worst, any RW player versus focus on the centre & their leadership, relentlessly; became more than just Biden, but a consolidated RW media that made his re-election difficult?
Remember ‘Kill Bill’ campaign that disappeared LNP except Morrison, and was successful, as was The Voice No campaign?
Additionally, these tactics reflect the influence of Murdoch which spreads far with both the ABC and BBC who take Trump seriously, but denigrate the centre, still?
Related, often it’s the same talking points where in the US Judd Legum of Popular Information has highlighted the impact of Sinclair Media in regions using RRT Rapid Response teams to cook up dog whistles or talking points vs. Biden, Dems, now Harris et al., but with the impramatur of the RW MSM including Fox?
https://popular.info/p/sinclair-floods-local-news-websites
Like the ABC, BBC and SkyNews Oz accessing free to air for the regional ageing monocultural low info regional voters, it’s to target and confuse the same to have them vote against the future, for the WASP past…
However, even Russian sock puppets are struggling to put a spin on the Trump and the GOP now, very subdued due to deft strategy of the Democrats which has upended the Trump campaign strategy and his choice of JD Vance as VP pick.
Trump is a manifestation of the ingrained filth, selfishness, greed, ambition, desire to control, the fascistic forcefulness of defectives like Murdoch the Turd Block who reinvent themselves as great, indispensable, essential, holy, blessed, chosen, anointed, armoured. Surely many have noticed the defective midget soul struggling to magnify itself, and, Murdoch has many others like himself. What a Murdoch hates is any rivalry for admiration to leach away. If not to be loved (hah) a Murdoch is to be feared. Other media biggies, Black, Maxwell, Beaverbrook, Rothermere, Birkenhead, Hearst, were basically rotten but dressed up by the machinery of lying they controlled. Trump in office can control the flow of the chockies and lollies of neofeudalcapitalism, lying, betraying and squashing us while rewarding the supporters who want the goodies at any cost to others, It has always been sick, unfair, injurious, evil…
Trump as we know is mass of insecurities, low self-esteem and little to zero substance. I was just wondering what would happen with him debating (in his case ranting and raving) Kamala Harris and started the same bullshit of lurking like a stalker in the background that he did with Hillary if she spun round and in a very stern, almost intimidating tone, said, “Donald John Trump, go back to your podium and don’t move!” while pointing at him. Makes me wonder how would handle it because of his growing up under the thumb of an unpleasant father. Not that any debates, in my view, will occur because he’s a coward and his parasitic hangers on know that there is no way they’ll be able to keep him from drifting into la-la land and beyond.
Actually I am looking forward to a debate between ‘the Veep and the Felon’. (Sounds like the name of another cheap American TV series:-) I think she will give him a good run for his money and make him look like the ridiculous joke that he is. The news tells me that he has accepted to debate with her so game on!
The 2020 documentary Unfit-The Psychology of Donald Trump does a whack job on the Trumpster; dissenting views from the usual suspects but otherwise a solid deconstruction of the malignant narcissistic personality through which this wretched creature interfaces with the world.
Available for download here if other options fail.
Is it me or is The Donald starting to get more than bit worried about Kamala Harris running against him.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/23/trump-files-complaint-harris-campaign-funds
I’m surprised that he hasn’t put in a claim for the $91 million as “compensation” for the piles of cash his crew have spent on campaigning against Biden (and paying for his legal bills because he’s certainly not going to use HIS money).
GL
Trumper may have met his match – he doesn’t know how to handle strong, intelligent women – a debate would be quite revealing.
Trump has been soaking up the post assassination attempt hero stuff. Perfect timing for Harris to enter the fray. What better way to move the attention away from Trump. Trump is toast.
Kamala Harris is a tertiary qualified female of mixed race who is well under retirement age, and has consistently demonstrated the capability of articulating coherent sentences.
Methinks/hopes that maybe the younger, ethnically diverse, often female groupings that comprise much of the “unaffiliated, undecided or as-yet-unregistered” bulk of the US populace might suddenly feel a little bit more actively inclined/inspired to turn out in numbers to refute the Trump (+2025) agenda than good ol’ Talcum Joe.
PS, off topic I know, but since the author is proponent of cat owners allowing their pets out to slaughter native wildlife (no such “tortuous enslavement” for Dr Binoy), I thought y’all might be interested in this stat.
Wild species constitute only 4% of remaining mammalian biomass (34% human, 62% domesticates comprising 20 species).
https://ourworldindata.org/wild-mammals-birds-biomass
Note that wild mammals stats include cetaceans (sea-mammals) and human- vectored feral populations.
Possibly something one should consider consideration before letting your cat out to.predate,, or excoriating those who responsibly curfew their compulsively carnivorous pets.
Firstly I’ll state that I’m unashamedly a fan of Kamala Harris. I think she is genuine and capable. She has not had a wealthy or political upbringing. She has genuinely made it through her determination and capability. But…
∆ It must be an awful dilemma for some of the pro Putin brigade. Particularly those that claim to be left leaning.
∆ Trump seeks to engage with Putin. He wishes to diminish the involvement of the US. He claims to be capable of achieving a peaceful settlement in days.
∆ Kamala Harris will follow the current policy.
∆ Trump questions why the US should be the world’s policeman.
∆ Not Kamala Harris
∆ Trump will engage with North Korea
∆ Kamala Harris won’t
∆ Trump is more isolationist. Not Harris.
∆ Trump behaviour demonstrates he isn’t a supporter of western democracy. Harris is.
In international policy, the pro Putin brigade has so much in common with the the Trump brigade that wish to diminish the role of the US.
What a choice that was! Genocide Joe or Dictator Trump! Now what? Will Harris be any different to Biden as far as US foreign policy and Israel/Palestine are concerned? Of course not!
The Donald seems to have gone from a little bit worried straight to brown trousers scared of facing off against Kamala Harris:
https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/us-politics/us-election-live-updates-joe-biden-to-deliver-historic-speech-after-dropping-out-of-presidential-race/news-story/3e350ca35f6a65b9c208094d94acc469
With the supreme court so manly(even the trump women) rightwing the septics need to have a woman, at the top, to show that sucking up to men is not the only way forward. I think Harris would do a good job and she is right that trump will make america regress, If trump is stupid enough to have another debate she could kill him off but even his sycophants will advise him to refuse a debate.