2024 Elections

[O Really]

Any White male VP would be a shoe-in.

I wouldn't need to hold my nose to vote for Kamala if she were the candidate, but really I can't see why her approvals are so low except that she's a barely-blackish woman. She hasn't done anything awful, and traditionally a VP's primary responsibilities are stuff like going to state funerals and voting in the Senate when necessary. But a white male VP wouldn't necessarily be a shoe-in if they heeded the lesson of Hubert Humphrey - a Minnesota-nice and capable person who gave us Nixon because of his close and unrefuted association with the unpopular Johnson, primarily on the war issue. Polls, focus groups, conferences of strategy professions, yada - they've got the tools and should use them and take the best chance to win - even if it turns out it is Biden.

[Vrede too]

Any White male VP would be a shoe-in.

I wouldn't need to hold my nose to vote for Kamala if she were the candidate, but really I can't see why her approvals are so low except that she's a barely-blackish woman. She hasn't done anything awful, and traditionally a VP's primary responsibilities are stuff like going to state funerals and voting in the Senate when necessary.

But a white male VP wouldn't necessarily be a shoe-in if they heeded the lesson of Hubert Humphrey - a Minnesota-nice and capable person who gave us Nixon because of his close and unrefuted association with the unpopular Johnson, primarily on the war issue. Polls, focus groups, conferences of strategy professions, yada - they've got the tools and should use them and take the best chance to win - even if it turns out it is Biden.

I meant shoe-in for the nomination, not necessarily the Nov win. Only our fading generation even remembers HHH. Would have been RFK in 1968, should have then been McCarthy. Since then:
Mondale was nominated after Carter;
Gore was nominated after Bill;
Biden stepped back after Beau died in 2015, then was nominated 4 years later and broke the streak of Dem VP losers.

[Whack9]

Damn. It's sounding more and more like Biden might drop out. I guess we'll know in the next few days.

[GoCubsGo]

Damn. It's sounding more and more like Biden might drop out. I guess we'll know in the next few days.

Mixed signals from all sorts of different sources, NYT says one thing, CNN another. We will probably know one way or the other in about a week.

[GoCubsGo]

[O Really]

That's what he'd have to say today no matter what's really happening. Doesn't have much to do with reality.

[Vrede too]

Damn. It's sounding more and more like Biden might drop out. I guess we'll know in the next few days.

From the bison's mouth . . .

Biden Tells Allies He Knows He Has Only Days to Salvage Candidacy

... A new poll from The New York Times and Siena College showed that former President Donald Trump now leads Biden 49% to 43% among likely voters nationally, a 3-point swing toward the Republican from just a week earlier, before the debate. The 6-point deficit in the Times/Siena poll was a blow to the campaign and could make it harder to hang on, although some insiders had worried that it could have been worse....

I believe that we were all deeply uncomfortable with Joe's candidacy from the start, some even feeling that way 4 years ago. BRD, ahead of it's time . . .

[Vrede too]

... But a white male VP wouldn't necessarily be a shoe-in if they heeded the lesson of Hubert Humphrey - a Minnesota-nice and capable person who gave us Nixon because of his close and unrefuted association with the unpopular Johnson, primarily on the war issue....

This year's (possibly brokered and chaotic) DNC is in . . . Chicago

[O Really]

Somebody needs to tell Biden that it doesn't help his situation to say he "needs more sleep" and won't schedule anything after 8pm.

And he's been in politics for 50 years or so, certainly long enough to know that in politics, reality is no more than half of what matters - the rest being perception. It doesn't matter if he really is up for the job if most people don't believe it. And he's lost the perception big time.

Somebody ought to mention to him also that he can go gracefully out to the sunset and, regardless of the election results, will be seen as somebody who gave his all and did what he thought was best for the country. Or, he can stubbornly hang in and, if he loses, will be the subject of scorn for decades to come, and maybe even longer than not giving the ball to Beast Mode.

[GoCubsGo]

Somebody needs to tell Biden that it doesn't help his situation to say he "needs more sleep" and won't schedule anything after 8pm.

And he's been in politics for 50 years or so, certainly long enough to know that in politics, reality is no more than half of what matters - the rest being perception. It doesn't matter if he really is up for the job if most people don't believe it. And he's lost the perception big time.

Somebody ought to mention to him also that he can go gracefully out to the sunset and, regardless of the election results, will be seen as somebody who gave his all and did what he thought was best for the country. Or, he can stubbornly hang in and, if he loses, will be the subject of scorn for decades to come, and maybe even longer than not giving the ball to Beast Mode.

They screwed the pooch on this response, doesn't generate warm fuzzies.

The presidency ages the occupant exponentially, look at pics of recent presidents at the beginning and end of their terms (absent the hair dye presidents of Reagan and trump...)

[Vrede too]

Somebody needs to tell Biden that it doesn't help his situation to say he "needs more sleep" and won't schedule anything after 8pm....

Sundowning

Sundowning, or sundown syndrome, is a neurological phenomenon associated with increased confusion and restlessness in people with delirium or some form of dementia. It is most commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease but is also found in those with other forms of dementia. The term sundowning was coined by nurse Lois K. Evans in 1987 due to the timing of the person's increased confusion beginning in the late afternoon and early evening....

The interventions are fine, but maybe don't admit the need for them?


Opinion
Here Are the Names Democrats Are Considering for Kamala’s Running Mate

Pretty likely a White male.

... North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear leading discussions. Democrats have also floated Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as possible contenders....

North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Minnesota are swing states.

Tortuous football metaphor ensues

[GoCubsGo]

Makes perfect sense.

Biden narrows Trump’s lead in swing states after debate debacle: Survey

President Biden, in the wake of a poor debate performance and growing calls for him to step aside, has narrowed Trump’s lead in the key swing states, according to a new survey.

The Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll, published Saturday, showed Biden leading Trump in Michigan and Wisconsin. In Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina, the incumbent is now within the margin of error, per the survey.

[Vrede too]

Makes perfect sense.

Biden narrows Trump’s lead in swing states after debate debacle: Survey

He seems determined to stay in.


Jon Stewart was on fire last night:

Jon Stewart Shuts Down 1 Of The Biggest Arguments Against Replacing Biden
“The Daily Show” host said one key complaint doesn’t add up.

“Daily Show” host Jon Stewart on Monday called out President Joe Biden’s team for “blatant bullshit” as they tried out a wide range of explanations for his poor debate performance against Donald Trump.

They’ve said Biden had a cold, was out of practice, simply had an off night and was jet-lagged after a trip to Europe.

“He’d been home for almost two weeks,” Stewart pointed out. “He was jet-lagged? How big is that fucking jet?”

... ‘Get On Board Or Shut The Fuck Up’ is not a particularly compelling pro-democracy bumper sticker,” he said.

But Stewart really doesn’t have time for one argument: that it’s too late to change candidates since there are only four months until the election.

“Four months is for-fucking-ever,” he said and put that timeframe into perspective.

“Britain just held an election in two months,” he said. “France had two in one month, defeated fascism, and still had time to have an affair with Denmark.”

Then he went full Jersey.

“Are you telling me ― you sons of bitches ― are you coming to my house and saying to my face that the United States of Bruce Springsteen’s America can’t hold an election better than the fucking French?” he said. “Is that what you’re telling me? It’s four months. Four months!”

He said he’s not calling Biden to drop out but wants the nation to “stress test” the situation to see what options emerge.

“Do you have any idea how thirsty Americans are for any hint of inspiration or leadership and a release from this choice of a megalomaniac and a suffocating gerontocracy,” he said. “It is crushing our fucking spirits.”

Stewart revealed a plan to turn next month’s Democratic National Convention into a true contest for the president and anyone willing to challenge him.

Check it out in his Monday night monologue:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9LZXheHddI

[O Really]

It seems that to have an election, the main things are getting ballots printed and organizing the vote collection. Both of those are the responsibility of the states, and organizing of vote collection is the same no matter who's on the ballot. So how long does it take to print ballots, get them distributed to the mail-in people, and how much lead time is required to set up polling places? Semi-real question. Starting from scratch might take a while, but wouldn't they already have certified printers, voting equipment, places reserved, etc. And do they really print ballots before the conventions? I wouldn't think so. The difference in US and the rest of the world is that the US allows (encourages?) constant campaigning and interminable TV advertising.

[Vrede too]

... The difference in US and the rest of the world is that the US allows (encourages?) constant campaigning and interminable TV advertising.

Creating a massive conflict of interest where the "news" has a well rewarded stake in maintaining the status quo


Poll finds Biden damaged by debate; with Harris and Clinton best positioned to win

Hillary???!!!

It doesn't look like they asked about Michelle

[O Really]

Creating a massive conflict of interest where the "news" has a well rewarded stake in maintaining the status quo

That, and the ability to control the narrative and create horse-race scenarios. They wouldn't have anything to report otherwise. Horrors.

[Vrede too]

... The difference in US and the rest of the world is that the US allows (encourages?) constant campaigning and interminable TV advertising.

Creating a massive conflict of interest where the "news" has a well rewarded stake in maintaining the status quo

That, and the ability to control the narrative and create horse-race scenarios. They wouldn't have anything to report otherwise. Horrors.

Yep


Random thought: If Joe outlasts these calls to drop out he will appear to be strong, focused and capable. Making lemonade out of lemons

[GoCubsGo]

Interesting.....against whatever opponent is running.

[GoCubsGo]

President Rubio?

[Vrede too]

President Rubio?
https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1810479851339428107

If he hadn't already left the building this would have killed billy.pilgrim


Here's a look at the political billboards popping up around Milwaukee ahead of the RNC