election thinking, ctd ctd

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While we should all, at this point, be accustomed to Biden's deliberate (read: slow) pace in campaign decision-making (if, to him, there's even a decision to be made – anyone remember how long it took him to officially announce that he was getting into the race in 2019? it was in-fucking-terminable), the continued status quo-ing of the campaign is pushing me back into the "step aside" camp 35/65, stay/step: fuck it, let Kamala do her thing.

I've little doubt that Biden's up to the presidency: indeed, he, like all of us, seems to thrive when he's doing that, when he has a purpose. To give that up is one of the most difficult decision to make. I've every doubt, however, that he's up to running for the presidency – problem being, running for the presidency is part of the job of being president. But the reality is that there is no fix for Biden’s biggest problem with him as the nominee; the only way it can be changed is by changing the nominee – which could also backfire spectacularly.

Open convention notion that might satisfy everyone (or no one, IDK, these electoral writings are my way of processing my dismay): release his delegates, with the possibility that, should he satisfy the delegates by majorly changing things up, they stick with him and nominate him; if he doesn't, someone new comes in (it should be Kamala), with Biden's full support.

Or, fuck it: draw straws, see who can spit the furthest, drinking contest, IDK.

post-debate thinking, ctd

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Biden's response to the whole debate clusterfuck was fine – fiery, all that, the next day (though it does make me question the whole “he had a cold” excuse) – but I would have taken a different tack: go with the fight fight fight, but add on something else: "Look, I know I let you down, that I scared you, and for that, I am truly sorry. I won't make any excuses – I blew it; hell, I scared myself. And I have to live with that, as do all of you. All I can do now is to ask that you give me the chance to do better, that you have the same faith in me that I've had in you all these years, that we go on this one last ride together."

If anyone could deliver that line with the humility it needs, it’s Biden. To admit you fucked up isn’t weakness, it’s strength.

While my complaints remain the same, my thinking on his continued candidacy has tempered a bit since the hangover of Friday morning: I'll vote for whomever the Democratic nominee is – and I think it will be Biden (I'll vote for the dead opossum in my backyard before I vote for the Tumor or RFK Jr.) – though I'm 50/50 (up from 20/80) on whether he should stay in or exit (while I’m a fan of Harris, Whitmer, Newsom, et al and think that any of them would make an excellent president, I've seen little evidence that any of them would fare better (unfortunately, the dead opossum in my backyard wasn't among the choices) as chemo choices against the Tumor) but, if Biden stays – FOR Biden to stay – there has to be a change in his campaign, top down: status quo won't work.

As for the fix for that? 🤷 but I do know that form emails from James Carville and marathon brain-filling sessions (even I would know not to do that to an octogenarian with a stutter) with a subpar debate prep committee team won't do the trick.

two notes from the two minutes I was able to stomach

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  • I love Joe and will vote for him again, but this was an unmitigated disaster and will, unfortunately, forever leave a shitstain on 3.5 years of more or less great work as president. He either needs to overhaul his entire campaign apparatus, from the top down, or bow out. Status quo is a no-go.

  • The Tumor just spent weeks in a criminal courtroom forced to not gesticulate or make a face listening to people rip him apart for eight hours a day. How anyone in Bidenworld missed that that would make a splitscreen debate easier for him is political malpractice of the highest degree.

in

Were anyone on the Biden campaign to ask me – and they haven’t – how they should answer the “are you doing better now than four years ago” question, I’d proselytize building a site or daily newsletter that lays out exactly what was happening on this day four years ago every day until the election. Would be a far more beneficial use of my monthly campaign contribution than emails and texts from Joe and Jill and Kamala and Bill and Barack asking me for more money. Hell, I’ll buy them the site to do it. Hit me up.