Ok...amidst countless “Stop badmouthing Joe Biden because he is our only chance to win!” diaries here, as a veteran of DK (Member since 2005 and ALWAYS a proud democrat and supporter of the party) I feel compelled to speak my piece.
It is not disloyal or defeatist to admit something is very wrong right now and that the Democratic Party is flailing pitifully in the face of the greatest threat to our nation since our founding.
For those afraid to do something radically different such as changing the nominee at this point, I respectfully point out that American politics have changed radically with the advent of Donald Trump. Things like trying to overturn an election, being convicted of muliple felonies, and being found guilty of sexual assault NO LONGER MATTER to 45% of the American voting public. Let’s stop pretending that this is the old days when things like fairness and tradition carry a bunch of influence.
Let’s stop scaring ourselves into believing that we cannot make a big difference with a bold move 4 months before the election. The current American voting public has the attention span and memory of a goldfish, and thinking that somehow 4 months is not enough time to create a new sense about the Democratic ticket is dangerously outmoded thinking.
These are desperate times and desperate times call for desperate bold measures. From where I sit the best bet to save this nation is to reset the race with a bold move by Joe Biden.
I say that Joe needs to step aside at the convention and inspire and unite us behind the candidate of his choice.
I voted for Joe Biden and frankly his performance as president has exceeded my high expectations. I think he has been a very good president. I think he is a very good man. If he is the nominee I will vote for him again.
BUT...I am old enough to know that sometimes you have to admit that something is very wrong. The nation can see that there are deep deep problems with the Biden candidacy. Those problems start with the nagging feeling that A LOT of democrats have in their heart of hearts that Joe Biden IS too old to be elected president. I felt that way before the primary season began but Dems were so determined to believe that politics have not changed that the party set their feet in concrete in the “A challenged incumbent will lose so we must not even entertain the thought of replacing Joe at the to of the ticket” and nobody even challenged Joe.
We gambled that he would be ok...but I am very sorry to say everything I see about Joe in the present tells me that he is NOT ok. He has done a fantastic job at an incredibly stressful job for 4 years and the years have taken their toll. I am in my mid 60’s and know a little bit about aging myself. I know that when people get into their 80’s they lose a step. It is painful to watch this happen with Joe and I do not see how he will get any stronger over the next 4 years.
Remember, it is not only beating Trump that matters but also running the nation for the next 4 years.THAT is something that younger and less involved voters can see and feel.
The important thing is that it is not only seasoned old timers like me who have that nagging feeling. We will go out and vote for Joe regardless of what happens.
However, it is not the motivated Dem voter who matters here. We are all on board and vote. The huge problem I see is that to the more passive not super involved voter (Particularlfy young voters) the debate and the badly botched response to that debate have largely solidified the appalling idea to the absolutely crucial swing and “Doublehaters” that this entire election is fucked and as a result they may well not vote.
I have spoken to several of my kids friends who are in their 30’s who fit into this category. Thye got off their asses to vote for Biden in 2020 and do not feel the fervor or trust in him that they did. That may not be correct or proper...but dammit that is the reality. Sure I can change THEIR minds by talking to them but I cannot change millions of others who are rapidly tuning out.
The reality is that the American political system has calcified to the point where the two major parties produced aging nominees with glaring flaws. One is obviously more glaring flawed and dangerous than the other but to the passive voter THAT DOES NOT REGISTER as strongly as utter disgust with the whole damn system. Wake up and smell the coffee. Those voters need something very different to shake up their viewpoint and join us old codgers in voting.
Dems cannot depend upon selling “Good old Joe will settled this down and sending out ao bunch of surrogates to events and talking heads will change those minds”.
That strategy is clearly not working and we see the public bleeding of support for the Biden candidacy and no amount of “I’m with Joe!” diaries on Daily Kos changes that at all.
Dems and the nation desperately need a new dynamic that resets this race.
Do not overlook the fact that if and when Joe names a successor and throws his weight behind that candidate that the VAST majority of Biden voters will follow. I do not think the Dem party risks losing any voters at all if Joe can come to his senses and preside over a convention which names a new nominee.
If that nominee is Kamala Harris I do not see how she loses any significant number of Biden voters, and indeed if she names the right VP for her ticket she may well inspire younger or on the fence or even “Double hater” voters to turn out. THOSE are the ones that we need, and we need to pursue them.
That is my say. Agree or disagree, I just think that my opinion has validity here on DK and should be heard.