On Stephanopoulos, Biden at least spoke clearly. The substance of what he said was very troubling, however. When asked how he’d feel if he lost to Trump, he said he’d be okay with it as long as he did his best. That tells me that he may think that knowing he left the political stage as a fighter rather than a quitter may be more important to him than defeating Trump. That’s what his dad would want him to say in regard to a more ordinary life stumble: “If you’re knocked down, get back up. Don’t quit.” If one of my children were in a sporting competition and didn’t want to quit in the face of a high risk of defeat, I’d say it’s a sign of great character. But when it’s politics, not sports, and when the opponent is not a normal good-faith opponent but a moral monster who is going to usher in fascism, it’s the exact wrong attitude to have.
I’m shocked at the sentimentalism on display at a site that purports to be about winning elections and putting more and better Democrats into high office. People here are attached to Joe as a person, and it’s very well meaning and even touching. But it’s a recipe for complete and total electoral disaster.