By Robert Willmann
The nastiness of national politics is showing up. For the last four and a half years, the press, mass media, and the Democratic Party have continuously proclaimed that Joe Biden has the mental and physical ability to do the job of President of the United States. Suddenly, after a debate with candidate Donald Trump on 27 June 2024, they all turned on a dime and declared that he should withdraw from being the apparent presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. The debate was hosted by the Biden-helping CNN television network with terms and conditions favorable to him.
Biden sat down for an interview on 16 July 2024 with Ed Gordon of the Black Entertainment Television network, which is owned by Paramount Global, very much a White operation. Biden answered a question on his age and fitness. Starting at 3 minutes, 55 seconds into the video [1]—
“Gordon: But you’ve made it clear, by now, certainly you’ve been asked a thousand times, that you have no intention of getting out of this race. Yet there are those who are concerned still about your age and capability because of your age. Is there anything that you would look to, you personally, not anybody else, not other pundits, not even perhaps family members, that you would look to, to say, ‘If I see that, I will re-evaluate?’
“Biden: If there is some medical condition that emerged. If somebody, if the doctors came to me and said you got this problem, that problem….”
At 5 minutes, 13 seconds Gordon asks: “Would you be willing to even look at the idea, that if you get in, perhaps in a year and a half or two, you would look to your — in your words — very capable vice president, to carry it over the finish line?
“Biden: Well look, only if I was told that there was some medical condition that I had. And that’s not the case, so….”
A very literate person, who has authored several books and has been commissioned to do magazine articles, indicated recently that in 2020 he went to a dinner where numerous journalists, a wealthy person, and a physician were in attendance. The doctor was there specifically to give an opinion about Biden, in which he “basically said, guy’s had two major brain surgeries. After that, there is a kind of conventional wisdom that you’re never the same and various things happen, and he seems to be showing that progression already”. Further, the writer said, “I also that year [2020], talked to a major Hollywood figure who had contacts who said, ‘Yeah, it’s terrible. Behind the scenes. He’s in terrible shape’.”
A rumor two days ago was that political operators told Biden’s people that if he did not withdraw as the nominee by this weekend, information about his financial corruption would be leaked to the press starting next week.
Today, the rumor in the wind is that discussions are occurring on what would take place if Biden withdraws, such as ensuring that neither he nor his wife nor any family member will be prosecuted for crimes — financial or otherwise — or face a civil lawsuit. And how much money they will receive now and in the future. And so on. Biden can pardon his son Hunter, but there are a lot of other details to cover.
Richard Nixon resigned as president in 1974 with the understanding that his vice-president, Gerald Ford, would give him a pardon for possible crimes, which Ford did.
Whether the rumors are true in the Biden drama is anyone’s guess, but this is the first big public political turmoil since the Watergate spectacle in the Nixon administration 50 years ago, and the Iran-Contra scandal during the Ronald Reagan presidency.
[1] The interview of Biden by Ed Gordon of Black Entertainment Television in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the time of the NAACP convention.
Patrick Bet-David says that Kamala is “the obstacle” because the party doesn’t think she can beat Donald. He muses on what they might do to convince her to go away, speculating on how thick is the dossier of “dirt” on her.
Democrats Under Fire: Patrick Bet-David predicts who will face off against Trump.
https://youtu.be/FVzBPIwuj8c
I think VP Harris Harris could win; it is an experienced DA and AG versus a man convicted of 34 Felonies
She has been a competent VP (not that that office is even worth what John Nance Garner thought it was worth) and she was an effective DA and state AG in places where those jobs are both difficult and important,
Additionally, I think a lot of people will sit home if she passed over absent more.
Now, it would be a positive good to have a career prosecutor on the USSC.
I agree with you that Kamala is worth a try. The more I learn about Vance the more I dislike him. Thom Hartmann discusses his stance on the train derailment disaster which released PCVs in abundance — Vance was on the investigation committee and was for sale. He’s a politician for sale. I greatly prefer Kamala to Trump, my only hesitation being that she is likely to be hawkish on Ukraine and ultra-hawkish vis a vis Gaza-Israel. But Trump will likely start a war with Iran for his Israeli masters.
J.D.Vance’s Most Authoritarian Political Stances: You Won’t Believe… | Thom Hartmann.
https://youtu.be/H83i6D2mIFI
F&L,
What was his price? What did he get Biden not to do in exchange?
Fred, I don’t understand your question.
F&L,
What part of your own statement “He’s a politician for sale.” do you not understand?
Trump is not a man to stay bought.
Not because he is honest, but because he will always seek a better deal from someone else.
The don’t-run-Joe Dems need to convince Lady McBiden to tell him not to run. She’s the boss and the only one that can persuade him it’s time to go home.
optimax,
Or as Fetterman said, they can grow a set and go ridin’ with Biden. There are a lot of potential pitfalls with changing horses on the run. They better think it through.
Big donors can apparently cease funding a campaign at any given time. There is no massive ownership transfer of money. Biden’s funds by and large have been locked. Who knows why he wants to stay in. It looks like he’s trying to show the Obama cartel who truly has the most power as a final parting shot. Nobody gives up that kind of power gracefully.
The evangelical group are getting one shot at the prize with trump.In the end though the digitally distracted masses shall have their say come november,so the social media could end up playing a crucial role with a certain age group.I would not be surprised that operating systems and the internet in general come under pressure.Already manuvearing has been taking place.
Imho starlink might have to replace fibre and satellites will need securing.
Hencforth i will be activating my carrier pigeon network as a emergency backup.
Doctorow musing on Trump and the decision to pick Vance:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1UGx5Ay6J0&t=1s&ab_channel=DialogueWorks
Is the Vice-Presidency as big a deal as Doctorow asserts? The pitcher of warm spit school says no. I hope they’re wrong because that and the Bloomberg interview are to my mind seriously important markers.
“Bring industry back home. Ditto the troops. Ensure an adequate defence. Drain the swamp.” That was the message of 2016 but it took a hell of a battering in the succeeding years. Allowing, as one must, for the iron constraints of US electoral imperatives, particularly those imposed by Christian Zionist/Evangelical dogma, that message is now back and centre stage.
I hope Trump gets the chance to have another go. And that the Beltway doesn’t screw him up again. Given the state the West has got itself into I think it matters.
………………..
As for President Biden, why is the American media using the same techniques to belittle Biden as they used on Trump? Your media’s nothing like as bad as ours – I call our UK journalists sewer rats and that’s their level on a good day – but your journalists now jump on every little slip Biden makes and exaggerate it out of all proportion.
“Elder abuse”, the Colonel used to call it, putting someone as frail as Biden up for the Presidency. But there have been world leaders as frail as that before, in the States too, and the machinery closed ranks and soldiered on. Not this time, seems.
He’s going to be the sin-eater, isn’t he. The last few years have been catastrophic for the West. The machinery hopes to load the odium of that on Biden’s shoulders and carry on as before. If Trump has anything to do with it that’s not a dodge the Beltway will get away with.
Biden’s biggest problem now is that if he loses to Trump, he will be blamed and that will be his legacy. If he bows out now, he will cap 50 years of being on top of the heap. He will just about need a 100% guarantee that he will win and I don’t think that is possible. I also think that bypassing Harris will backfire and given all the problems that Trump has, she would probably prevail. The good news is that the Democrats are debating. There is no debate among the Republicans and a lot of hubris has arisen among them. We still have a long way to go and much can happen and probably will.
Well said indeed. Probably correct on all points. Please see the short Thom Hartmann clip I posted a link to in response to John Minehan – not only was Vance abysmal and mercenary regarding the derailment / PVC disaster, he supported Trump on Jan 6 to the extremity of vowing that if he were VP in a similar situation that he would not certify the election, unlike former VP Mike Pence. They should find a way to put Harris on top of the ticket soon despite Joe Biden’s (understandable) intransigence.
As a first approximation, Harris would get at least as many votes as Biden would get (and might bring out some other voters).
I suspect more people would most likely stay home than a new candidate would bring in, if VP Harris were dropped absent more.
Here is the “X Factor” — Trump was a marginally better (but notably more effective) President than Biden, although part of that is because Biden had to deal with the inflationary impact of the Trump-Pelosi spending of the late Pandemic.
Is the notable increase in effectiveness with a marginal improvement in over all quality worth changing horses in the middle of a rougher stream (especially where the horse yo are thinking of changing to does not have a record under there conditions)?
Why is everyone worried about whatsome rich bastards are saying about president Biden? He is in excellent health and perfectly capable of fulfilling the duties of the office. His policies are so popular he’s been on top ever since he gained more votes than Barack, who taught him everything he needed to know to be an effective president. He was even smart enough to put Kamala in charge of the border.
The democratic primary voters have chosen Biden. For party leadership to betray their voters, and our president, now, is a betrayal of “Democracy”. If money is their first principle then whomever these people chose isn’t a defender of democracy, our republic, or anything other than their own power.
Biden 2025.
Professor Alan Lichtman has correctly predicted the result of every Presidential race since Reagan vs Mondale, which he called 2 years early in 1982. He says the Republicans today have zero principles while the Democrats are “spineless” for deserting their sitting Potus. But I can’t figure out who he predicted will win in November 2024.
Say what you want
Do what you will
Ever the runnner up
Pays the bill
Swing by the plate
Just licked clean
The apex predator
Has just been
Throw away the ticket
Avoid the queue
Fieldfare in the thicket
Makes a hearty stew
The Republicans are in a position to control all branches of the US federal government thanks to divine intervention and Project 2025’s firing of all Democrat political appointees and fellow-traveler civil servants (The Blob). Joe Biden’s many failures supersede the historic collapse by Anthony Eden in 1956 of the English Empire with this century’s Fall of Kabul, the closure of the Suez Canal to Western Shipping by the Houthi, and the imminent collapse of European industry without cheap Russian natural gas.
Donald John Trump is the peace candidate who will end the proxy WW3 between NATO and Russia in Central Europe. The current President ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ is such a loser. He’d continue to fight the world war forever in Ukraine and Gaza that cannot be won and spread it to Taiwan. No wonder that the former Speaker, President, and the Senate Majority Leader want him to resign due to dementia. It is the only chance for a future for the Democrats.
I have been reading a lot of pros and cons about this from a variety of Democrats and for me, since I am a year younger than Joe Biden, but in better shape, it comes down to age and ageing. There is no cure for it and you will continue to get older and with it, all that comes with it. That debate was a turning point and his response to it has been less that desirable. I also think that Trump is very much beatable. While Biden’s problem is age, Trump has the same and with obvious metal decline from something else. It will come down to extremism and whether that can be sold to enough people. I find it doubtful.
I really would like to hear about Kamala’s achievements while vice president, other than her stellar/sarc record as Border Czar.
We are going to hear a lot about Kamela now that Joe has quit the campaign. She did good both as a AG and a Senator, and now she has more experience than both Trump and Vance.
Biden endorsed Kamala. It doesn’t mean that she will actually be the candidate. Clinton has been rearing her ugly head. That makes two cackling bitches that no one wanted in the past. Kamala was particularly unpopular in the 2016 primary.
I would say that Trump – thank God – is 100% going to be back in the White House. However, I am sure that the Democrats and deep state partners have something up their collective sleeve; something horrendous, of at least covid proportions. Something that will permit massive vote cheating. Could be mail-in-ballots again, could be martial law. The deep state is not going to allow Trump to be President if they can help it. They will die on that hill.
Btw – now that I have read the Project 2025 outline, it looks really good. Looking forward to its implementation. It’s basically what Obama did, but instead of hordes of socialists, globalists and DEI morons, we get patriots and common sense people running things. A great new era for America is dawning, but we must be very vigilant these next several months.
Adios Joe. Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.
Eric Newhill,
The Clintons already endorsed Harris. And Old Joe has 6 months to do whatever he feels he needs to do.
Glad you like Project 2025. Trump’s doing everything he can to distance himself from it, although his own videos pretty much mirror the 2025 points.
TTG,
No way they are running with Harris. She was a dud in 2016 and she’s a dud today. Maybe something will happen to her that will cause Hillary to make the sacrifice to step up.
I do not trust the deep state/democrats in the least bit. They are up to something big. They are prepared to prevail or die on the hill they control today. They have to be. They dread the return of Trump and the loss of power that he will inflict on them; not to mention prison sentences. IMO, covid will look like child’s play compared to whatever the bastards are going to unleash on us.
Lars,
Agree. My prediction: 1) Kamala will whip Trump’s ass in the debate(s). 2) And we will see more of Trump’s dementia symptoms.
TonyL,
Trump already pulled out of the scheduled debate.
Biden dropped out & endorsed the VP.
Someone got Biden (and his family) to make a good call.
Trump can’t win (Man convicted of 34 felonies versus a very well regarded DA and former very experienced ADA in a debate? Tell me how that one goes!)
Harris has weaknesses: Biden picked her as VP too early in her Senate term, but she has worked well with the Senate in the course of her time Presiding over the Senate; Biden did not do much to bring her along as VP and a lot of what she was given was “no-win” (“Border Czar”).
However, she has real credibility talking about what a soup sandwich the Roe v. Wade repeal has been. She can speak to that issue as a woman and also as a former state AG and big city DA who would have had to deal with a poorly planned change in the law, that should have been anticipated . . . but wasn’t,
Pickett’s charge has failed!
Robert Willmann,
A very prescient post at just the right time.
Democracy! Means not giving a damn about what 14 million voters think. Kudos to the betrayers of voters. At least they now know just how much their opinions, and votes, meant to the elites of the Party.
The 14 million are tools. They will do as told. They trust the promises of the government to be their nanny state.
“Democracy” to the left = the current status quo combined with whatever CNN says
Nikki Haley predicted in January that the first party to get rid of their old candidate will win the election and I think she may very well be right. Since abortion will be a major issue, she as a woman will cause a lot of trouble for the Republicans. Biden even outfoxed Trump with waiting until he had picked Vance, who is an extremist on the issue, to announce his retirement. I had an exchange with an old friend of mine about when Joe would make the announcement and he suggested during the Republican convention, but I suggest to wait until Sunday. That way it would be reported widely and now this will dominate the news cycles until after the Democratic convention and take a lot of oxygen away from the Trump campaign. Trump not debating Harris will backfire on him and question both his competency and his manhood. The Democrats immediately raised an extraordinary amount to money within hours and mainly fr0m small donors, while Trump has to rely on billionaires who want something from him.
Joe-jitsu!
Lars,
Enjoy the fantasy while you can.
Polls are saying you are wrong. They have Trump winning by a larger amount against Harris than with Biden. That’s not likely to improve because everyone knows who Harris is and what she stands for. Same for Trump.
If anything, the more Harris talks the more voters will move to Trump. Harris was deemed obnoxious by democrats in 2016. Counting on TDS to prop up Harris is also a Furlone hope as there are fewer people with that disease this time around.