President Joe Biden officially turned the page Wednesday to the general election, looking ahead to a race against former President Donald Trump that will test his ability to reenergize key corners of his winning coalition in a race his team views as nothing less than a fight for democracy itself.
I notice the talking points have shifted around to “the Democrats all wanted it to be someone else” in the last couple of days. It’s the kind of fact-free criticism that can worm its way into people’s minds and is tough to counteract.
“Someone else” sure. But not anyone on the ballot. For me they’d need to be both more progressive AND have a shit’s chance of beating Trump. Bernie maybe but he’s not going to pull centrist votes nor will he dodge the age question. Biden is, unfortunately, our best shot at retaining democracy for another 4 years.
A shitload of democrats and just about all independents to the left of the DNC (which is millions if not tens of millions of potential voters) DID want someone else and still do, though.
Especially since he’s stubbornly refusing to depart from his unconditional support for the Israeli apartheid regime even as more and more voters do.
Disclaimer: I’m not saying that he’s not a MUCH lesser evil than Trump or that anyone who can shouldn’t vote for him.
That doesn’t mean that he’s above criticism or universally popular amongst everyone to the left of the fascist GOP. Which are supposed to be the people he’s representing.
If it were most Democrats, someone might have beat Biden in the primaries
No way to know for sure since the primaries are controlled by the party leadership, all of whom are firmly pro-Biden and some of whom have been known to rig the contests in favor of their preferred candidates before.
I’m getting old. Biden is the farthest left president of my lifetime
No. Even Obama was further left and he was very much a Clintonite too.
Some of Congress and some on Biden’s cabinet (most of which were appointed on the advice of others) are further left, but Biden himself is just barely to the left of Joe Manchin.
there’s no major candidate running to his left this year.
Because they’re literally not allowed to by the DNC leadership.
I notice the talking points have shifted around to “the Democrats all wanted it to be someone else” in the last couple of days. It’s the kind of fact-free criticism that can worm its way into people’s minds and is tough to counteract.
“Someone else” sure. But not anyone on the ballot. For me they’d need to be both more progressive AND have a shit’s chance of beating Trump. Bernie maybe but he’s not going to pull centrist votes nor will he dodge the age question. Biden is, unfortunately, our best shot at retaining democracy for another 4 years.
Bernie could have done it in 2016 and in 2020, but not this round. Biden did actually win the big party, so you stick with the horse that runs.
Bernie couldn’t even win the Democratic primary, how was he gonna win the general?
Bernie was running away with it both times, before ratfuckery ensued. You can live in denial of it, but whatever, it happened.
A shitload of democrats and just about all independents to the left of the DNC (which is millions if not tens of millions of potential voters) DID want someone else and still do, though.
Especially since he’s stubbornly refusing to depart from his unconditional support for the Israeli apartheid regime even as more and more voters do.
Disclaimer: I’m not saying that he’s not a MUCH lesser evil than Trump or that anyone who can shouldn’t vote for him.
That doesn’t mean that he’s above criticism or universally popular amongst everyone to the left of the fascist GOP. Which are supposed to be the people he’s representing.
That’s always true in every election, and should be. If it were most Democrats, someone might have beat Biden in the primaries, but they won’t.
I’m getting old. Biden is the farthest left president of my lifetime and there’s no major candidate running to his left this year.
No way to know for sure since the primaries are controlled by the party leadership, all of whom are firmly pro-Biden and some of whom have been known to rig the contests in favor of their preferred candidates before.
No. Even Obama was further left and he was very much a Clintonite too.
Some of Congress and some on Biden’s cabinet (most of which were appointed on the advice of others) are further left, but Biden himself is just barely to the left of Joe Manchin.
Because they’re literally not allowed to by the DNC leadership.