22 Jul Biden Finally Out
For years (literally), I have been trying to convince anyone who will listen that the Democrats should not nominate Joe Biden – and, for that matter, that the Republicans should not nominate Donald Trump. As you will be reminded below, I thought the country would be better off with a leader besides either.
Finally, Biden Out
Some 26 months ago, on May 23, 2022, I wrote what was at the time my best-read post ever, “Joe Biden’s Final Two Years.” My message was blunt:
“It is over, Joe. Please give up any hope right now of running for reelection in 2024. Your popularity, effectiveness, and persuasiveness are zilch, and they are not coming back anytime soon. . . . In these bleak circumstances, even you running for reelection would be bad for America. With the name Biden on the ballot, voters will be forced to rehash the political horrors of recent years. . . . We tell it to you straight like this, President Biden, because we see you as a reasonable person who wants what is best for America. You have served the country now for five decades. Well done, good and faithful servant. But all things must come to an end. It is time. . . . Do it for America, Joe.”
I went on to explain my reasoning fully. He didn’t listen.
Nevertheless, on November 15, 2022, I made my first published forecast that President Biden eventually would come to his senses: “You may be asking, ‘What about the incumbent, Joe Biden?’ We expect him to bow out sometime in 2023, citing health reasons.”
I doubled down in my annual prediction edition on January 2, 2023:
“Donald Trump will pull out of the 2024 presidential race, and Joe Biden also will end up not running. Each is the only person the other has any chance of beating, and both parties will wise up and realize that. When Messrs. Trump and Biden see they are not wanted, they will take themselves out of the race to avoid embarrassment.”
On June 6, 2023, my post “Too Old to Be President?” restated what I thought obvious, and what turned out to be prophetic:
“If Joe Biden already is prone to mistakes, do you honestly want to see him struggle from ages 82 to 86 as he increasingly bumbles facts, makes worsening mental and physical slip ups, gets confused more so than he does now, progressively (pun intended) mismanages the country’s budget, and becomes ever more caustic toward opponents?”
On August 1, 2023, in a controversial post calling both Trump and Biden “lame ducks,” I quipped: “Joe Biden, long daffy in his own way, has been defeathered, as well. They [Biden and Trump] should waddle away – or fly – while they still can.”
Big on animal analogies, I added on October 2, 2023, that “[b]efore they get any further into the stream, the Democrats should stop riding Joe Biden and the Republicans should stop beating the other dead horse that is Donald Trump.”
The candidates and their parties continued to ignore me. In fact, Minnesotan Dean Phillips and I seemed to be the only ones who got it. On October 29, 2023, in a post about Rep. Phillips, who had declared that he would run against President Biden, I said:
“It took a great deal of courage for Dean Phillips to challenge his party’s sitting president. . . . Integrity also is shown by his publicly pointing out the truth that Joe Biden is old, not popular, and could lose to Donald Trump.”
Next, in “One Year Before the Election, Is it Over?” (Nov. 7, 2023), I optimistically listed several reasons we still might not see an ugly rematch, including:
- “Either frontrunner withdraws because he is ‘shamed out.’ This scenario could occur when poll numbers drop even further, and the candidate realizes he is not loved even by voters in his own party.
- Party leaders and donors demand change. . . . They might do this if they think their current frontrunner is doomed to lose, based on polls, especially polls showing that independents do not like their party’s current frontrunner.”
In my 2024 prediction post, I wrote: “[Joe Biden or Donald Trump] each is about the only opponent the other has any chance of beating, and we still think both parties will wise up and realize that.”
At long last, during the late-June presidential debate, people suddenly started to catch on. It was sad and almost unwatchable, so I wrote, on July 1, 2024:
“Joe Biden eliminated himself from the competition during last Thursday night’s debate. That was the consensus of the commentators following the event, and I don’t disagree. . . .
Yes, Donald Trump will win the election, unless: (1) Joe Biden bows out soon, (2) Trump himself becomes unable to run for any reason, or (3) Biden’s name is changed to Lazarus and his friend Jesus reappears before he starts to stink (see John 11:38-44).”
Still waiting on Jesus, but at least the first unless came to pass on Sunday.
Out Finally, Biden
Thank you, Joe, for dropping out. One down, one to go.
Written by Quentin R. Wittrock, founder of Principle Based Politics.
Look for his posts each week, as this blog will explore and promote the idea of principle in politics, both as to individual elected leaders and our federal government as an institution.
Principle Based Politics does not endorse or support any particular political candidate or party.
Gary Russell
Posted at 20:58h, 22 JulyQuentin – you nailed it. Took much longer than it should have, but I imagine that “courage” and “confidence” go hand in hand with “stubbornness”.
I expect the Democrats to rally hard behind Harris. My sense is that the poll gap will narrow and it will again come down to a handful of people who are still waiting on “something” to guide their vote. Can’t imagine what that will be at this point, but at least it won’t be about age. The Democrats gained more than they lost with the switch.
As I talk (and mostly listen) to friends/family on both sides of this debate, as well as read up on history, one message comes through loudly: This is no longer a Left/Right discussion. Like most of your readers have pointed out, it’s about “radical change” vs. “establishment”. This is why MAGA has picked up so many Bernie Sanders supporters. It’s a different type of fight and I watch it now through that lens.
Yesterday I saw someone wearing a “Keep America Great” hat. It was blue…and pretty much summed up everything.
Doug
Posted at 21:00h, 22 JulyPerfect opportunity for Gary Owens from ‘Laugh In’ to cup his ear then announce in a deep voice – And now back to reality which is already in progress.