Yesterday, Joe Biden dropped out of the Presidential race and endorsed Kamala Harris.
My thoughts–in no particular order:
I love Joe Biden. He has been a transformational President– an incredibly consequential one. Much as I admired and supported Barack Obama, Biden–calling on a long career of public service, and political savvy deepened by experience–accomplished far more. His legacy will be both an important and a sterling one.
That said, he is old (younger than I am…but let’s not go there…) and his decline was becoming obvious. His continued campaigning allowed the MAGA cultists to focus public attention on that decline, rather than on the existential threat to America presented by Trump and his racist cult. They will now be deprived of that tactic.
One of the constant complaints I’ve heard about the Democratic campaign the past weeks has been that the party has failed to hammer home the multiple, significant accomplishments of the Biden administration. One consequence of yesterday’s announcement has been that it has introduced the ability of the pundits and Democratic officeholder to engage in a hagiography of sorts: people commenting on Biden’s decision have used his announcement that he is backing out as a cue to celebrate a Presidential term that has been truly transformational–and to remind the American public of the multiple accomplishments of that term.
That’s all to the good. But going forward–and assuming Kamala Harris will be the nominee–what I think we will see is, in a very real sense, a fascinating, contemporary replay of the Civil War. (Hopefully, with less bloodshed, although with MAGA, one never knows.)
Kamala Harris will pledge a continuation of Biden’s policies, and those policies are infinitely more popular than those of Project 2025, which–as someone has noted–poll like Ebola. But what MAGA will find intolerable is that Harris is female and Black, and–worse still–has a Jewish husband.
Let’s be honest: absolutely no one looks at Donald Trump, a self-engrossed ignoramus who knows nothing about government and cares about nothing but himself, and sees someone competent to occupy the Oval Office. What they see–and what the research amply confirms–is someone who gives them permission to hate out loud. MAGA is a racist cult. It is today’s Confederacy, today’s war on Black people. The only difference between the original Civil War and the one taking place today (aside from the lack of muskets and powder-horns or whatever the arms of the day looked like) is that brown people, gay people, Muslims, Jews–anyone who isn’t a fundamentalist White Christian–is now part of those “Others” that MAGA folks insist cannot be “real Americans.”
The replay of the Civil War will be a nod to the past. But Kamala Harris has been a prosecutor, and what will be a far more contemporary facet of the upcoming campaign will be the face-off between a Prosecutor and a convicted felon.
Prosecutors are charged with upholding and applying the rule of law. Those of us who are lawyers of any kind have been appalled by a series of rogue decisions by a Supreme Court dominated by justices appointed by Trump. That Court has discarded any pretense of following precedent, and for lawyers serving in government jobs–prosecutors and public defenders, counselors to government officials–the destructive effects of Trump’s judges on the legal system have been incredibly painful. The prospect of electing a convicted felon to the highest position in American government is unthinkable to anyone who understands the importance of equal justice under the law. As a former longtime prosecutor, Harris is in a position to emphasize just how unthinkable that prospect ought to be.
So–here we are. Democrats now will have a youthful, dynamic and highly intelligent candidate, versed in the law, who will represent a successful administration that has passed important and popular domestic legislation and internationally has secured worldwide respect. The Republican cult will remain in thrall to an elderly candidate who is an increasingly incoherent convicted felon who consistently reinforces his lack of both civility and sanity, and whose potential victory terrifies leaders of the world’s democracies.
Joe Biden may have saved America. He deserves our gratitude and undying respect.
Now we can get on with the campaign. Here we go.
As much as I knew Biden was a long shot, I have no confidence in Americans to elect a woman, let alone a woman of color, let alone a strong woman of color. The election of Trump showed me that; his continued cult following not only despite his crimes but because of them, confirms it. Too many are like him…or not enough will step up and DO something to stop him (and I’m looking directly at the never-Hillary Bernie Bros right now also)
As much as I am relieved that the crisis over Biden has been resolved, I am enthusiastic over the prospect of a big Democrat win in November. So today I will be putting the flag back up and making a couple of donations to our Indiana candidates.
It’s all OK. I think that she will do a great job as president.
It’s time to put a woman in charge, and I don’t care what color she is.
“Joe Biden may have saved America. He deserves our gratitude and undying respect.”
Let us never forget that President Joe Biden, with his old age frailties and his speech gaffs due to a life-long disability, has brought this nation back from the edge of the Trump abyss. And now to this level of instantaneous support of HIS choice for his Vice President. Where it will go from here, we can only wait and see. I am now suspect of the Democratic party due to what they did and how they did it to oust President Biden; having spent the past few years believing in their support. I have filled out too many surveys and polls to count and donated hundreds of dollars to support them and their support of President Joe Biden.
I will vote for whoever is the Democratic nominee in November as it is the only action I can take against Donald Trump. My survey and poll responses and my donations have ended with my broken faith in the Democratic party. Vice President/Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris needs to watch her back in this early support; it can end for her just as it did for President Joe Biden.
How will history view these past eight years? As I stated to a new friend yesterday after the announcement; all we can do now is hope, pray and vote.
We have arrived at an All Hands on Deck Moment. Hillary Rodman Clinton carried much baggage into the 2020 Election. She won the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes. Something like a Harris/Shapiro ticket will resonate well with the few undecided voters in those seven states that will determine the winner. We have a responsibility to our country to stop the Fascist.
Trump is now the oldest person ever to run for president!
Professor-your timing is perfect. Last Friday, you shared the great work of Women4Change, and today, we are the recipients of a talented woman who will change our country. Onward and upward.
We still have an old man, who falls asleep in public, scrambles his words, and confuses names, running for office. All of that past vitriol isn’t going to play well for Trump.
I always figured I was voting for the ticket Biden/Harris and Harris is a really solid part of that ticket. I hope Harris can carry forward one half of the foreign policy that Biden has mapped out. That policy was the product of an experienced elder statesman.
Kamala Harris, she’s not only of African descent, she’s also Asian Indian! Her husband is Jewish, and, maybe her running mate should be Hispanic? The only thing not covered is native American and American Caucasian! And truthfully, Kamala Harris sounds like a Caucasian (honk honk) Lol, when she talks through her nose! (S) So there you go.
Her sister Maya was born in Illinois, and is a public policy advocate along with being a lawyer. These are two smart women. Hopefully she’ll have a place in an administration.
Interestingly, I also believe that Kamala and Maya are not religious. So that is going to be an issue for religious leaders in this country. All of this God and country and patriotic nonsense, it’s going to be put on notice. I think the religious leaders are going to see the handwriting on the wall and be a bit fearful of a president Harris. She is not a religious person, neither is her sister. And, I don’t believe kamala’s husband is very religious either. That’s going to put a crimp in the maga boxer shorts lol.
AOC would be real interesting selection besides being Hispanic, she doesn’t back down. And I think this religion issue in government would be reined in. That would be interesting to see. It was funny when we heard about this hole situation heading down to Central Illinois. My wife laughed and said this happened just like I had said almost 4 years ago.
I can’t wait for a debate between Kamala and the Donald. He won’t be grabbing anybody by the vagina, unless he wants to lose a hand. 😲😏🤣
There are many Democrats who could have replaced Biden but Kamala is a great choice among them. She resets the entire competition of the race and is committed to carrying on Biden’s legacy. Democrat unity in support of her as a great choice versus a bad choice, Trump, is, hopefully, all we will talk and hear about now.
This is going to be—for the first time in a
while—fun to watch the next 100+ days unfold. I stand next with Harris.
Wow! Great column, and comments! To echo a couple of them: a woman, Hillary Clinton (you remember her, right! the one who was stalked at the debate by you-know-who) who beat trump by nearly 3 million votes but lost out to the archaic, stupid electoral college. So yes, we can elect a woman. And a woman who, if confronted by a stalking trump, would eviscerate him (grab him by the, I mean, kick him in the you-know-what, perhaps?).
I always thought of Kamela as a competent, strong, smart, energetic person who could get just about any job done, but was also frankly concerned about her gravitas in those lofty positions (VP, POTUS). Having watched her over the past couple of months, however, I now believe she has the potential chops in all departments to fill the most important role in the world, if that is how it plays out. I hope I’m right.
I was hoping that the Dems would retire the circular firing squad and get it together. I seriously doubt that either Biden or tRump could pass a mental acuity test. Biden would be closer.
Joe Biden has been underestimated for fifty years. One of the amazing things about his withdrawal from the race is the sudden realization that he’s been a great President. Once again, he’s putting country over personal interests. He might just be the most admirable, ever. He has truly upheld his oath of office.
Now Dems should unite behind Harris. Go to the convention and tell us what you want to do. Joe Manchin should be invited to butt out, as he left the party a while back.
Watch for Republicans to attack all that is good and decent about Biden AND Harris. Why? Because they share NONE of the traits of goodness and decency. This cult is predicated on hate and stupidity. If the voters can’t see that and choose, instead a convicted felon and all his acolytes (Imagine Steve Bannon as Attorney General and Stephen Miller as Secretary of Education), we deserve to go down the same drain of mass psychosis as Nazi Germany.
Harris will do very well as President. She has NEVER not succeeded at any level. Biden’s term will go down in history as the one that saved America from itself.
My son informs me that the “prosecutor running against a felon” message (assuming Harris does become the Democratic nominee) carries some baggage. Not everyone responds well to it, specifically those who remember the high percentages of young black men imprisoned in California during her tenure and the more left-leaning in general. He predicts that will be used against her intra-party and during the election to encourage third party voting and not voting, which will be very damaging. Add that to the inevitable misogyny and other -isms negative reactions a woman of color candidate will trigger, and the party has a big challenge on Election Day. I support her because I’m sane and reasonable and believe people get better and smarter over time. And I think she actually is more electable than poor Hillary was. Let’s avoid the message “vote for her because it’s her time.” That did not play well with the my sons of the world, for generational far more than policy reasons.
D P Wright got the wrong year with Clinton. She ran in 2016 against Trump, not 2020. Time flies when you’re having fun.
To correct Sheila, the MAGA folks love Israel and the Jews. Just recently, Speaker Mike Johnson said he would arrest Dems who act out during Bibi’s presentation to the House. Millions of donations from AIPAC will buy you a lot of support. While MAGA supports Israel, there is a split in the right wing who despise Israel for their genocide in Palestine.
Joe’s lifelong legacy will be his complicity in the genocide of the Palestinians – the mass murder of innocent babies and women. Not to mention hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians sacrificed for a senseless proxy war against Russia. So far, there are only a few voices writing about Joe’s administration and the media’s complicity in covering up just how bad Joe’s dementia was. He was much further along than was shared; it didn’t just happen in June! I’ve read a couple of excellent articles about that recently. I expect much more.
Also, don’t assume Harris will be the candidate. That takes place during the convention in August. She was tasked with handling the border issues and botched it completely. Many of her speeches sound like drunkalogues. She may be great as a lawyer in a courtroom, but those skills have yet to transfer well as a vice president. She must do better on the campaign trail if her path is a presidential candidate.
“It is time for us to do what we have been doing, and that time is every day.” ~ Kamala Harris
Peggy; thank you for your inspiring comments about our President, and he IS still our president. The Democrats who worked to demean him and force him to gracefully bow out of the election are the same ones I have been dealing with for the past eight years whose E-mails claim my Democratic membership has lapsed because I did not donate via ActBlue or Pay Pal. The Democratic organizations and candidates I sent checks to recognized my membership and the number assigned to me by them…evidently there are two Democratic parties.
Connie; who among us does not have “baggage” we carry with us throughout our lives. Trump is dragging his decades of steamer trunks along behind him like incomplete abortions.
In less than 23 hours tRump and his campaign have gone from believing they locked in an easy victory to realizing that there is a very real possibility they will lose the election.
A presidential debate between tRump and Harris will be devastating for the Magas. He may refuse to debate her because he and his team know she would not allow him to run over her like a locomotive train.
Biden’s choice to end his campaign has given millions of us hope that our future will not be destroyed by fascism.
Connie – thanks for bringing some reality into the celebration here today.
As HCR stated yesterday Biden’s masterful timing to step down now has thrown a giant monkey wrench into the trump campaign. Maga has made age and speech problems a huge issue that trump alone now has to own. Also, with JD Vance locked in the Veep slot, solidifies Magas “war on women” stance. Vance is a recent Catholic convert who denounces all abortions and would advance other sexist policy.
Kamala being an intelligent, accomplished woman with prosecutorial skills seems the perfect presidential candidate at this time. Let’s give her Potus power to help ensure restoration and protection of US rule of law.
I agree with Andrew Gawthorpe this morning: …”I would like to see Harris do some of the following things:
Talk about how America is a land of opportunity to which her immigrant parents were fortunate to come, but also how she gets frustrated when people don’t follow the rules and come into the country legally;
Play up her history as a prosecutor and strong belief in law and order, pointing out how high crime was under Trump and how she believes it’s a top priority to bring it down further, which she knows how to do;
Lay out policies to deal with “deaths of despair”, the opioid epidemic, and the revival of (white) rural communities – stressing how Trump just talks about these things but Biden-Harris actually acted on them;
Strongly signal that she will continue Biden’s trade policies, make no new trade deals, and ramp up the economic containment of China;
Say that she wishes abortion to be “safe, legal, and rare”;
Manufacture some other fights with the Democratic Party’s left.”
The piranha press was unrelenting in magnifying Biden’s aging and systematically ignoring his accomplishments. The opposite with Trump: They ignore his incoherence and lying and magnify his following far beyond their real numbers. As I see it, so-called liberal media is a major danger to democracy now with their bias toward drawing viewership whatever the cost.
Hmm – will be interesting. I wish there was an open convention with potential nominees making their case, including Harris. Personally I will vote democrat whoever – but I cannot get excited about Harris and I sincerely hope she makes a good VP pick. So far she hasn’t been particularly impressive. I”ll just say it – I am not hopeful and wish Biden had not endorsed anyone.
Great Column Sheila! Thank You Again!
As You, I also live President Joe, and am so pleased he served us/US, and glad he is retiring (I also was born in the same year as Joe and have many of the same personal conflicts about ageing).
I love:
“MAGA =. Hate Out Loud!”
Would make a Great (and True) Bumper Sticker, or Rally Sign.
The MAGAs must be laughing and toasting. Most of the claps coming from the DEMs are all about Harris as a woman, Asian-American, Black….”identity politics” nearly killed the DEMs in the last few years. And, “they” they get a bonus – in 2020 Harris endorsed and ran hard on “Medicare for All”.
Watch what you ask for …messaging and “weaponized” policies are DEM killers…
If you’re going to vote for someone that was a failed border czar, a token female, open borders and massively increased crime in democrat cities, don’t complain when America looks like the country that these illegals are running from.
On point as usual. IMO the “increasingly incoherent “aspect of Trump deserves co-equal if not superior attention by the opposition to the convicted felon description. Per the cogent publicly stated analyses of certain mental health professionals, Trump is well into irreversible and untreatable Dementia. I heartily recommend Googling David Pakman’s interview of Dr. John Gartner. This message must be delivered loud & clear to the American People side by side with the Project 2025 disclosures.
I don’t know which is worse, reading all of the negative comments on this blog or listening to the MSM blather on about whatever will bring in the biggest bucks.
Voting for anyone other than Harris means you will be held complicit with the consequences to all of us, women and men alike.
If you are looking for a perfect candidate, you will never vote. If you find one, s/he is likely lying to you to get your money and vote.
Joe Biden has been a very good president – the right person at the right time.
The press feeding frenzy was unseemly after the debate – and unfair, without question: Not that questions shouldn’t have been asked about Biden’s performance but because we had two candidates who couldn’t track a coherent thought at times – but Biden was the only one getting attention. Not to mention that one of the candidates was unfit for any office even when he wasn’t having obvious cognitive issues.
One of my friends said he was angry after the debate – that he felt he had been seriously misled about the extent of Biden’s cognitive issues until seeing the debate. I suspect he’s not the only one. Biden hid it – and people covered for him – until they just couldn’t anymore. I suspect that it’s still probably much worse than what we know.
For for the sake of Biden’s dignity, I wish the entire thing hadn’t happened publicly. But it absolutely had to happen. We have too much of a pattern of leaders not getting off the stage until they have to be carried off: RGB, Dianne Feinstein, Mitch McConnel, come to mind. It seems to be a thing.
Several supporters, myself included, question Biden’s fitness to finish this term. Let’s be honest, there’s simply no possible way he could complete even half of another four year term – it’s just not reasonable. What would be the game plan if he remained a candidate – Win in November and resign shortly after inauguration?
For those calling for an open convention, it’s far, far too late – and Biden is responsible for that. It’s magical thinking to believe anyone but Harris could pull this off. People who think this way have no idea what goes into a modern presidential campaign.
There will be another opportunity to do that in the future, but this is not the time. I think that Harris is a good candidate, she was also Biden’s choice in the first place.
We can have hope and be very enthusiastic about our candidate again.
“Democrats now will have a youthful, dynamic and highly intelligent candidate, versed in the law, who will represent a successful administration that has passed important and popular domestic legislation and internationally has secured worldwide respect.”
I believe Kamala will have no qualms about shouting the Biden administration’s accomplishments from roof- and mountain tops, thus giving the lie to all the MAGA claims about all of Biden’s “failed policies” and the “destruction” of the country. They, of course, will never be convinced, but those potential voters who now are on the edge could very well be convinced to join our fight for democracy.
Kurt, I love your post about Biden’s severe cognitive decline, except for your illogical conclusion later: “I think that Harris is a good candidate, she was also Biden’s choice in the first place.”
Biden is in serious cognitive decline and will probably be pissed when he realizes that he quit his campaign. #GenocideJoe has the nuclear codes with a feeble mind. I don’t care what his recommendations are to US citizens. He should be removed from office ASAP.
Our country does owe Joe Biden a debt of thanks. He will go down in history as one our better presidents. Although I am disappointed he decided to step aside. I respect his decision. I will support President Biden’s endorsement VP Harris. Some may be worried about the prospect of a woman president. I’m not worried. President Biden picked her because he said he knew she was qualified to become president. His word is good enough for me. America seems to have a phobia of electing a woman president. Perhaps now it the right time to break that glass ceiling. Maybe the right man to defeat Trump is indeed a woman. { Maybe 2 women if Kamala picks a woman VP.}
A few assorted thoughts –
My niece is a clinical psychologist. She routinely gets together with colleagues, some of whom specialize in geriatrics. Their take on Biden: clear signs of real aging over recent time, but not dementia. I didn’t ask if they talked about Trump.
Kamala – she was the only choice. She is Vice President was voted for a second term by the majority of delegates to the Democratic convention. If, heaven forbid Biden had died now, after being nominated, after being reelected, or after being sworn in for a second term, she would be the one to take the reins. Anyone else would cause a huge rift in the Democratic Party. State delegations are lining up to support her, enthusiastically.
Biden – I strongly suspect that he was convinced by data that this was the right thing to do. I dislike the spiral of officials speaking publicly and news coverage fixation, but I think the enthusiasm gap (too many did not want a 2020 do-over) convinced him.
Kamala again – yes, she is Black, South Asian, and a women (with a Jewish husband). It will hurt, but most of the most bigoted people are already MAGA. Obama was elected (even winning Indiana in 2008). Hillary ran a terrible campaign, but was truly done in by Comey. Otherwise she would have won.
Money – It is not everything, but this amount over the short time span speaks of something else – enthusiasm. That is what counts.
Youth vote – People act like it is all or none. This is foolishness. Increasing the youth vote even a little bit can be the margin of victory.
Identity politics – never cared for it. It probably cost my brother a nomination for University of Michigan Board of Reagents decades ago. Until they elect a short, overweight, balding, myopic Jewish guy (besides New York congressional reps), I won’t feel included. I just care about the candidate, but then again, I was raised by a post-post-post-post atheist (I suppose feminist) woman. Kamala is completely qualified. She will be a great candidate (no candidate is perfect), and a good to great President.
One lost fact in the praise of Joe Biden. Joe spoke, and the walls preventing same-sex marriage came tumbling down. It would have happened eventually, but Joe opened his mouth and the cascade began. Unless the nameless one wins, we won’t be going back.
Rocky, you have it wrong. Crime, including violent crime, is way down in those Democratically led cities. She also wasn’t the border czar, she was asked to get to work with our South and Central American friends to try to get to the cause of our border issues. BTW, when a bill to address the border was negotiated in the Senate, tfg called Mike Johnson and told him to kill the bill. Why? He wanted to use the issue against Biden.
I expressed my concern about House Speaker Johnson’s comment about taking legal action. Though it might seem absurd that any argument would “fly,” we have a corrupt Court. My suggested remedy probably seems off the wall.
http://civildiscoursenow.com/profiles/blogs/we-should-not-leave-an-opening-for-scotus-to-name-a-dictator
Biden’s character and intellect are in fine shape. Commentary about his arthritic body language and verbal flubs (flubs he’s exhibited throughout his life) are about style over substance. Enough already. He’s been a fantastic president – one of the very best in history. His actions speak much louder than his or Trump’s or anyone else’s words.
He deserves tremendous credit and gratitude for the difference he’s made in American lives, not the least of which is that he has narrowed the gap between rich and poor. His infrastructure legislation is re-building America and providing jobs for high-skilled workers at union-level wages. He’s cut inflation by 2/3 WITHOUT a recession and huge joblessness – a first in our history. Unemployment is at a 60-year low. For the first time in history, he has defeated Big Pharma with passage of negotiated discounts for Medicare prescriptions with more to come. One of those is a life and death prescription for insulin. Retirees’ bills for insulin have been cut from $1000 a month to $35. What a difference for those so dependent on Social Security and Medicare. When Lilly’s decided to lower insulin costs for everyone, a relative with diabetes since 2nd grade heaved a sigh of relief. His two working parents have struggled throughout his young life to pay those costs. Now they are much more able to afford his college loans, but Biden is determined to lower those costs too so that one does not end up paying 3-4 times the cost of the loan until they near retirement.
A word to Christian nationalists – this is what a real Christian President has done to make average Americans more affluent again. Thank you Mr. President.
Making a difference for average people is what Joe Biden has been all about.
Nancy Papas: Spot On! I completely agree with your list of accomplishments that the current administration has been able to achieve. If only we has a filibuster proof congress. Just think of the things we could do.
I Read up on Project 2025 and listened to Heather Cox Richardson’s guest appearance on the Red Wine & Blue podcast. I found a women’s group locally. We are energized!
America is the only western country in the world that’s never had a woman at the top. We need to grow up and elect one finally. Harris was not who I would have picked but like Biden, I will vote D and hope for more amazing progress in this world. Biden delivered more than I ever expected and 45 took away so much more that we must stop him. Lock him up.
Trilled, I am, I tell you!
Jb did tfg one better, whether the timing was purposeful, or not…he sucked all the oxygen out of the air, after the RNC’s VP pick was the news!
reality, we don’t vote for a candidate. we vote for election college reps. Harris was on the ballot alongside JB- screw Johnson, he just thinks he can hold up any VP pick for Harris so he gets the job. He’s gone over the cliff. JB will continue to do his job. Freeing Harris to campaign, as it should be. Now, my fantasy wish is for JB to take all that gd immunity out for a spin around the block. Fantasy wish number 1- collect the insurrectionists in the house and send them to Gitmo. fantasy number 2- new law that means no state can receive more federal dollars than what their residents send to the federal govt. stop supporting failing states.