It’s official! 2024 has just passed 1968 as the most fucked exciting election in American history.
In 1968, President Lyndon Baines Johnson bowed out in March, leaving lots of time for Democrats to pick another candidate.
They chose the vice president, Hubert H. Humphrey.
And they lost.
No, I am not saying that means they are doomed to failure if they choose Vice President Kamala Harris as their nominee. More of that in a minute.
The ‘68 convention was a ratfest, within and without. The without were anti-war protesters that created chaos on the streets.
In 2024, the “without” protesters will be the pro-Hamas brigade, and we know what they are like.
Now, I know we are tempted to believe that the unnamed “elites” (Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama, Jamie Raskin, Adam Schiff, Chuck Schumer) took the car keys from Grandpa, but nobody believes that — except Joe and Jill Biden.
The President reportedly believes he was stabbed in the back, so now he knows how Bernie Sanders felt in 2016. Joe now joins the short list of Presidential Losers — modern presidents who got just one term: Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush. (Harry S Truman finished three years of FDR’s term before being elected to four of his own.)
Politics is a mean, win-at-all-costs business.
Biden’s choice to replace him was Kamala.
Problem: She is less popular than Joe.
Possibility: She beat Donald J. Trump by two points in a recent poll, and there is no truth to the rumor that the poll was commissioned by Doug Emhoff.
Things are changing very fast as I write this, but I think the Phillies can pull it out.
Wait! That’s the other show I am watching.
Things I write now can be obsolete by 10 p.m.
My thoughts are a waterfall.
Would the Democrats dare to try to kick Kamala to the curb, when their most loyal cohort is Black women?
I doubt it.
When did Kamala know that Biden would drop out?
When did Joe know? As late as Saturday night his staffers were saying he was staying in. Does he know now?
A possible convention fight could have been avoided had Biden resigned from the presidency. That would have made Kamala president. (It also would have ruined all the Trump 47 merch.)
If filling out Joe’s term, she would not need to name a vice president, but if she did, he (she would not dare name a woman VP), would need approval by a majority of the House and Senate.
Josh Shapiro for VP? He’s popular, and Dems need Pennsylvania, but a Jew running with a Black. Might be a shade too historic.
Republicans control the House and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson could stop any of her nominees. If she could not get a nominee approved, the next in the line of succession would be . . . Mike Johnson.
Trump calls Kamala “stupid.” Let’s see if he keeps that up if she pardons him. Don’t have a stroke, progressives. Just spit balling here.
Speaking of pardon, Biden is now free to pardon Hunter, even though he said he wouldn’t. If he did it before Election Day, it would probably hurt Democrats. Would he? Payback is a bitch.
If Kamala gets the nomination and loses, would that kind of kill women nominees for a few cycles? I mean if both Hillary and Kamala could not break the glass ceiling, maybe it is shatterproof?
Right now, it’s still Trump’s to lose.
Your mind, like mine, is racing with possibilities that we can’t know yet. What we have learned is that the decision by Biden was made late last night or early this morning, with appropriate calls to Harris, Jeff Zients and a few others. I like to contrast this as a practical man making a tough, gut wrenching call for the good of the country with that of a narcissistic zealot trying to cling to power at all costs. Kind of a nice juxtaposition.
Agree and if people think there is a problem with Biden’s Israel policy, Shapiro’s is a lockstep disaster. Not to mention his failures: taxpayers paying for cabinet sex scandal, loose ethics policy, inability to get timely budgets done. not at all ready for prime time. As Obama goaded Trump to run against his poor record, he delivered him the presidency. He and shameless David Alexelrod have done it again! Obama’s focus has been on Hollywood and the dysfunctional Martha’s Vineyarders. Not black voters who don’t remotely relate to him
This must’ve been Plan B, to drop Xiden. Plan A was to drop Trump. They almost did. Democrat Party is so, so overtly, blatantly corrupt, and damn proud of it! It sickens me.
You mean like how Trump has forced out every Republican official that does not support him, forced Republicans to vote against a bipartisan immigration bill, and has been using political donations to pay for his legal fees.
No, I believe the subject was the corrupt Democratic Party. Seat on topic, Judah.
I believe the issue here is, judge not less yea be judged.
Practice what you preach. Hint: I believe an issue may very possibly be your own mental health.
Just yesterday Stu and many of his followers were ready to vote for Biden. How smart were they when everyone knew he was a brain dead idiot. Now like the haters and dumb sheep they are they will vote for the next democratic puppet.
For the past few weeks you have been complaining that Biden was in poor health, senile, and was being propped up by his staff and family and should drop out of the race. Now that he has ended his Presidential campaign your now afraid that someone who is close to 20 years younger than an 87 year old Trump an has more experience than him will beat Trump.
I’ve been complaining since idiots like you elected him. When are you going to realize that the far left led Democratic party is hurting the country.
Here is what I view as the Dems’ remaining indecision. A Party can choose to default to protocol or go all in to win. Not judging which path it should choose but the 2 paths do not always align. Historically, the GOP has often gone with the “next in line” candidate even if there were more attractive options with perhaps a better chance to win (EX: Bob Dole in 1996). The Dems had their own such choice in 2000 when Gore was the natural next as the sitting VP, but I doubt many think there weren’t better candidates for the purposes of winning.
What we have now is that the traditional protocol choice was Biden as the sitting Pres who already defeated Trump. OK, so they decided winning is more important this time – no problem. So why go with Kamala who is even worse for the purposes of winning? Oh, b/c she is the sitting VP and they owed her that respect? But wait, I thought we abandoned all that and decided to go for the win! The Dems are trying to have it both ways which is a recipe for disaster. You could really wind up losing an election as well as your dignity. If they kept Biden and lost, there is at least the “hey they danced with the one that brung’ya” respect. Or if as Stu suggested, Biden resigned altogether in which case KH is the sitting Pres. and you go with her as your default protocol, there is a saving grace.
Why go with Vice President Harris?
7 years California Attorney General
5 years U.S. Senator
4 years Vice President of the United States
No lawsuits, criminal convictions, fraudulent financial activities, and has not tried to overthrow the government.
People like yo u kept claiming that Biden was to old, senile, unhealthy, and was being propped up by his staff and family. You got your wish. She is almost 20 years younger than Trump and has more experience than he ever has.
87 Yo Trump? Just because she is 20 years younger, does not by any means give her any room to remotely pull this off. What does she have to bring to the table? Experience? No, Being a VP is like a pilot sitting in coach handing out drinks. She needs to convince A LOT of people, or go down with a sinking ship. Lets face it ,time is not on her side, no matter how much money comes in.
Vice President Harris has;
7 years California Attorney General
5 years U.S. Senator
4 years Vice President of the United States
No lawsuits, criminal convictions, fraudulent financial activities, and has not tried to overthrow the government. People like you complained about Biden’s health and age, well you got what you wished for. Trump is only three years younger than Biden and the statements from his doctors read like Trump wrote them.
I didn’t complain about anything, except that Biden wasn’t fit to be President, and that was before he was elected. My Dog’s Veterinarian,has a list longer than that and a lot more to show for it, as far as I know nobody asked her to be the President. As a matter of fact, nobody asked Harris either except Biden.
Phil, you have been complaining about Vice President Harris for quite a while. It is obvious you have an issue with our Vice President being Black and being female. Do us a favor keep your whining and **** to yourself. In other words STFU. We know you are a bigoted SOB so you do not need to keep proving it!
DO NOT PUT WORDS INTO MY MOUTH. We may have opposite views on politics BUT NEVER call me a Racist, nor Call me anti feminist. YOU don’t know me. Considering all of the Bullshit that you have written You are far from being a Human Being. I don’t like Harris for one reason and one reason alone. I do not think she can run the country. YOU have never heard me complain about Harris. So Making a statement like this is not only a lie, but shows how low you will sink just to get print on here. You have NO credibility. I will STFU when I am damned good and ready, you Coward.
WOW! It seems you are a big bad keyboard warrior. I call it as I see it. If it offends you…too bad!
Keyboard warrior no, but I also don’t take shit from morons like you.
Phil, so far, according to you, I have no credibility, I am a liar, a coward and a moron, in addition to a few other things you have said.
None of that takes away from the fact that in my opinion you are what I feel you are.
Could I be wrong about you? Well, I am not perfect so it is possible. If it turns out I am wrong about what I feel you will get an apology from me.
Some thoughts and observations:
(1) Imagine how Hillary must feel now.
(2) Now Harris automatically has the Black vote and the female vote, so she should be a shoo-in — except, like Joe Biden, she held office but never accomplished anything.
(3) A government job is a ticket to wealth.
(4) And John Nance Garner said, “The vice president’s job isn’t worth a bucket of warm piss.” (Bluenoses cleaned it up and wrote ‘warm spit.’)
Vince its sounds like you are saying females and Black people do not have minds of their own.
Actually, women want a female president, and Blacks would be proud to have a Black president. I did not say ALL would vote that way.
Actually Vince you did not say some most or many. I noticed what you did there saying it in a ambiguous way. This allows you, if you want, to deny what you meant.
Those Phillies needed a win yesterday, and they got it. Very impressive performance by Tyler Phillips, the Bishop Eustace graduate. I was very impressed with his poise and stuff. He has a great idea of how to pitch. I don’t think anybody saw him coming, but it is exactly things like this that make the Phillies formidable, and in my opinion, the favorite to win the pennant here in 2024.
That’s my political post of the day.
Freeze, yes they were very impressive. I watched the first few innings before I had to leave. They were up 2-0 at that time.
Some observations:
1) Well, in July of 1968, Humphrey was polling 5 points ahead of Nixon. (Then came the Democratic Convention). It is a long time before the election.
2) The “too old to be president” meme, which Trump & surrogates have been heavily promoting, flips to Trump’s disadvantage. A few more “senior moments” to the ones on record–or even one bad one–could have an impact. Trump is already backing out of the second scheduled presidential debate. Don’t expect him to risk it.
3) Do the “double-haters” hate Harris as much as they hated Biden? Well, her disapproval rating is at 51.4% compared to Biden’s 56.2% and Trump’s 53.7%, so she is less hated than either of them (according to 538). On the other hand, h er approval number is 38.3%, while Biden’s is a slightly higher 38.6% and Trump’s is 41.8%. In other words, at present, while she has fewer people who dislike her, she also has fewer people who support her, and a lot more folks who haven’t made up their minds about her than either Trump or Biden. That leaves room for growth or a nosedive.
4) The Trump camp seems terribly upset that they won’t be running against Biden. Trump says “It is unfair” which means he sees it as bad for him. So, it seems on this one, taking him seriously instead of literally, he thinks it was a good move by the Democrats. For example, I think had Biden dropped out before Trump picked Vance, I think you would have had a more balancing pick like Burgum, rather than doubling down on MAGA-ism.
5) Harris’s VP pick will be very big. I don’t see Stein getting it, because too many minorities. Like Obama, Harris needs an experienced, moderate white guy to reassure people. I expect the top contenders are Roy Cooper, Governor of North Carolina, Andy Beshear, Governor of Kentucky and Senator Mike Kelly of Arizona. The first two are Democrats who managed to win statewide office in red states–so the appeal is obvious.
But I think the calculation would be that, regardless, these governors won’t be able to put their own states in play, but that Arizona is a key swing state. Kelly, besides being an astronaut, who flew 39 missions in Desert Storm as a navy pilot, is also a border- state senator who has always been tough on border issues, reassuring people that the new tough on the border stance won’t go away, and that a new dem administration will remain serious on the issue.
My personal favorite would be Sherrod Brown of Ohio, but the dems can’t afford to lose the Senate seat. It would also be very weird–two VP candidates of opposite parties who are sitting senators representing the same state.
6) Fund-raising bonanza. Since Biden stepped down, the dems have taken in a record $81 million. At least according to them, “Over 888,000 grassroots donors made donations in the past 24 hours, 60% of whom made their first contribution of the 2024 cycle.” Seems like at least some people were tremendously happy. Remember, 2/3 of dems wanted Biden to step down. If nothing else, this change seems to have energized a piece of the dem electorate that was not thrilled with voting for Biden.
7) Apparent continuity. Harris just hired Biden’s campaign manager as her campaign manager. Remember, one of the reasons Harris was the front-runner to replace Biden, is that the campaign apparatus and funds were hers to inherit without rigamarole, since it was the “Biden-Harris” campaign. In other words, this late in the campaign, there will be no need to reinvent wheel, which would have been the challenge for anyone else.
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