This author and blogger is shell shocked from the disastrous performance of Joe Biden last evening in his debate with Donald Trump.
Biden was clearly not well physically, having a cold and a raspy voice, but also, mentally, not “with it”, and sadly, as much as I have “loved” Biden and have been proud of him and his record, it is time for him to announce that he will not run for President.
However, the best alternative is NOT a Californian, such as Vice President Kamala Harris or California Governor Gavin Newsom, but rather two young “swing state” Governors!
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (age 51) and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (age 53) is a perfect combination that can rally all Democratic groups of voters, and attract independents and sane Republicans who do not want Donald Trump back in the White House!
Much more analysis and discussion will occur, but the Democratic National Convention should unite around Shapiro and Whitmer as the best combination to defeat Donald Trump and his authoritarian Fascist threat to American democracy and rule of law!
A debate coach graded them.
Trump got F on substance, B+ on presentation, F overall.
Biden got D on substance, F- on presentation, F overall.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/28/opinions/performance-analysis-cnn-debate-graham/index.html
Whoever advised Biden to do this and prepared him for this should be fired – immediately.
Daily Beast mentions that if Joe steps aside, it would be a brokered convention.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/secrets-of-how-democrats-ditch-biden-spoiler-bad-news-kamala?ref=home?ref=home
Another issue is that the moderators, who are supposedly journalists, didn’t bother to have any serious pushback against Trump’s lies.
What Biden was attempting to do – and even if he’d been highly articulate, which obviously he wasn’t at all – was to have a real, serious debate on the issues, the facts, the evidence, reality. So presumably his week of preparation at Camp David included tons of policy-heavy briefing books, practice sessions, etc. The only problem is, none of that really mattered in a spectacle like we witnessed last night. Instead, Biden would have been a LOT better off to have simplified things down to maybe three or four main points, and keep hammering them: 1) Trump is a convicted felon; 2) Trump tried – and continues to try – to destroy our democracy; 3) Trump wants to be a dictator; 4) Trump is a climate science denier, Big Lie promoter, etc. Then just keep hammering those points, plus of course make the case for Biden’s overall superb record as president, while accurately blaming Trump for the problems Biden inherited when he took office in late January 2021 (e.g., supply-chain issues coming out of the COVID disaster, which combined with a super-charged economic recovery during 2021 and 2022, resulted in inflation). Instead, it seems like Biden’s head was stuffed with facts, figures (“millions!” “I mean billions!” “or was it trillions?!?” – ugh), which led to Biden sounding incoherent, going into brain lock/brain freeze mode, etc. Such a huge mistake by the people who prepared Biden for this debate, and really, if they can be fired, they all should be…but presumably they won’t be, because incompetence never seems to be punished in the Democratic Party. Sigh…
Some analysts are saying to have patience. Wait a few days at least and see what the broader public reaction is. See if Biden can get out there and show that this was just a bad night and not more than that.
Southern Liberal, what you have posted makes total sense! I am trying to calm down, and take a few deep breaths and hope for a revival of Joe Biden’s fortunes. Thanks for your input! 🙂
Reaction from foreign diplomats
https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/28/politics/foreign-diplomats-biden-debate-reaction/index.html