Joe Biden

[pipbarber]

Is Kamala Harris the right choice? Any opinions?

I love the idea of a woman of color running against Trump, and beating him, it's a sweet and excellent image. I did a bit of lite research on Harris when she was chosen as Biden's running mate four years ago and it was largely underwhelming. No real leftish cred, a consistent voice for neoliberalism with the advocacy history to match it but that's ok, outside of a very few, all the Democrats are like that. In which case i wonder if Gavin Newsom might be a better choice simply because the racist misogynist American society might be more comfortable with another white man in charge and at this moment in time all that really matters is preventing Trump from becoming president.

It seems all the heavy hitters are lining up behind Kamala though. I'm reluctant to say it, but i'm not sure it's the right decision strategically, but of course what do I know. She will be better than Biden, at least.

[stylofone]

Is Kamala Harris the right choice? Any opinions?

I love the idea of a woman of color running against Trump, and beating him, it's a sweet and excellent image. I did a bit of lite research on Harris when she was chosen as Biden's running mate four years ago and it was largely underwhelming. No real leftish cred, a consistent voice for neoliberalism with the advocacy history to match it but that's ok, outside of a very few, all the Democrats are like that. In which case i wonder if Gavin Newsom might be a better choice simply because the racist misogynist American society might be more comfortable with another white man in charge and at this moment in time all that really matters is preventing Trump from becoming president.

It seems all the heavy hitters are lining up behind Kamala though. I'm reluctant to say it, but i'm not sure it's the right decision strategically, but of course what do I know. She will be better than Biden, at least.

It appears to me that as soon as Biden backed Harris, there was no other strategy to follow. When he backed down he relinquished a second term but immediately gained greater status in other ways. He's a hero now, he sacrificed himself for America!!!! Any of the big hitters who go against her in that context would be prolonging the dysfunction. Having finally shifted Biden, they don't want to have a Newsom or whoever with 38% support, and then they have to get HIM to drop out. Maybe what they will do is get every major voice to endorse Harris (most already have), and have some sort of token competition with Manchin or Vermin Supreme or whoever just so they can pretend its democratic and not a coronation by the elite.

[Loki]

Biden waited till after the RNC had locked in Trump.

A deliberate 8D strategy demonstrating nerves of steel.

And now the Rethugs are stuck with a senile geriatric with no hope or plan of counteracting a confident intelligent black woman.

A political masterclass.

At least that's how i choose to think of it.

[pipbarber]

Yes, i've changed my mind, it has to be Kamala now, it's an all in situation i think.

It's useful that she was a prosecutor, given she is running against a criminal. Hopefully she doesn't hold back.

[stylofone]

A post on Mastodon summarising the vibe at the moment. In volatile times things can change so quickly. They changed for the better yesterday, but the crystal ball for tomorrow is cloudy. Also Mastodon is a weird left-wing echo chamber. But my limited real world observations, and the news reports on the donation surge etc. seem to align with it.

https://mastodon.online/@mastodonmigrat ... 6353028099

Just got off the line with both millennial daughters who last week were completely checked out on politics even considering the stakes of this election. Both gave hundreds to Kamala Harris yesterday, and are looking for ways to get involved in the campaign. They were energized and in tears with hope for the future. What had seemed to them like an inevitable descent into a dystopian fascism is now a fight for a better more democratic future. The change in attitude is impossible to overstate.

[joele]

I am thinking she was the right choice, there seems to be a lot of immediate momentum behind her and the whole way this happened can be played as a positive.. She was patient and supportive of her president, not undermining Joe. Then Joe himself, was a good president who realised she was a better future for the country and put the country before himself and stood aside to support her, etc.

On the flip side it has taken a lot of ammunition away from Trump, the best they have so far is - "she was Joe's vice president, so all our criticism of him applies to her", pretty weak really.

Not to mention the whole age thing can be flipped on Trump and she isn't going to get sucked into childish golf handicap dick measuring..

I was convinced Trump was going to win, but now for the first time it feels like there is a real clear choice for American's.

I'm actually looking forward to the next debate, as has been said she is an intelligent human who was a prosecutor, so I am expecting her to wipe the floor with Donald.

[stylofone]

I'll wait for the 7pm news to see excerpts from Biden's speech. I was just musing to myself that power is like a life extension drug. For example, LBJ died four years after he handed over to Nixon. It wouldn't surprise me to see Biden fall off the perch in the next couple of years. If not, then I imagine we might see him very rarely, and when we do he will be looking so frail and ancient we'll move on from saying "what were they thinking?", advancing to "what the FUCK were they thinking?!?!?.

Edit: I hasten to add I don't wish ill on him, I hope he has a happy healthy time for the rest of his life. Also he did the right thing by stepping down, I respect that for sure.