This. You perfectly capture my feelings on all of it. (I was also a Warren woman) I read the Project 2025 blueprint for dismantling our democracy. It is not just a trump thing, it’s a radicalized right, and the threat cannot be overstated. While you are correct that Biden’s age is an issue that makes me uncomfortable, I do believe VP Harris is competent and wildly underrated. Instead of keeping her under wraps, the administration should be using her talent. She is young, smart, a former reformist prosecutor, speaks eloquently about reproductive freedoms. Yet, I hear Dems also buy into the Right’s narrative about her.
To your point: Biden is old, but has been a good president. His age matters, but we have a woman ready and able to do the job. Are they perfect? No. But, Republicans (with or without trump) will be a disaster.
The Biden/Harris administration has successfully delivered the most progressive policies in our lifetime in the face of Republican chaos and malice. I’m all in.
Great summary of the problem. And you’ve emphasized the most important question: what’s the alternative to Joe stepping aside? I’ve learned that life is full of situations where we have nothing but bad (or not great) options. Having to choose the least bad option always feels like a loss (and sometimes it is; sunk costs are still costs). For me, the choice is clear, even if it’s not my preference: Joe stays, because the probability of chaos and disaster is way too high in every other scenario. In its current form, our presidential election system makes it impossible for a new candidate to have even half a chance at this late date. I would love to see what Gretchen Whitmer can do as a presidential candidate, but her time is 2028. That said, if Joe dies before the election, all bets are off and god help us all.
I am just wondering why no one says don’t worry about Biden’s age, we have Kamala Harris here. Everyone avoids mentioning her as a defense for Biden’s presidential bid. Why? I could think of several reasons, and all of them involve something no one wants to dig deeper.
Yes. It would seem that Democrats would feel quite comfortable with a young, capable woman with strong criminal justice credentials as our backup. I fear the reason for the nonstop handwringing and and refusal to openly embrace her is more deep-seated than folks like to admit.
I love it when a political commentator says, "I have no clue as to the best course of action." Implicitly, it strengthens your other posts where you do take a stand.
I'm speculating there's another factor in Biden's calculus. If he chooses not to run and then Trump wins, Biden's legacy is more at risk than if he runs and loses. Better to be remembered as going down fighting than to be labeled a quitter.
Ezra Klein plan is predicated on Joe Biden voluntarily stepping aside. Doubt he will. Hope he doesn’t. Don’t want to change presidents. Doubt anyone else could do a better job.
As a very low level member of the Democratic Party in a swing state, I share share your concerns. Biden was my near-the-bottom choice in 2020. Elizabeth was by far my first. And here we are. If Biden will not step aside, I can not see any way forward with a reasonable chance of success except to support his candidacy Strongly. That is what I am doing. If I could persuade him to step aside in a thoughtful manner that coordinated behind the scenes cooperation of the major factions of the party, I would be dreaming. The least bad alternative today is a Biden candidacy. Any other choice will decrease the chances of a Democratic victory.
I don't understand why instead of all of the handwringing, people with platforms don't just make an affirmative case for Biden. This isn't aimed specifically at you, it just happens that yours is the latest in a long line up commentary on this. None of us can fix the problem, so why not just use our platforms to say what we like about the guy and why we think he should be president again. I say this as someone who hates his Israel/Gaza policy, but think he is the only choice come November. He has made good decisions even when they are hard: specifically pulling out of Afghanistan and rallying early support for Ukraine. He has made progress in remaking the American economy and strengthening unions in ways that been in my lifetime (I'm in my 40s). I feel like we all are just constantly punditing instead of just saying why we like him.
Democrats who cry ageism or point to Trump's obvious decline are not helping the matter. Yes, Biden has been a good president and it's possible he'd still be a good president if he were re-elected. But that's not the issue, as Ezra Klein explained. We need a good *candidate* and Biden is not it nor, unfortunately, is Kamala Harris. We may all think Trump is a bad candidate with his indictments and lies and mental decline, but the Republican base doesn't care, and for whatever reason, when independents are asked to choose between Biden and Trump, most of them choose Trump and come up with dubious rationalizations like the price of gas or eggs. Biden is being selfish and deluded (maybe it's a function of his age!) and needs to step aside. Maybe the special counsel did us a favor by highlighting the problem (and no, it doesn't matter that the special counsel isn't a neurologist - he was just summing up his lay observations that Biden forgets a lot of details, which is enough). It's not too late, really!
You have expressed my concerns and thoughts perfectly. We're about to go early vote in our state. The primary is Super Tuesday, March 5th. Unfortunately, in this red state, my vote seems meaningless. But, it's not to me! 💙💙💙 There's not enough time to put forward another Democrat to run in this year's election.
This. You perfectly capture my feelings on all of it. (I was also a Warren woman) I read the Project 2025 blueprint for dismantling our democracy. It is not just a trump thing, it’s a radicalized right, and the threat cannot be overstated. While you are correct that Biden’s age is an issue that makes me uncomfortable, I do believe VP Harris is competent and wildly underrated. Instead of keeping her under wraps, the administration should be using her talent. She is young, smart, a former reformist prosecutor, speaks eloquently about reproductive freedoms. Yet, I hear Dems also buy into the Right’s narrative about her.
To your point: Biden is old, but has been a good president. His age matters, but we have a woman ready and able to do the job. Are they perfect? No. But, Republicans (with or without trump) will be a disaster.
The Biden/Harris administration has successfully delivered the most progressive policies in our lifetime in the face of Republican chaos and malice. I’m all in.
Agree. All the media and Democrats avoid mentioning our VP is of golden age and absolutely capable.
Great summary of the problem. And you’ve emphasized the most important question: what’s the alternative to Joe stepping aside? I’ve learned that life is full of situations where we have nothing but bad (or not great) options. Having to choose the least bad option always feels like a loss (and sometimes it is; sunk costs are still costs). For me, the choice is clear, even if it’s not my preference: Joe stays, because the probability of chaos and disaster is way too high in every other scenario. In its current form, our presidential election system makes it impossible for a new candidate to have even half a chance at this late date. I would love to see what Gretchen Whitmer can do as a presidential candidate, but her time is 2028. That said, if Joe dies before the election, all bets are off and god help us all.
I am just wondering why no one says don’t worry about Biden’s age, we have Kamala Harris here. Everyone avoids mentioning her as a defense for Biden’s presidential bid. Why? I could think of several reasons, and all of them involve something no one wants to dig deeper.
Yes. It would seem that Democrats would feel quite comfortable with a young, capable woman with strong criminal justice credentials as our backup. I fear the reason for the nonstop handwringing and and refusal to openly embrace her is more deep-seated than folks like to admit.
I love it when a political commentator says, "I have no clue as to the best course of action." Implicitly, it strengthens your other posts where you do take a stand.
I'm speculating there's another factor in Biden's calculus. If he chooses not to run and then Trump wins, Biden's legacy is more at risk than if he runs and loses. Better to be remembered as going down fighting than to be labeled a quitter.
Love reading your articles, it’s almost always what I’m thinking, but far more articulate 💜
Ezra Klein plan is predicated on Joe Biden voluntarily stepping aside. Doubt he will. Hope he doesn’t. Don’t want to change presidents. Doubt anyone else could do a better job.
As a very low level member of the Democratic Party in a swing state, I share share your concerns. Biden was my near-the-bottom choice in 2020. Elizabeth was by far my first. And here we are. If Biden will not step aside, I can not see any way forward with a reasonable chance of success except to support his candidacy Strongly. That is what I am doing. If I could persuade him to step aside in a thoughtful manner that coordinated behind the scenes cooperation of the major factions of the party, I would be dreaming. The least bad alternative today is a Biden candidacy. Any other choice will decrease the chances of a Democratic victory.
I don't understand why instead of all of the handwringing, people with platforms don't just make an affirmative case for Biden. This isn't aimed specifically at you, it just happens that yours is the latest in a long line up commentary on this. None of us can fix the problem, so why not just use our platforms to say what we like about the guy and why we think he should be president again. I say this as someone who hates his Israel/Gaza policy, but think he is the only choice come November. He has made good decisions even when they are hard: specifically pulling out of Afghanistan and rallying early support for Ukraine. He has made progress in remaking the American economy and strengthening unions in ways that been in my lifetime (I'm in my 40s). I feel like we all are just constantly punditing instead of just saying why we like him.
Democrats who cry ageism or point to Trump's obvious decline are not helping the matter. Yes, Biden has been a good president and it's possible he'd still be a good president if he were re-elected. But that's not the issue, as Ezra Klein explained. We need a good *candidate* and Biden is not it nor, unfortunately, is Kamala Harris. We may all think Trump is a bad candidate with his indictments and lies and mental decline, but the Republican base doesn't care, and for whatever reason, when independents are asked to choose between Biden and Trump, most of them choose Trump and come up with dubious rationalizations like the price of gas or eggs. Biden is being selfish and deluded (maybe it's a function of his age!) and needs to step aside. Maybe the special counsel did us a favor by highlighting the problem (and no, it doesn't matter that the special counsel isn't a neurologist - he was just summing up his lay observations that Biden forgets a lot of details, which is enough). It's not too late, really!
You have expressed my concerns and thoughts perfectly. We're about to go early vote in our state. The primary is Super Tuesday, March 5th. Unfortunately, in this red state, my vote seems meaningless. But, it's not to me! 💙💙💙 There's not enough time to put forward another Democrat to run in this year's election.