1016 Comments
Jul 3Liked by Robert Reich

What I do not understand is that Trump lied!! No one is talking about this!!! And yes, he was well spoken and strong, but he lied!!! Do his followers care? Why isn't anyone shouting out about this????

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No one cares that Trump lies, sadly. This is a trademark of his existence and it's been normalized.

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EXACTLY. . the Trump era brought all the foul crazy out of the closet. We knew they existed, but they never got on platform and screamed it. And what used to be ugly, threatening and unacceptable speech is the mantra now. Bannon says regarding Dr. Fauci he would put Fauci's head on a pike at the White House. #THIS. . IS WHERE WERE AT!

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Fauci should take Bannon and others to civil court and destroy them financially.

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I agree and it scares me no end. Perhaps it’s time to reread George Orwell’s prescient novel 1984. This morning, a friend posted a particularly cogent point from that book:

"Winston works in the Ministry of Truth, where he alters historical records to fit the needs of the Party.... He is troubled by the Party’s control of history... The Party also claims that Emmanuel Goldstein, the alleged leader of the Brotherhood, is the most dangerous man alive."

My friend’s comment:

The Supreme Court now writes only in Newspeak. Everything is in place. Pay attention. We are there.

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Orwell was not prescient. He knew what Hitler and Stalin did in their respective countries, and he warned us that it could happen to us also. The collapse of the old Republican Party gave our fascists the opportunity they were looking for. We were complacent and did not take Orwell's warning seriously.

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Perhaps ‘ prescient’ was not an accurate description but Orwell was less of a fortuneteller than he was able to see the bigger picture. Drawn from his understanding of the horrors of World War II and how easily social xenophobia and anxieties could be co-opted by fascist dictators towards their own ends, he also understood that history repeats itself, just not exactly in the same ways.

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History echos a lot.

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Forest for the trees...

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Fascists have always been lurking. Both parties ....at different times .....have hidden them in their ranks. FDR called them out in 1944. He had more balls than almost anyone else except maybe Truman. But more than any Republican.

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FDR was a Communist sympathizer and Truman was a dupe.

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Knowledge of Orwell's novel hasn't helped the world has it ? He divined the use of the Internet to spy upon and control the masses and disseminate propaganda but the US is probably the susceptible nation in the world to its malign influence.

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few have been well enough educated to have read Orwell or understand the Orwell reality...or care to.

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" All pigs are equal... but some pigs are more equal than others". Seems the kool aid cult court recognizes those words all too well. HAVE THEY NO SHAME ?

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Shame is gone within the Rethuglican party thanks to Dump. [Primal Scream! 😫]

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"All pigs are equal... but some pigs are more ewual

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So sad and scary

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It's more than scary....it shows how human greed is winning...

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Both men lied. Okay, but there are little ones that are exaggerations like Biden tells and big ones like 90% of what The Convict says. Then there are imbeciles like you who repeat lies about Biden such as the diary story. Have you no shame? You certainly have no brains.

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Biden’s lies and his use of the words of another are trivialities. Your Fuhrer is a Nazi dictator wannabe, rapist, business cheater and failure that hurts people. His insurrection killed police officers. You are complicit. And I will not engage further with Nazi scum.

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Go to hell with your lies and disinformation. Let your Fuhrer grab your privates instead of harassing me with bullshit. I’m blocking you if you respond again. Nothing you say can redeem you from going to hell if it exists.

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Orange Man is not only bad, he is a dark, evil soul with no conscience and totally uncaring about the effects his actions have on others, because he places himself above even being aware of them. You have fallen victim to the Duke of Liars. I used to bathe my daughter, change her diaper and clean her parts with a wipe. I suppose that damaged her as well, huh? Go back under your rock, if it will have you.

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Bidens daughter was older…she wrote that in her diary…don’t sugar coat it.

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Apparently you did not research this. She did NOT accuse him of rape or even inappropriate touching, in fact she stated she was not sure of any of it. She stated the inappropriate sexual touching was with someone else and she was much younger when she showered with her father. (Interesting that young boys bathing with their mothers seems to be acceptable in our society.) She also said she was upset with the press who misconstrued her stream of consciousness writing to represent what it did not. Biden wrote. “Repeatedly, I hear others grossly misinterpret my once-private writings and lob false accusations that defame my character and those of the people I love.”

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Except that it was not she who wrote it, in all probability. That so called “ diary” has so many hand prints on it that you and I will never know its authors.

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And just where did you come up with that tidbit? Go back to throwing darts at your Nancy Pelosi dartboard. And how do you abort a pregnancy after the birth. What a loser, just like your scum dog billionaire wanna-be.

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Can you give an example? Why do believe everything you hear?

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Why are your comments removed?

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Trump lies everytime he opens his mouth.

Trump can't ever be trusted, He is a huge threat, danger to Democracy.

Trump lied over 25 times on the debate stage! He blamed Nancy Pelosi for "HIS INSURRECTION". He can't be President. Period.

Trump lies incessantly but let's concentrate on how the guy that told the truth and had a cold should resign. The media has failed us. They're worthless.

The American people will make sure Trump never enters the White House!

That's why I wear this "Donald: The lying King" t-shirt 👇

libtees-2.creator-spring.com/listing/lkinglb

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A cold does not cause brain freeze. I was embarrassed for Biden.

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Jul 3·edited Jul 4

But exhaustion just might. I have a pilot friend who has put on several displays after flying and not sleeping appropriately.....and he was in his 30s and 40s. It simply catches up to you and damn little you can do about it.

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Biden was back home 12 days before debate.

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But he was being drilled for much of the time, practicing for the debate for what good that did. Apparently stuffed his mind with so much information that he had trouble getting it all out in a coherent fashion. And they apparently didn't prepare for the litany of lies Trump is renowned for. He may not have gotten enough sleep or at an appropriate time. So many things went wrong even though the debate was conducted according to the specifications his team outlined. At his age, he has to be careful about these things. You can much more easily get thrown off your game.

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founding

But if he took an antihistamine it could work like that - if he did, they need to tell us.

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Karen, yes if he took an antihistamine it could absolutely have caused his poor performance.

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BS

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If you read the product literature it tells you not to take it if you're old..... Look it up.

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Absolutely!!!

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I felt bad for him as well. Why did Biden even agree to debate a convicted liar deemed seriously demented by psychiatrists?

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Somebody thought it would gain Biden some points over Trump since they have been about dead even for so long.

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A cold plus jet lag.

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No you are right. It was more than a cold, but the cold exacerbated other issues. For one, he was probably over prepared and trying hard to get all the responses right, but I'm not sure it matters with Trump because he just stands there and lies and bullshits. That's what you have to prepare for. If Biden had been just sitting down and addressing all the same issues with a reasonable person he would have done far better. Trump is such a wacko it's hard to know how address the crap that's coming out of his mouth

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Let's face it, The problem is far more than a cold. I think Was not well served by those who prepared him. I think he was micromanaged and overprepared... His brain filled

With facts, figures and potential responses.

For a normal debate with a rational and Serious person. The problem was that he was debating donald trump. He needed to be an artist.... He needed to be himself, not a debate robot. He needed to address.

Trump's lies And he needed to ridicule Trump. He needed to be stronger than trump.

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During the brief period that I was able to stand watching the debacle, I kept imagining Gavin Newsome mopping the floor with Chump. Not that he would be the best replacement bc he's too "California" for much of the country. The same may be true for Kamala. We need someone who can win against the Orange One. I know she says she doesn't want to run, but I still believe Michele Obama is our best (and perhaps only) hope of prevailing.

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Biden lied over six times. So what are we now going to say let’s vote for the lesser of the liars

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Trivial exaggerations vs giant lies. Are you really that stupid? Bet you believe the lies about Biden without question and would vote for The Convict if he shot someone at random, just as he said about the stupid people who follow him. Even your Fuhrer thinks you’re happy about murder if he does it.

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I totally agree with you. It’s like comparing an elephant to a mouse!

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The families of those killed in combat would not agree that he makes trivial exaggerations.

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You are a moronic supporter of a Nazi dictator wannabe who wouldn't honor our fallen WW2 soldiers because it was raining and calls those who have served suckers. Biden honors all of our military. As for Afghanistan, that wad your Fuhrer's plan.

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It always seems to come to that. But in Biden's case it might've been he unintentionally misspoke rather than purposefully lied. Or maybe he saw how Trump kept getting away with it, so why not him, too?

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Did he graduate at the top of his class. “Never underestimate joes ability to fuck things up”

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Your Fuhrer was given a diploma by Wharton because his father made a huge donation. He was the most stupid student they ever had according to one professor. The Convict has failed at everything in his life except for being lucky with the electoral college in 2016. But you're obviously too much of a stupid cult member to know the truth. If he's reelected, it is dimwits like you who will suffer the most.

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Heck yeah! Accepting your premise.

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You are right... Minimal exposure of trump's lies lies occurred.

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Orange Man is not only bad, he is a dark, evil soul with no conscience and totally uncaring about the effects his actions have on others, because he places himself above even being aware of them. You have fallen victim to the Duke of Liars. I used to bathe my daughter, change her diaper and clean her parts with a wipe. I suppose that damaged her as well, huh? Go back under your rock, if it will have you.

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Debbz is a MAGAt, a christian fundamentalist for whom Trump sits at the right hand of god, never mind him lusting after his own daughter and doing a porn star while his umpteenth wife was home nursing their infant. For her ilk the second commandment is strictly optional, as is obviously the tenth. Just block her.

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Agree. Lawyers lie, politicians lie, Trump lies, and Biden lies, why is this even an issue?

Biden has a medical condition that is highly treatable, Trump is demented. Why lie about it?

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What medical condition is that? He's over his cold. His stuttering doesn't seem to fit your characterization. And many people have suggested he has Parkinson's, but that's not "highly treatable".

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Trump's greatest/worst legacy is that,as you say,he's normalized lying,hating,and actions that accompany such destructive speech

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And the media have abetted it.

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thrived on it even

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He has so many greatest/worst legacies, but that certainly is 1 of them.

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Hitler said the bigger the lie and the more often it is repeated, the more it becomes the truth. Tragic, but true.

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And Trump has always taken Hitler's quotes to heart.

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Didn’t one of Trump’s wives say that he kept Hitler’s writing on his bedside table and frequently read it?

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She did & he did!

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I hate to admit this but if Biden cannot somehow prove that the debate was simply an anomaly, then he must step aside.

Not because I want him to or because I buy into the idea that he can’t handle four more years, but because the stakes are too high to risk losing to Trump in November.

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NYT had about 12 headlines today about President Biden and poor polls, dropping from the race, etc., all w./o any pics of him doing his job.

There was one story about 45, with a large picture of him. I have yet to see a story from NYT or WaPo headlined about the lies and/or 45 performance.

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Most of the media has betrayed the trust of the 1st Amendment for $$.

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He has never been technically "normalized." It's more like a "psychic numbing,"bc of his repetitive dialogue and the rest of us being sick and tired of being sick and tired of hearing the same old shit.

Today, I am focused on Project 2025 and the THREAT I heard coming from the President of the Heritage Foundation yesterday, as in "They are going to win and the "LEFT" will have to decide if they want it to happen w/o bloodshed. WTF? is that?

THIS BALD A-H SOUNDS LIKE STEWART RHODES(HARVARD GRAD, INSURRECTIONIST/W EYE PATTCH) FROM THE PROUD BOYS.

REMEMBER HIM? HE GOT 18 YRS. THANK GOD.

HERITAGE FOUNDATION SHOULD NOW BE DEEMED AS A CLEAR & PRESENT DANGEROUS ORGANIZATION TO OUR COUNTRY.

THE FBI/CIA, OR WHATEVER branch of the military, NEED TO GO IN AND DO SOMETHING. It may as well be David Koresh and the "Branch Davidians."

These are dangerous ppl with money and MILITIAS behind them.

IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO GO, otherwise, an Autocracy will replace the Democracy we live in.

CAN YOU IMAGINE, THIS IS ALL FEAR BASED BS AS A RESULT OF THE INEVITABLE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHIC? IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND I CAN'T WAIT BC THERE ARE MORE PPL OUT THERE WHO WOULD RATHER LIVE HARMONIOUSLY HERE THAN IN ORBAN'S HUNGARY! Heritage Foundation and all of the fear-filled creator of Project 2025, Please Move to Hungary.

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No one? I care. If people don’t care about personal integrity, and the general immorality of the political party that stands a known liar, fraud and con for president, what DO people care about?

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It’s so hard to understand! I think, from reading their comments, that what they mostly care about is the economy, or rather how it impacts their purses. They also enjoy their newfound permission to hate who they always have, but now with impunity. I think they see this as a new dawn. Heck, they may even be embracing the evil Project 2025! So hard to fathom. Democracy is hanging by a thread and all they care about is themselves.

They worship money and say Trump’s economy was the best in the history of economies. That’s why they say they want to vote for him. Very weak reasoning, if you can qualify it as reasoning. We all know that it was really Obama’s economy Trump inherited, but try telling them. They can’t hear the truth. Their ears filter it out so they can only hear what they want to hear. The truth isn’t interesting or fun to them. They can’t admit that Obama may be behind trump’s economy because if they did, their inner world would break apart. Even with irrefutable proof in their view, they wouldn’t be able to admit they were mistaken and wrong.

How can people forget how to own up to mistakes and apologize and begin anew? Oh, right. Trump has normalized so many immature behaviors.

I feel like I’m trapped in a nightmare I can’t wake up from.

Back in the “Happy Days,” even Fonzie learned to say he was wrong. Trump never did and unfortunately, he’s taught his followers to never take personal responsibility, too. They are so busy fantasizing about when they will be rich (like him! Ha!) that they can’t hear the warning bells we all hear loud and clear. Their fingers are stuck in their ears. The truth isn’t important to them. Like I keep thinking: they don’t seem curious, open minded, or to value and seek the truth. I just don’t get it! What happened to tolerance, generosity, humility, and love?

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If no cares that Trump lied, was convicted and will be sentenced then why should we care the Biden didn't do well in the debates.

Go Joe, four more years. Vote blue, blue, blue.

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Spoken like someone in the full vigor of youth, Bret.

I think we should care about Joe Biden's health and mental abilities regardless of who his opponent is. The responsibilities of the President are a heavy burden on any person. Even suffering from fatigue or jet lag can cloud a person's judgement when they are 30 or 40 or 50: as we age, though, our thinking does suffer impairments, and generally get worse with time. I am not speaking of Alzheimers or other illness, but a natural slowing down of the human thought process: names, words, ideas become harder to recall. At some points of the debate, Joe seemed to be so wound up he couldn't think straight.

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Exactly. Trump lying is not news. Biden going limp is news.

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are you implying that because trump lies (and i am a never never ever trumper) we should try to have a candidate who is clearly past his prime.

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And that Joel will be our downfall.

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No more democracy with the other guy is pretty far down.

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Carol, I am not sure what you mean. Historian Heather Cox Richardson reported on PBS NewsHour last evening that the SCOTUS decision regarding presidential immunity changes everything. Remember, we fought a revolution to get rid of being under the thumb of a King. Now we are back to where we were before the American Revolution! So we don't really have a representative democratic republic anymore. The implications are staggering for most of us! So I will be in mourning on the 4th of July since our endeavor to break away from a monarchy has now turned into something similar--autocratic rule with the potential of even more corporate influence embedded into our governance via the ending of the Chevron deference too.

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This is deeply disturbing...

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Simply repeating your Kool-Aid fueled garbage on this forum will not make it true. Why don’t you go spew on X; I hear it’s hater-friendly.

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And he was disrespectful in that he ignored the question of the moderator. TRUMP DOES NOT FOLLOW the RULES OR LAWS FOR ANYTHING. He doesn’t even follow his marriage vows.

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Like all malignant narcissists, Trump believe he is above following rules laid down by others.

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He had Attorney General, Low Barr to tell him that he could lie because he was a President !

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....but Mario...trump." follows the money"! His mega-buck billionaires quietly control much of the informational spin we see and hear every day! They have a plan...they have the money...expect nothing less that they work every crooked angle to achieve their goals. What happened when trump told one lie after.another? Nothing! That's what's become the norm. My reoccurring. thought.is that once.trump loses.his grip on.reality to become a "divot" to these.behind the scenes repulsive oligarchs...he'll gradually be traded.in for a newer model...kicking and screaming all the.way!

Nothing and NO ONE LASTS FOREVER.THE BACK OF trump

GOING OUT.THE DOOR OF OUR LIVES....WHAT A GRAND IMAGE TO THINK OF.

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Only to be replaced by someone even worse.

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.....but the same end result, DMS. NOTHING AND NO ONE LASTS FOREVER.

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Neither did Kennedy or Clinton…Not a good argument.

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All of you Biden afficianados are chosing to be blind to the threat of chaos your wantonly allowing millions into the nation could bring. Secondly, the Bidens have had a trail of highly treasonable criminal behavior being hidden. What's up?

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Your opinion is stated as a fact. It is opinion and a false one, at that. None of the “ facts” you cite have been said under oath. They are spewed out by politically minded haters. A Tiger doesn’t change his spots. Biden has long been known as an honest and honorable man. Trump had long been known - particularly by those who know him - as a con man who stiffs people.

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Opinions are opinions. They have nothing to do with either fact or fiction. When people give their opinions they are not citing either fact or fiction. They giving their opinions. It is impossible for a person whose giving their own opinion, to give a false opinion. Lol.

You talk like someone that has an IQ of a 2x4 but desperately wants to sound smart. Here's a tip: you can't dazzle people with brilliance while you baffle them with bullshit.

Also, Biden does not have a long history of being an honest and honorable man. I. Your own statement trying to demean someone for giving the mythical false opinion, such a dumb statement, you lied and lied.

Biden is very well known to lie pathologically anf I give his numerous stories as evidence. You are dumb and dangerous ridiculous clown that doesn't even have the intellect to demean someone well.

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Well, Robert, What's Up is a red flag...no itation for your claim. Why should we respond to assertions like yours?

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ITA. Respond, no. Block, yes!

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You can’t compare Biden’s several exaggerations to Trump’s lies for 8 years.

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Several exaggerations. They are outright lies. Biden lied about how his wife died in the car accident. He ruined a man’s life with his lies. He accuse the man and for years talked about how the man was drunk and hit his wife and killed his wife and baby. That is so not true. Biden‘s wife ran a stop sign right in front of the truck. She caused the accident and the death. But Biden couldn’t stand it so he lied about the man being drunk. It came out into the open in 2020 when Biden ran for president. The family of the man who died young because of the stress he was put under and lost his job. The family approached Biden and said we want this taken care of. We want it retracted we want you to stop lying about our father. Biden went onto national TV and apologized for his untruths and what he caused that family. Oh yeah, he lies. He’s arrogant and he lies just to make himself look good. And people swallow it because they don’t want to see the truth. And then we have Trump who is just pure disgusting.

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There is the difference between deception and disgusting. Biden apologized for lying and its effects on the family. Trump never apologizes for anything. Never. Because Fred would slap him down for a sign of weakness.

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Hedda, you have repeated one telling of the story. Snopes retelling is not so clear curt.

Whether or not Biden has ever told a lie is not in dispute. Whether or not Donald Trump has ever told the truth is.

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Snopes is not always reliable.

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Where is your proof that Biden lied about the accident?

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All the lies about Biden that you spewed showed that you are a gullible fool.

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Hedda, can you please provide a video link to the nationally televised incident where Biden apologized? Thanks

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Biden did not apologize nationally. Why should he? He didn’t do anything to the people nationally. He wrote a letter and apologized to the family. It was all on inside edition years ago. https://www.newarkpostonline.com/news/local/daughter-of-man-in-72-biden-crash-seeks-apology-from-widowed-senator/article_6c9a477e-63be-561b-b771-1330b4cda02d.html

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Replace both candidates with people at least 20 years younger.

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And you know this how? Please send the link of your resource.

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Google it. CNN post debate fact check. Rutgers news post debate fact check.

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Noone is talking about Mr. Trump's own cognitive decline which is noted by various professionals.

Donald Trump Dementia Evidence 'Overwhelming,' Says Top Psychiatrist

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-dementia-evidence-overwhelming-top-psychiatrist-1881247

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#SyphilisDon

#trumpstin

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A Trump win would be the final nail in the coffin of American democracy.

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Yup. A Trump win + Immunity Ruling + Project 2025 = Right Wing dictatorship

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I am afraid that you are correct Victor. It’s terrifying that so many people don’t understand that.

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But it didn't show up during the debate. Trump was far more lucid & articulate than Biden, even if he was as malignant as ever.

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He may have been for the so-called debate, but outside of that he isn’t so lucid.

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After 34,000 lies as president, do you really expect Trump to break the habit? That’s old news.

If Trump’s talking, he’s lying.

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It's been normalized by his constantly doing it. It's from the Joseph Goebbels playbook.

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WELL AND TRULY SAID, SIR.

If I remember correctly Goebbels and his family died by suicide when the war was ending.

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Please be explicit: Goebbels killed his wife and children, and the committed suicide. He was a true believer.

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Thank you for the correction, Mr Kamendrowsky. You are correct, sir.

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That they did. He had a trusted doctor OD the kids with opium in their beds, where the Allies found them. The eminent propagandist and his wife retired to the garden and dispatched themselves with pistols and cyanide. However, the lackeys ordered to incinerate their remains, under the press of Russian shells raining down, botched the job and, unlike Hitler's and Eva's remains, were immediately identifiable. Tough go for the children - they had no idea what was going on, they just knew they loved and trusted their parents to protect them. As for them, good riddance.

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Thank you for supplementing what my mind chose to block out, Mr Doll.

History is history no matter how much we choose to erase the horror of those final days. I am hopefull that those times do not repeat themselves under trump and his backers...Pinocchio to the moneyed Geppetto's. of today's political cult.

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There has never been pressure put on the Republican Party about their convicted felon, pathological liar by the press with the same intensity they direct at Biden for his poor debate. Why isn't anyone calling for Trump to resign? So tired of this double standard.

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Resign from what? You maybe mean he is disqualified from running according to Article 14 section 3 of the US Constitution. The Republican Party has been so completely transformed into the MAGA party of Trump; they are totally behind him. Other Republicans can go along or leave. Some in Congress have. Colorado did not want to put Trump on the ballot but the partisan Trump appointed Supreme Court ruled they could not prevent that- nor could any state. The Supreme Court has betrayed us.

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Yes, SCOTUS betrayed us.

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I am not brilliant and I don't have training in the law but several don't seem very bright. They were shoved in for their partisan views and they lied in the hearings. Thomas did too.

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All 6 of the fascist justices lied during their confirmation &/or are other times, plus most of them are guilty of ethics violations.

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please save "fascist" for when it's meaningful. The judges are partisan and they lied to us in confirmation. That is bad enough.

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Over & over & over

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And those 6 Fascist SCOTUS members should be impeached & removed. Biden now has the power to do that, but he won't!! He has/had the power to expand the Court. But he didn't.

He's like a guy who loves to be beaten - yes, please kick me again! Or like Lucy fooling Charlie Brown over & over again that she'll hold the football, Biden doesn't ACT when he needs to.

He MUST step down & let Kamala or Gavin Newsom run in his place. Polls have shown that either of them could beat Dump. And they'd excite the young voters, Hell every Dem! Biden must step down for the good of the party & to literally save Democracy & this Country!

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Jul 5·edited Jul 5

Hazel I am as angry as you are but all 6 are most certainly partisan and two of those justices are corrupt but I would not call them fascist. Biden did/does NOT have the power to expand the court though it should be; this is up to Congress. We need both the president and the Congress to do this plus make laws for the Justices- like term limits and recusal.

Biden is fearful and weakened. I agree he should step down. It's not an easy choice and this does not solve all problems or take away the risk of Trump.

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You are correct. What I meant was he should use his bully pulpit & push his buddies in Congress to get a bill to expand the Court - BUT THE OLD CODGER DOESN'T WANT TO EXPAND THE COURT!! it infuriates me!!! We Dems get kicked & just take it. Besides him stepping down, he should be doing this now - there's NOTHING more important than reversing all the bad decisions of the SCOTUS. He could also call for their impeachment, but no. It's just business as usual with the relic of past comity. Biden doesn't realize his view of the government doesn't exist anymore, he doesn't see what's happening as a 5 alarm fire 🔥. And it is.

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The bill would have to come to a vote. There are a number of great bills languishing in a Congress that is blocked. Biden anyway is very fearful and reticent, especially looking forward to a win in the 2024 election. This is why he has been fearful about other things as well where he could have used his power to be bold and do the right thing. His age is a factor in his decision making I think. Old people can be more fearful. This may not be a fair judgement, but after last evenings interview on ABC I feel even more this way. Biden is dug in and being SELFISH. I am angry about that. He did not assuage me.

Biden does not want to expand the court, I believe, because it opens the door to future expansions. But there are safeguards or could be, like term limits, ethics laws, and of course ultimately the vote. It's very hard to change the S. Court and harder still to change the Constitution... get another amendment. Biden could call for impeachment but he won't because it would go nowhere and he is fearful of being so bold and he is fighting for his political future now. WE are a demoocracy still and the people have to make themselves heard. We have to face that we are in a very difficult period right now with these two candidates. Biden, dug in, with delegates and close support, will have a tough time defeating Trump nevertheless. I don't see or hear that he is up to it now. I have to vote for Biden if he is on the ticket though..no choice.

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founding

Me, too!!

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I suppose you also believe Trump doesn’t say on tape, on The View, “If Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her. Isn’t that terrible? How terrible? Is that terrible?” and in a 2015 documented Rolling Stone interview, said, “If I weren’t happily married and, ya know, her father …” yet there is absolutely zero evidence of your blatant ignorant lie. So, you’re just like Trump, a deranged, deluded, sick liar.

There, I fixed it for ya. Now, get help, you need it.

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Get help.

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T-word lied and ranted. Along with his complete failure with handling Covid and lack of accomplishing anything significant for Americans, Donnie disqualified himself as President. Joe Biden looked and sounded dazed and confused. Who wouldn’t be? (Borrowing a comment from an MSNBC viewer: “Trump? HELL NO! Biden? Oh, no.”

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founding

George - I feel Trump was disqualified before he was even voted in!! And here we are all these years later, and he is still not being held accountable for outrageous decisions and behavior.

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“ The morals of an alley cat” with 900 lives

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It seems clear there are many, more than we imagined existed, who have interceded and put their thumb on the scale to favor injustice.

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You forget that a large voting block doesn't agree. What they see is one man looking and sounding pretty much like he did 4 years ago, the other not.

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THIS is the issue. . not Joe or can he perform (debating isn't a Presidential duty). It's keeping Trump out of office, and Dems HAVE to set aside their traditional "looking for love in all the wrong places" and do what ever it take to protect this country and it's democracy.

You noticed the media did not focus on Trumps dozens of outrageous lies. . they just casually noted them. it was Biden's senility they focused on. . and that affects "some" (swing/low information/non-critical thinkers. . .the voters that want to vote their "personal feelings" like their voting for 5th grade class president)

It's not a popularity vote. . it used to be a vote for the better leader. . now it's a vote to preserve democracy as we "knew" it.

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It was laughable tgstvCNN just skidded right over Trump not answering anything

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and why debates are not a quality of a President, and just ratings for the drama media. CNN has really gone down hill.

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I agree. CNN did a terrible job of trying to get a straight answer out of Trump or keep him from going off on a rant about what he wanted to talk about!

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It was Biden's responsibility, and he failed.

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CNN is now owned by a Republican.

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Sadly...agree!

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The American people as a group have proven to be extremely stupid. Unless a miracle happens tRump will win the election. And the rest of the world will write us off as hopeless .

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and sadly why "we". . idealist progressives aka "Dems" . . HAVE to speak to these low-information voters, and convince them who has served them better.

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Wow…you must be rich if you believe that!

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I have thought about this since I also complained about the media and everyone's reaction to Biden that night ignoring Trump. (Heather Cox Richardson's letter on Trump that night was very good). Mainly the question is whether this was unusual or indicating where Biden's mental state is more and more often. Thus, can he win this? This was/is alarming because we badly need to defeat Trump and even to defeat him badly. Already it's late, too close and risky in the light of this being existential for the country.

Yes Trump was alarmingly really really alarming but not unusual. So it's like we thought we had a good horse in this race, that Biden would pull it off though it is close but maybe we don't have a winner. The media, pundits and comments, add more and more snow to this ball rolling downhill. Trump that night stands alone unanswered unchecked looking strong by comparison. The REAL looming danger is ignored because it's OMG Biden!. This debate and the panic is still being realized. The powers that be in the party don't know what to do. It may be self fulfilling and disastrous in its repercussions either way. We cannot know ahead of time what is the best course of action. At the moment Biden sort of has the ball in his court. He has to, at this late moment, get strong backing and strong help behind him.At the moment that is not happening. If he cannot where are we? Kamala Harris? Okay. We do need *some* change to invigorate the Democratic ticket.. maybe it's Kamala Harris. Disregarding the really *unimportant* criticisms of her is a must. She would be fine. She has positives.

But OMG NOT TRUMP instead. I don't understand the polls going to Trump. What's with this electorate???

Those who keep saying "vote Blue no matter who" have it right. The Democrats at the top will have to solve this one. All we can do is vote.

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The "Blue not matter Who" . . is spot on, and understandable. . but many pundits will say it's too .. idealistic and political. . I'm sure there's a better example. . like "Vote democracy not fascism" or "vote to preserve the democratic way". . we HAVE to get a clear message across what this election means to the future of this country and the society we're accustomed to.

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Jul 3·edited Jul 4

Biden has to stop defending himself and do what is best for the country. I don't know how much those in his inner circle are preventing this honest self appraisal. This defense is a problem, It should be about the country, not Biden. As for slogans, there are plenty for the unbelievably clueless voting population that is vacillating at this point. Let a thousand flowers bloom.

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While this is a sad era to learn about how the Republicans operate, and how our view of Democracy is more about tradition then actual laws/rules. . it's also a wake-up call for Democratic Party, that this notion of who's next in line, who deserves to be elected/re-elected, because of experience or tradition. . doesn't or shouldn't? apply! It was hard for VP Biden to fill Obama's shoes, but he got the job done in spite of the R's and a majority Senate/half congress . . helped. He deserves credit, even though his age was showing back then! But Dems have to move-on, if they want to be progressives and want the country to progress. . THEY have to progress and put forth the best candidate, and this "should?" be the most articulate, knowledgeable, capable, popular, well know. . yada yada candidate, . . and let's be honest that's not Joe now, not in 2020 either. There were much more "qualified" and effective candidates. . and let's be honest. . age IS a factor.

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You are toxic. Know that? Hate is addictive and catchy. Please go away.

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Best to block out the toxicity using the block feature of SS.

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I trash it immediately w/o reading. The mute button works but i think it mutes the whole discussion.

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You are just a bot or have as much intelligence and integrity as one. How many times have you violated rules and posted the same imbecilic post?

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This is so irrelevant. Hate monger.

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Do you mean Sick? Yeah that’s Trump - means our nation is 1/2 sick too

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Didn’t trump say many years ago “ Someday I am going to run for president and I am going to win because Republicans are dumb enough to vote for me”

After all before it became convenient to run on a republican ticket, trump was a democrat.

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Even if he sounds like a dictator?

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Sounds like a raving maniac. Looks like Bluto in Popeye cartoons with orange makeup.

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They are shouting about it. I listen to a lot of political podcasts and every one of them is shouting about Trump's lies and unfitness for office. But it doesn't change the fact that the polls show voters in swing states pulling away from Biden. And where is Joe? His damage control experts should have arranged for him to make unscripted appearances on every major network without use of a teleprompter immediately after the debate debacle. The fact that he's a no-show is very telling.

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What polls ? How do they take them ? By phone? I don’t answer my phone if I don’t recognize the # - and if it’s an email - they only take info if you give them donations

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Some noted his past failure to do an interview at half-time--was it the superbowl?- and thought it odd.

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Yes, I believe that you are right.

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Because it’s been going on for years and the public is just immune to it. It’s now standard fare that Trump could literally shoot someone on 5th Avenue and actually get away with it. It’s just Trump being Trump attitude without thinking what that means and can bring. The Supreme Court just insured that behavior will happen if he gets back. The only thing in his way is a health issue that would render him officially “unfit”. Good luck on that happening anytime soon.

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Amazing that people in usa are that sick

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Trump has in effect shot alot more people than the guy on 5th avenue if you find reports on the matter credible.It is hard to put any specific numbers on Trump himself as opposed to America's unpreparedness. But this hardly gets mentioned at all. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/10/us-coronavirus-response-donald-trump-health-policy

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founding

Funnier if you say "Central Park" than "5th Avenue"; just sayin'...

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Jul 3·edited Jul 3

IMHO, the reason that nobody is talking about those lies is that they're talking about Democrats' vainglorious display of how different they are from the opposition in that they're free to criticize their own and are doing far more to undermine Biden's credibility and their own collective interests than the whole damn MAGAt movement combined. Worse, they seem to be the loudest voices out there at this time. This is nothing new. It goes back for decades and I've complained about it for decades. Why the bloody'ell d'ya think ol' Ronald McReagan established the Republicans' "11th Commandment?" - "thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican. The MAGAts are clearly morons, but that doesn't mean the ranks of Democrats - and the democratic left in general - aren't filled with a pack of goddam idiots! Now personally, I'm a Bernie boy, but at this moment I have no time to weep over or suffer others' weeping over Bernie, and I think Bernie would agree. Much, much bigger things are at stake now!

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That's exactly what I've been saying. The media is doing Biden a total disservice. It's not fair at all. I saw articles saying that both exaggerated or told lies, as if they were on a par about it. So wrong!

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I agree that the media is doing Biden a total disservice. Now, what can we do about it?

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The media depends on advertisers, hence they feature individuals who attract viewers.

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They were not polls. They were fact checking by major news stations, one of them being CNN, who held the debate. The other is Reuters news. Do your own research with your eyes open. Don’t just listen to what other people tell you Google it Google, CNN debate fact check

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How would that change what's going on with Biden and his campaign? Trump's been lying his entire life. Biden's poll numbers have been way below 50% for over year if not more.

The question I have is how could the Democrats let this happen? How could they screw up this election?

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The great failure of Democrats is that we expect people to think critically. We expect them to evaluate and see falsehoods for what they are. Sadly, tragically, that is not how humans operate.

People want dynamic and forceful speeches. They like people who loudly bark their positions.

We have not evolved. We still follow dynamic leaders - facts be damned. I'm sorry.

There are two trains running on two tracks. The GQP train is on time (gag). The train that represents democracy and compassion and inclusion and equality and freakout over THE CLIMATE CRISIS and freakout over PROJECT 2025 is late at best and off the tracks at worst.

Dems need a warrior.

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Totally agree.

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Of course trump lies (Please join my movement to never capitalize his name). His followers truly believe he's speaking the truth and are proof against argument. The power brokers in the Republican party know he's lying, and they don't care because they own Congress and will dictate the future that enriches them. The tragedy is that the media either don't care to tell the story(they know); or they think a trump presidency will provide better stories, more clicks, whatever for them. They are trump's "useful idiots," and the nation will pay the price.

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Democrats always have to call someone a name if you don’t agree with them…did you ever think maybe that person doesn’t want either candidate for President…close minded…yellow dog Democrat…

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So who are YOU voting for?

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He didn’t actually answer any questions if you watch it again

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Right, Trump would not answer any questions and instead he just talked about whatever he felt like talking about and CNN did not do anything to stop him. He was a complete run away train and there were no guardrails.

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founding

Yes, the question of what it means to win a debate is obviously at issue (one would need to delineate the existential notion of "winning" generally, e.g. being a worthless repeated bankrupt, rapist, & convicted felon nonetheless indulged with a chance to debate the president, i.e. despite marginal illiteracy).

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So Hillary and Senator Professor Warren couldn't possibly win because they were women, but suddenly dems believe that Harris (who didn't even make it as far as Warren in the primaries) can not only win but beat Trump?

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To give Hillary her due, she DID win. The election was stolen by the Electoral College.

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Jul 3·edited Jul 3

It's not "stolen" by the electoral college, that's how the system has been designed for 200+ years. So no, she did not win. As evidenced by the fact that she was not president.

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The Electoral College was a compromise between slave and free states to give the South more political clout. It is antiquated and should be abolished. The framers couldn't anticipate the swing from rural to urban voting population. Our Consittution likely needs a number of new amendments at this point. If we ever get the chance.

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HEREIN. lies the biggest problem with American society/politicians/govt. . we try to make the Constitution too sacred. The fact it was written by slave-owning, medical blood-letting, misogynist, wig wearing leaders, raises so many flags. It's inspiriing for its time. But it has to be amended, and Jefferson said it's a living document to change with the times. The 2nd amendment "really" wasn't thinking of 300 round a minute M15's with bump-stocks. And if you think that's silly read the 3rd Amendment!

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You can chart our civic decline in part by the paucity of amendments in past decades. It's pretty clear that to evolve our government to meet changed circumstances, a changed environment, we needed to amend the constitution. But we could not agree on paths forward. "Whatever does not progress in human affairs retrogresses" ( or words similar) Edward Gibbon. As a country we have stagnated. And now we are faced with six autocratic-loving sons of bitches on the highest court on the land.

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Very astute observations!

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Whey amend by the designated methods when it became possible to skirt the process thanks to activist judges?

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Yes, it is held sacred for upholding & instituting regressive policies, but ignored or trashed by the 6 fascist justices in order to prevent progressive policies from being upheld or enacted.

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YES, it was meant to be amended and we should keep doing it until we make it better — but I sure as hell don’t want to throw away all the GOOD work that’s been done on it over more than 200 years and take a chance on getting something WAY worse.

Yes, amend. Fine.

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But Trump, the GOP, the Heritage Foundation, right-wing media & the 6 fascist justices do want to throw away the Constitution.

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Kieth, you are absolutely correct!

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The US Constitution has been amended on numerous occasions.

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The Constitution is our house, and the rights proclaimed by the Declaration of Independence are its foundation. The amendments are remodels. The SCOTUS is trying to take the house off its foundation.

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gee thanks for the insite, Josh, I think we realize that. /s/ There are only 27 amendments dating back to the 1700's, and the last one passed in 1992. . 203 years AFTER it was first proposed (amend the pay of congressmen when they can be paid). The point being.. . there are not only silly amendments and laws. . but they should be amended to fit the times. Part of the problem besides tradition, is it takes a constitutional convention be called that requires two-thirds of both house and two-thirds of conventions in each state to pass. Did you know this Josh? ;o)

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Absolutely!

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Hilary won the popular vote, and has more talent and ability than Mr. Trump can even conceive

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The presidency was conferred on Donald by the Electoral College and not Amerrican voters — However true that it’s “designed” that way, it is also true that it was “conferred” that way …

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Oh FFS, take a civics class - EVERY presidency is "conferred" by the Electoral College and not the voters.

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Yes. That's why Hillary conceded. But that doesn't mean the Electoral College shouldn't be abolished.

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NO KIDDING, DICK TRACY! That’s what I said — The Electoral College was designed that way. I was talking about LANGUAGE — Trump wasn’t elected by the people. The office, based on our system, was conferred on him. Get off your high horse. {And in fact, very very few presidents have had the office ONLY conferred, as most also won the popular vote. Two most recently — Dubya and Donnie — lost the popular vote. And they were two of the wort for the country and the world !

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The outcome has nothing to do with that. Exit polls (which are reliable, unlike predictive polls) show that James Comey's October Surprise swung the election to DJ. This is why Clinton is on record with words to the effect of the election being "stolen".

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The Trump- Putin trolls are showing up in droves. The should drop off after Nov 5th.

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Bingo! And we talk about how delusional the right is? Knowing something about how government actually works seems to be lacking across the board. Thus my much earlier paraphrase of Thomas Jefferson, speaking about an informed public as a guard against tyranny.

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It was stolen by Russia!!!

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In part. Don't be surprised if they have a part in this election, too.

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Russia skip skip Russia skip skip Russia... time to get a new record.

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Read the Mueller Report and then say skip, skip, skip my friend.

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She won the popular vote

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So you are saying it’s a feature, not a bug?

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Won my 3 million votes. Biden by 7 million votes. hell even Gore won by half-million votes. . but as long as the EC serves the Republicans. . is will never change. Not until the same happens to a R.

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Biden won by narrowly capturing enough of the purple states. Several of them have large minority populations that would turn out for Harris more than Biden. And that could be the difference.

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Harris would also be less impacted by the fallout from our continued military support for Israel during this bloody conflict. But still somewhat impacted.

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Our continued support is not because of Hamas but Hezbollah and Iran. Remember the attack from Iran last month? We are caught in a terrible bind because of Netanyahu, the monster ally of The Convict. We abandon Israel and lose the election. And it will not be Jews who abandon the Ds.

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It’s time to get rid of the Electoral College.

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No, not stolen. It was lost when 46% of registered voters bought the garbage "but her emails" and Comey's last minute nothing Burger. Etc etc and didn't vote. That was the difference in key swing states. The Electoral College system has successfully mirrored popular winners for almost 250 yars with only a couple of outliers. Those included major 3rd party candidates in the mix or, as in 2016, an extremely low turnout. The answer is vote vote vote. Abstaining over whatever dissatisfaction with the choices is a guaranteed road to disaster.

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An anomaly of the Constitution is not equal to Theft

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founding

So... she beat Bernie? (Fair & square?!? Did she beat Obama??)

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Nobody is wishing this. Biden has brought us to this.

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Jul 4·edited Jul 4

Biden and the DNC back rooms. Remember Biden was bringing up the rear in the Dem primaries in 2020. Then, magically, the waves parted and the other candidates dropped out. That's what led here. Joey was already hiding out from the press and exposure at that point - and it always get's worse.

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How is that David, explain please.

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Because his DOJ failed to prosecute the fraudulent Steele dossier and the people that financed it. Or the law enforcement agencies that knew it was a lie

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/10/11/politics/steele-dossier-fbi-durham-danchenko/index.html

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Troll

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Yes, it’s true.

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He & the DNC & other establishment corporatists in the Democratic Party who adamantly discouraged any competition for Biden by viable candidates, & continue to do so in the face of a clearly declining candidate.

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"dems" . . fall in love/ Repubs fall in line. Looking for love in all the wrong places. . low hanging fruit. . etc.

They're afraid of the the threat they will snub the black voters. . and they depend that vote. I would love Warren as a candidate, along with other TRUE progressives like Newsome, Buttigieg, et all. I didn't care for Hillary at all (she's a war monger, and not a true progressive) but I didn't need to hold my nose to vote for her.

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I agree Keith, however being strong on national defense does not make one a war monger.

we live in hostile world, a Putin tactic is call anyone who opposes him a war monger.

Like a woman who was raped because she rebuffed advances was guilty of inviting rape.

That is the same mentality in the Islamic world, where a woman need four MALE witnesses to the rape, or else she is guilty of adultery and the penalty for that is stoning.

Of course any male witnesses would actually be accomplices.

But let's do away with war mongering national defense. Let Putin overrun Europe and the east coast to the Mississippi and China the Pacific and west coast to Mississippi.

How is that, surrendering instead of defending?

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Have to disagree with you on that first statment William. "Hillary the Hawk" must of escaped your news input. She was more of a hawk then Bill, and much more moderate if not leaning more right. (your rape analogy was truly sad! :o(

This wasn't an attempt to express my opinion of Hillary but to state a well known fact. Your rhetoric fails.

Try googling "was Hillary a war hawk"

https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/07/27/hillary-the-hawk-a-history-clinton-2016-military-intervention-libya-iraq-syria/#:~:text=a%20nuanced%20one.-,By%20any%20reasonable%20measure%2C%20Clinton%20qualifies%20as%20a%20hawk%2C%20if,hawk%2C%20if%20a%20nuanced%20one.

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/24/magazine/how-hillary-clinton-became-a-hawk.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=was+hillary+a+war+hawk&rlz=1C1UEAD_enUS996US996&oq=was+hillary+a+war+hawk&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRirAtIBCDY0MzFqMWo0qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

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Too bad you don't like my rape analogy. Never the less it stands.

There are worse things than war. I think WWII proved that, or maybe you think we should have let Germany overrun all of Europe and Japan all of Asia and the Pacific.

Question for you, and this only a question not a personal attack.

Do you enjoy the standard of living that enables you to sit quietly at home, well fed, comfy, with an income, one that enables you to speak, travel, and type words into a computer as you please?

Do you take that for granted?

True, America is protected by two huge moats, called the Atlantic and Pacific, but those moats carry raw materials, food, oil and finished goods both ways.

Without this traffic of resources you wouldn't have your luxuries, and they are luxuries.

And then there are nations and agencies, like Al Qaeda, ISIS, that are using our democracy our freedoms to destroy us. Step 1 was the PATRIOT act.

There is no way to deal with people who seek martyrdom. Who worship death, when you worship life and fear death.

So maybe hyper vigilance is preferable to submission.

As regards Hillary the war hawk, thanks for the links, but tell me the name of one country that she has invaded.

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(William the rape analogy, doesn't even work. . we "get it" but it doesn't apply and a little "dark" to use a "rape" analogy?!)

"There are worse things than war". . . wow. . just wow WW1 caused 15-22 million deaths (not just soldiers), WWI caused 35-85 million deaths. You can't "cherry-pick" deaths as "they don't count." Caused by war. . what's worse than war as to impact to human civilization caused by man short of disease??

I "love" how you feel you need to lecture me/us about America and Democracy. Then digress to Islam and religion. .

and the topic was Biden . . turned to Hillary was a Hawk. . to you're final "coup de grâce". . that Hillary never started a war . . . TAH-DAH! (you do realize she was never a President?????)

Sorry William you just want to argue, you're a classic troll. . and I have better time to spend then then to debate someone who just likes to lecture. I've blocked you so no need to respond, unless you "think" you have an audience.

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Yep living under a brutal tyranny is worse than war. Starving to death is worse than war..

Block me all you want, that merely means that you can't see or respond to my posts.

So debate with you is a one way street, how Trump of you. You pass judgement, you pontificate but when countered I am a troll.

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I have my doubts. What democrats need to counter Trump is a quick witted spokesperson who is also level headed and speaks pragmatically to the public. That being the Jon Stewart type. It’s the only way to make Trump speechless, and show just how stupid he actually is. Good luck finding that combo on short notice.

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What about Pritzker. He's quick-witted tough honest - (big assumption on my part) - progressive yet pragmatic - $RICH$ - which would make trump crap his pants. What's not to like?

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I've heard the name Pritzker mentioned a lot, but I know practically nothing about him. Being rich already makes me suspicious about him, although if he really is progressive, that makes it better.

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Jaime - agree totally with the suspicious point-of-view. Just do a cursory wiki search - lots there - and definitely progressive on many core issues. At this point it looks like Kamala is going to have it locked in if "they" finally get their act together. Some big $ donors falling by the wayside. That'll get things moving!$ But then it has been suggested that there be some "mini-primaries"; maybe Clyburn suggested that. At least we'd get to see some other possibilities - they'd get some name/face recognition - and have to think about new veep so there's that. 🤪🤯 What a tangled web we weave -- 🕸🕷

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I just read someone suggesting mini-primaries. It wasn't Clyburn, who is pushing Kamala if Biden is to be replaced.

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Pritzker who. Is that the brand name of a faucet. Being facetious, he has no name recognition.

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She has demonstrated rather famously that she's quick-witted. And she has been doing a lot of Biden's campaigning lately, talking bread and butter issues with people across the country.

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Maybe. But she doesn’t have the quick wit capability that a skilled comedian has. And that’s what one needs against a Donald J. Trump! And since she was mostly silent and in the background for 3+ years, speaking up now, only reinforces the question, who’s running the country. Joe or her? Which falls right into the lap of a Republican a strategy. My entire point in all of the posts that I have written, is that you have to groom your successor to follow you. You can’t just throw them in the fight at campaign time. The public can see though that. Perception of experience matters in the mind of most voters. And now to think that she can step right in to replace Joe, without losing a beat is, in my mind, sure fantasy.

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Uh-oh: Just found this on Pritzker in wiki:

"During the 2018 campaign, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Pritzker had purposely caused a mansion he had purchased that was next door to his home to become uninhabitable by removing its toilets. He then appealed his original property tax assessment [181] because the newly built property was uninhabitable . . . ."

So all the better. He definitely can run circles around trump even in the shady deals department. As I said - what's not to like?

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Now your thinking like the enemy. In some ways I like that!

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You just described Jamie Raskin.

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Love Jamie Raskin!! But skeptical he'll get a shot. Maybe if he's smart he'll stay away from the craziness 2024. He's still recovering from his cancer therapy; wouldn't want to add to his stress levels. Gotta keep him healthy and fighting the good fight. A hero for sure!

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You maybe correct in your assessment.

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Don’t kid yourself. Harris can beat Trump especially if she has a dynamic running mate. Harris took on a lot of “she slept her way to where she is.” Well, isn’t that really Trump along with his fascist hatred? All it takes is one charismatic candidate who can make Trump look even more foolish than he already is. A Democrat who can be TOUGH when they need to be. Clinton did that and so did Obama. The Dems should have been planning this all along.

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A dynamic running mate: Jamie Raskin!

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Problem with Jamie Raskin is the same as with Adam Schiff, he runs towards the camera, a publicity whore. The Republicans have a ton of oppo research on him.

As regards is friend Adam Schiff, Adam and the former Congressman from NY and head of theDCCC, lost the 2022 election to Republicans, because He and Sean Patrick Mahoney ran off to Paris for junkateering during the election

Problem with Democrats is that they fall in love too easilyh

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Swalwell or AOC?

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LOL

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Because you know, this country has such a great track record of electing women President. Black women especially. Is Kamala gay? Okay, maybe bi? Looks go for the trifecta. Ignore all that history, this time it's different!

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No way Kamala would win.

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Everyone I know would vote for her in a heartbeat.

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I don't know where you live, but it's the swing states we have to worry about.

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I don't live in a swing state but I've been doing election volunteering in Ohio (where I grew up and my family and oldest friends live), Pennsylvania, North Carolina (where I've also lived), Wisconsin, and Georgia (where my brother lives and my mother, aunts, uncles and grandparents were raised) for many years now. I don't know where you live either, so don't know what population you're implying is against her, but where I talk to people I'm not seeing the negativity that national news sources refer to casually, and after the debate she polled higher than Biden against Trump. I'm worrying plenty about swing states, never fear!--but not so much about Harris, should Biden decide to bow out.

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There is no else that has the name recognition or draw in marginal voters.

Evidently too many liberals don't get the threat from the left, including Muslims, blacks, Hispanic, Asians.

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Oops no, my uncles weren't raised in Georgia--I wrote too fast! Born there though.

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founding

Not true - she has shown how effective she is with her campaigning and reaching out to young voters, women and people of color. She has been campaigning night and day in universities across the country and has been very enthusiastically received. If Biden decides not to be our candidate, he should retire NOW and Kamala becomes the incumbent and has even more of a spotlight on her nationally - she can inspire and get the Democrats enthusiastic again about this election. She can stand up to Trump. If she is the incumbent and nominee and chooses a moderate white popular young male as her running mate, they can electrify the voters and undecided. They can give inspiring speeches at the Convention backed up by our past leaders that people still love - Clinton, Obama and Biden - yes, he can still give enthusiastic supportive speeches. Should he decide not to remain the nominee, the smart move would be for him to give an eloquent speech from the Oval Office and declare that although he feels he can still do the job, the work ahead is so important and so great that he feels he needs to turn it over to the next generation in order to get the American people motivated to vote and protect us from a felon dictator.

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I am a Californian and experienced her before her VP ascendancy. She isn't anything, just a politician, and she reeks of it when she is in public. She will get clobbered.

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Clobbered? I doubt it, given who she’d be running against. She would destroy Trump in a debate-if he bothered to show up.

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Trump won't bother with another debate unless he's significantly behind, & still I'm not sure he would other than Biden, although Kamala might be the exception as she manages somehow to elicit vitriol from the MAGA mob, so Trump might relish going against her in a debate or otherwise. I would expect Harris to be a pretty strong debater though. I'd love to see Elizabeth Warren or Jamie Raskin go against Trump in a debate, but Trump would avoid that at all costs. Also the corporate donors behind both parties wouldn't let that happen.

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We said the same thing about Biden a while back. Trump can’t lose a debate because he just creates his own facts.

Kamala is not a coherent thinker. Right now try to think of anything she has articulated as a position in 4 years. She is extremely good at politics, like Newsom, but not at policy, clarity or empathy.

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For those who think she would, they should remind themselves just how poorly she did in the primaries.

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She has demonstrated her intelligence and competence across the country and internationally. Nonetheless, an open convention is political suicide. The MEDIA is fomenting the angst about President Biden staying on the ballot. I like your suggestions, Robert!

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I also get the feeling that, same as Hillary in 2016 & Biden 2020 & 2024, Kamala is the darling of the DNC & corporate establishment, who saw that she would be Biden's VP instead of more qualified candidates with more successful results in the primary like Elizabeth Warren.

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The Primaries are not the general doofus. The party comes together during the general. I assume that you know as much,therefore you are a disruptive troll.

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The only people who wouldn't vote for her are the misogynistic MAGAt

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Francis/Clare and other commenters here, may I suggest this YouTube vid by the Politics Girl on the subject of Kamala Harris (and, btw, she’s had a good mentor these past 3 1/2 years): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJeltMiTZXo&t=312s

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I don't lack confidence in her because she's a woman or person of color. I don't dispute her abilities or credentials or experience. Of course I would vote for any Democrat. It's the feeling that more people respond to a more forceful, assured presence. Hillary (neolib warmonger) had that, and I voted for her. JFK, FDR, of course, and Lincoln must have inspired confidence. Eleanor Roosevelt. Obama. That caliber of speaker/leader. Strong, smart, idealistic, compassionate, a little bit bigger than life. It's image and charisma, but it matters to the majority. On the other hand, clearly not all agree. The orange vomit makes me want to h...

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I'm sort of surprised to hear you say that she doesn't have a "forceful, assured presence." That was the one thing male politics-beat journalists were willing to grant her during 2020's primaries and debates. And I've heard her speak--you might not agree with everything she says, I wouldn't know, but she's forceful, confident, calm, assured. Not everyone likes that in a woman of course, but I do and it sounds like you do but just don't see it in her. Have you watched her speak recently?

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My Top choices are Sheldon Whitehouse, Jamie Raskin, Elizabeth Warren & Jeff Merkley, followed by Cory Booker, Chris Murphy (I think) & Pete Buttigieg, all of whom come pretty close to your specifications in my view.

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Yeah, I’ve been thinking about having a supply of barf bag near the couch where I watch the news!!! 😆 TFFFG is a bombastic bloviating bullying chronic liar….and that’s just the nicest thing I can say about him…..

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She is actually polling well. But Michelle Obama would beat Trump flat out, triple!

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Michelle is not a fighter.Her "when they go low, we go high" is a death rattle of a coward.

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She seems to suffer from vertical disorientation.

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Let's see. She has all the Blue votes, she has the votes of woman and People of Color, she isn't hampered by Biden's support for Israel (Muslims have said that they will sit out the election if Biden runs.

Other than misogynistic white males, who aren't voting blue, how is that Francis.

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Not sure about that. But that prospect becomes more of a possibility as he declines further. Obviously Trump is terribly compromised. We need someone tough & sharp with a high degree of integrity at the helm in these very troubled times. The people that fit that bill the closest are Jamie Raskin, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley & Sheldon Whitehouse.

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I have more faith in her not being compromised than Biden! Am I the only American voter that thinks that Biden could be compromised?

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I think my reply went to the wrong person. I was trying to reply to you.

I'm not sure that Biden is susceptible to compromise at this point, but he could become so with further decline. Trump is obviously extremely compromised, including with foreign tyrants & enemies. I doubt Harris would be vulnerable in that way.

In these challenging times we need someone strong, tough & very sharp with a high level of integrity leading us, & the people that fit that description the best, in my view, are Raskin, Warren, Merkley & Whitehouse.

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Surely you’re not suggesting that genocide Joe was bought and paid for was bought by AIPAC and every other nefarious group? For 40 years? I am shocked sir. Are you a troll or a bot?!!

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It appears that a comment I meant for Bob Johnson went to you instead, so if you're confused by that comment, that's why.

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The problem with substack and it has many problems

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Yes, it can be hard to follow the threads. Still I like it better overall than other fora. Generally better conversations

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Agreed. It doesn't help that I've been dealing with COVID the last week.

spouse and I have had 7 shots, Moderna, then she went to California to visit relatives. I don't travel well anymore, so I stayed at home, she brought back a gift, picked up in the airports.

The vaccinations saved me from, the elephant on the chest problem, mostly fatigue I slept the first day through. Upside I've lost 5 lbs. Still not where I want or need to be. But I will take the win, better than being on a ventilator.

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Because when Joe speaks gibberish we assume it’s because he’s old. When she does it we aren’t allowed to speculate why because we will be accused of misogyny or racism.

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I would agree. . . among most progressives (she finished 6th with 3% of the vote in the primary) . . but CNN poll says she is probably the best bet to beat Trump by 2 more percentage points (45vs43% vs Trump 47%) and makes sense because that's because of the woman (black?) vote!

I don't care 'who' replaces him if it keeps Trump from winning. . . what erver. . . "CNN Poll: Most voters think Democrats have a better chance of keeping White House if Biden isn’t the nominee"

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/02/politics/cnn-poll-post-debate/index.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1GZ-jDCMM2hfZM14rQet3j7TO0TjA6OsTIXQow36FH4buL0edH7DyRZiI_aem_QbradvRx02S2-rt11JOqPQ

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The primaries are not the general Keith. The DNC has its own stable of race horses, that have been trodding around the paddock, exercising and they put their thumb on the scale in primaries, as they did for Hillary, and this year for Biden.

The did it by moving the first primary to S.C., because they know that the Black vote in SC which is dem would select Biden/Harris, but they have learned that the demographic needed to win the Primary is just the opposite of the demographic needed to win the general.

The black vote in the south is not enough to win the general and the idiots at the DNC haven't go that through their thick skulls

In fact during the election campaign, they bring a nerf bat to a knife fight.

Too many Paul Begalas, Donnie Braziles, Robert Biggs, too many pro's who make a living sucking blood from a turnip

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William you're very personally derogatory with this. You're arguing with the choir. You keep repeating "the primaries are not the general." duh?! We know that, the point here is that Kamala performed poorling in the primaries where DEMOCRATS ONLY vote, and therefore "maybe?" she's not one of the front runner for Dem voters??!! We get it you don't like left-wing pundits but that's how much of this rolls. Take a pill William! We're all upset, but. . no need to get personal.

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It would behoove you to not tell me, or anyone else, what they are or aren't. Fact is I was inclined to stop reading your comment after he first sentence.

And didn't get personal, I can't help that you personalized my comment

Read my comment again. Where did I use the word You, and where did I attack you. I stated my opinion which is contrary to yours. Unless your real name is Paul Bagala or Robert Biggs.

Whether Kamala performed well on stage against Biden, is irrelevant to how she would do in the general election.

She has the following going for her

1. She is an antiTrump

2. She has all the Democrat votes.

She gets the Black and People of Color Votes

4. She gets the female vote,at least those that don't have dreams of giving Trump a blow job.

5. she is not hampered by Biden's support of Israel.

As regards the last, there are at least 3.5 million Muslims who threaten to vote for Trump, by not voting for Biden, in the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania Muslim population by state: .https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/muslim-population-by-state

Biden won Michigan's electoral votes by 154,188 vote Michigan has 241,000 Muslims, votes that Biden won't get.. Trump wins Michigan

Biden won Minnesota by 233,202 votes There are 144,000 Muslim votes he won't get, and I haven't touched the third party votes like RFK, Cornell West, Jill Stein or the Libertarian.

Biden won Pennsylvania by 80,325, and it has a Muslim Population of 149, 561

Do the math yourself, and don't forget the Millenial, Gen X,Y,Z,s that are HAMAS surrogates, and the black Males who said that they won't vote for Biden because........

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William: "be so inclined" not to read my comments" Final Solution!

> The primaries are not about who can debate better should be our candidate, you know that and that's part of the argument here with Biden.

> She only had 3% of the Democrats (primary) vote finishing 6th before dropping out early out of the primary

> Harris maybe black but she's also asian. But most people, including blacks don't realize she's black. In fact, in recent poll of black voters, Biden, Bernie, and Warren, polled ahead of Harris. I don't think you really understand the black vote. (Why black voters never flocked to Kamala Harris-https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/04/kamala-harris-black-voters-2020-075651)

> true she does one up Biden on the female vote but your crudeness in attempt to be funny is about as sensible as your "rape" analogy. . you're a pig!

>Kamala support Israel more than Bidnen. . so once again you're wrong. ("Harris finds herself, often, a half step further than Biden on Israel

The administration says there’s no daylight between her and the president’s Israel stances." https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/26/kamala-harris-joe-biden-israel-00148955#:~:text=And%20she%20has%20consistently%20gone,the%20region%20a%20%E2%80%9Ccatastrophe.%E2%80%9D)

> your new conspiracy theory . . lol is the Muslim vote due to Biden support of Israel. . FACT: Muslims vote progressive (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Muslim_vote#:~:text=In%20the%20United%20States%2C%20the,vote%20for%20the%20Democratic%20Party.). Do you think Muslims are naive and don't remember Trumps mandate banning travel to the U.S. from 7 Muslim countries? Trump's administration was the very definition of Islamophobia.

Instead of worrying about Muslims we should be worrying about 3rd party candidates. Jill Stein (the Green Pary Candate just like Ralph Nader did to Gore) cost Hillary the election in 2016 ("𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧: 𝐇𝐚𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐬𝐲𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚, 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲’𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧, 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭."

𝐡𝐭𝐭𝐩𝐬://𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐨.𝐜𝐨𝐦/𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬/𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎/𝟎𝟔/𝟐𝟎/𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐬-𝐬𝐡𝐫𝐮𝐠-𝐨𝐟𝐟-𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥-𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧-𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫-𝐢𝐧-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎-𝟑𝟐𝟗𝟏𝟕𝟎"

"we have the enemy and it is us - Pogo" also William "Lord Farquadd-Shrek" Fartrock.

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And Obama, Hilary, Clyburn, Carville. A comedy of strategic and tactical errors for 30 years have led us here.

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And your alternatives?

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She just doesn't inspire confidence for me anyway. Anyone would better than a Republican, of course. Is there someone else with a connection to the black community? Or her as VP again, if she's willing.

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TOTALLY agree. She's almost the new Hillary of the Dems. . probably should of said that will get push back. She's more progressive than Hillary, yada yada. but let's all agree her lack of popularity among Dems has been proven?

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How has it been proven? Could you provide links to evidence? This is an important issue.

She polled higher than Biden against Trump in the most recent polls. Every article I've read (seems we read different news sources) has been talking about her confident appearances for the Biden campaign, and how much people like her when they meet her. Which they are now doing.

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She finished 6th with 3% among Democrats in the primary. All you have to do is google her popularity. I was the one that posted she polled 2% higher than Biden due to the women vote. She is stronger in support of Israel than Biden. . and negative for Biden among progressive voters. I think she's done a great job as VP and is very articulate. I have no problem with her as President either. . my objective which should be all of ours is to defeat Trump.. . not quibble over who's better to run than Biden.

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Cory Booker, who I think is very good all around. AOC is another. But Blacks care much more about policies & character than skin color, so any moderate to progressive who supports most of the Democratic agenda without anything troubling in their background should do fine with Blacks against Trump.

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There is this common misimpression that the race of the candidate will particularly impact Black women. Of all demographic groups, Blacks, especially women, have been most supportive of Democrats & least likely to let skin color determine their vote. In the 2020 primaries, Biden did better & Bernie & Steyer about as well as Harris & Booker among Blacks in the polls, & in head to head competition against Trump, the Democratic candidates polled practically equally among Blacks, but not so evenly for other demographic groups. Much more important for Blacks are the policies & character of the candidates, as it should be.

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I agree with what you’re saying. Although the minute Harris became vice president the right wing media started throwing her under the bus. She won’t win because she’s the wrong color. They need somebody that they can’t and don’t have dirt on. Put somebody on that stage that is quick, intelligent and articulateto talk about this country and the progress Joe Biden has made. I believe they also need to talk about what “the administration” has done. Well Joe Biden is the leader. Nothing happens without a solid team around him. Any leader knows that.

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Unfortunately, I think Trump would dredge up the Pocahontas jibe. Warren would be great otherwise.

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I think almost anyone could destroy Trump. So many independents, undecideds and never-Trumpers are begging the Dems to give them an alternative. Trump is terribly disliked by a majority of Americans, but they feel they'll have to hold their noses and vote for him. They're seeing Joe Biden as incompetent. In my opinion, Trump is the one who is incompetent and his next administration will be a total disaster. That is, unless the Dems can figure a way to fix this

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Thank you Dave. This seems apparent to me as well.

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Absolutely! Your first sentence has no basis in fact whatsoever; Warren was just one in a long list of candidates (of both genders) who couldn't stir the voters, and Clinton *did* win the popular vote, and would almost certainly have won the electoral vote if not for James Comey.

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Tapping Harris as VP in 2020 was a huge gaffe by Biden. Of the handful of women he considered at the time, she was the worst possible choice. Stacy Abrams, Val Demings, or Tammy Duckworth would have been far better, in my opinion.

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I think we are doomed if Harris were to become the nominee.

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Hillary failed for a number of reasons but it wasn't (at least mainly) because she's a woman. But that narrative was created to convince voters that Warren couldn't win. The reason that narrative was created was that the corporate powers that be are deathly afraid of her. She has a reputation & history of standing tough against corporate executives & advocating for consumers, workers, the public & the environment. The corporations in power couldn't have that. Somehow they managed to keep Warren out of the discussion on possible replacements for Biden, along with other anti-corporatist stalwarts like Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff Merkley & Jamie Raskin, although that's exactly the kind of leader we desperately need now.

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Harris will not be the candidate.

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Primaries are not the general Constance. I'm sure that you know that, so what is your purpose here?

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It’s a different game this time… but I get it.

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The Democrats need to be brave and declare that they are the party that represents the majority of Americans. Numerous polls have shown that the majority of Americans support

a) higher taxes on the wealthy

b) higher taxes on big corporations

c) lower prices for prescription drugs

d) health care for everyone

e) higher wages

f) quality education for everyone

g) safe housing for everyone

h) stricter gun controls

i) action on climate change

The Democratic message should be clear: elect a solid majority of Democrats to Congress, your state legislatures, and local governments - and you will get the change you want and deserve.

Elect Republicans, and they will preserve the status quo that is keeping you miserable.

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No - Republicans will take us back 100 years No rights for women or non whites, or Christians not of their liking. No rights for the poor or working class. No unions and no Federal regulations on pollution or medicines. No Medicare or Social Security That’s the Republican agenda Project 2025.

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Project 2025 appears to be a dictator’s grand dream.

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Sadly...but totally agree, Kay!.Seems like we've regressed to.the hunters gatherer mentality in prevalent political thinking. Black.robed old men beating their chests like gorillas with a club.on their shoulders. Unbelievable!

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We need a powerful speaker/candidate to articulate those points loudly NOW.

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founding

Isn't that why we keep folks like Obama & Clinton around? (Why not ask prominent Democrats to "double-down" on singing the praises of the party?)

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Never Again ! All of them seems to enjoy the Genocide of Palestinians !

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founding

Yes, that is a risk of articulating loudly, i.e. there are bound to be particular misgivings; our diversity is not a weakness - it is a strength.

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OK,

well, one day we will do better and build Memorials in Palestine with Eternal Flames !

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Sure, but a candidate.

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founding

So we're not voting for the party - or the party's ticket? (We're voting for its poor choice of iconoclast? Since when are we following what those idiots are doing??)

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EXACTLY. . Dems fail to ring their own bell what this country has benefited from what Democrats have passed for America. But sadly voters are getting that. Just look what Republicans have passed to benefit the American people, blue-collar workers, white-collar, middle class. . the majority;. "Tax cuts for the rich?" If you still believe in trickle down?!

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so you can agree the lesser of two evils is the Democratic Party? Democratic socialism (see Scandinavian countries, are some of the happiest and most successful countries on the planet). And the Dems believe in separation of state and religion. . so your point is. . . ?

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Ahem,Tim, much as I like you alphabetical enumeration of things Americans (and Democrats!) like, I have to disagree with your last sentence, "Elect Republicans, and they will preserve the status quo that is keeping you miserable." If the people elect Republicans, they will be getting Leonard Leo's Federalist Society andThe Heritage Foundation's "Project 2025", which would be far, far worse than the status quo. (as in, "a permanent Republican majority" and the end of even a semblance of democracy in the USA).

Happy Independence Day -- enjoy it like it's the last (and you may be right).

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Elect Republicans and they will make the things you already hate much worse!

Message should center around just three issues.

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Tim Bardell, excellent spiel!

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Prof. Reich, wise advice. Nancy Pelosi was quoted as saying something not as concrete, but similar: prove them wrong. Biden must act sooner rather than later. The interview with George S. for ABC isn't impromptu. If he isn't able to do this successfully, he should bow out.

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And let me be clear: I LOVE Joe! He deserves a chance to get this right. But he must prove the nay-sayers wrong ASAP or, if he can't, bow out.

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Agree. . but let's stop "loving" Joe like we're throwing him out with the bath water.

It's about beating Trump.. .saving democracy. . that's all. and what ever it takes.

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Yes, well said.

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"...prove them wrong" isn't the point. All of that stuff is a distraction and like many other distractions right now (see conversations on these pages and comments elsewhere), including the interview with Stephanopoulos, it is a waste of time and energy.

The one and only thing being discussed should be:

Who can beat Donald Trump? It is not Joe Biden and it is not Kamala Harris. They are done, for too many reasons to list here.

The Dems can turn this "crisis" into an opportunity. Tens of millions of American voters are angry having to choose between Biden and Trump, and they want change NOW. Put up a young articulate, dynamic, charismatic candidate with a proven record of who will stand against abortion and fight for workers and you can win at least 30, maybe 36 electoral college states. That person is Gretchen Whitmer.

See articles about her in the NYT in the past three months or so.

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I was with you till you got to Whitmer.

We have never elected a woman President. When you say you want her, how can you discount the historical record? Do you mean to say that the historical record is not predictive at all ? Maybe that things have so changed that the record is not relevant for this woman in this election? What would that be?

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Hillary Clinton won the popular vote in 2016. That was then, this is now.

Mature moms and younger women are craving a champion who will fight for their rights to decide their own health choices.

I don’t have the links at the moment, but if you have access to the NYT look up the article about Whitmer by Michelle Goldberg a couple of months ago and the recent interview with Whitmer.

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I believe a woman can win, but the historical record is evidence the odds are against her. Nominating a man improves our odds of winning. But you have a good point for this election with what has happened with abortion rights. And the prejudice against women being President is fading with time. Still, it seems an "experiment" we should skip given that we are in such dire straits. No access to NYT. On political despair by Goldberg 2021 https://www.ips-journal.eu/topics/democracy-and-society/the-problem-of-political-despair-5573/

On odds of other Dem candidates beating Trump: All about the same and all lose according to this poll at this time. But not sure I agree with the political scientist. Perhaps some of the losing odds for some Dem candidates is because they are not so well known and, gosh, have not campaigned for President. Kamala Harris is pretty well known.

I believe a good candidate can change the current poll cited. Still, kind of a downer. https://www.newsweek.com/gretchen-whither-chances-beating-trump-poll-1919211

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I don't think that President Biden would take Prof. Reich's suggestion for a news conference on July 4th because I believe he knows that he would do as badly or even worse than last Thursday. At the end of the day, does he then announce that he will not run for re-election?

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I feel Biden has done a good job responding about this poor performance. . first owning up to it, and then denying that's not really him. Where does a President have to debate rivals in their duties as President/leader of the nation? Debates are stupid, we can all agree, it just feeds the drama media, and drama types. Winning a debate is like saying you're wrong, but at least you won the argument!

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Being "right" or being the "winner" in an argument is very far from being a good person, being tolerant and gracious. I am with you. The Dems need to drop the drama flakes and getting high on the Republican lie. It feels to me that this Biden character assassination is more about others individual ambitions then it is about "saving" the election.

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I agree with you, Biden handled his poor performance honestly. He didn’t make excuses and his staff said that he had a cold. Someone else mentioned that if he had taken an antihistamine, that could have caused his problems.

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We shall see. But doing such a conference is the ONLY way he can restore confidence, if that's possible.

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agree, and what better date than July 4th what most real Americans who love Democracy revere.

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Too late. He needs to step down now!!!

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I disagree.

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We can look forward to a staged, scripted interview with no hard questions. This has been going on for years now. Press conferences have pre-selected questions, and Biden is given cards with large-print answers.

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what time of day will the interview take place-and how much rest will Joe have had

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But that just emphasizes the point. When you’re the president, you have a lot on your plate and sometimes you have to make snap decisions. Think about a defcon 1 scenario. That’s part of the risk calculation going on in the voters minds right now. Do I want a guy who might not be with it at that crucial point in time, but he’s got good character, or do I want a guy who can make a snap decision, albeit probably wrong, but has no character? In the formers case someone might have to intervene. And who is that? In the latter case, who’d dare have the balls to challenge Trump, especially given he will only hire lackeys this time around. There in lies the dilemma.

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Voters deserve both traits and they don't like this dilemma.

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Sometime Friday. That's what I read. Evidently the interview will take place befor that, then they will release it (or a portion).

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i assume teasers til 'Sunday Morning with George S'

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Joe had rest before the debste last week. Rest isn't the issue it seems.

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He said he was tired, almost fell asleep. . not a good comment for a debate, but honest! Spending a week grilling him on topics was a negative, he can handle himself on topics with Trump. Throw in the cold and fear the R's/Fox would capitalize if he re-scheduled. . didn't help. But too many "excuses" he IS senile, he's not quick on the tongue, has a stutter, and yes, a bit senile. But like he says, he doesn't lie or ramble on about sharks and boat electricutions.

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thanks for letting us know

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No, no he didn’t - he had a cold and just flew in from Europe

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He was in Atlanta prepping for almost a week.

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If Kamala Harris is the candidate we'll see the loss of the presidency by a percentage never before achieved in a presidential election. It's too late - Biden must regroup, change the dems' miserable messaging and remain the candidate. He should have said he would do ONE TERM giving dems 3+ years to find other candidates - what party in their right mind would put up a candidate in his/her 80's. Maybe the dem strategists don't do arithmetic. I appreciate Biden ran and won. I don't appreciate now being in this situation. Nevermind the fact it's not fair to the country let alone Biden.

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A different candidate should be chosen, not Harris. The Dems have cast her as a sidekick, not a politician.

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Afraid so. When I worked for him in the last election, I hoped - and thought - Biden would mentor the younger group to the point that one of them would be ready. I love Kamala Harris, & think that she has done yeoman's work in the background of this very productive administration. However, I'm not at all sure she has the clout to win.

I really like Joe, but think hubris (usually the other guys forté) has led us to this point. I think its too late to get anyone else to run who can actually win. I think he's capable of managing the ship for at least the year it would take to win.

After all, he’s not Boeing!

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Regroup? A leopard doesn’t change their spots. What in the world would Biden do to regroup? He’s going to be the same man that he was for the last 50 years. I don’t believe people aren’t worried about his internal make up. They’re worried about his physical makeup. The next four years are going to be tough on whoever wins.

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There won’t be a country left in 4 years if Trump wins

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Fearmonger…Our country has gone through worse…

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If Trump wins again democrats should do some soul searching on the off chance that there’s another election. Key word AGAIN

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But that takes a pragmatic Democratic Party. Part of the problem is, the party unlike republicans is so diverse. How do you reign in so many diverse groups and get them to focus on the real issue? Especially here, where a more centrist candidate is what’s needed to bleed off enough republicans to win this election? I don’t see anything like that happening with the current party structure. They learned nothing from Hillary’s defeat. And the Biden campaign has done squat to attack Trump. The opportunities are so rich it’s sickening. But alas, even the Lincoln Project, which I funded during the 2020 election has no real clue how to go about that either. Thus no more money from me!

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First statement is outright wrong. Kamala is polled to do better than Biden vs Trump by several points, due to the woman (black) vote. That's a fact/factor that exists, inspite of her personality/history. see: https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/02/politics/cnn-poll-post-debate/index.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1GZ-jDCMM2hfZM14rQet3j7TO0TjA6OsTIXQow36FH4buL0edH7DyRZiI_aem_QbradvRx02S2-rt11JOqPQ

But I agree, the Dem leadership are still old school. . their wimps. . they only want to pass down leadership to old leaders who have "earned" it. That's not the way a leader of this nation should work. It should be who is the best qualified and the best to beat the opposition. And there are just too many of those names before Biden, and sadly, not enough of them women, minotities. . but Dems need to get off this fantsy progressive train, and stick with reality. Living the reality will demonstrate that there are many women and minorities who can lead, we don't need to ram this down the throats of the voters. (this is why Dems lose!)

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Would Harris do worse than McGovern or Dukakis? Hard to imagine.

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You're comparing former Dem leaders from the 70's and 80's to a '20's? /s/???

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and, said Richard Feyman, they found themselves working on the H bomb after the a-bomb work was done, but there wasn't much discussion about whether they should be

Party inertia. Fear of disruption and uncertainty.

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New plan. Hillary loves it. It’s called Project 2024.

There’s no need for an election in 2024 now that Biden has full, 100% immunity from crimes against humanity, laws, and constitutions.

President Joe Biden should postpone the elections until 2028. Pardon Trump now and exile him to Russia, Russia, forever. No need for a trial.

And by Christmas, retire to Delaware, let Kamala take the reins and pick her own VP. I like anyone from the J6 committee.

Some may be mad about this, but hell, immunity is immunity, for god’s sake. Don’t waste a good thing on trivia.

And, at least, Joe’ll have made our nation safe for democracy. Trump will destroy democracy. Believe it.

BTW. Liz says Trump’s unfit for any elected office. She’s right. SCOTUS is unfit.

Dangerous times require drastic measures. Lincoln suspended habeas corpus, as I recall.

The Supremes won’t hold Trump accountable. Biden must.

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I really like the Project 2024 idea.

I thought of a Biden delaying the election as well (breaking democracy in order to save it, ironic), but "official acts" are to be determined by the Supreme Court - guess how that will go.

Back to Project 2024: the Democrats should list Biden's policies against those laid out by Trump's Project 2025.

Two columns - side by side.

Then voters can see what they're actually voting for

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That’s pretty interesting! Ha …. We DO need thinking “outside of the box,” don’t we … I’m not saying it will or should happen, but what a hoot to think about …

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Absolutely true and the best viable option next to a shootout.

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founding

Legitimating an unfit candidate with a debate is one thing; co-opting his entire playbook would leave... what difference - and what sort of future choice?

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OH ! IF WISHES. WERE PENNIES......

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LOVE IT!! Exactly! THAT is what should be done! Throw it back in the greedy SCOTUS faces.

And then he won’t have to send the Seal Team to assassinate anyone in the guise of “Presidential Immunity”.

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The only thing - I don’t like the pardoning of Trump part. I think he should face the firing squad for his treasonous behavior. That’s what happens to traitors, right?

(MTG called to jail Dr. Fauci. His death threats accelerated to him & his family).

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Biden has already acknowledged he didn't do well because of overdoing it with travel. Would I prefer a younger candidate? Yes. Do I think Biden needs to step down because he was shell-shocked at the blatant lies Trump spewed all 'debate' long? NO. That's the same look on my face everytime I have to listen to that POS and watch his worthless MAGA maggots get off on it.

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Thank you Joe! Why is no one mentioning Project 2025? This is Trump’s playbook if he wins. The GOP wants a fascist government. Biden is old but he is a honorable & decent guy. Trump, not so much!

VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS!!!!💙💙

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Funny you should say this. I emailed this very thing. WHY isn’t the media talking about project 2025?

An exercise physiologist told me she didn’t know what it meant!

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Project 2025 is a huge part of Trump’s agenda. He talks the tenets all the time, and so much of it is already being enacted (SCOTUS and immunity). No one asks Trump the question.

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We love Joe! Hooray, we all agree, and what he's done for us in his career.

But the rub here is. . we love Democracy more! And THAT. . is what at stake here "if" you believe the polls. Naive/low-info voters will vote 3rd party or not at all if they don't understand it's a binary choice and it's about democracy vs fascism. Voting who "you like/love best" is not the patriotic duty. Server your country, serve your fellow Americans. .not your personal preferences.

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GREAT EYE, JOE!. GOOD CATCH!. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT IMAGE.TO MIND!

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That Biden, not Trump, is being asked to step aside is nuts. Allowing MAGA to dictate our perception and evaluation of a presidential debate as if it were a reality TV game show is ludicrous.

Step 1: tell the American people that we refuse to judge our potential leaders on the basis of how well they play as a reality show TV celebrity.

Step 2: ask the American people if they'd buy a car based on its paint job alone - or would they look at its performance, record, statistics of how the model actually functions. Would they evaluate a candidate for our office of president with less scrutiny than they would their car?

Step 3: tell the media to either be journalists or step aside, and bring in some journalism school students to actually write evaluations of these candidates as well as the debate - that inform the citizenry (the reason we have a "Free Press").

How dare people look at Trump's clownish debate and not be affronted and fight back against this degradation of our democracy.

We are so far down the rabbit hole - we can't even see the absurdity right in front of us.

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I like your car analogy.

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Agreed Virginia, both are incompetent's though. Biden should have replaced Garland 3 and 1/2 years ago!

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Hear, hear!

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Best summary i have seen yet on how to move forward. Good job!

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To be clear,

1. Compare policies brought up by each candidate during the debate (the transcript is helpful) and research to determine if their statements are at least close to their policies. There are also multiple fact checking analyses available that can be helpful.

2. Compare the administration of each and its accomplishments - research specific promises made and actions actually taken with policies put in place (eg "Infrastructure Week" versus massive public investment in infrastructure).

This reestablishes evaluating those who run for office should be based on their policies, actions, and records versus some emotional reaction to them talking at a podium.

Reagan's first debate was horrible and he won the presidency.

Biden has been a public servant in office for 50 years. He has held different views in the past, but learns as he goes along and updates his views - rather than doubling down.

Bear in mind - parties change too. Compare Trump to Eisenhower; compare Biden to George Wallace.

The parties have in many ways exchanged their stances on many issues.

Being informed and making up one's own mind based in information is key to any democracy. Our debates should reflect that.

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That is the problem. These aren't "debates." They are media events.

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Agreed. More's the pity.

Americans are so much smarter than the media gives us credit for.

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Good point re Dems. Since the 1980s, introduced by the Republicans but adopted heartily by the Democrats, we've had the same economic model (called Neoliberalism - think NeoLibertarianism) - which is an extractive model. So middle class taxes were increased and services cut to send money (free handouts) to corporations and the ultrawealthy - using massive, debt-funded tax cut (wealth-fare).

These policies - put forth by Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump

Have gutted the middle class.

We have less money, less stable

Jobs, less retirement savings, worse healthcare - and so we're angry.

But Biden (don't like him either - but that's not important) is the first in 40 years to start using our tax dollars to fix our roads, build our bridges, bring manufacturing back to the US, lower drug prices.

Trump will just add more debt on our backs to cut Bezos' and Exxon's taxes.

Biden, for all his faults, errors, and mis-steps won't.

A dictator may make us feel strong through him, but dictators crush their people. There won't be a middle class left.

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Virginia, Biden has not gained in my trust since the Clarence Thomas fiasco. I suspect he is a right-wing plant, a Republican, a Dino and he is helping the insurrectionists by appointing a republican attorney general so it is time to replace him even if I'm wrong, and get behind Kamala Harris or someone else who polls better! If Biden is a long-term Republican in the Democratic party this will throw a major kink in the insurrectionists plan.

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Harris would be great, as would Elizabeth Warren. Both advocates of the middle class.

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Valid POV. The most important issue with Trump is that, especially with the Supreme Court immunity ruling, that if he were put back in office, he declare a state of emergency, replace generals to get the armed forces behind him, and impose a dictatorship. That would end our democracy. We might have "elections" (as Putin and Orban do), but the result would be to keep him in office. He would also, as he has said would, remove the presidential term limit.

That's the greatest concern. Biden would serve at most 4 more years and then we would be free to vote for someone who would continue his successful policies and change his unsuccessful ones.

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True that man

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Biden does well when there's no opposition, or when the opposition plays by the rules, like a press event. Biden showed up for a debate; Trump showed up for a cage match, and ran all over Biden, who was defenseless. That's what worries me more than age or capacity. Like Hillary, Joe thought this was a debate, but it wasn't.

Until the Dems get a candidate who understands this and has a strategy that breaks Trump's power, they will flail and suffer.

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1000% agree, Jerry.

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Biden was playing checkers; Trump was competing in MMA. Vigorous brutality will defeat feeble benevolence, every time.

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Which begs the question: what does energetic benevolence look like?

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We'll know when we elect Pete Buttigieg

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Trump competing in anything is rigged

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while I agree, this suggestion that Trump is anything more than what his former Sec of Defense called him. . . "a moron!". . always infuriates me. He doesn't just spout lies, but nonsense. The shark, boat battery electrocution, solar planes falling out of the sky if cloud hide the sun, windmill cancer, . . .rhetoric. . .is only entertaining for us to laugh at. You won't laugh if he says it as President!

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I'm not so sure, Keith. If you're looking for logic and a debate, no question: Trump fails. If you're looking to persuade people, win the modern media cycle, be dismissed and underestimated by your enemies, and have an active side conversation with your followers: he wins. Can you try changing your evaluation criteria?

I posted this video in 2020 about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcQTPAI9vgE

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You overlooked a very important fact: Biden not only beat Trump in the second debate of 2020 but also beat Trump in the election. We already have the one candidate that can beat Trump.

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I'm not sure we're in the same world as back then, Lidia, for many reasons, including some that run against Trump. From the looks of it today, I think the most optimistic scenario is that Biden squeaks out a win. I really don't like those odds.

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I had a history book that showed the posters for the German elections of 1932 (and DT is German, right?) Anyhow, images of fists and violence were in most of the these campaign posters. Odd. That doesn’t seem to be the “American Way.” But it sure is the Trump way, so maybe a German thing? Not just the Nazis remember: ALL the German posters (or most of them) had this element of a violent fight. Democracy is a fragile thing. One may IMAGINE it as a peaceful process —or not!

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founding

Uh... that would be the difference between winning and *striving* to win (you mean to say the choice is as stark as it is clear, no?)...

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Why is Biden running? I would like to support him but he has not prosecuted the leaders of the insurrection! I will vote for him though if it comes down to him or Trump it's not even close! The Democratic party is Lost in space unless they start prosecuting all those who want to overthrow our government and with Biden's newfound power thanks to the Supreme Court of the United States we need to get right on it?

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In all fairness? to Biden, that's not his job nor his nature. (Dems love to turn the other cheek), it's Merrick Garland's job, who has failed and should be thrown out. Biden rewarded him with AG after he was screwed by R's, that's what Dems do. Reward the downtrodden and the minorities. A woman who knows nothing about science, the responsiblities of the Dept of the Interior (land management), very little political experience (head of NM Dem party, 2 years as a US congressmwoman) he appointed to Dept of Interior so she can be the first woman, first Native American to head this dept. THIS is what Dems aspire to. . 'firsts for they believe is "progress" when it's just a good feeling and not qualifications or experience or performance. Look at Garland!

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It’s special council Jack Smith’s job and he has been terrific—it took a corrupt Supreme Court to hogtie him.

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No it's the Attorney General's job as head of the U.S. Judicial Dept to bring charges for a President who broke the law and committed treason. It took him two years to act (why so many wanted him thrown out), and he appointed Jack Smith to this job.

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I agree with almost all of what you say except Garland is a white male? We need a pitbull not a pussycat?

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The leader of the insurrection is Trump - Biden is trying to allow DOJ to do their job - but Trump and his asskisser SC Justices are in the way of prosecuting hom

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Susan, Biden has been enabling Garland who has ties to the Republican party! Biden even helped Clarence Thomas get into the Supreme Court in the 1980s. I think removing Biden would really follow up the insurrectionist plan!

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Look up Jack Smith on Google. You have somehow missed a very important fact and are spreading misinformation.

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Prosecution is not in his job description. If he were King he could simply sentence them, but he holds office in the executive branch of the government, not in the judicial branch. His director of the Dept of Justice appointed Jack Smith to prosecute cases from Jan 6, whose case against Trump has been delayed indefinitely by Supreme Court rulings. There's nothing a President can lawfully do to contravene a Supreme Court decision: it controls the law of the land and the President's job is to enforce the law.

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The president's job is to defend democracy and the constitution in American citizens. He needed the fire Garland immediately instead of letting the insurrectionist buy time. The most important job is to protect democracy and Biden has failed thus far.

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Jack Smith has been great. But they Supreme Court wouldn’t care if the case were being brought by Moses! We are a country of laws and have suffered the calamity of a Supreme Court stuffed by a corrupt president with corrupt justices. They cannot be fired, and only the House can impeach them. Stop blaming the wrong people and help get out the vote for House members so we have a majority who can impeach the people actually responsible for the situation you rightly deplore.

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Hi Francis, Biden should have replaced Garland within the first month after the insurrection not a year in my opinion. If I was hired to drive a truck and I decided not to drive that truck I would be fired that day!

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I feel it is up to the President of our United States to decide! Not all of us who have opinions!

I love Kamala! Let’s wait to see what Biden says and feels he wants to do! Whoever is running as a Democrat is who we must vote for to save our Democracy!💙

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I don't think the President, one man, should decide. Is he king?

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According to the Supreme Court - yes, he is king.

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Yes, he's king! Didn't you hear that SCOTUS just changed our form of government to a monarchy? Democracy is dead unless and until we vote out the Republicans, get a solid majority in Congress and impeach every last traitor on the Supreme Court. Roberts, Barrett, Kavanaugh, Thomas, Gorsuch and Alito. Remember those names. They are the ones who changed us from a highly regarded democracy to an abominable monarchy.

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Apparently, if the polls are right, which I doubt, Trump acknowledges he wants to be king and 47 approve

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Jul 3·edited Jul 3

I'm not crazy about Biden as a candidate (more because of his position on Gaza than for any other reason), but he's far better than Trump (a dead armadillo is far better than Trump). Even if he is failing, he has surrounded himself with able advisors; if he's willing to listen to them, he shouldn't go too far wrong.

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Gaza was the doing of the King of Israel…

Netanyahu.. like Trump.. Biden was supporting as Allie and Gaza.. and humanity!

President Joe Biden is a great man and has been an excellent President to We The People!

One bad night only makes a great man Rise up!

Which is what Biden has and is doing!

Democracy will always survive here in our America

Indivisible for Liberty and Justice for all!

Vote For Biden!💙💙💙💙💙💙

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There in lies the rub. If it were me, I’d have pulled military support from Israel, because they have gone too far. You have a right to defend yourself, but to a point. The counter narrative is just as ridiculous. And for those who push only on this issue, either way in voting, they are being intentionally blind to the immediate threat to this country. That being Trump, the Republican Party and the Supreme Court. So if you don’t vote democrat, do you really expect the opposition will give you what you want? Delusional at best! Think like an engineer trying to solve a problem, you hit the biggest effects first, not side issues. Biden has been put between a rock and a hard place on this issue. Bibi, his supporters on one side with the Israel lobby, and pro-Palestinian voters on the other. But the splinter within the Democratic Party on this issue, will further lessen the chances of a Democratic victory. And that my dear readers, is ALL our fault. We can’t focus on the task at hand. As a scientist, I’d say YOUR FIRED! Go work at Boeing.

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Biden put himself between a rock and a hard place, and, not only may it cost him votes, if Netanyahu gets a full-scale Middle Eastern war going, as he seems to be trying to do, it could drag the US, the UK, and Germany in, too. Unconditional support of Netanyahu, who'll keep Israel at war for the rest of his life if it keeps him in power and out of prison, may prove a strategic mistake as well as a political one.

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People don’t vote for a presidential candidate for his / her advisers.

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If they're smart, the take them into consideration.

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And let me suggest Michele’s running mate. Arizona’s Senator Mark Kelly, a swing state. Ex-military, ex-astronaut, Gabby Gifford’s husband, a reasonable gun-control advocate.

It’s Obama—Kelly.

In a landslide.

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And if Michele were to win let’s hope that she would have the vision and backbone to be honest, logical and do the right thing. We should be taking John Mearsheimer’s advice on both Ukraine and Israel. And for those of you who don’t know who John Mearsheimer is you shouldn’t be speaking up about anything because you don’t know anything. …And that’s just regarding foreign policy…

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We are talking about the wrong thing!! Heather Cox Richardson says it better than anyone else (as usual!) https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8-IswXqXo_/?igsh=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

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As James Carville said, let Obama and Clinton choose five Democratic stars to address their convention in August. Carville said the president should give a July 4 speech announcing he will let the next generation of Democratic leaders bloom. Think of the ratings!

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Not those two.

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Then let Carville pick! We need a handful of bright, articulate and charismatic leaders. Best to pick from Governors and Senators.

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Yes we need new candidates. No we do not need Carville choosing.

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Base it on polling, not Obama and Clinton's opinions.

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No. Polling is based on the public and the public is 90% tuned out. We need insiders and campaign experts to pick.

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So let me get this straight. President Biden can order the assassination of his rival, he would have “broad immunity” and they ‘could not question his motives’.

If the positions were reversed, we all know what Trump would do.

If Trump were Hitler or Putin, who he admires and seems to emulate, we would want to stop Hitler or Putin, wouldn’t we?

Are the Democrats too nice?

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Yes, pants-pissing neurotics who always bring whiffle bats and casseroles to gun fights.

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Let's put it this way. If you want to be ahead of crooks, it helps to think like a crook.

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A good idea.

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