You want everyone to talk about Trump’s incendiary threats (but electorate is desensitized), and the convictions at trial, infidelities, Project 2025, the word salad, lies and lies and the rest. But it rolls off, like water off a duck’s back, for 45-47% of the electorate.
The TV coverage no longer can surprise anyone, because the Trump perpetual-affronts-reel is baked-in. And he’s not losing ground.
Remember when people couldn’t stop watching Trump, to see where he would shock us? Invariably he would. Like rubbernecking, and witnessing a car wreck.
Here’s what’s flipped. Now, no one can keep our eyes from watching Biden, to see where he stops making sense. It’s suspenseful and painful, if there’s no script, no teleprompter. The ABC interview got hard to ignore, especially the answer to the very last question (“as long as I’ve tried ...”), and his uncertain answer to whether he watched his debate.
Let’s not decry it a “media problem”.
Biden’s occasional incoherence is suddenly a newer, growing concern — and it overtakes attention to Trump’s familiar repeat offenses. This attention switch away from Trump is unavoidably true, like it or not. Reminders of the pending threats and character issues, like “Project 2025” or “felon” won’t make a reset, even if you wish it so. This is the summer where voters are edging away from an unsteady President.
To pretend it’s not a problem divides Democrats, in the House of Reps, the Senate, journalists who have long cheered Biden, and longtime Democratic voters, and pushes away independents.
Upends the election, and tips it further to Trump.
I hope, to avoid this outcome, the Democratic party can turn to Vice President Kamala Harris, preferably, or else a selected candidate, to be at the top of the ticket. Kamala plus a popular governor for her Veep would be a great shakeup to the race — to reshape a contest that otherwise is slipping away.
If we can put it in motion soon, and if Biden could relinquish his “I’m the only one” conceit, it would make a welcome distraction from the RNC convention next week, where otherwise they would be pounding Biden mercilessly. Would be an unexpected diversion from their planned convention next week.
I expect Trump to roll out his Veep as Elise Stefanik (“she’s a killer”). He’s all for surprise, the drama, and attention.
I’ve seen the last year differently than others have. Before the date of the debate, I’ve been listening for months as President Biden’s voice sounded notably softer and raspy, when not giving a prepared speech.
I have wondered since a year ago, why Biden and the WH weren’t developing a plan for succession for other candidates (Kamala or others), in case of health issues. Seemed like poor judgment, and hubris.
This disappointment, in the midst of an accomplished presidency for Biden that has forged great progress for our country, tackled Rx drug costs for Medicare and climate threats, revitalized manufacturing, high-tech manufacturing, factory investment and turned the economy around from the Covid-induced recession.
But heading into election year, he has been protected from unscripted exposure. An earlier tell, months ago, was Biden bypassing the February Superbowl Sunday sitdown interview. That’s peculiar sheltering.
The sheltering continues.
See story over the weekend, deadline.com,
Philadelphia Radio Host Resigns After Revealing Biden Team Gave Her Questions To Ask
Seems like even the supposedly unscripted events are looking like a fake-out.
So some folks, like Rep. Clyburn (D-SC), are gently honest enough to be weighing the alternative, if Biden will withdraw.
Rep. James Clyburn told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell on Tuesday [July 2] that he would strongly support Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election if President Biden decided to "step aside"
"This party should not in any way do anything to work around Miss Harris. We should do everything we can to bolster her whether it's in second place or the top of the ticket."
Clyburn has been a pivotal fulcrum for Biden’s political trajectory in succeeding Trump.
Following Biden’s turnaround presidency, this becomes an imperative, compelling moment to uplift a Democratic-led government, and avert the presidency and Senate from switching to the GOP. The Democrats will need not a growing infirmity, in the coming campaign, but a young animating upswing. Let’s encourage action, let’s not look away.