American Politics from 2019 on

[aufbahrung]

Found this, not sure it is relevant on this forum outside the coming great firewall of america...

[Sean Hayden]

Really? Yes, really. You've got some really stupid voters in your country. You better put up your best opponent to him.

That’s not a reason to think Biden is losing. Most people claiming he’s lost never get around to giving reasons. As for having too many dumb voters, Trump has never won the popular vote.

[pErvinalia]

Biden is obviously not without a shot. But there's serious concerns about his mental acuity. Who's the best opponent to Trump? I don't know the candidates well enough.

[Tero]

Biden is obviously not without a shot. But there's serious concerns about his mental acuity. Who's the best opponent to Trump? I don't know the candidates well enough.

That is the problem. American voters do not know them either.

[Sean Hayden]

Biden is obviously not without a shot. But there's serious concerns about his mental acuity. Who's the best opponent to Trump? I don't know the candidates well enough.

My response to this for the time being is just that I’m unconvinced Americans are more concerned about Biden’s mental state than Trump’s. They certainly don’t have any good reason to prefer Trump’s mind to Biden’s. Given that it’s objectively true that Trump’s mind is mush, we ought to be asking why they’re worried about Biden’s chances more than Trump’s. Why is the default position that Biden has more to fear from the effects of aging than Trump?

I believe it’s because Republicans and their backers have succeeded in creating this climate. These concerns are mostly a Republican talking point that has been amplified by a media catering to the worst in us.

If we respond by changing the candidate we will cement the Republican narrative as reality, without necessarily solving our own problems.

—//—

Why is our story so difficult to sell?

[pErvinalia]

Biden is clearly not as sharp as Trump. Man, he looks like he's nearing the end of his life. Get a new candidate in. Three months for the voters to get to know them. Any more than that people get bored.

[Tero]

And Trump is dumb. He only masters media and showmanship. He has very little skill other than that. He can run a mafia type organization. Not useful.

[L'Emmerdeur]

When the chattering types have lit on their favorite new candidate then there will be a reasonable choice. Until that messiah appears Biden is carrying on, and should, in my opinion.

He did win all of the primary elections. The voters won't get any voice if the nabobs of negativity take it upon themselves to choose the candidate; there isn't time to send it back to the unwashed. Never having been a particular fan of Biden, I await the glorious anointment by the self-chosen oligarchs of the Democratic Party.

[Sean Hayden]

Biden is clearly not as sharp as Trump. Man, he looks like he's nearing the end of his life. Get a new candidate in. Three months for the voters to get to know them. Any more than that people get bored.

I doubt this approach will be productive. It would be easy from here to start sharing moments of idiocy from both men (eg Trump looking directly at the sun during an eclipse, or suggesting we might stop covid with bleach). But deciding who’s truly worse off mentally from that is likely very personal.

So, if you believe Trump is the sharper of the two from moments like these and the debate I’ll just have to disagree and wonder why.

[pErvinalia]

You saw the debate. It was chalk and cheese. Trump is obviously mentally unstable, and a serial liar, but you can't honestly say that Trump isn't sharper than Biden.

[pErvinalia]

Biden looks on death's door. Seriously.

[Sean Hayden]

I don’t think so. But it does look like he’s going to be forced out. To me that would be a Republican victory.

[pErvinalia]

Yeah maybe death's door was a bit hyberbolic. But I can't help thinking what state he will be in in 2 years. But if he beats Trump that doesn't matter. He can step aside if he loses his marbles at some point. We just have to beat Trump. At all costs. Doesn't matter who does it.

[Tero]

I don’t think so. But it does look like he’s going to be forced out. To me that would be a Republican victory.

But they could not claim it at the convention!

[Tero]

Biden is senile!
-OK
Trump dodged a bullet!
-Whatever.
For voters, Trump's perceived handling of the assassination attempt is a net-positive reason to consider voting for him, but that effect is limited overall; for two-thirds, it has not changed their consideration calculus either way.

Billionaire is fighting for you!
-He is?
Of the candidates atop the party tickets, Trump is the one more voters feel fights "a lot" for people like them.
Vance is..
-Who?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-poll ... 7-18-2024/