I would highly doubt Biden wants Harris to be the fall-gal for a Democratic defeat.
Unfortunately, even supporters were aghast at the debate performance. I think he really wanted to keep running, but felt enough pressure due to the Democrats concern he could not beat Biden.
I think for Biden's withdrawal, he likely feels a combination of betrayal as well as simultaneous satisfaction by exhibiting an unselfishness in his actions that his opponent would never have committed.
I do think Biden was headed for a loss. I would have voted for his corpse if necessary, but Harris now presents a different target. I think this was validated by the flailing of the Trump campaign trying to pivot. Their whole strategy was predicated on campaigning against "sleepy dementia Joe."
Trump (and Vance) can try to run on policy and issues, but will inevitably be unable to control their most mysoginistic and racist tendencies as will many of their followers (nay, cult). This has already started.
Trump is now "the old guy" in the race & Democrats are energized. Project 2025 is an almost fascist christian nationalist playbook, as is Trump' Agenda 47, and both are getting lots of scrutiny. Aside from the invasive attack on women's reproductive rights, these plans are targeting Chester Arthur's reforms which created the civil service in an effort to return our highest levels of government to a "spoils system" on ideological steroids!
There's no guarantee of course Harris will win, given the Electoral College as an element rather than popular vote. But either way I think Biden will be lauded for his "Cincinnatus" decision.
It is curious to compare the LBJ withdrawal in 1968 and now. I was already a political junkie then even though I would only turn nine years of age in December 1968. I watched the news back then avidly. (My mom said I ran into the house at a week shy of age four yelling "the president's been shot" Nov 22, 1963). In 1968, I was glued to the news- the chaos within the Democratic Convention in Chicago and the riots outside. I stayed up all night with soda and snacks watching the general election results roll in on CBS (most likely because of Walter Cronkite).
In short, I would lean toward 'consequentalist" in this case. Elections have consequences. LBJ was trying to end the war. Nixon's subterfuge undermined the Paris Peace Talks and Nixon's win resulted in 25,000 more US military deaths and untold number of Vietnamese, Laotians, and Cambodians! I remember the "Miss Saigon" moments as helicopter left the roof of the US embassy in Saigon and were getting pushed overboard to make room for the next.
This election is consequential in a multitude of ways!
Dennis writes: "In 1968, I was glued to the news . . . I stayed up all night with soda and snacks watching the general election results roll in on CBS." I, too, was a political and history junkie at a childhood age. I still remember reading the _Austin American-Statesman_ on the floor in the summer of 1950 and seeing the headline "North Koreans Cross 38th Parallel." I, too, stayed up all night (or most of it) watching the `1968 election returns. The big question was whether George Wallace would win enough electoral votes to throw the election into the House of Representatives. I think he was the last third-party candidate to carry several states.
Brands' essay is also interesting because it incorporates a common folkloric motif: St. Peter as Guardian of Gates of Heaven. One of my favorites is the one where St. Peter faces an endless line of people trying to get in. Each must make a case for admittance. A U.S. Marine in a tattered, bloody uniform with an M-1 rifle slung over his shoulder finally reaches the head of the line. He tells St. Peter: "Another Iwo Jima veteran reporting, Sir. I've done served my time in hell."
Thought provoking essay.
I would highly doubt Biden wants Harris to be the fall-gal for a Democratic defeat.
Unfortunately, even supporters were aghast at the debate performance. I think he really wanted to keep running, but felt enough pressure due to the Democrats concern he could not beat Biden.
I think for Biden's withdrawal, he likely feels a combination of betrayal as well as simultaneous satisfaction by exhibiting an unselfishness in his actions that his opponent would never have committed.
I do think Biden was headed for a loss. I would have voted for his corpse if necessary, but Harris now presents a different target. I think this was validated by the flailing of the Trump campaign trying to pivot. Their whole strategy was predicated on campaigning against "sleepy dementia Joe."
Trump (and Vance) can try to run on policy and issues, but will inevitably be unable to control their most mysoginistic and racist tendencies as will many of their followers (nay, cult). This has already started.
Trump is now "the old guy" in the race & Democrats are energized. Project 2025 is an almost fascist christian nationalist playbook, as is Trump' Agenda 47, and both are getting lots of scrutiny. Aside from the invasive attack on women's reproductive rights, these plans are targeting Chester Arthur's reforms which created the civil service in an effort to return our highest levels of government to a "spoils system" on ideological steroids!
There's no guarantee of course Harris will win, given the Electoral College as an element rather than popular vote. But either way I think Biden will be lauded for his "Cincinnatus" decision.
It is curious to compare the LBJ withdrawal in 1968 and now. I was already a political junkie then even though I would only turn nine years of age in December 1968. I watched the news back then avidly. (My mom said I ran into the house at a week shy of age four yelling "the president's been shot" Nov 22, 1963). In 1968, I was glued to the news- the chaos within the Democratic Convention in Chicago and the riots outside. I stayed up all night with soda and snacks watching the general election results roll in on CBS (most likely because of Walter Cronkite).
In short, I would lean toward 'consequentalist" in this case. Elections have consequences. LBJ was trying to end the war. Nixon's subterfuge undermined the Paris Peace Talks and Nixon's win resulted in 25,000 more US military deaths and untold number of Vietnamese, Laotians, and Cambodians! I remember the "Miss Saigon" moments as helicopter left the roof of the US embassy in Saigon and were getting pushed overboard to make room for the next.
This election is consequential in a multitude of ways!
Dennis writes: "In 1968, I was glued to the news . . . I stayed up all night with soda and snacks watching the general election results roll in on CBS." I, too, was a political and history junkie at a childhood age. I still remember reading the _Austin American-Statesman_ on the floor in the summer of 1950 and seeing the headline "North Koreans Cross 38th Parallel." I, too, stayed up all night (or most of it) watching the `1968 election returns. The big question was whether George Wallace would win enough electoral votes to throw the election into the House of Representatives. I think he was the last third-party candidate to carry several states.
Agree about wallace, although I wasn't savy.Enough at that point, to know about the electoral college
Brands' essay is also interesting because it incorporates a common folkloric motif: St. Peter as Guardian of Gates of Heaven. One of my favorites is the one where St. Peter faces an endless line of people trying to get in. Each must make a case for admittance. A U.S. Marine in a tattered, bloody uniform with an M-1 rifle slung over his shoulder finally reaches the head of the line. He tells St. Peter: "Another Iwo Jima veteran reporting, Sir. I've done served my time in hell."