The Long Knives Of The DC Democratic Establishment Went After Biden

I didn’t put the title in real quotes because I was writing another article when I heard Adam Kinzinger say pretty much that on MSNBC earlier this afternoon.  I stopped writing and turned my attention to the TV for a fascinating discussion.  But the gist of what Kinzinger said is reflected and I think he summed up the discussion of the current mess our Party is in and WHY perfectly.  I’ve been ranting here, and to various Congressional offices this week. Not just my own Congresswoman (I live in the Raleigh suburbs) but other and far more well known ones.

What led to the panel discussion I watched on MSNBC is something all of us know.  Democrats in DC and elsewhere, donors and non-elected power brokers have been soiling their skivves for literally weeks now.  All because of President Biden’s lousy debate performance.  I keep saying that leading up to that night he was doing his job and doing it well.  He wasn’t out on the campaign trail as much as most of us would like but in case people have forgotten there has been a LOT on his plate in recent months. Plus he was going to be hosting the 75th NATO summit in DC last week.  When he was out on the campaign trail or had some moments with reporters the President was fine – the same guy we’ve seen for years. Gaffe prone as he’s been his entire adult life due to his stutter but still in command of facts and policy.

Is it fair for people who watched the debate to have had a what the hell was THAT reaction. Sure. I know I did. I thought he’d maybe been badly prepped, and that the format was one he never should have agreed to, specifically the absence of fact checking.  I saw his brief post debate appearance at a nearby watch party and like others wondered where THAT Joe Biden had been during the debate.  I also knew he was scheduled to do an event just a few miles from where I live the next day. He was great. I thought well that’s that. He’s fine and just picked a bad time to have a “bad game” and that his Saturday appearances would be more than enough for Party leaders to rally behind him.

As this article from Reuters indicates they aren’t behind him at all. In actuality they were stuck in OMFG land and took it upon themselves to force the President to step aside.  In a recent article I likened what they should have done was what you see teammates in sports do all the time – when one of their own falls or gets knocked down go over and extend a hand to help them up, brush them off, give them a pat on the bag and wave to the crowd they’re ok.  It’s now clear that starting the weekend after the debate, Democrats leaders I’ve so admired walked over and pulled out knives and started stabbing. And when the President got up on his own despite that they’ve been trailing behind, fighting through rank and file Democratic voters and supporters to catch up and stab him in the back!

Today it was suggested this was organized. Maybe. At the start I think it might have been Schumer, Pelosi, Jeffries and yes even Obama informally chatting amongst themselves and agreeing to suggest individually to President Biden he should seriously consider dropping out. However somewhere along the way they all not only got on board but coordinated with others to create a true, organized pressure campaign.  Yes, polls of Democrats say they don’t like that the President is old. What our turncoat Party leaders keep ignoring is they also think TRUMP is too old!  Or that despite the wave after wave of doom and gloom from the pundits (which they have helped fuel) polling (such as it is at this point which doesn’t count for as much as people assume) show a race within the margins of error.

There was, both after the debate and now PLENTY of time for President Biden to overcome any “he’s lost it” debate crap. I keep harping on focus groups which campaign consultants put a lot of faith in, and when it comes to the debate it’s the same thing for group members that watch. Biden had a bad night, BUT they didn’t like how Trump lied constantly. The event didn’t really move the needle. And post debate polling shows that seems to be the case. Yes, there are concerns about some important swing states but consider something else I heard a little while ago.

I saw pundit Matthew Dowd point out that the Trump campaign has had 21 or 22 “good” days in which news about him has been positive or at least taking little in the way of hits while every day has included negative stuff about President Biden.  For all that at most the polling needle has moved in Trump’s favor at most a couple of points!  I assumed the GOP convention would provide an overwhelming number of “targets of opportunity” and it has. And we have one more night.  I can’t bring myself to believe the very same people, the establishment class of elected officials, political consultants and mega-donors didn’t know something so obvious.

But instead of prepping the public for what we knew we’d all be seeing this week, to park questions in people’s minds that when tonight concludes would leave voters thinking “Trump and the GOP doesn’t just suck, they’re dangerous” what’s been going on instead. OUR side, at least those in power are effectively joining the GOP in telling us to reject the evidence of our own eyes. The Joe Biden they want us to abandon, who they want to force out was every bit PRESIDENT Joe Biden leading the free world during the NATO summit. Dropping in unannounced at the big AFL-CIO gathering in DC the same week and rocking the house. Then that evening press conference.  Schumer, Pelosi, Jeffries and even Obama want to tell me Biden’s “lost it?”  I call bullshit.

I say after his performance on the campaign trail the day after the debate the issue should have been settled. The President was fine both mentally and physically and starting Sunday they should have been publicly leading the charge to make that point. And privately with members and donors to still expressing doubts kicked some ass and told them to knock it off and get to work. For goddamned sure after that press conference they should have been doing so. Instead they insist on continuing to tell US regular folks to ignore what we see.

Yes, there is a crises and THESE people, not President Biden fomented it!  I can’t put to words the disgust I feel with their mousy “We need to give the President time to make his decision. He deserves a dignified exit.” Bullshit, bullshit BULLSHIT! YOU a-holes have stolen that from him.  After a lifetime of dedicated service you are forcing him out (or trying your level best to do so) in anything but a dignified exit. In a manner that will cause history to cast him in a negative light.  As far as I’m concerned YOU all are the ones who should wind up with tarnished legacies.

Back in 2008 when then candidate Obama announced Joe Biden as his running mate the event was held outside the old State Capitol in Springfield Illinois. (my home state I might add and I’ve been to that very spot more than once) I loved when Biden cited Lincoln’s words “Put your feet in the right place, and stand firm.”

Stand firm President Biden. Tell these supposed “friends” so “concerned for your legacy” to go take a flying f**k at a rolling donut.   They have formed a cabal and turned on you. They can go to the hell I wish I believe actually exists as far as I’m concerned.