“I don’t think anybody’s more qualified to be president or win this race than me,” Joe Biden said, during his first interview since falling apart on national television while attempting to debate a comparatively composed Donald Trump.
Biden’s one-on-one with George Stephanopoulos was painful. Not as painful as the debate, but that’s like saying Trump rallies are enjoyable compared to being waterboarded.
The president (the current one) keeps coming back to his qualifications. Over and over again, Biden insists nobody’s more qualified to be President of the United States than he is. Implicit is a very strict definition of the word “qualified.” For Biden, “qualified”‘s a reference to his political resume. An allusion to his career in Washington. If that’s all that counts, Biden’s right. In fact, he’s probably overqualified to be president: He’s a Beltway wall fixture, as I’ve put it previously.
Biden’s career does afford him unparalleled experience in the machinations of US foreign policy and an ocean-deep familiarity with America’s increasingly fraught legislative process. But, again, that’s a strict, literal interpretation of the word “qualified.” An “on-paper” definition, if you will.
Putting aside that many (most) Trump voters view Biden’s qualifications as paradoxically disqualifying (he’s a “swamp creature” and “complicit” in a laundry list of foreign policy boondoggles), and while readily conceding that Biden’s not the first US president to serve in a diminished mental capacity, Americans have a reasonable expectation that their president be in full possession of his faculties while serving. Biden’s not.
To be clear: I don’t know what’s wrong with Biden. I’m not a gerontologist. Maybe there’s nothing wrong with him. Maybe he’s “just old,” so to speak. Maybe it’s not accurate to suggest he isn’t in full possession of his faculties. What I can say — what all Americans can say — is that he frequently has an extremely difficult time forming sentences and completing thoughts. And it’s not his stutter.
That’s a problem. The president has to communicate with the public and with the world, and generally speaking, the president needs to be quick-witted, not the opposite.
Whatever’s “wrong” with Biden — or whatever’s not wrong with him, however you want to look at it — there are justifiable questions about the relative wisdom of flying him around the world to meet, or putting him on the phone with, world leaders who might be keen to exploit a diminished US president.
When it comes to the US, foreign heads of state fall into two categories: Those who want something from America and those who want to take something from America. In a lot of cases, that’s a distinction without a difference. A US president needs to be on top of his or her game all the time when engaging world leaders so as not to cede something inadvertently, even if it’s just a psychological edge. Say what you will about the vice president, but if you manage to get one over on Kamala Harris, it’s not going to be because she was spaced out.
It wouldn’t be accurate to say Biden’s chat with Stephanopoulos “backfired” like the debate backfired. But it did nothing to assuage the concerns of Americans. I’d be shocked if Biden got a meaningful fillip in the polls, and I doubt seriously that anyone on Capitol Hill who harbored doubts about the viability of his campaign came away feeling better.
Asked specifically about mounting calls within the Democratic ranks for him to step aside, Biden brushed them away. In fact, he brushed everything away. Polls included. He sounded, frankly, like Donald Trump.
“Mr. President, I’ve never seen a president with 36% approval get reelected,” Stephanopoulos said. “Well, I don’t believe that’s my approval rating,” Biden responded. “That’s not what our polls show.”
When Stephanopoulos asked Biden about his plan “to turn the campaign around,” Biden pointed to his Wisconsin rally on Friday. And specifically to the size of the crowd. “You saw it today,” he told Stephanopoulos. “How many people draw crowds like I did? Find me more enthusiastic than today? Huh?”
Again, that sounds suspiciously like Trump, only not as funny. Trump would’ve said: “I have the biggest crowds, George. Who draws crowds like me? Nobody. There were 400 million people there on Friday.” “Mr. President, I don’t –” “Excuse me. Excuse me. Can I finish?” “Go ahead.” “Thank you. Think of it: 400 million. People said that was impossible. That there aren’t that many people in the country. But you saw them, George. They were there. 400 million people, and let me tell you something: Every, single one of them voted for me last time. How does that happen? How do I get more votes than there are people and still lose? He got more votes than there are people, but that’s because of the illegals. They’re coming in from Nicaragua and they’re voting in huge numbers. And they’re raping us. They’re raping you, George. You were raped by a gang member.” “Mr. President I wasn’t ra–” “Yes you were, George. You were raped by a Peruvian drug addict who escaped from a Mexican mental institution. And look, I don’t blame him.” “You don’t?” “No, I blame our stupid leaders. It’s a scam, George. A fraud on the American people. And it’s very sad. Very sad for our country. But we’re gonna turn it around. It came out the other day that we’re maybe gonna get a billion votes. I don’t know, I said ‘Gee, that’s a lotta votes, whoever heard of such a thing?’ but that’s what people say. Anyway, look: This is a scam. It’s a witch hunt — ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ — it’s a fraud and people are tired of it, George, they’re tired of it.”
I employ that “excerpt” from an imagined Stephanopoulos-Trump interview mostly for comedic effect, but also to make a point: Trump’s running on nothing but balderdash, white rage and one of the most absurd messiah narratives in the long, ignominious history of cults. He’s tapped into a wellspring of genuine socioeconomic disaffection among neoliberalism’s “left-behinds,” but ultimately, he’s a vacuous demagogue. He needs to be humiliated once and for all.
Biden’s not the guy for that. He’s unable to think on his feet, and America’s obsessive focus on his now famous thousand-yard stare — a look he completes with a half-open mouth — means a second debate will go more or less like the first one. Biden will be more animated and he’ll shout, but he’s not capable of delivering the kind of “Aha!” epiphany that finally breaks the spell. I don’t think Harris is capable of that either, but even if she can’t pull off a “Short Round saves Indy with the torch” moment (at the risk of dating myself with another “old” movie reference), she may be able to present a stark enough contrast with Trump to swing the race back to the dead heat that it was before Biden wilted.
In the Biden interview, Stephanopoulos asked if the threat of losing Congress would compel him to step away. Biden refused even to consider the possibility of a red sweep. “If you are told reliably from your allies — from your friends and supporters in the Democratic Party — that they’re concerned you’re gonna lose the House and the Senate if you stay in, what will you do?” Stephanopoulos wondered. “I’m not gonna answer that question,” Biden said. “It’s not gonna happen.”
Pressed repeatedly, Biden did name one person capable of convincing him to exit the race and pass the torch: Jesus Christ.
“Look. I mean, if the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get outta the race,’ I’d get outta the race,” Biden told Stephanopoulos.
In case Americans are inclined to request divine intervention, Biden said voters shouldn’t hold their breath: “The Lord Almighty’s not comin’ down.”
Asked by Stephanopoulos how he’ll feel in the event he stays in, Trump’s elected and “everything you’re warning about comes to pass,” Biden said he’ll feel fine “as long as I did the goodest job as I know I can do.” “Goodest.”
God help us.
I blame Jill Biden for this sad state of affairs.
+1. This. 100x over. We have all watched her morph from a supportive, protective spouse to a person seeking and holding power for its own sake. Its elder abuse and its a disgrace.
Where are you guys getting that? I’m not up on my WH soap opera but has anyone clearly established that’s Jill’s doing?
Also – what power? She’s just the first lady. It’s a thankless useless ‘job’. Why would she want to hang on to that? Michelle Obama was clearly glad to be rid of it. So was Hillary Clinton, though for slightly different reasons… 🙂
Lots of reporting on this side of the pond that the Biden family, led by Jill, is urging Joe to stay in the race.
I’ve tried to see both sides of Joe stayin or leavin since the debate experience. I’ve concluded it’s ok for him to stay, and I do think there’s time enough for him to recover and possibly win. However, my reasons for thinking this go way back, all the way to 1968. At that time, I was in college and more involved in politics than at any other time of my life. LBJ dropped out of the Presidential race in March. Humphrey later became the nominee as we suffered the death of RFK and McCarthy’s faltering. Nixon looked to be a shoo-in to win the election. But by the time November came, I would contend if LBJ had stayed in the race, he would have defeated Nixon. Can’t prove that, but I have studied the issue a little over the years, and others have reached this conclusion. Could Biden do this, that is, come back and win? Hard, but not impossible in my opinion.
Now, that does not jibe with my memory of the 1968 race. HHH was the establishment candidate. Like Biden, he was a liberal crusader with a remarkable record. BUT as LBJ’s VP he was firmly tied to LBJs increasingly futile escalations of the war in Vietnam. As a consequence, those opposed to continuing that strategy were hoping he would be replaced by McCarthy or RFK and strongly opposed the poor man. We younger people cut him no slack whatsoever.
Not a direct parallel as the Biden family circles the wagons, but a preview of what to expect if the democrats force Harris down our throats instead.
If McCarthy had performed better… well, we’d live in a much different world.
I had a chance to meet Eugene once. He had a lot to say about foreign policy (he was a big fan of Reagan in that regard. Seriously.) McCarthy was the Bernie Sanders of his time.
Even if he were to come back it’s painfully obvious he cannot perform the duties of his office until 2028
I really appreciate articles like this. The financial stuff is great too of course but your political coverage interests me so much more than finance does anymore. Thank you.
clearly Jill will not do what must be done…calling Nancy Pelosi…bat signal Nancy Pelosi…
H, … thanks so much for the Trump / Stephanopoulos interview…I needed that…
I’m glad somebody got a laugh out of that. I got a laugh out of writing it, that’s for sure.
Again catching up on old posts I missed and wishing to comment that I got a good laugh over the hypothetical Trump-Stephanopolous interview and also agree with the humiliation angle when it comes to dealing with Trump (and his enablers, whether Kompromised or just true believers), rather than emphasizing the danger they pose or the actual substantive policiy differences. I mean at this point, many Republicans seem numb if not proud of being labeled fascists, since that apparently inches them towards their closest role models. But call them “weird” and it’s freak out time.
But to underline just how comically awful Trump is in a more timely fashion, and to underscore your take, I invite you to check out this from Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue from last night. At around the 9:30 mark, Kimmel has a faked blurb of JFK’s inauguration speech with Trump’s own words inserted as if JFK said them. It is patently ridiculous and sadly hilarious. For now, I just want my country back and will take a rain check on my sanity.
That dialogue captured Trump’s syntax and “unique” logic flows quite aptly and your topic riffs were hilarious…earnest golf clap
As soon as Biden replied, “No, I don’t believe I did,” to GS’s question, “Did you watch a replay of the debate?”, I stopped watching. I either did or did not watch a tape of myself debating, interviewing, speaking at a campaign rally or townhall, etc. I don’t need to consider whether to form a belief about it.
He may be too far into dementia to know he needs to step aside and his handlers’ egos won’t let them set the transition to KH in motion.
So much for Einstein’s quip about “god” not playing dice w/ the universe.
Love your spirit H…
Assuming Joe, against the odds, does win the election, it seems highly improbable he will be able to keep going for four years. So, it seems a vote for Biden is effectively a time-delayed vote for Kamala Harris, or Harris takes over the reins before November, making it a direct vote for her.
The Trump/ Stephanopoulos piece was so funny, as its so not beyond the realms of fiction.
Before I saw the debate, I was going to vote for Biden. And it’s likely I will if indeed I must. But to be perfectly honest, I’m disappointed that the Democratic Party has allowed this to come to pass, and I’m insulted that they expect people like me — mostly center-liberal — to vote for this candidate and feel good about it. They’re doing the electorate and the country dirty. Party and personality over country was, I had thought, a disease peculiar to the Republicans. It’s just sad.
Right there with you,TTWD. Extremely frustrating. But I would vote for a box of rocks over Orangina.
+10
I’m agree with you too TTWD. I wrote in a non-favored Dem during the NH Dem primary as a signal – as signaling is all I can do. I’m appalled at what Team Blue has become since I registered to vote 40+ years ago. I see voting either third party or writing in someone I could support (if he/she had an active campaign) as a very valid action.
If Biden leaves the race, and it’s opened up to any kind of competitive process, even if the exigencies only allow for a very incomplete kind of competition, I do not expect Harris to be the nominee. That doesn’t mean I have an idea who will be, but I’m confident in any kind of quasi-open contest there will be someone else who the delegates find more inspiring, even though they are Biden-Harris delegates.
I hope we’ll find out if I’m right or wrong.
+1
The only way it’s not Harris is if it’s Obama. Anyone else “in the running” is looking at a VP slot.
There is plenty of time to pull this all together, it’s only July.
Also, not sure from the comment if you’re familiar with how party delegates work. It is different state by state, but at this point, generally Biden is the only person who can decide who the delegates go to at the convention.
As for the large cash on hand balance the Biden-Harris campaign has is also controlled by Biden and can only be transferred to Harris.
I think Biden should stay.
I think he has the highest chance of beating Trump.
Name recognition means a lot. Biden has better name recognition than anyone, other than Trump.
I don’t care if Biden is showing down a bit. He can still hire good people.
If he needs to, if it comes to it, he can step down, AFTER the election.
Then we will have Kamala, and all the racists and misogynistis will come out of the woodwork. And the media would beat her up, non-stop. And then Democrats would pick someone else in 2028. And we would be fine. No problem. We survive.
The priority, in my view, is keeping Trump out. And for that, we don’t want to give up the advantage of incumbency.
Trump is a maniac and a menace, and he is no spring chicken either. The priority is to preserve our democracy, and that means that Trump has to go back to Mar-A-Lago, and stay there.
Now, from a practical perspective, I am sure there is a neurologist out there somewhere who could help Biden. (If he would accept the help.). They could put him on steroids and put him on an exercise bike, and leave him there until the fog clears. I am sure there is some combination of meds and supplements and exercise that could get us a few more miles, out of this old jalopy.
Here’s the question every Biden supporter has to ask him/herself. What are the chances the president will have another disastrous McConnell moment between now and the election?
The answer to that question is: 100 percent.
And therein lies the dilemma for Joe Biden, his family, and the Democratic party. They need to get the president OUT there — a lot — to demonstrate he’s in full command of his faculties and can do the job of president, maybe the most important job in the world. But the more they put him out there, the greater the chances he will stumble, garble his sentences, lose his train of thought, wander off in the wrong direction, and generally demonstrate to the world that he’s not up to the job. It’s sad, but we all see it and it’s time for people who have Biden’s trust to tell him it’s over.
I had thought that after the post debate polls came out and showed what we all expected, that Biden would have made an announcement this weekend.
Here’s how political pivots work:
1- You start with- that will never happen
2- Then eventually- well maybe, but probably not
3- Then finally- “after long introspection and consultation with [whomever matters to said person] I’ve decided to…”
This general process can be applied to the primary subject (Biden in the case) or other leaders within the party. You can follow the leadership within the Democrat party at various times along the above spectrum. The key point that stands out to me is Jim Clyburn getting to the maybe stage in regards to the Biden ‘24 candidacy, which means the final stage has a high probability of occurring. You don’t publicly get to the “Maybe” stage unless you’re 90% sure you’re going to go to stage 3.
We need to keep in mind, being the president is 4-D chess and there are a lot a major things in play that the Biden administration is juggling. It very well maybe they cannot pull out of the race yet for one of these reasons. My best guess is the Israeli/Palestine peace deal is likely very close and Biden bowing out of the race would tank that deal.
I would not be surprised to see a peace agreement next week followed by a national address from the Oval in which Biden walks the American people through the peace deal and closes with announcing he will not be seeking the nomination, instead putting Harris at the top of the ticket.
Good comment.