Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Biden: "I love my job, but I love my country more."

Trump says that Democrats staged a "coup."

No. Democrats "called an audible on the field." 

Players on the field saw that the QB throwing arm was injured and could not make a long downfield pass. They persuaded him to do a handoff instead. The play was successful.

Biden pulled Democrats together last night.

Biden's debate performance was as consequential as a chest wound injury in an assassination attempt. Biden's gape-mouthed look of helplessness at the debate was an on-the-field injury. We saw it. It took on its own symbolic meaning, that Democrats were exhausted as a party, led by weak people, unable to shape the future, and trudging by inertia into a landslide loss with a leader long past his sell-by date. 

It was made worse because over half the country sees Trump as dangerously unfit. He is his own worst enemy, sounding ever more desperate and unstable, as in this message. 

What are the chances that Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST President in the history of the U.S., whose Presidency was Unconstitutionally STOLEN from him by Kamabla, Barrack HUSSEIN Obama, Crazy Nancy Pelosi, Shifty Adam Schiff, Cryin' Chuck Schumer, and others on the Lunatic Left, CRASHES the Democrat National Convention and tries to take back the Nomination, beginning with challenging me to another DEBATE. He feels that he made a historically tragic mistake by handing over the U.S. Presidency, a COUP, to the people in the World he most hates, and he wants it back, NOW!!!

He sounds like a crackpot. 


Trump is selling the "coup" idea. It is a "whatabout" diversion that makes his post-2020 election loss behavior less reprehensible. Democrats staged a coup, he says, and all he did was just ask questions and try to make right an election that was stolen from him.

Biden's speech last night resolved three things. The first is that Biden is still capable to serve out his term as president. The debate left a lingering question whether Biden should finish his current term. Maybe the vice president, cabinet, and White House team were perpetrating a fraud, hiding a thoroughly incapable Biden. Last night Biden looked clear-headed and up to the job. He is not young but he isn't crazy like Trump.

Biden also communicated that he was okay with the audible that replaced him as the nominee. It was forced on him, but he accepts the decision. Publicly, at least, he says it was his decision, and legally it was. A majority of delegates were pledged to him on the first ballot. He needed to release them for anyone else could get the nomination. It was an abdication, not a coup. He said:

I love the job, but I love my country more. I love my country more. And all this talk about how I’m angry at all the people who said I should step down — it’s not true.”

[Crowd: “We love Joe! We love Joe!”}

I love my country more and we need to preserve our democracy.

Biden did one more thing: He publicly passed the torch. He reaffirmed a norm in American politics: that a president willingly gives up power to a successor. Americans saw Biden praising Kamala Harris. He said she is capable and has integrity. He said making her vice president was the best decision of his presidency. "She will be a president our children can look up to." 

Last night was an extended ceremony. It likely will not arouse the attention of the un-engaged. It would only have done so only had it included surprises, rather in the way that a wedding would be newsworthy if someone stood up to object to its completion. The Democratic ceremony went off without a hitch, other than longwinded delays that pushed Biden's speech well past prime time. The protests and dissenters were outside the meeting, present, but in the background. Monday night we saw continuity. We saw loving tributes to Biden by his wife and daughter. Then we saw Biden saying everything was okay, and that America could do anything if we did it together.


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9 comments:

Dave said...

Joe Biden is a competent loyal man who did what he perceived as what was best for the country. When he realized not staying on was what was best for the country he abdicated his position as the future leader of the country. He sacrificed himself, something Trump is incapable of doing due to his narcissistic viewpoint. The contrast is striking. Thank you Joe.

Anonymous said...

The more consequential speech last night was AOC. The Democrats are united in one mission and have put aside policy differences to support Kamala Harris.

The progressive wing of the party understands that its agenda depends on gaining power, that nothing will move forward without majorities, and no doubt have been promised much in exchange for bringing their constituencies onboard. However, the shadow of Gaza is hanging over the celebration and how it's addressed will be a factor as the week progresses. I expect Harris will announce a new peace initiative in her speech, and maybe Netanyahu will pull away from Trump now, one hopes.

Peter C. said...

What a difference in Chicago from their last convention in 1968. That's when a peaceful protest was interrupted by Mayor Daly and his thug police force. The protestors were college kids against Vietnam. The police were their WWII aged fathers who supported the war. Police dogs and smashing batons. Dan Rather accosted inside the convention hall. It was crazy and all-consuming TV. All Daly did was insure that the Democrats had no chance against Nixon. Who gave us Watergate.

Low Dudgeon said...

Quarterbacks call audibles. Biden didn't call one. He was threatened by his coaches and his teammates with a humiliating benching, and he acceded accordingly to the change in game plan.

He's capable to serve out his term? Since the "audible", he's been all but invisible. After shouting his wee-hours speech, he left the convention for yet another extended vacation. The world is a tinderbox.

Fortunately for Democrats, they face a spoiled child with a hand mirror, throwing tantrums.

Ed Cooper said...

While it didn't make up for Watergate, Nixon did give us the EPA and Clean Air Act. He wouldn't be allowed in the Convention today for those heresies.

Mike Steely said...

Their conventions demonstrate the stark contrast between the parties. Democrats are led by rational, decent human beings who care about their country. Republicans are led by a dangerous criminal who cares only about himself. As Peter’s Trump quote makes clear, he’s also a demented cretin. That so many voters support him for president is a dishonor to everything America once stood for. They might as well burn the flag – it would be less destructive.

Michael Trigoboff said...

Nancy Pelosi and company forced Joe to walk the plank. They will be singing his praises all the way down until he hits the water.

Ed Cooper said...

The half empty glass people are saying he was forced into stepping aside. I believe, firmly, he listened to his Advisors, Nancy Pelosi, and in all likelihood and made the Decision, all by himself, as a Patriot and Statesman. I wish him all the best for however much time he has left. Thank you, President Joe Biden

Ed Cooper said...

Too bad your guy doesn't have the same sense of ethic, morality and Patriotism Joe Biden does.