Biden ain't it
The best time to step aside would have been right before or after Trump's speech. The second best time is NOW.
Biden has to go.
He has to go because he's not the best candidate.
He has to go because his clumsy centrist attempts to court independents hurt him too much with his base, aka the majority of the country.
He has to go because he's dragging down folks down ballot of him.
He has to go because he cannot make the case that will bring out enough votes to beat Trump.
He has to go because he can no longer even talk about his own accomplishments, much less describe a future where he has won or lost.
He has to go because he pivoted from a softball question on abortion, where his case might be the strongest turnout driver in the history of electoral politics, to immigration, a topic where he is villainized and has hopelessly chased mythical votes.
I know that's hard to hear, but the truth hurts sometimes.
“Oh but it'll be so messy” Of course it will be messy. Being a fucking grown up is messy. Life is messy. Courting voters in a country with 300 million plus different opinions is a messy job. And we’ve seen enough to be confident that Biden can’t deal with that mess. And you know what? It's gotten messier in the two weeks since the debate. It's messier because we didn't deal with this in the Primary. It's messier because we could have had a 2 year plan if Biden has agreed not to run after the midterms. Biden has made it messier at every step of the way, and his fanatical supporters refuse to hold him to account.
But you know what's really going to be messy? It's going to be messy trying to fight Project 2025 when Republicans hold a trifecta. It's going to be messy when we try to hold a 2028 Election while Trump loyalists in the DOJ are suing states about early voting, mail voting, and trying to kick millions of voters off the rolls. The difference among those who see we must win from those who are Ride’n with Biden is that the majority of us aren’t tied to an individual. Even if we were, there is no individual worth risking this election for. This entire election is painted as being about defeating Trump. But the problem is the Republicans aren't Trump and never were Trump. Trump is dumb enough to think he's the leader, but the party knows better. Trump is but the latest useful idiot, being harnessed to the Republicans long term plans to take our country backward to a time where women and non-white men were literally not full citizens. The 1860s but with ARs. But their bench is deep and they'll push Trump aside the moment that's politically expedient. Because they know how to win.
But Trump has been cast in the role of Presidential candidate within those pre-existing scripts and so we must do everything we can to defeat Trump this election. Even if it means taking away Grandpa's keys. Biden’s actions, and polling, indicate he is growing less able to do that with each passing day. So we need to switch our support to someone who can. It’s not saying he wasn’t a good president, it’s not saying he didn’t get stuff done, it’s saying, we need to re-evaluate the abject reality staring us in the face and beat Donald Trump.
The disdain toward MAGA loyalists is often based around their singular devotion to Trump. In fact, it more closely resembles a cult leader relationship than a political leader one. But we have to be able to reflect up on ourselves and see that the commitment to Biden as an individual borders on the same cultish devotion. If Biden died or stepped down in the last 4 years, Harris would be President and would be the candidate. Would y'all be talking about how it was shameful how that happened? Would you say we abandoned the “most successful president in history?” No, you'd be backing Harris 1000%. I'd hate that, as I'd have been screaming for a fair Primary for years. You'd have told me, voters decided (in a Primary with no serious challenger), we can't split the party we must beat Trump, maybe next cycle not now.
We hear that it's ok Biden's lost a step because it's not the President it's the team around them. Great, I'm sure Harris will keep a lot of the team. In fact given the timeline she'll likely keep most if not all of the team. And have you seen the team of ghouls haunting Trump campaign headquarters? Clearly the team around Biden is great. They've been running the country and keeping us from realizing how much of a toll the presidency has taken on Biden. But if it's about the team, then it's not about Biden after all. So let's get that team four more years. And set the stage for another 4 after that.
We know Biden voters ain't voting for Trump if Biden's off the ticket. So who wants to raise their hand publicly to say “I'm Ride'n with Biden into a second Trump term by not voting because the Dems did everything they could to try and win.” Because that's what you'd be doing. Trashing your own room because mom or dad put you in time out. So go ahead, volunteer publicly right now. “If I can't have Biden, I'll help Trump win.” That's what you're saying, so fucking own it. I'll wait…
And listen, do us all a favor. Hold real Primaries, every Presidential cycle, no matter what. We can't afford to put ourselves in this situation ever again.
Newsletter image by Hannes Wolf on Unsplash