Paulie ✅ 
Heidi Li FeldmanFor me, the question of whether Biden should stay in the race is purely instrumental: can he win? This rally is fine but can he appear in public and in private over and over, frequently, and demonstrate cogency and energy? Can he speak extemporaneously with vigor? I don’t know who can answer these questions. So, we are left with a need to see him, often and publicly, and not only in scripted, controlled settings. This has to happen now and quickly. It has been left to awfully late in the day. 1/
I also want to see Harris with Biden, both of them addressing the country. If this is going to be our ticket, the Biden campaign must accept that he is old enough and frail enough to make it imperative that we see and value what she would be like were she to ascend to the presidency because of his death or incapacitation. 2/
I’m not concerned about whether *I* will turn out to vote or whether *I* will vote Biden-Harris. And I’m not worried about the die-hard Biden fans. I’m worried about those who are willing to sit out an election when they are not pleased with either choice. I’m worried about the handful of swing states. 3/
I’m not so interested in whether pundits or editorial boards think Biden should be nominee: however, I am interested in whether Democratic governors, senators, and representatives think he should. These people have more information and more experience with which to assess Biden’s prospects. 4/
Stella C 🇨🇦@heidilifeldman Glad to see well articulated thought rather than reaction
Linking Dot@heidilifeldman Exactly. Well stated.
66gardeners
Lotus Blossom@heidilifeldman I know this is contentious, but IMO the Dem party needs better vetting for incumbents, including older candidates. Why were there no serious challengers to Biden?
As point of comparison, Keir Starmer, the incoming UK Prime Minister, is 61. You'd have to go all the way back to Margaret Thatcher to find an older incoming PM (~62 in 1987). Has less to do with age than the lackluster vetting process for incumbents.
As point of comparison, Keir Starmer, the incoming UK Prime Minister, is 61. You'd have to go all the way back to Margaret Thatcher to find an older incoming PM (~62 in 1987). Has less to do with age than the lackluster vetting process for incumbents.
Tom Bellin 
@underthestars @heidilifeldman The reason why is because this stuff about Biden being too old is bullsh*t. Biden had no serious challenger because he's too formidable.
Everyone who could have challenged him knows he's not diminished.
As long as Biden is in control of his faculties, he's the nominee, and no amount of sour grapes is going to budge him.
@tob @heidilifeldman People’s eyes and ears say otherwise. Regardless, strong competition and a vigorous primary can only help the candidate. Also feel that I’m not alone in the belief that allowing one guy - Biden - to decide is anti-democratic.
You can call it sour grapes, but most Americans were opposed to Biden running for a second term, which is not quite in line with the meaning of the phrase.
Stargeezer Smith@heidilifeldman
That I agree with.
That I agree with.
Martijn VosAbsolutely. I feel like Harris has been practically invisible. She should be out there campaigning, doing things, being visible, and showing that she's ready to take over if necessary.
Mike J👹🐀 🤘🏻@heidilifeldman JFK was also old enough to die in office. The qualification for any VP is being ready to step in if the president dies.
Byron 
@heidilifeldman I don't see a path to victory for Dems here. They absolutely torpedoed their support in swing states (for different reasons depending on the state). Every other potential party candidate, including Harris, would be running against the same headwinds.
The two exceptions I could name would be Whitmer or Omar, and I don't predict the DNC would support Whitmer and they've already been clear about how they feel about Omar
RacerX@heidilifeldman I agree with all of this, but with one caveat: if he craps the bed again during the second debate, he is unelectable. Then where are we? The DNC's plan for getting Joe reelected consisted of E. Jean Carroll, Jack Smith, Stormy Daniels and keeping Joe hidden in the White House while surrogates tout his impressive accomplishments on the Sunday programs. Hard stop. That's the plan. Does anyone think Joe can serve another 4 years? We are expected to participate in the ruse or else.
Mrs RavenConversely, there is an eternity between now and November. Parties haven't held their conventions and most Americans haven't been paying that much attention yet.
So "late in the day" doesn't seem to capture it.
Edelruth, PBS Passport HolderThat question window is long passed, and everyone needs to recognize these calls for him to drop out are part of an attack on US democracy from external enemies.
Right now, every Democrat who calls for Biden to step down is susoect.
Mark Warner should be drowned in calls for his resignation and immense scrutiny of his voting record.
Some Coder@Edelruth @heidilifeldman What needs to happen is for the voters that he and others like him represent to get in contact with them and tell them to stop sandbagging the nominee. I have emailed all of my Congressional reps as well as my governor to politely ask them to STFU about replacing our nominee at this late stage.
jwz@heidilifeldman Anyone asking the "can he win" question without *also* making the case for someone else who stands a better chance of beating Trump is either wasting your time or actively working against you. That is the actual instrumental question.
2xfo@jwz @heidilifeldman
This entire conversation is moot. The ballots cannot be changed by now, Biden will be the candidate.
The only utility this conversation serves is to put Democrats into disarray, something the New York Times has been trying to do repeatedly for years.
Ben Aveling@heidilifeldman I don't care what pace he campaigns at. The people 'worried' about Biden's health are very visibly not worried that the other guy can't get through a day in court without going to sleep and shitting himself.
xs4me2Only he himself can convince the people…
@heidilifeldman
But looking at Biden's domestic and international leadership successes this last few years, no other democrat can point to such a record. We can maybe find a louder voice, but whether that person could match Biden's accomplishments thus far is a big gamble.
And whether that person could gain the name recognition and war chest needed for victory in such a short time is anything but certain.
Kevin Russell@stargazersmith @heidilifeldman
We demanded a President who would take on the billionaires, BIDEN did that, like no President in the modern age, this hero CANCELLED a TRILLION (trillion) dollar tax gift of Trumps to big business, then ADDED a trillion dollars of taxes on JUST, on only the giant sloppy corporations who HAD NOT PAID TAXES, had not, had not paid taxes since boomers watched cartoons.
A trillion just on the UN -taxed for decades.
And it makes the economy ROAR!
Biden IS doing it.
HTPC NZ@heidilifeldman if your are a true blue voter, you must know the obvious. It ain't the true blue voters who win elections for democrats, it's the youth, undecided and independents turning out in large numbers on your side. Good luck trying to convince them just because you vote Biden, demand they should too ignoring his self inflicted gun shots wounds to the guts that they saw live on TV and you're somehow different to MAGA trying to convince them that Trump ain't a criminal or evil...
dogzilla@heidilifeldman @mastodonmigration Disagree with that framing. It may seem like I’m splitting hairs, but it’s a subtle yet deeply important difference.
The question isn’t “can Biden Win” - that’s speculation and dooms us to endless infighting and second-guessing, feeding disunity and Dems either lose the election or the post-election lawsuits and violence.
The question is: is any realistic candidate polling better against Trump than Biden. That’s objective.