Charles
Jeff JarvisWhat upsets me today (it's a quickly moving target) is the apparent lack of empathy for Joe Biden, who has given his life to our nation, who has been a spectacular President, who saved us once from Trump, and who is now being kicked to the curb by fellow (BTW White) Democrats, elite donors, the whole damned press, and many here on the socials. Think what it feels like to be him today. Can we not put ourselves in his shoes?
Lena@jeffjarvis agreed , everyone appears so quick to attack Biden but cowers at a clown - bully. We don’t learn
Ivan E. Gubkin@jeffjarvis No one would be advocating this path if he could perform adequately. If he declines the nomination he will rightly get a hero's welcome at the convention.
hammer@IvanGubkin @jeffjarvis there is zero evidence he is not currently completely capable and no one calling for him to step aside on the dem side now is citing that as the issue. Meanwhile those same people can't make a case to the people that a liar, their, rapist ans his lawless party is Anti America and has no place in power. What value does their opinion on winning strategies have?
trenthfb
Not A Bird@jeffjarvis Empathy is being shown by keeping it as private as possible. Media isn't going to show it though.
Misuse Case@notabird @jeffjarvis Are you kidding? The media is breathlessly rumormongering about it.
Mastodon MigrationHere, here! Thank you Joe Biden!
Mike Sims@jeffjarvis It's not about him. "How Joe Biden's ego feels in the last few years of his life" is not anywhere in the top 10,000 considerations about what political choices the USA should make right now. I find it hard to imagine any consideration less important, in fact. If you told me I could save one (1) American from misery in return for Joe's ego taking a blow, I would take that exchange.
Steve Gale@peltast @jeffjarvis Exactly! Prioritizing one politician’s ego is also exactly how we got the Feinstein debacle.
Rejin@jeffjarvis At least people should preface their ghoulish fantasies about alternate candidates with a quick "Of course I wish him a speedy recovery," but I'm not seeing even that.
The Democratic DifferenceBarack Obama.
Hakeem Jeffries.
Cory Booker.
49% of Black respondents in the ABC poll.
49% of Black Democrats in the AP poll.
Ignoring the fact that a great many black voters have concerns about Biden's ability to vigorously promote his historic accomplishments and prosecute the case against Trump, and pretending it is a white-elite conspiracy, is wildly unconvincing.
And takes away from your valid point about the appreciation owed to Biden for being a great President.
ottawasteph 🕊️@jeffjarvis The rest of the world is watching and we're all dismayed by the mainstream media's coverage of rumours. Don't the Dems want to win?
Cat Lady Kydia Music 🇺🇦The Dems don’t own mainstream media; the billionaires do. And Trump has promised them more tax cuts.
@jeffjarvis we have Jeff. We are not a cult. When Obama, Pelosi, Jeffries, Shumer and 70%+ Americans say reconsider your viability, and you ignore it, you just shot your wad. Only 57% of voters want tRump to step down. From a poor debate against your opponent to presiding over the now perceived EXECUTION ATTEMPT of him has swung the country around.
Definitely Doc D@jeffjarvis I agree that someone who has done such an overwhelmingly amazing job in such a difficult situation deserves much better. Joe will be far more appreciated in the future than he has been or is now.
The sour mood of the country due to the mass trauma of covid, J6, trump's divisiveness is in no way Joe's fault.
The sour mood of the country due to the mass trauma of covid, J6, trump's divisiveness is in no way Joe's fault.
Nicole ParsonsRepublicans, and the billionaires funding them, have waged a war on empathy for years.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CrRFhWzOeep/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
It's a prerequisite for any fascist dictatorship.
https://medium.com/@thesharidunn/the-war-on-woke-is-a-war-on-empathy-and-its-working-b71e23ed80d5
The goal is to exhaust the capacity for empathy & to make people into the worst versions of themselves.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/01/opinion/israel-war-empathy-pain.html
Dzso@jeffjarvis It's not about his feelings. It's about the future of liberty and justice in the world.
@jeffjarvis when he ran in 2020, he promised to only serve one term. Almost immediately after he took office, he reneged on that promise. I am not bereft of empathy or appreciation, but I’m mostly pissed off at him and those around him who enabled this shit show.
dark was the night 🌚@jeffjarvis We nominated Joe for re-election and it wasn't a close race. I'm ridin' with Biden. That said, Kamala would also be an effective candidate. But this whole discussion should have taken place a year ago.
@jeffjarvis You know, that's a good idea. I'm not sure how to start, though. Me personally, I could never bring myself to send more bombs to kill kids. He's built different, though. How do you recommend I tackle that conundrum?
Donald F Robertson@jeffjarvis Yes, but that does not mean he can win. I think he's been one of the best presidents in my many decades of political awareness, but if he cannot win or effectively govern, that does not matter at this point - especially with our future as a Republic at stake. I have moved my political donations to Senate and House candidates and local issues. Giving money to Biden feels too much like throwing good money after bad. I WOULD donate to Kamala Harris for President.
Doug Baker - Elbows Up! 🇨🇦@jeffjarvis Sure, but maybe it's time? Churchill got the UK (and the Empire) through WWII and then was immediately tossed out of office. So there's precedent.
Hootsbuddy@jeffjarvis
I do understand because at 80 I'm in the same cohort.
But 9 years of post-retirement work with other old people (as well as experience with my own parents) leads me to agree with those who want him to step aside.
I did a web search for "geriatric stubbornness" and got some interesting results.
I do understand because at 80 I'm in the same cohort.
But 9 years of post-retirement work with other old people (as well as experience with my own parents) leads me to agree with those who want him to step aside.
I did a web search for "geriatric stubbornness" and got some interesting results.
@jeffjarvis
This five-year-old link should also be part of this conversation.
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/11/biden-single-term-082129
This five-year-old link should also be part of this conversation.
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/11/biden-single-term-082129
Nik 🍉@jeffjarvis I didn't know Obama was white
derptron@jeffjarvis I could see how much he wanted to finish with a second term, to finish what he's started, when he talked at the NATO press conference. That's rather irrelevant to the question of whether he can do it though. We shouldn't put someone in that position if they can't just because it would make them feel bad. That'd be kinda dumb. He needs to convince he can do it, and at least for me he did at that conference. I think he can, if we let him--but it doesn't change my vote either way.
Havyhh2@crazyeddie @jeffjarvis yes, nor mine. This election has always been about what version of America's future do we, majority of Americans, want....democracy and its blessing, or dictatorship and its curses. Of course, Americans are easily sidetracked, as history proves over and over. Gut feel at this point - - I believe Biden would win, perhaps, though, leaving some critical Congressional seats behind.
I am coming around to thinking perhaps - mindful of huge risks of making a change at this late stage - that Harris would win, bigger, and bring along some more seats in Congress. Either way, I am voting blue full stop.
The Boxing Kangaroo@jeffjarvis the issue is balancing empathy for one man versus empathy for millions of minorities. We are living the trolley dilemma..
It is also empathy driving people's concern for him. Why would we ask him to continue in such a stressful role that we know will have a negative impact on their well-being?
Cognitive decline is distressing enough without having the weight of the world on your shoulders.
Yes people voted for him in primaries, but things change. It is the nature of life.
craberium@jeffjarvis the fate of our democracy is on the line, in the face of that potentially hurting his feelings is irrelevant
A.Stringer@jeffjarvis that's my fear. If he does step aside then will there be anyone who can be as good a president and achieve as much as he has achieved - something Biden was able to do precisely because of his age and experience. Beating Trump is only the start of the battle & I'm not convinced anyone can turn America around like Biden has. However he will, if nothing else, leave a great legacy. My hope is that it isn't undone.
Nazani@jeffjarvis
We should all remember what condition FDR was in when we beat the Axis powers.
It's all about picking competent subordinates.
We should all remember what condition FDR was in when we beat the Axis powers.
It's all about picking competent subordinates.
Hail Eris@jeffjarvis is your post REALLY "Won't someone think of the poor PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES??"
@jeffjarvis
Yes we can, but this is politics not a lovefest and a MUST WIN. He’s 81 and the problem is this
https://mastodon.social/@DemocracyCrash/112809940873479412
Yes we can, but this is politics not a lovefest and a MUST WIN. He’s 81 and the problem is this
https://mastodon.social/@DemocracyCrash/112809940873479412
Ms. Missy@jeffjarvis
I do feel sorry for him. I am sorry it came about this way. It would have been better if he announced two years ago he wasn't running again and was able to pass the torch in a much more dignified way.
People are complicated. They can feel he isn't the best candidate and also be grateful for his accomplishments and leadership. And they can feel sorry for him while looking forward to moving on with a younger candidate.
Simplifying this does not do him justice. He deserves better.
@jeffjarvis what pisses me off is the people kicking him to the curb have utterly failed to make a winning undebatable case against the GOP and Trump and want to play a game that things will be different if they dump the most productive president in 100 years.
bizarrojimmyolsen@jeffjarvis Christ on toast Jarvis you can be empathetic you can be thankful for his public service and still recognize he’s too old to do the job. Heck Trump’s also too old in addition to all his other failings. We used to point to the gerontocracy of the Soviet Union as a sign of its failing.
Dave Goldsmith@jeffjarvis Biden did save us once from Trump that was the highlight of his otherwise very mediocre career. Empathy for Biden? Very low on my list of priorities. I have more empathy for the millions of people who were hurt by Biden's refusal to confront Bush II's WMD lies.
CyNow he knows how Bernie feels!
Noir Dame (extra crispy)@jeffjarvis I'm glad you said this. Person to person this man has seen a lot of pain. He lost his first wife, two children, and a third child is an addict with a TBI ...who was recently sentenced to jail, after being publicly humiliated with nude pictures. (Every extended family has someone with present or past mental health or substance struggles -- it's a matter of whether it's widely known or not). I just feel bad for anyone dealing with these issues.