jwiggler

There was effectively no primary -- no legitimate other candidate was on the ballot in my state -- because they fed us the impression that Biden was totally fine cognitively.

And then the debate happened. There was no realistic way anybody but Joe Biden came out of this primary, and I think that in itself is pretty anti-democratic.

Not that any of it matters in the end, because Biden is not going to step aside and I don't think Democrats have the power to push him to the side.

Still has a hidden card or two? Sounds pretty absurd to me. Honestly -- and I don't want to sound like a dick, so I really do apologize -- but this comment sounds like a deluded sports fan in denial that their team is not going to make it out of the playoffs.

I don't think the ship sailed if so many top Democrats and donors called for him to step aside. Evidently they didn't think the ship had sailed yet, so I'm apt to believe them more than a superfan.

But right now, it's looking like the snowball did not gain enough momentum to become an avalanche, and Biden will still be the candidate in all likelihood.

Would you cancel a trip with your family that was already booked, that your mom completely planned out each activity in depth, that you already paid for, that you've been looking forward to, collectively, for over a year, because you found out you'd be contributing to a systemic problem for a ~~week~~ day?

You just might be a better person than me, at the end of the day.

I wasn't sure whether hotels had already been booked or whether they cheaped out, that's why I worded it like that. Could be.

No no you're good, I didn't take it that way. I think saying "next time" instead of "you should have" is a good way to help people realize that what they are doing might be destructive, without condemning them to the eternal pits of hell, so I appreciate you saying it that way.

I didn't plan the trip myself, and I think there was some reason or another they chose AirBNB instead of a hotel. But yeah, if I ever do a trip like this again (unlikely), fuck an AirBNB

I'm going to Barcelona this week on a family trip. We're staying in an AirBnb for a day. I think they've got a legitimate cause to spray people like me, who pretty much across the board don't realize how much their privilege hurts regular working people.

Yeah, I agree, although I suspect both of us are wrong rather than neither of us being wrong haha

Gotcha about the ad buys though. We'll just have to see what happens I guess. Bottom line though, vote blue no matter who.

Are you saying the all congressional Democrats, and all liberal voters across the US who've called for new party leadership are somehow secret conservatives?

Where is this coming from? I literally just want the best chance of beating Trump and Biden ain't it.

You make reasonable points, but here are a couple light rebuttals which ultimately amount to my idea that the risks of replacing Biden outweigh the risks of keeping him on the ticket.

I'm skeptical of the candidate even having to set up a full campaign, because they'll have the name recognition already. If it's the result of 5 debates between younger Democrats including Harris, that is going to be blasted on every news channel. Not to mention, a giant campaign isn't exactly helping Biden. The negative press alone from them trying to shield him probably set him back enough that he'll lose.

Regarding the ads having already been reserved, I won't pretend to know how any of that works, but wouldn't you think that would also hinder Trump? As all his ads would be toward Biden and not the candidate? He would somehow have to pivot his attacks. Harris is easier for Trump to attack, because he's been doing it for years now, along with Fox News. Regardless, I don't find much sway in that argument , just because I'm not sure ads are really going to do much to swing moderate or independent voters.

I don't think the public is politically aware enough to realize Harris is the "next in line," as you infer, so I really don't think they'd be alienating black or female voters.

(Side note: I think the whole idea of Harris being the one to be "passed over" is such a bullshit modern political take. Just like how it was Hillary's turn, or Biden's turn. That kinda shit is what got us here now, instead of choosing the best candidate we always seem to choose the one who should be, or who is due next. Really fucking frustrating.)

Finally, the media is already having a feeding frenzy on Biden, a well-tested candidate with lots of experience. He is down in the polls in swing states, he's getting grilled by his own party, and his numerous attempts of damage control have done little to assuage the concerns from congresspeople, but I'd also guess voters, as well. I'm sorry but I just don't think Biden can beat Trump, and I think he should step aside for either Harris or, in my preference, let the DNC shake it out with some debates.

I mean, the age thing has been a concern for a while, but Democratic messaging really played it down, and the State of the Union was also a pretty good reliever in that sense. But the debate was a lot lot worse than the State of the Union, and that just completely shattered the illusion that Biden is in command, in terms of not only his own health but in the election, itself.

You're asking why now? Well, the debate is what sparked this. But now is the time because we are afraid of what a Trump presidency could mean, especially after the Supreme Court decisions last week. Now is the time because the debate just exposed Biden's greatest electability weakness (not, necessarily, his ability to make decisions based an a talented and experienced group of advisors). And now is the time because we think he won't win, and that this whole time the United States have been asking for a younger candidate, so why don't we give them one?

I don't think you really need a Republican conspiracy behind all that to explain why there is such panic in the democratic party right now. But thanks for answering my question genuinely.