July 21, 2024Gronda Morin

Biden Steps Down, Dems Had Better Direct a Seamless Transition to His VP Kamala Harris

In the cartoons: Kamala Harris; Post Office; College football

It’s happened! On July 21, 2024, the US President Joe Biden announced on social media that he’s made the decision to step down from being the democrat party’s presidential nominee. He’s endorsing his Vice President Kamal Harris to carry on in his place.

Read Biden’s letter that announces his withdrawal/ Washington Post

For me, it’s personally a very sad day, but it is what it is.

As a clear-eyed 75-year-old lifelong Republican until 2016, I voted with millions of others during the 2024 primary elections for President Joe Biden to be our standard bearer for democrats, despite being aware of his age.
I can accept Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket because I also voted for her as part of the Biden-Harris ticket during the primaries. Any other solution would amount to a slap in the face. Trust me when I say that an open convention will not go over well.
As a news junkie, I’ve been following the polls which have shown President Biden lagging behind the GOP MAGA ex-president in swing states for months pre-debate. His debate flop just made him an easy scapegoat instead of the political gurus facing their own negligence in not developing a better winning strategy that included facing the elephant in the room. It’s the economy, ***(fill in the words)!
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POTUS Biden was able to beat the GOP MAGA ex-president in 2020 in large part because of the COVID era economic meltdown during that time period but now, the shoe is on the other foot.
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Voters have been stating for months that economic issues are their greatest concern since 2022 in numerous Gallup and other surveys. Surveys have indicated that about 70% of swing state voters are dissatisfied with their financial wellbeing under President Biden.
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It’s shocking that the democrat political operators haven’t done more to better educate voters with facts to push back on perception reflected in recent polls showing the GOP MAGA ex-president with an 11- to 20-point edge over POTUS Biden on which candidate would better handle the economy.

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A change in nominees doesn’t fix this perception that has set in about voter’s feeling worse off economically under POTUS Joe Biden.
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The GOP MAGA propaganda machine has been successful in driving this narrative Of President Biden ruining the US economy based on lots of misleading data.
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When are the Democrat gurus going to execute a media blitz to alter this perception of Americans’ financial woes being the fault of Democrat Party’s leadership, based on facts proving otherwise, and how much worse voters’ financial angsts will become under the GOP MAGA ex-president’s administration.
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Political Cartoon: For 2020, anybody but Trump

As per the July 20, 2024, LA Times report by Norman J Ornstein, “Opinion: No Joe? The Democrats can’t indulge in a free-for-all:”

Excerpts:

“The news from Milwaukee and the Republican National Convention has dominated this week, but it hasn’t stopped speculation about whether Joe Biden will or should withdraw as the Democratic presidential nominee. A lot of Democrats who want a change are eager to have an open contest, to let the wild rumpus begin at the Democratic convention in Chicago in August.”

“The hope that the way to victory is an open convention is a pipe dream.”

“There is no question that Democrats are deeply divided over whether Joe Biden is the best choice for the party in an existential election against a Republican nominee who pledges a presidency of retribution and a dictatorship on Day 1. But in the event Biden withdraws, the party needs an alternative to a barnstorming free-for-all in Chicago.”

In the cartoons: Kamala Harris; Post Office; College football

“The obvious path is simply to pass the torch to Vice President Harris and make the convention one where Democrats can both have the excitement of choosing a new running mate and yet directly make the case for the Biden-Harris record and for democracy, reproductive rights and political integrity. The only other option would be a more controlled mini-contest, three weeks or so of debates with perhaps three or four candidates, followed by ranked-choice voting at the convention. But that course has its own pitfalls — who would choose which candidates and put into place a mechanism for an expedited ranked-choice vote on the convention floor?”

“There is no sugarcoating the mess Democrats find themselves in right now. But they need to keep it from getting even messier, and soon.”

14 comments

    • I ditto your feelings. The sooner that VP Harris becomes the democrat party’s presidential nominee, the better. So far, there have been many democratic coalition leaders, legislators and governors lining up to endorse her.

      Hugs, Gronda

      Liked by 1 person

      • Hi!

        I’m saddened that POTUS Biden decided to step down but I have to admit that enthusiasm for the future has improved.

        The republican party folks are in an uproar over recent changes which is a great sign.

        Hugs, Gronda

        Like

        • Don’t trust anything a Republican seems to be doing. Their whole csmpaign has been denouncing Biden. They wanted to get rid of him. In their minds Biden was the roadblock to power — that roadbl8ck is now gone. They are remoucing in the back ofgices

          Liked by 1 person

    • I think this time, VP Kamala Harris has some built in advantages, like the November elections are being held in about 3 months. This time Dems should be better set up to fight against the GOP MAGA propaganda machine firing off with bull-eye precision, a litany of lies, falsehoods, doctored videos, ugly conspiracy type rumors, made-up failures, etc., against VP kamala Harris like they did against the democrats, President Biden, President Obama and Hillary Clinton.

      Let’s see what happens!

      Hugs, Gronda

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hi!

      I ditto your opinion. It’s thanks to POTUS Biden that we may witness history in the making. Personally, I’ve gone from being depressed to excited about current political news.

      Hugs, Gronda

      Like

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