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Biden calls his decision to step aside from 2024 race a matter of defending democracy (www.cnn.com)

submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (2 children)

There's a ton of trolls in here who can't celebrate anything good while anything bad is happening. Yes, his response to the genocide in Israel was abysmal. I have no illusions that the right would have done any better, and in fact believe Trump would have thrown more fuel on it. I'm ecstatic that Biden is not running again so that maybe Kamala can finally fucking do something about it. But I think we can take five seconds to admit that he did a lot of good for our country in other ways and made the right call here in dropping out.

For those who won't budge:

There's literally no winning, huh? Any flaw or misstep is enough to complain about and use as a reason to abstain or be an accelerationist. Y'all will claim Biden and Dems are monsters for their flaws. All that does is hurt the sane side of our government and make the actual fascists who have done so much worse have a better chance at taking over.

Can y'all please please please not let perfect be the enemy of good for once in your miserable life? This thinking is what brought us Trump in the first place, and while I can agree we need to do better, start at the local level, because only caring when we're on another brinkmanship presidential race makes you look like short-sighted toddlers.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (3 children)

Look, all these posts from accounts on lemmygrad, chapotraphouse members, lemmy.ml…they’re all bullshit. I’m convinced that they are entirely Russian trolls. There is no making them happy with slightly left of center. It seems they’ll never be happy until America has been destroyed. There is no point to placating them or even acknowledging their existence.

The “genocide Joe” moniker was particularly stupid. Do you really think Joe Biden was going to single handedly denounce Israel and kill off a key strategic alliance because of a few extremists? It is a completely silly notion.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Leaving aside the actual political substance of your comment. Don't you think it's a bit... Head in the sand to assume anyone who disagrees with you is some "Russian troll"? I know we all exist in social media bubbles, myself included, but my social circles and my online circles all share "radical" concerns about the administration and country in general but it generally comes from a genuine desire for our politicians and therefore country to be and do better. We're all Americans just like (I presume) you.

I joined lemmy.ml cause of the FOSS stuff but I'm learning it comes with a reputation I didn't know about.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

When you say slightly left of center, to whom are you referring? Bernie wasn't allowed to run for President.

Slapping a rainbow sticker on capitalism doesn't make the Democrats leftists. We have two conservative parties in this country, just one that's evolving into their final form (fascism). Don't get me wrong, I'll be voting for Harris in November and I'm ecstatic that Biden stepped aside. But if all the leftists online are "Russian bots", than all you centrists are pro-capitalism LLMs. And we'll be right back in the same position in four years.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

they’ll never be happy until America has been destroyed

it's important to slap down the nonsense and call out the bullshit at every opportunity. they're coming out of the woodwork to harass and manipulate everyone into second guessing themselves, for the sole purpose of getting trump into the white house.

fuck that shit.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

The problem is this isn't true. I hate Biden but I despise the way Trump makes him look decent comparatively. How long can keep running slightly worse candidates compared to your previous one (hopefully Harris bucks this trend)?

People who call out Biden get called single issue voters; by people who's only concern is Trump doesn't get elected. They are ignoring absymal healthcare, terrible foreign policy, horrible housing prices, costly food bills, even the stable finicial sector is now losing jobs due to the AI craze.

I understand why people are worried about Trump. Still, we need candidates who actually want to run the country correctly and not just cater to the rich. We cannot sacrifice everything because the news makes Trump to be all powerful.

harass and manipulate everyone into second guessing themselves, for the sole purpose of getting trump into the white house.

You are gas lighting. We need to start caling this everytime we see it. Otherwise, you would bother people on Truth Social and Twitter (or even reddit which actually has a population that could matter in a national election) if you wanted people to stop voting for Trump. But that would make too much sense.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Gaslighting? What?

You’re never going to get the perfect candidate until we reform elections (ranked choice, more parties, get rid of citizens united).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Gaslighting is a colloquialism, defined as manipulating someone into questioning their own perception of reality. - Wikipedia

You cannot blame us for not liking Biden when he does not cater to us. We are not the problem, even if you manage to phrase the issue to make it seem we are at fault.

You’re never going to get the perfect candidate until we reform elections (ranked choice, more parties, get rid of citizens united).

Absolutely keep voting the most liberal Congress people you can. But let's not kid ourselves: you have to vote for the people who want reform election to get reform election - and Biden isn't one of those people.

Edit: extended last sentence to make it make more sense

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Is Trump?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Trump is a distraction. He's a tool to compromise values and pretend we have a common goal. Yelling at Biden accomplished more already than fearing Trump.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I’m asking you directly: is Trump a better vehicle to achieve these goals?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Absolutely not. I don't want him to win. The original person I replied to stated that those who hate Biden secretly want Trump to win. Which is false. It's an outright lie. I'm over this game of OMG McCain, Romney, Trump, etc. may win so compromise your values and slowly let this country rot or risk everything collapsing.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Nothing happens overnight in government. It’s a huge ship to turn. If you want progress, vote for the party that aligns closest with your goals. Otherwise you’re simply whining.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Whining made Biden go away. Guess, it's only okay to complain about Biden if you're as famous as John Stewart.

The only thing these parties eat is votes. It's time they work harder for them. Fearing their opposition makes them lazy.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (2 children)

There’s a ton of trolls in here who can’t celebrate anything good while anything bad is happening.

The spectacle of the presidential election has diverted a lot of attention away from the genocide in Palestine, the upswell in COVID infections and deaths nationally, and the decaying domestic infrastructure driven by climate change. Biden's retirement isn't changing any of that.

There’s literally no winning, huh?

Kamala's been the heir designate to the party for less than a week and she's already writing condemnation letters aimed at Palestinian Rights protesters in DC. Its a grim state of affairs, particularly with the police violence on student campuses still fresh in people's minds.

Can y’all please please please not let perfect be the enemy of good

We're waiting for some good. So far, we've had a bumper crop of cutesy memes and a bit of relief from the deeply depressing poll numbers that signaled Trump would receive a free ride into the White House in November. But we're still waiting for a candidate to put more on the table than her famous "$20k in relief for a Pell Grant Recipient who runs a business in a disadvantaged community for at least three years".

Not everyone is happy to open their wallets and bust out the walking shoes for just any generic liberal candidate.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

If stopping genocide is your biggest issue, I suggest going to rail against in it right-wing spaces instead. There's a lot more pro-genocide to stop there.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago

rail against in it right-wing spaces instead

If you're defending a genocidal administration, you're a right-winger.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I cannot wrap my mind around this level of privilege. In all honesty I really can't. I don't think there's a thing I could do to change your opinion and this nugget:

Not everyone is happy to open their wallets and bust out the walking shoes for just any generic liberal candidate.

Suggests you or others with your opinions won't vote because... she's generic? Or didn't do enough yet? And claiming that Biden dropping out won't end the genocide, so let's not see it as positive?

What saint would you prefer we vote in? Can you explain how they are both morally spotlessly pure AND have a snowball's chance in hell? If you're convincing enough, maybe that second coming of Jesus will lead us to a utopia. /s

Some of us are not in the position of being able to use a foreign tragedy as our stopping block. Some of us have our rights and safety on the line.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago

I cannot wrap my mind around this level of privilege.

Folks on Lemmy think this entire election revolves around them.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

At first, I was pissed that he didn't bow out two months ago.

Now I have nothing but respect for the man. He realized when to step aside and let his partner take the reign, and did so with effective enough timing to throw a massive wrench into the republicans' plans.

If Kamala wins, history will see him as the kind elder statesman who knew when to step aside for the good of the country.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

John Adams is the first American president to make unpopular decision and did not let ego rule him, despite losing him the election. Americans were baying for blood to go to war against the French in 1799 but Adams refused, knowing that America will lose if he declared war. It cost him his re-election, but he did the right thing.

Edit: wrong year

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago

John Adams is the first American president to make unpopular decision

Nobody tell this guy about the Whiskey Rebellion.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

History will paint Biden very kindly. This speech will be the example of a humble, good man.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (4 children)

This is like calling a school bus driver a hero because at the last possible second he hit the brakes instead of intentionally driving the bus off a cliff.

It's good he stepped aside, but he waited till pretty much the last second and clearly didn't want to hit the brakes.

In that analogy, the heroes are all the people that got him to hit the brakes.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Maybe the timing was to ensure an albatross like JD was firmly tied around his neck.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

So you think Biden and the DNC colluded and he always meant to stand down?

He just waited until there wasn't enough time for a primary so Kamala could get it?

Don't get me wrong, she's got a better shot than Joe. But if you legitimately think they planned this timing...

That's not a good look.

Especially for voters in NH who had their primary delegates stolen.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Or he waited until the Trump campaign sunk millions of dollars into a strategy that has now been completely subverted and which they have no real way out of without a massive pivot like dropping Trump which isn't going to happen. If that's the case, I'd call it a pretty savvy move.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago

But that still took the decision of who the nominee should be out of the hands of voters.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I didn't call him a hero, though, I called him humble and good. In your zeal to urinate on corn flakes, you forgot basic reading skills.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

If he's "humble and good" he'd have stepped down a year ago so voters could have a real primary and not a coronation.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Before doubling down, it might be wise to know what you are doubling down on. Aggressive foolishness is still foolishness.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago

What does that even mean?

It sounds like you're just trying to make an insult that won't get removed for being an insult...

I'm not here to slap fight, find someone else.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

That's an interesting analogy because objectively the bus driver is a hero for stopping a bus full of kids hurtling off a cliff.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago

If he wasn't the one flooring it headed right to the cliff...

And if he didn't take months of people telling him to hit the brakes while he screamed back only "Lord God" can stop the bus

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

He could have shrugged it off like RBG did and fuck everyone for generations. Better late than never.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago

Better late than never.

Obviously.

But if a guy has a gun next to your head and ends up not pulling the trigger, are you gonna talk about how good your kidnapper was?

You still got kidnapped, and you still had a gun to your head.

Why thank the person who caused the problem and not the hostage negotiaters who got you released?

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Fuck off Joe, you're slightly better than Hillary because you did eventually listen to reason.

But he should have said years ago he wasn't going to run in 2024.

Hell, even if he just said it 6 months ago we could have had a real primary

It's good he finally did the right thing, but he came damn close to not. He's not a hero because he stopped doing the wrong thing at the last possible second. A week ago he wouldn't stop rambling about "Lord God" was the only one that could make him drop

Dude is off the deep already, and has been for a while.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

nah. i won't call him a "hero" but this is the best way it could have happened, rather than republicans having YEARS to foment hatred and spin conspiracy theories and make everyone waste time debunking lie after lie about harris.

and nobody's going to switch from D to R because it's harris instead of biden. you can be fairly certain, however, that there WILL be people voting who weren't going to vote at all when it was biden instead of harris

should he be applauded? yes. is he a hero? no. should he have announced it years ago? no fucking way.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

but this is the best way it could have happened

The best way was this happening a year ago so we could have a primary...

But you don't think Dem voters should have had a say?

I'm a lot more democratic than you apparently...

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

LOL good job parroting fox news's desperate "bIdEn ChEaTeD tHe DeMs!!!" talking points. i'll bet you're doing it for free too.

news flash-- biden isn't running, and you could have voted for anyone you wanted in the primary. so this entire "debate" about biden's shoulda/woulda/coulda, while entertaining to obliterate people in, is getting the tankie position exactly nowhere

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

What?

So if Faux News says we didn't get a real primary...

We have to lie and say we did?

That's Trumper logic man

Have fun with that.

Edit:

and you could have voted for anyone you wanted in the primary.

In my state (and others) Biden was the only Dem on the primary ballot...

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

LOL why weren't you and the apparently millions of other like minded yous mobilizing to either get someone else on the ballot, or writing in someone else?

or were you just accepting what you were told to, like you're accusing everyone else of doing now?

again--what do you think you're going to accomplish with all of these sad desperate dEmScHeAtEd attacks? making people not vote now?

have fun with that

btw: voter registrations for 18-34 year olds surged AFTER harris became the nominee. that means people are registering specifically to vote for harris. does that grind your gears? LOL

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago

again–what do you think you’re going to accomplish

Did you not see what happened to the Republican party when they stopped holding their politicians accountable?

Why are you trying to make the democratic party just as shitty?

btw: voter registrations for 18-34 year olds surged AFTER harris became the nominee. that means people are registering specifically to vote for harris. does that grind your gears? LOL

No...

It's a good thing, I've spent over a year saying Biden and Hillary are the only two who could.lose to trump...

I'm glad Biden finally listened to people who knew what he was talking about about. But I'm still mad that he waited so long we didn't get a primary.

You seem to be operating under football logic where people pick a team and only say good things about them.

Which again, is what made the Republican party into what it is today.

So I ask again, why do you want both major parties to act like Republicans?

If youre not gonna answer, there's no point in me wasting time with you.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

He didn't think he'd be pressured out 6 months ago. He's obeying popular opinion that shifted after the debate.

Someone here compared it to convincing an elderly parent to stop driving. They're not heroes either, it just sucks for everyone that nature works this way.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 months ago

He did like a tenth of the press conferences as the last two presidents...

And people were pointing out his age related issues 4 years ago.

The only reason it took till the first debate for a critical mass to demand he drop out, was that was the first people had seen him speak for longer than 5 minutes. Ive been calling for him to do more public appearances/interviews this whole term, lots of us did. But we were called conspiracy nuts for saying an 80 year old was as capable as the average 80 year old.

The people around him day to day knew how bad it was and knew he'd be forced to step down if the public knew. So they fucking hid him. Just like Republicans did with Reagan.

Like it or not, that's what happened.

I hope you at least learned that it's not just ok to criticize your "team" it's fundamentally necessary.

If people hadn't, wed still be running Joe and trump would still be likely to win.