Are the Americans stupid for allowing Biden to go for another term?

[DistinguishedSocialCommentator]

At Mr Biden's age, if I'm as fit and alert as he is, I'd be more than happy.

However, he is supposed to be a president and a president of a of a superpower. Therefore, you will agree with me the man is not cut out to be a president of a nation like the USA. He'd be ok for smaller countries that do not have an importance i the world like the USA but not for the uSA

IMO, those that are pulling the strings are actually hurting a half decent man. For the record, I'm nor for, not agaist his poltical party.

Possibly, some that are running the show, pulling the strings were hoping to step into Bidens shoes if he had a fall or a big moment, don't know.

AIBU to feel his is not the right man for the job?

With the way our primary system works, we don’t really get much say in the candidates. Yes, some years there is actually a bit of a race, but the democrats didn’t actually provide any other candidates so it is Biden or Biden.

the most logical alternative is our vice-president. There are a large number of people who won’t vote for a woman though. There are an even larger number of people who won’t vote for a black woman. Trump got into office the first time in large part because his opponent was female. That shifted the vote just enough in his favor. The Democrats can’t risk that again.

it might be different if Biden had died in office and VP Harris had the opportunity to serve as President and prove her metal.

I don't understand it at all!

Donald Trump is 77.
Even if Joe Biden were far older and had declining faculties he’s a better prospect than an actual facsist and I don’t really understand why people don’t raise similar concerns about his age.

The phrase "pulling his strings" is very niche.

You really only see it on conspiracy theory sites, none of which are known for their investment in the rule of law or democratic values.

It is used purely to discredit the political process and the institutions of government.

I'd like to know why the OP thinks it's appropriate.

Nah the rest of the world knows that Trump as president would be far far far worse.

I do not have heaps of confidence in a Biden win and wish a better candidate had been found.

That said, his presidency has actually gone quite well, and he is many magnitudes better than the alternative.

If Trump wins (or loses but is manoeuvred into power), I fear America is done. That various of his allies are openly campaigning for an end to democracy (and replacing it with a religious theocracy) is pretty terrifying. I’d always thought the Handmaid’s Tale was a tad overblown, but here we are…

@poetryandwine

I agree 100% with your take on things here.

Stupider for letting Trump rerun or voting for him but I do agree with the principle. Given they can serve 2 terms should there be a max running age?

We voted for Boris. We can't judge anyone!

I read a very interesting article by Dominic Cummings (I know, I can’t fucking stand him, but it made sense) where he explained that it is basically impossible to make any impact at all across the US unless you have bottomless pits of money- so the two main parties have no option but to back whoever has the best name recognition.

Both Biden and Trump are far too old for the job. The problem is, to run as US President is really expensive.

Yeah, bit confused by this. You realize, whichever of them wins, Trump OR Biden, he will be the oldest living president ever. And they’ve both proven to have some BIG cognitive blind spots - Trump going off on one about Nancy Pelosi (omg, just SHUT UP) but calling her Nikki Haley for minutes on end, and Biden referring to either the president or vice-president of China as being from Mexico. So it’s an utter shitshow. I don’t think either of them would pass a full, robust physical and cognitive exam. Biden can’t even get out of helicopter, and Trump (based solely on his diet) is probably going to die on the toilet like Elvis.

BUT. Biden isn’t a rapist. Kind of a line in the sand. He isn’t a rampaging fucking racist, sexist, traitorous (not sure what else you call it when you incite your followers to attack the government and they murder five people) arsehole. That matters a bit to me. Maybe to some other people, too. Sadly not to a single person that supports Trump, which says a whoooole lot.

There are quite a few electorates who might be described as making stupid choices, it’s not confined to the USA, although the electorate there is subject to some peculiar influences. About 40% of the voting public are religious fundamentalists. There are virtually no limits on how the super rich, fund political candidates and buy advertising slots. Lobbyists acting for vested interests wield enormous power and the Senate legislates to appease these vested interests, consequently the range of political debate is extremely narrow, and the propaganda and disinformation peddled by FOX and its presenters poison the political atmosphere. Eisenhower would be regarded as a ‘commie’ by many present day republican voters.
A feature of American life is a belief that the State must stop interfering in the pioneer spirit and that business knows best, hence Trump a man completely unfit for public office, peddles the lie that he is ‘very clever, super bright and a billionaire’…because the other Gospel which so appeals in the USA, is the Gospel of worshipping those with money. Those with money are ‘special’ and those who are poor are willfully poor and failing themselves and the state. Trump is an evil, vindictive, ignorant bully, in a fight between Trump and Biden, I’d choose Biden. On a deeper level if the choice is between these 2 men, something has gone horribly wrong.

I don't understand why no one is talking about Trump's cognitive functioning. There are clips I've seen where he's just as bad.

I don't think anyone was in doubt that Trump would be back. He made it clear he had the GOP in his pocket and that he wasn't going to let the presidency go (hence January 6th). The minute Mitch McConnell refused to hold Trump accountable for his orchestration of the insurrection, everyone knew Trump would be back.

Biden was a strategic choice with two terms in mind. He had had two terms as VP and a long and prominent career in the Senate before he ran for president. His appeal is to traditional center or wavering right of center voters who vote with their wallets. These are the people who might have come out and voted for a Mitt Romney-style GOP candidate.

Are the left going to vote for Trump? No. Are the traditional right/ farmers/ fundamentalists/ racists/ flat earthers/ fascists/ quiverful folk/ going to vote for anyone under the GOP banner? Yes. So the only votes up for grabs are those Biden appeals to, and also the Hispanic vote outside of blue states with big city Democratic machines.

The constituency Biden appeals to likes law and order, lower gasoline prices than you see right now at the average pump, prefers financial security and can absorb slightly higher lending rates, values good schools, supports reproductive rights, vaguely supports defence of Ukraine as long as no American boots touch the ground there, vaguely supports Israel and thinks of middle eastern Muslims and the Palestinians as people who don't really share American values.

The only mistake was Kamala Harris as VP because she has the charisma of a plank, and her appeal to black voters isn't ever going to even come close that of Obama.

Thank you, @mathanxiety . Also thank you for explaining the background tobthe phrase ‘pulling his strings’.

@mathanxiety I agree with your analysis, Kamala Harris was the mistake, because that was the real plan-Biden for just one term, then the V-P would run. But she’s been a damp squib so Biden has no choice but to run again.

I’m not looking forward to November at all. 🙁

@mathanxiety 'the charisma of a plank' gave me a great laugh, thanks 😁

American voter living abroad and totally agree with @poetryandwine and @mathanxiety

I would vote for almost anyone rather than Trump but my vote is in California so not likely to be helpful.

American (brit) here. I would have LOVED a good alternative to Biden but no one was offered up. Kamala Harris is pretty much a complete failure at this point. Her likability is laughable. By the time that everyone realised how much people wanted a Biden alternative it was too late. Nikki Haley as an independent would be good, but she is too likable for republicans to allow that, as it will detract their base from voting Trump. It’s like what Bernie Sanders did to the democrats previously. Basically, it’s a mess. I’m also in California, so my vote is more or less useless anyway as the US doesn’t use a true vote count.

It is quite baffling how, in a nation of >350million people, these two senile delinquents are the best they can come up with!

It's puzzled me for a very long time, that such a large country with a huge population usually fields arseholes for President - on both sides.

Is it not the system the problem though? Or part of it at least. They all have to be relatively centrist to try and appeal to everyone. So you generally end up with two flavours of the same shite. Just musing, not an expert.

Absolutely this

Can't Obama come back or his wife or one of his children??!

Let the poor girls have their own lives for a while 😂