To think Joe Biden needs to be replaced as a candidate

[Viviennemary]

I just saw a headline saying Biden absolutely lost the plot last night and was totally incoherent. Why on earth is he bring put forward as a candidate. I know a lot of folk on here think nothing could be worse than Trump. Or does it not really matter who is President as somebody else makes the big decisions anyway and the President is just a figurehead. I find it a bit scarey that the USA can only come up with those two. Many Democrats are apparently calling for him to be replaced.

https://x.com/bmay/status/1806556859924431084?t=CTGjeqNvXGCQl1edB-5iuQ&s=19

Incredible

Yes it's very disturbing and clear that younger candidates should be standing. Overall Biden has done a god job as President (steering clear of his judgement on foreign affairs issues which it is best not to dig into here) and in his prime he was a very effective and astute politician. But he's well past his prime and many commentators are hoping that his smart First Lady might intervene.... Ckearly someone needs to.

But Trump has also been incoherent and mad during many of his stump speeches rambling on incomprehensively about god knows what - like turning on the water in new houses etc.

Both candidates are alarmingly past it with real questions to answer re their competence to hold high office. It beggars belief.

I’m not defending Trump but Biden’s daughter alleges he was sexually inappropriate with her. There are also videos of Biden, since being president, touching little girls’ chests and telling a child she was sexy. These this happened at official events. Imagine if Trump had done that.

Oh come on as uninspiring as both Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are neither are likely to start an insurrection and both are cognitively able
We also have mechanisms to oust PM,s should it be needed .

Quite possibly. A lot of what he says is nonsense. But Trump does speak fluently and without the hesitation and umming and aahing.

I'm not defending him at all, I think he's a very dangerous man. But he is only three years younger than Biden and appears to be 20 years younger.

And neither is in Putin’s pocket.

Gavin Newsom looks impressive on paper.

I watched some clips of it. It was dire, he is becoming more incoherent.
Gavin Newsom hasn't really done California any favours according to my friends still living there, many moved out to other states due to him being in charge
However he'd be better than Biden.

I know a lot of folk on here think nothing could be worse than Trump. Or does it not really matter who is President as somebody else makes the big decisions anyway and the President is just a figurehead.

I think an essentially decent but mildly incompetent president would be miles better than Trump. Trump is also incompetent, but also dictatorial, criminal, misogynistic, racist, ableist, spoilt, prone to tantrums, and cruel. And stupid.

But I agree that it's gobsmacking that these are the two candidates they've come up with.

Paul Chuckle would be better than Biden

Are you responding to a different point? I said there was something wrong with US politics for these two to be the only option. I didn't say that I supported him. And I certainly don't support his stance on foreign affairs.

The point I was responding to was that you called Trump an alleged rapist. That was the only point you made in your post I quoted.

I must find this interview and watch it. Apparently they traded insults about each other's golf. Then Trump said let's not be childish. You couldn't make it up. You have to laugh which is not quite right as it is such a serious matter.

I see. I originally said that there must be something wrong with US politics because of this situation. Someone said that the situation is similar in the UK to which I responded, who is comparable to the multiple rapist Trump. (In the UK).

I don't think much of Biden and am certainly not excusing any man's mistreatment of others.

The polls suggest that if it was Trump v Newsom then Trump would win convincingly:

www.realclearpolling.com/polls/president/general/2024/trump-vs-newsom

The alternative of Gretchen Whitmer shows a narrower lead for Trump but he would still win.

I think it's now too late for an alternative to Biden who still offers the best polling against Trump but is still behind.

Basically I think that Trump will win.

It's crazy that in a country with a population of 333 million,these two are the best they can come up with.

The thought of that orange menace getting in again is absolutely terrifying, but as time goes on Joe Biden is not looking like a credible, competent candidate either.

It's crazy that in a country with a population of 333 million,these two are the best they can come up with.

It's unbelievable and shows how utterly incomprehensible their current system is

We may have a couple of useless idiots to choose from, but at least neither is losing their marbles and neither is a dangerous lunatic.

@cupcaske123

"It's crazy that in a country with a population of 333 million,these two are the best they can come up with."

I would add that in a country of 67 million it's crazy that the best they can offer to be PM is Sunak or Starmer.

I think we are witnessing the slow decline of democracy as a form of government.

What stands out in my mind is the quote by Alexander Tytler in the late 1700s and the Tytler Cycle

"A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship."

I wonder if he will be

I agree but in 2000 I said the same thing about not expecting a black president in the next 50 years. Things change quickly. The problem with Harris is the same as the problem with H. Clinton, neither of them are attractive propositions to voters.

The thinking some people seem to have is that because the current male candidates (Trump and Biden) are so utterly shit, a female candidate must automatically be better. That's not true. There are many men who would potentially be better than Biden or Trump and there are plenty of women who wouldn't be.

To get a female president elected, first there needs to be a female candidate who demonstrates to the public that they are vaguely electable. In the same way Obama or (Bill) Clinton were vaguely electable. They were awful in their own way, but you could just about see the logic of voting them into office.

I think Biden suffers from the double whammy that he is struggling to present a fit vigorous image.

He might be able to carry that if he had a popular vice president, but Harris is anything but popular. In fact less popular than Biden.

So it basically comes down to vote for the old bloke that is losing his faculties, and if he dies in office or has to step down, someone who the public thinks is actually worse ends up getting parachuted in.

I think they need to replace him in short order if they want to maintain power.

Whether or not I agree with Labour policy you can't really argue that Starmer isn't intellectually capable and competent. He lacks the PR polish and charisma of a Blair, Cameron, Obama or Clinton but he is at least forensically bright, with integrity and public service ethics which might actually be preferable to those more blessed with the gift of the gab.

And I'm saying that from an objective independent not partisan viewpoint. I might have thought similarly of Sunak intellectually when he started but it's clear he's not got what it take as a statesman, leader and party manager to make the grade. He was a better Chancellor. But then who would want to manage the Conservative Party in its current state?

imo Starmer lacks some of what you list here.

Are you serious about Trump sounding like he makes senses (even if he outright lies....?!?).

Does this make sense to you?

C_

I heard a BBC journalist report on a podcast recently that Biden came down to talk to his supporters before some hustings event or other and he mingled with all of them, remembered their names, stayed for two hours, then went on to do the main event which involved a three-hour debate. He said he was totally on point throughout. So I don't think he's quite dead yet!