Aiding and abetting a genocide can take a toll on a brain. Folk falling over themselves about a debate. Free Palestine and the US from AIPAC and Israel. How about that?!?
Agreed but do you have any input on what we need to do to stop Republicans and the ruling power of the far right Supreme Court? While justice may be for the US to completely fall apart for aiding and abetting a genocide. Won’t it hurt the rest of the world even more? I’ve read your CV and would love your input.
First, it is not just Republicans. It's the entire system. And btw, it was Biden who gave us Clarence Thomas!!! Do the research. This is a hard critique here and most Americans will not be able to accept it but this brother took the words right out of my mouth. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPREVChr5/
You misunderstood me completely. I’m not sure why you assumed I needed to do research? But, thank you for your time. That was no debate. Critiquing it is useless. So I guess it will be worth it to a lot of people to watch 2025 take place. I do understand the anger. I have it. I live it. Whatever happens can’t hurt me individually but I still care about how many more people will be doomed with the next “trump” presidency.
No I did not misunderstand you at all. We are doomed no matter who is elected as the brother in the video stated. I was saying research how Biden is responsible for giving us Clarence Thomas. 2025 is already here. As Nina Turner stated, " Neoliberalism will kill you slowly That is Biden. Neofascism will kill you quickly. That's Trump. Either way, you're dead.
Mehdi, I’m going to take you and your team to task here. Every single day, we should be reading Zeteo reports on Project 2025. You and your team should be actively explaining what the Fascist Republican Party have planned for Americans. Every day, I should have at least one Zeteo email explaining these stakes.
This is why I signed up to be a paying subscriber the very first day. I believed you would be hard hitting in portraying those stakes. Please do not make me regret this investment. You have a much bigger platform than me. Please use it to help Americans understand what’s at stake. Do we want democracy, however imperfect but we will be free to improve it? Or do we want Christo-fascist White Christian male led theocracy? Those are the stakes, and I say that as an acknowledged expert on Project 2025.
As if Biden’s full support and funding of the genocide in Palestine by the alleged “chosen ones” reportedly in the name of their religion (not true) was not the best example of a Christo-fascist white Christian male led theocracy? Not to mention how profoundly antisemitic is to commit the worst crimes against humanity in the name of Judaism or “Jewish safety” like he loves to put it.
I don't know any other way to say this: I agree with you. Yes, Biden has handled the Gaza situation abominably. Do you think 45 will do better? Do you think he will protect Palestinians and other Arabic peoples in that region? Do you think he will make positive decisions for Arab Americans? Do you think 45 will improve Palestinian lives, other Arab lives (other than oil oligarchs), or Arab American lives? Do you think not voting or voting for someone else and allowing 45 to be elected is going to improve Palestinian lives, other Arab lives, or Arab American lives? Even after the first Muslim ban and open discussions of another one? Do you think 45 and his team really don't mean that? Because 45 and Republicans are making no secret of what they plan to do to Arab lives, both foreign and domestic. I know this is a losing argument to those who are determined to punish Biden, but I make that argument nonetheless for those who may not be so firmly committed to this course.
The issue is to hold politicians accountable for their grave mishandlings and possible crimes. If we let that go just because the next guy is even worse, than we have already conceded our inability to have a decent and democratic system.
We all need to keep in mind that despite what those in power keep telling us, there are other people to lead this nation other than D &R which clearly don't represent the people.
Yes, there are others who could lead the nation but the won't be the Democratic candidate and they wouldn't be elected. It's that simple. Write to Biden and tell him why you disagree with his policies and actions regarding Israel and Palestinians. Tell your House and Senate representatives. That might mean something in the long term. But sometimes you have to hold your nose and vote strategically. That's what happens in a democracy.... which you will no longer have if you chooseb not to vote for Biden.
Believe me, I have done my share of writing to Joenocide Biden and other politicians and have learned that our collective voice means nothing to them compared to those who write them big checks, hence my believe that our democracy is already lost. The last voice that Joenocide Biden has left me is what I have next Nov. and I am steadfast to raise that voice in the form of a vote to hold him accountable for his complicity in this genocide.
Andra, rationale discourse is not served by you asking seven (or more) loaded questions in a row. Your fealty to Scarecrow Joe is duly noted. I’m taking the knee during this election. Cannot, will not, vote for Trump, but Genocide Joe has demonstrated a capacity for sadism and cruelty towards the Palestinians that has rightly earned him the title of Monster.
Even if he reversed course today; told Netanyahu to stand down and cut off all further assistance to Israel, he is complicit in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, as well as the attempted destruction of an entire people, their culture, their cities, their accomplishments, their very history, their very existence -and for what - to allow Zionism to prosper? Joseph Robinette Biden is a monster of depravity and unfit to hold the office of President.
You needn’t bother to respond. If it is the fate of this nation to fall into darkness, chaos and destruction then that is our fate. Consider it Karma for all the horrors we have visited upon this world since 1945 - earlier, really, even before WWI we were killing innocent people in Central and South America so you could have a banana on your breakfast cereal. Payback’s a bitch, Miss.
Nowhere in what I've said have I paid fealty to Biden. I asked Mehdi and his team to explain what's at stake to the American people so that they can at least have enough information to make up their own minds. He has done an excellent job of explaining Palestinian suffering. I'm asking him to apply that same lens to the stakes of this election. That's all. If Americans understand the stakes, and they choose to take the knee, they have a right to their own mind.
You've already made up your mind, and that's your choice. I won't say it's *rational*, but you have a right to choose what you think best for you and your family. Peace.
It just won’t be Arab Americans and Muslims he is going to take liberal white and black America down . America should have pushed harder to end the genocide .
We're all in a hurry. It's hard to take the time to read all the comments in a stream. Here's what I said below:
"But alienated voters have to understand exactly who they are punishing by not voting: women, LGBTQ people, all non-white people, all non-Christian people (some of which are "liberal white" per your comment above and added from mine below), immigrants, trans people, the climate."
So are you saying all these people deserve to suffer, be incarcerated, and die because America didn't push harder to end the genocide? I'm not being patronizing. I'm genuinely trying to understand how people who are so outraged at suffering and death believe the solution is exponentially MORE suffering and death.
The entire nation with the exception of the MAGAS should have stormed the streets and forced genocide Joe to call for a ceasefire. But that did not happen . instead more guns were sent that too without the consent of Congress as though that mattered since all of Congress with the exception of a very limited few are bought by AIPAC.
If we take the position of being the moral compass of the world then that makes each and everyone who has not taken part in forcibly condemning the wrong that we are doing complacent . And must bear the consequences.
I thought pretty much everyone on here understands the need to vote for Dems to stop Trump while being honest about the horrors done. It is a tactic to stop Trump it is not a valentine to Biden. So I’m not in disagreement with what you said nor with the person above you who focussed on spelling out the genocide that has already happened.
To this, of course Trump wouldn’t do better. The problem is that Biden’s approach already alienated important demographics that would’ve supported him. Not that they’ll vote for Trump, but they simply won’t vote. That’s the issue as much as I hate how Biden has handled Gaza, I’ll vote for him because I’ll be dooming even more people as a result. I’ll vote for him seething with displeasure just like I did in 2016 for Hillary. Hell how I did in 2020 for Biden.
But that's where Mehdi could make a difference. He is not adequately or even marginally explaining what's at stake to alienated voters who will listen to him. He talks about Gaza a ton, as he should. I don't fault him for that. But alienated voters have to understand exactly who they are punishing by not voting: women, LGBTQ people, all non-white people, all non-Christian people, immigrants, trans people, the climate. Mehdi and his team are not explaining those stakes. The mainstream media isn't going to do it, which was one reason I cheered when he left MSNBC. I really believed he would use that freedom and his fire and focus to explain what is at stake. He and his team can still do that, and he will make a difference.
I have to say that I totally disagree with your opinion, Andra. I understand that you feel that "democracy" is at stake, but as a Black woman I don't see the US as a democracy in the first place. Voting is a farce; we have one party with two heads bought and paid for by AIPAC, big pharma and weapons manufacturers. We've been told for too long "vote blue no matter who" and it's gotten us a racist, fascist, lying (if he even knows he's lying) "leader," who got us into a ridiculous war that Ukraine can't win, has us funding a racist genocide where we are dropping 2000 lb bombs on children, destroyed our communities with horrible pandemic policies designed to grease the pockets of big corporations and steal from the little guy, and we now have a horrible economy and job market that are here to stay as he continues to lie about it. I thought we couldn't get worse than Trump, but then we got Biden. Voting for him or his enablers is delusional as far as I'm concerned. I'm tired of the fearmongering.
How much longer are we going to band-aid our rotting system?
We do not have a two-party system. Both parties have been infiltrated by interests that are other than for the USofA. Maybe, we need a bigger kick in our guts than Jan. 6th, to wake us up, or we can continue to sleep walk to our destiny. The choice must never be between the lesser of two evils. Our predicament is entirely that.
You're entitled to disagree with me. You have every right to feel like American democracy has shat upon you. I do not blame a single person for feeling this way. Every individual can speak to their own lives and experiences better than I can.
After all, experience is a most effective teacher. It leads people to what they currently value, and it shows them what they should have valued while they had it. Peace.
And that’s valid but it’s not his responsibility to have those voters vote for Biden. The one that alienated those voters was Biden himself. Sure he can help, but he can’t change the result in November.
I’m only asking him to explain what’s at stake. I’m not asking him to endorse Biden. If more Americans truly grasp what’s at stake, they will vote accordingly. Right now, many, many Americans don’t understand the stakes.
I agree with Andra. To explain whats at stake, educate voters, how far the conservatives are willing to go. We might not be able to vote again if Trump wins. He would stay on the throne. Democracy will be lost! Is it worth it, just to punish Biden?
Interesting that not one mention is made of the questioning of his capacity due to his support of a genocide. His repeating the beheaded babies lie three times - less of a cognitive concern than a wilful attempt to delude?
I think it's because he believes it's true. Or maybe he has information we don't have about Israel and, say, nuclear capability and he's under duress to support Israel to avert the use of nukes by one side or the other. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. It really comes down to who would you rather trust with making decisions while considering the weight of the world and the future of humanity.
No it was an outright lie - he said he saw photos where there is none because it didn’t happen. Unless Israel faked photos, wouldn’t put it past them. But we don’t know because there is not a shred of honesty, nor any apology for spreading false information that manufactured consent for this atrocious genocide. Not American, but both parties are two sides of the same coin and this election proves that democracy is dead. It’s too late, doesn’t matter who’s president.
Exactly, and Biden is just as big a liar as Trump. I wish Americans would put half the effort into boosting someone like Jill Stein rather than shoving Genocide Joe down people’s throats.
As a person that has a stutter and had to take speach therapy for two years when I was younger, I understand Biden's slowness of speech. We are taught to slow down, think of what you want to say, take a breath and then speak. With the confines of the time limit to answer the questions, trying to point out the lies from Trump, and his age, I feel Biden did fine. He is surrounded by competent people in the Office, as well as the field. I would prefer a younger, more charismatic president, but I will always vote for policy, honesty and results before that.
Looking on (in horror) from Canada, I assume that most registered Democrats would vote for whoever stands as the candidate in November, whether that's Biden or someone else. But I understand that significant numbers in some swing states (esp. Michigan) voted uncommitted in the primaries, and a good many of them WILL vote for Jill Stein over Biden, specifically in protest against his mindless support for Israel. Clearly his debate performance (guaranteed to be the centrepiece of the Trump campaign) won't attract any undecided voters to the Dem. side. So wouldn't the safest course be for Biden to step aside and make way for the next generation? They (and their children, and all of us in the rest of the world) are the ones who will have to live with the consequences of this election. If the prospect of Project 2025 isn't enough to tip the scale, perhaps someone should remind Biden and his family/handlers of how RBG's legacy has fared as a result of her refusal to step down.
Look at the names being suggested, like Gavin Newsome and Gretchen Whitmer. Are they any different on Palestine? The longstanding policy of the Democratic party has always been steadfast support for Israel no matter what it does. Even today there are maybe a dozen Democrats in Congress willing to go against Israel, and NONE of them is on the short list of possible replacements.
Fair point. I am clutching at straws. Can only hope a younger, sharper person might have a better sense of the world outside the bubble (or coffin?) Biden has been kept in, and--with a new cabinet--be able to respond accordingly. Making the supply of weapons to Israel conditional on permanent ceasefire, etc., etc., would be a good start.
I think this is a dangerous and irresponsible statement. Fundraising after the debate clearly shows that the electorate is firmly behind Biden. The media is working overtime to get him to drop out because the Republicans know he can beat them. Do not add fuel to that fire.
Biden’s polling versus Trump is already very different than 2020. No we don’t know that Republicans know he can beat them. If anything I think they know they actually stand a fairly strong chance to win. Biden isn’t an exciting candidate and hardly motivates people to go vote. If he loses in November, don’t act surprised. Dems are being as irresponsible as 2016
I don’t watch CNN at all. I engage almost exclusively with leftist news content. Him having beaten Trump once doesn’t mean he will again. We can’t keep relying on negative voter turnout to be the key to beating Trump
I think the point here is that small donations were holding steady and even increasing after the debate, which suggests lots of Democratic rank-and-file are not abandoning Biden, which also suggests that this "Dump Biden" stuff is just a media circus.
I don't really get it, according to Biden and the democrats, Trump is an existential threat to the US and I agree with that. And this election (even though it is said on every election) is the most important election so far in our lifetimes. But why, why in the world is the party sending a half dead corpse who can't get a sentence across, let alone a point that makes sense after 2pm? I'm not an American and I don't vote in US elections, but I can't understand this! Biden, his inner circle and democratic leadership is alienating such a huge amount of voters by holding on to Biden as candidate.
Because Democrats refuse to learn from past mistakes. They did the same thing in 2016 of holding on to their most boring and milquetoast candidate because any perception of change was too much. They try to appeal to conservative moderates instead of the massive working class that doesn’t feel represented
2020 was won because of negative voter turnout against Trump, not because Biden instilled confidence and hope for lasting change. It was literally just “better than what we’ve been living through.” All those accomplishments are shadowed by his support for Israel and poor voter engagement. Again he’s been appealing to moderate independents instead of the working class just like Hillary did. I recognize the accomplishments he’s done but that’s because I’m politically engaged. Most people aren’t and that seems to often be ignored by the Democratic establishment
People didn't vote for Biden in 2020. They voted against Trump. We've had 3 calm years in which to forget how bad Trump was. And the MSM doesn't help, magnifying every slip Joe makes, but normalizing Trumps.
Of course not every single person voted that way. The thing is Biden won because of negative voter turnout not because people thought he was the best choice ever
Probably a combination of things, don't you think? Biden did actually run a campaign where he laid out lots of positive ideas like student loan forgiveness and action on climate change. Maybe a lot of his votes came from people who wanted those things?
And all of his former accomplishments don't really matter if most voters, even dem voters think, he's a walking corpse and is going to drop dead in the next 12 months...
The really sad thing about dementia is that people live a long time with the disease. Recently attended a conference on cognitive diseases and it was one of the points made over and over: Longevity without much quality of life. And so hard on the family. The body is there but the person is (mostly) gone. Heartbreaking.
Do you genuinely believe that policy record alone can win elections? Democrats have always been especially bad at messaging. The Democrats have to stop playing politics as if everyone sits down and looks at the numbers. His record with Israel is a bigger problem than you think as that pushes crucial demographics away from him. Biden’s perception of being too old is unfortunately a problem too. People are more motivated by flamboyant lies than quiet truths. Given that even the most accurate polling finds Biden losing to Trump, this confidence that he’ll just win seems unfounded. This isn’t 2020. At best we simply have no clue who will win in November. At worst Trump has a solid chance to return. If the Democratic establishment cared they wouldn’t have repeated so many of the same mistakes as 2016
I agree. It was just a little over a year ago, I was arguing to a friend that Trump could not win in another election. I stand corrected and humbled today. I’ve changed my tune.
It’s silly to think that the Democratic establishment didn’t have a concerted effort to have people fall in line and support Biden. They knew Biden would be the candidate well before the first votes were cast
Because the only person who chose to run against him was Dean Phillips? Is that how we knew he'd win?
Look, this isn't Putin's Russia, where competitors get jailed or fall out of windows. All the people whose names are being thrown around today (Gavin Newsome, Gretchen Whitmer, etc.) COULD have run in the primaries, and they chose NOT to. Probably because they knew they weren't likely to win. Politicians really don't like running a losing campaign.
Yes, Democratic leadership has a preference for Biden. But so do the voters who voted in Democratic primaries.
You should consider the 2020 primaries. Remember that there were several candidates that dropped out immediately after Super Tuesday despite there being plenty of the races left? They then funneled all the voters to go for Biden and against Bernie. You need to consider that the voting base can and is tailored and manipulated to achieve results that align with the establishment agenda. The supposed freedom of choice we claim to have is subject to the whims of a few. If you want a better democracy you need to learn how that democracy fails to represent people’s voices.
My view of the voters is that their main initial choices were denied before they ever got a chance to vote. The other candidates strategically dropped out and endorsed Biden to redirect their base of support to him to prevent Bernie from winning. It’s this manipulation of the process that I find problematic. Bernie had the initial lead with all the candidates running. As soon as the establishment saw that they for sure coordinated to have all milquetoast liberal candidates drop out to reduce the choices people had to be more centered around Biden. You can’t pretend that the DNC plays clean politics.
Wow, he can hold a speech during the middle of the day! Don't look at how looked for the rest of the day...
But you gotta be kidding us! You must be one of four people in the US and the world quite honestly, who think Biden is not on his last miles of his life. Have you ever looked at his schedule and how he manages his schedule? It's even worse than Trump...
Nope, still a half deaf corpse and his schedule reflects that. Are you trying to make the point that Biden is not looking like he's 100 years old and his brain is leaking out of himself ears? Are you seriously claiming that he's fine? That'd be literal MAGA style denying of reality. Blue MAGA
He is a senile man trying to stay in power and the only way he can do this is by strengthening his alliance with AIPAC. Neither the DNC nor him care about the future of this country let alone the innocent lives taken in this brutal war. His disregard for the law, the cruelty and the inhumanity is disgusting and he has to be held accountable.
If Biden is senile and/or incompetent the how was he able to pass all that bipartisan legislation, particularly the deal to fund government debt back in the fall of 2023 with a hostile majority in the House? That took experience and understanding and a whole lot of political smarts. Not something a senile old man could pull off. And what would have happened to the world economy if the American dollar had been allowed to fail?
Joenocide Biden lost my support and vote when he chose 'unconditional support' for the Zionist Israel even in the case of genocide. His lies about 40 beheaded babies and countless other lies to shield this criminal Netanyahu is the line on the sand for hundreds of thousands of us that he does not represent our value of humanity and I am steadfast to hold him accountable coming next Nov.
And that is more important to you than saving democracy in the US of A? Because that is what's on the line this time. If Trump gets in it's going to be at least a couple of generations before America comes even close to returning to democracy.
It is, especially that I don't believe we Joenocide Biden honors our democracy and the independence of our nation. It is just that he is not as loud or open about it as the convicted felon.
Navigating in the dark… the perfect metaphor. This country is plunged in darkness at the moment and the Democrats are not the party to lead us out of it. As usual they are divided, indecisive, and incapable of coming together in a moment of crisis to act like a political party ought to act.
I have experienced the mental decline of both my parents prior to their deaths, and yeah; there’s a world of difference in an individual within 6 months. Mental decline comes on fast and proceeds apace. I now wonder if Mr. Biden’s stance on Gaza wasn’t being managed by the members of his staff and various advisors who hold dual citizenship with Israel?
Biden did insist at the outset of the Gaza genocide that he is a Zionist, but I agree with you that he also had very strong pressure from the Zionist neocons he has surrounded himself with to support Netanyahu's war crimes in Gaza.
I don’t necessarily agree that Biden was a great president as he was badly played by Netanyahu who made him into an accomplice to genocide but that’s not the issue right now. Every single physician I know (including myself) sees clear signs of cognitive decline that is apparently accelerating. There is no way he can serve for 4 more years and he might have to step down before finishing his term. Every citizen of this country has a choice between supporting the country vs supporting the individual. I chose the former.
Not if the Dems nominate someone else. There has already been one poll showing that among independent voters, Harris did much better against Trump than Biden did. Dems will vote blue no matter who, but independents are a force we need to win.
That's the Democrat way, alright. Don't offer a single thing besides "the other guy is worse." Then shame and bully the voters into shutting their mouths and voting for the Democrat. I for one will not cast a vote for the horrible genocide funder, and I don't care who knows it or what they think. However, in these tough times, I also don't blame people for making their own tough decisions. It's either lose or lose out here, that's our choice.
A rather pathetic piece. Surely your country has more to offer in terms of leadership. Is this an example of how democracy works? in a place with some of the greatest culture, educational institutions ever??? My god !!!
Sir, would you kindly avert your eyes? The United States is having one of its periodic crises. Don’t judge the lady too harshly, Mr. Borkiwicz, she is prone to hysteria and neurasthenia.
Gavin Newsome could have run, he chose not to. Gretchen Whitmer could have run, she chose not to. Probably because they figured they'd lose, and they also might have been worried that running might help Trump, which nobody wants to do.
I am no expert, but there is a phenomenon in dementia patients called "sundowning," where symptoms get worse in the evening. Probably most interviews take place during the daytime, but the debate was held at 9pm.
There is a recent article in the Atlantic written by a neurologist (with concurring views by other neurologists) that systematically analyzes possible dementia symptoms in both Biden and Trump. I respectfully suggest you, and everyone wanting Biden removed, read the article. It concludes Trump has early stage dementia, and Biden is merely exhibiting normal signs of aging. His experience and wisdom remain intact. Due to federal law and the way donations are paid out, there is no way to replace Biden even if we wanted to: the next candidate would have no funding, and would surely lose. Mehdi and his team need to know that, and work to get Biden and all democrats elected. Despite their flaws, e.g., in Gaza, there is no choice after the many horrific SCOTUS rulings, project 25 platform, etc. The Republic will be irretrievably dead without Biden-Harris and a democratic control of congress.
I haven’t read the article you mention, but in general, neurologists don’t assess cognition and are not the experts in it. They rely on examinations usually done by Neuropsychologists (in-depth evaluations) and speech therapists using assessments that are objective but also necessitate a degree of clinical judgment. I don’t doubt Trump has cognitive deficits, but I think whatever they may be, they are far outweighed by his psychiatric disorders, including narcissism and anti-social disorder (and probably others).
In addition, I would bet money both are using drugs to help their performance, decrease anxiety, etc. But drugs can be a double-edged sword and very hard even for physicians with pharmaceutical expertise to get right. There’s an art as well as a science in their use. But if Trump has cognitive disorder too—doesn’t that kind of speak to the priorities of both parties—and doesn’t it beg the question of what values and qualities are determining their choice of candidates?
Shouldn’t we be questioning THAT?
Could a mis-choice like this accidentally happen twice in the same election?
Basically the same mistake as in 2020?
Is the selection process somehow biased toward the selection of cognitively and psychologically disordered persons?
To me, pragmatically, the bottom line is this: we vote for principles, not individuals. If Biden strokes out or dies in office, Harris basically continues his policies. Though flawed on Gaza, I overwhelmingly agree with most of them. On the other hand, if Trump dies or is removed from office, every horror of Maga, SCOTUS, bribery under citizens United law, Project 2025, etc. will seamlessly be perpetrated under his “team”. Those are the stakes — I’m voting for the principles I believe in based on Bidens track record of accomplishments, even if the man, himself, has heath issues. Btw, changing course with a younger candidate at this point will almost ensure democratic defeat: federal law and donation rules will make it impossible for a new candidate (even Harris)to get enough funding. I think mehdi and team should research and explain this fully.
You’re right, sundowning is a thing with dementia and I believe some in Biden’s close-knit campaign team actually complained about the late time scheduled for the debate—in effect, validating your observation.
It’s clear to me anyway, there’s been a concerted effort by some in the DNC and the Biden administration (including Obama I’m afraid) to cover up Biden’s declining cognitive status. Dementia is a terrible progressive disease. Anyone denying his condition (now with rapidly accelerating symptoms it appears) is doing him and the country a great disservice. How absolutely cruel to manipulate a person in an obvious state of cognitive decline to step onto the world’s stage to be laughed at and ridiculed relentlessly.
And he, because he is cognitively impaired, is unable to comprehend what is occurring as he stands centerstage in front of the cameras of the world completely befuddled. Such cruelty!
Way to go, USA. This is just another example of how we treat mental illness and cognitive disease in this country.
Biden was exhausted, not sundowning. And he faced an unchecked psychopath’s tsunami of lies. Even the world’s champion debaters would have had a rough time countering that.
Easy? When the lies come out of a firehose? Trump can put out ten lies in two minutes. Which ones do you counter? And while you're countering one or two and letting the other 8-9 slip by, when do you have time to talk about your own program?
And remember, you're not allowed to reach behind your podium and pull out a graph of crime rates or the US-China trade deficit.
That is true. Debating is not one of Biden’s strong points. Let’s not make the perfect the enemy of the good. It was one bad night people. Sure, Mehdi could’ve duked it out with his superb skills. 😊
What Mehdi does well is he does his research, so he's ready with the perfect video clip or chart that exposes the lie being told. In a debate, you don't have those tools available.
And of course, the platform was not a “debate”. CNN totally failed the nation in allowing it to become an infomercial for Trump. We (collectively) can learn from our mistakes which is harder than just criticizing. Our outrage would be more productive if we acknowledge our mistakes and seek to correct them. I don’t believe tearing down the President who has the world on his shoulders benefits the country. What are we doing to correct course? Listen to Jasmine Crockett’s take on this today. Similar to Laurence O’donnell’s on MSNBC on June 29th. It is on YouTube.
And rather than blaming Biden for Netanyahu’s choices and behaviour, how about place ng the blsme for the war on Netanyahu? We can’t force him out! He is as bad as Trump and totally self-centered. He listens to no one. You try “negotiating” with a dictator. It never works.
I blame Biden for many of Netanyahu's choices and decisions simply because he couldn't make many of them without Biden's full support. Netanyahu is a war criminal who is fully propped up by our president and it's pathetic how the president of another country can bully our president. But King Biden doesn't give a shit about being made a fool or all the deaths in Gaza as long as the AIPAC checks clear.
Biden can do a lot more to force Israel’s hand and prevent Palestinian deaths. They depend on our military support and Biden hasn’t been nearly as forceful enough. Of course we blame Netanyahu, but we can’t do anything about him. You know who can though? Biden.
You watch the press (everybody including Nazis, Magas, Democrats, and Hitler) come after him. And what support will he get? Not even from Palestinians. I know you recall who supported Obama when he tried to exercise his power to select a Supreme Court Justice. Yes it is genocide. Yes Netenyahu is a fascist. The money and the press will come to the Israeli fascists aid and Biden will surely lose.. Even Trump is smart enough to take advantage of the situation.
This from The Guardian : Last night, the president provided a fresh justification for his weak performance at a Virginia campaign event. “I wasn’t very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple times, going through around 100 time zones ... before ... the debate,” he said. “Didn’t listen to my staff and came back and nearly fell asleep on stage. That’s no excuse but it is an explanation.”
Frankly, this makes total sense. Many if not most younger people would also be exhausted after such a grueling schedule. Maybe he tried too hard, but the judgements are coming from people’s fears, not facts. He was still totally back on his game the following day in Raleigh. I believe solidarity supporting Biden is the surest way to defeat Trump. I remember the 1968 Dem convention and it was a disaster. We need to stand UNITED in order to roust the evil forces working for a dictatorship . If we fail to unify, we won’t have another chance.
That is exactly Biden’s problem: utterly poor judgment, whether due to aging or both, a king standing personality trait made worst by aging. In preparation for a crucial debate that would affect the future of the democratic party’s chance at another four years in power, Biden chose to “not be smart” and did everything NOT TO DO before a debate. Just like his support and funding of the genocide in Gaza.
Rallies are midbrain activities for seasoned politicians. They require no significant input from the higher cortical centers like a debate does (even such poor excuses for debate as we saw). Hence, a politician can seem perfectly on key in a rally while being significantly cognitively impaired. Just remember Reagan as he campaigned for is second term.
Aiding and abetting a genocide can take a toll on a brain. Folk falling over themselves about a debate. Free Palestine and the US from AIPAC and Israel. How about that?!?
Agreed but do you have any input on what we need to do to stop Republicans and the ruling power of the far right Supreme Court? While justice may be for the US to completely fall apart for aiding and abetting a genocide. Won’t it hurt the rest of the world even more? I’ve read your CV and would love your input.
First, it is not just Republicans. It's the entire system. And btw, it was Biden who gave us Clarence Thomas!!! Do the research. This is a hard critique here and most Americans will not be able to accept it but this brother took the words right out of my mouth. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPREVChr5/
You misunderstood me completely. I’m not sure why you assumed I needed to do research? But, thank you for your time. That was no debate. Critiquing it is useless. So I guess it will be worth it to a lot of people to watch 2025 take place. I do understand the anger. I have it. I live it. Whatever happens can’t hurt me individually but I still care about how many more people will be doomed with the next “trump” presidency.
No I did not misunderstand you at all. We are doomed no matter who is elected as the brother in the video stated. I was saying research how Biden is responsible for giving us Clarence Thomas. 2025 is already here. As Nina Turner stated, " Neoliberalism will kill you slowly That is Biden. Neofascism will kill you quickly. That's Trump. Either way, you're dead.
Exactly right.
Mehdi, I’m going to take you and your team to task here. Every single day, we should be reading Zeteo reports on Project 2025. You and your team should be actively explaining what the Fascist Republican Party have planned for Americans. Every day, I should have at least one Zeteo email explaining these stakes.
This is why I signed up to be a paying subscriber the very first day. I believed you would be hard hitting in portraying those stakes. Please do not make me regret this investment. You have a much bigger platform than me. Please use it to help Americans understand what’s at stake. Do we want democracy, however imperfect but we will be free to improve it? Or do we want Christo-fascist White Christian male led theocracy? Those are the stakes, and I say that as an acknowledged expert on Project 2025.
As if Biden’s full support and funding of the genocide in Palestine by the alleged “chosen ones” reportedly in the name of their religion (not true) was not the best example of a Christo-fascist white Christian male led theocracy? Not to mention how profoundly antisemitic is to commit the worst crimes against humanity in the name of Judaism or “Jewish safety” like he loves to put it.
I don't know any other way to say this: I agree with you. Yes, Biden has handled the Gaza situation abominably. Do you think 45 will do better? Do you think he will protect Palestinians and other Arabic peoples in that region? Do you think he will make positive decisions for Arab Americans? Do you think 45 will improve Palestinian lives, other Arab lives (other than oil oligarchs), or Arab American lives? Do you think not voting or voting for someone else and allowing 45 to be elected is going to improve Palestinian lives, other Arab lives, or Arab American lives? Even after the first Muslim ban and open discussions of another one? Do you think 45 and his team really don't mean that? Because 45 and Republicans are making no secret of what they plan to do to Arab lives, both foreign and domestic. I know this is a losing argument to those who are determined to punish Biden, but I make that argument nonetheless for those who may not be so firmly committed to this course.
The issue is to hold politicians accountable for their grave mishandlings and possible crimes. If we let that go just because the next guy is even worse, than we have already conceded our inability to have a decent and democratic system.
We all need to keep in mind that despite what those in power keep telling us, there are other people to lead this nation other than D &R which clearly don't represent the people.
Yes, there are others who could lead the nation but the won't be the Democratic candidate and they wouldn't be elected. It's that simple. Write to Biden and tell him why you disagree with his policies and actions regarding Israel and Palestinians. Tell your House and Senate representatives. That might mean something in the long term. But sometimes you have to hold your nose and vote strategically. That's what happens in a democracy.... which you will no longer have if you chooseb not to vote for Biden.
Believe me, I have done my share of writing to Joenocide Biden and other politicians and have learned that our collective voice means nothing to them compared to those who write them big checks, hence my believe that our democracy is already lost. The last voice that Joenocide Biden has left me is what I have next Nov. and I am steadfast to raise that voice in the form of a vote to hold him accountable for his complicity in this genocide.
Andra, rationale discourse is not served by you asking seven (or more) loaded questions in a row. Your fealty to Scarecrow Joe is duly noted. I’m taking the knee during this election. Cannot, will not, vote for Trump, but Genocide Joe has demonstrated a capacity for sadism and cruelty towards the Palestinians that has rightly earned him the title of Monster.
Even if he reversed course today; told Netanyahu to stand down and cut off all further assistance to Israel, he is complicit in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, as well as the attempted destruction of an entire people, their culture, their cities, their accomplishments, their very history, their very existence -and for what - to allow Zionism to prosper? Joseph Robinette Biden is a monster of depravity and unfit to hold the office of President.
You needn’t bother to respond. If it is the fate of this nation to fall into darkness, chaos and destruction then that is our fate. Consider it Karma for all the horrors we have visited upon this world since 1945 - earlier, really, even before WWI we were killing innocent people in Central and South America so you could have a banana on your breakfast cereal. Payback’s a bitch, Miss.
Nowhere in what I've said have I paid fealty to Biden. I asked Mehdi and his team to explain what's at stake to the American people so that they can at least have enough information to make up their own minds. He has done an excellent job of explaining Palestinian suffering. I'm asking him to apply that same lens to the stakes of this election. That's all. If Americans understand the stakes, and they choose to take the knee, they have a right to their own mind.
You've already made up your mind, and that's your choice. I won't say it's *rational*, but you have a right to choose what you think best for you and your family. Peace.
Ditto
It just won’t be Arab Americans and Muslims he is going to take liberal white and black America down . America should have pushed harder to end the genocide .
We're all in a hurry. It's hard to take the time to read all the comments in a stream. Here's what I said below:
"But alienated voters have to understand exactly who they are punishing by not voting: women, LGBTQ people, all non-white people, all non-Christian people (some of which are "liberal white" per your comment above and added from mine below), immigrants, trans people, the climate."
So are you saying all these people deserve to suffer, be incarcerated, and die because America didn't push harder to end the genocide? I'm not being patronizing. I'm genuinely trying to understand how people who are so outraged at suffering and death believe the solution is exponentially MORE suffering and death.
The entire nation with the exception of the MAGAS should have stormed the streets and forced genocide Joe to call for a ceasefire. But that did not happen . instead more guns were sent that too without the consent of Congress as though that mattered since all of Congress with the exception of a very limited few are bought by AIPAC.
If we take the position of being the moral compass of the world then that makes each and everyone who has not taken part in forcibly condemning the wrong that we are doing complacent . And must bear the consequences.
I thought pretty much everyone on here understands the need to vote for Dems to stop Trump while being honest about the horrors done. It is a tactic to stop Trump it is not a valentine to Biden. So I’m not in disagreement with what you said nor with the person above you who focussed on spelling out the genocide that has already happened.
To this, of course Trump wouldn’t do better. The problem is that Biden’s approach already alienated important demographics that would’ve supported him. Not that they’ll vote for Trump, but they simply won’t vote. That’s the issue as much as I hate how Biden has handled Gaza, I’ll vote for him because I’ll be dooming even more people as a result. I’ll vote for him seething with displeasure just like I did in 2016 for Hillary. Hell how I did in 2020 for Biden.
But that's where Mehdi could make a difference. He is not adequately or even marginally explaining what's at stake to alienated voters who will listen to him. He talks about Gaza a ton, as he should. I don't fault him for that. But alienated voters have to understand exactly who they are punishing by not voting: women, LGBTQ people, all non-white people, all non-Christian people, immigrants, trans people, the climate. Mehdi and his team are not explaining those stakes. The mainstream media isn't going to do it, which was one reason I cheered when he left MSNBC. I really believed he would use that freedom and his fire and focus to explain what is at stake. He and his team can still do that, and he will make a difference.
I have to say that I totally disagree with your opinion, Andra. I understand that you feel that "democracy" is at stake, but as a Black woman I don't see the US as a democracy in the first place. Voting is a farce; we have one party with two heads bought and paid for by AIPAC, big pharma and weapons manufacturers. We've been told for too long "vote blue no matter who" and it's gotten us a racist, fascist, lying (if he even knows he's lying) "leader," who got us into a ridiculous war that Ukraine can't win, has us funding a racist genocide where we are dropping 2000 lb bombs on children, destroyed our communities with horrible pandemic policies designed to grease the pockets of big corporations and steal from the little guy, and we now have a horrible economy and job market that are here to stay as he continues to lie about it. I thought we couldn't get worse than Trump, but then we got Biden. Voting for him or his enablers is delusional as far as I'm concerned. I'm tired of the fearmongering.
How much longer are we going to band-aid our rotting system?
We do not have a two-party system. Both parties have been infiltrated by interests that are other than for the USofA. Maybe, we need a bigger kick in our guts than Jan. 6th, to wake us up, or we can continue to sleep walk to our destiny. The choice must never be between the lesser of two evils. Our predicament is entirely that.
You're entitled to disagree with me. You have every right to feel like American democracy has shat upon you. I do not blame a single person for feeling this way. Every individual can speak to their own lives and experiences better than I can.
After all, experience is a most effective teacher. It leads people to what they currently value, and it shows them what they should have valued while they had it. Peace.
And that’s valid but it’s not his responsibility to have those voters vote for Biden. The one that alienated those voters was Biden himself. Sure he can help, but he can’t change the result in November.
I’m only asking him to explain what’s at stake. I’m not asking him to endorse Biden. If more Americans truly grasp what’s at stake, they will vote accordingly. Right now, many, many Americans don’t understand the stakes.
I agree with Andra. To explain whats at stake, educate voters, how far the conservatives are willing to go. We might not be able to vote again if Trump wins. He would stay on the throne. Democracy will be lost! Is it worth it, just to punish Biden?
I so agree, Andra.
I totally agree Andra Watkins
Interesting that not one mention is made of the questioning of his capacity due to his support of a genocide. His repeating the beheaded babies lie three times - less of a cognitive concern than a wilful attempt to delude?
I think it's because he believes it's true. Or maybe he has information we don't have about Israel and, say, nuclear capability and he's under duress to support Israel to avert the use of nukes by one side or the other. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. It really comes down to who would you rather trust with making decisions while considering the weight of the world and the future of humanity.
No it was an outright lie - he said he saw photos where there is none because it didn’t happen. Unless Israel faked photos, wouldn’t put it past them. But we don’t know because there is not a shred of honesty, nor any apology for spreading false information that manufactured consent for this atrocious genocide. Not American, but both parties are two sides of the same coin and this election proves that democracy is dead. It’s too late, doesn’t matter who’s president.
Exactly, and Biden is just as big a liar as Trump. I wish Americans would put half the effort into boosting someone like Jill Stein rather than shoving Genocide Joe down people’s throats.
As a person that has a stutter and had to take speach therapy for two years when I was younger, I understand Biden's slowness of speech. We are taught to slow down, think of what you want to say, take a breath and then speak. With the confines of the time limit to answer the questions, trying to point out the lies from Trump, and his age, I feel Biden did fine. He is surrounded by competent people in the Office, as well as the field. I would prefer a younger, more charismatic president, but I will always vote for policy, honesty and results before that.
Looking on (in horror) from Canada, I assume that most registered Democrats would vote for whoever stands as the candidate in November, whether that's Biden or someone else. But I understand that significant numbers in some swing states (esp. Michigan) voted uncommitted in the primaries, and a good many of them WILL vote for Jill Stein over Biden, specifically in protest against his mindless support for Israel. Clearly his debate performance (guaranteed to be the centrepiece of the Trump campaign) won't attract any undecided voters to the Dem. side. So wouldn't the safest course be for Biden to step aside and make way for the next generation? They (and their children, and all of us in the rest of the world) are the ones who will have to live with the consequences of this election. If the prospect of Project 2025 isn't enough to tip the scale, perhaps someone should remind Biden and his family/handlers of how RBG's legacy has fared as a result of her refusal to step down.
Look at the names being suggested, like Gavin Newsome and Gretchen Whitmer. Are they any different on Palestine? The longstanding policy of the Democratic party has always been steadfast support for Israel no matter what it does. Even today there are maybe a dozen Democrats in Congress willing to go against Israel, and NONE of them is on the short list of possible replacements.
Fair point. I am clutching at straws. Can only hope a younger, sharper person might have a better sense of the world outside the bubble (or coffin?) Biden has been kept in, and--with a new cabinet--be able to respond accordingly. Making the supply of weapons to Israel conditional on permanent ceasefire, etc., etc., would be a good start.
Amen.
I think this is a dangerous and irresponsible statement. Fundraising after the debate clearly shows that the electorate is firmly behind Biden. The media is working overtime to get him to drop out because the Republicans know he can beat them. Do not add fuel to that fire.
Biden’s polling versus Trump is already very different than 2020. No we don’t know that Republicans know he can beat them. If anything I think they know they actually stand a fairly strong chance to win. Biden isn’t an exciting candidate and hardly motivates people to go vote. If he loses in November, don’t act surprised. Dems are being as irresponsible as 2016
Biden was never an exciting candidate and he already beat Trump once. Stop watching CNN.
I don’t watch CNN at all. I engage almost exclusively with leftist news content. Him having beaten Trump once doesn’t mean he will again. We can’t keep relying on negative voter turnout to be the key to beating Trump
The electorate is unhappy with the choices or so polls say. CNN or whatever. We are still allowed to debate. It’s kinda protected—by the Constitution.
Big C.
You're the only one in here willing to look at the facts of the situation.
Fundraising means absolutely nothing. Hillary had more money than Trump in 2016 and how did that end up?
I think the point here is that small donations were holding steady and even increasing after the debate, which suggests lots of Democratic rank-and-file are not abandoning Biden, which also suggests that this "Dump Biden" stuff is just a media circus.
Absolutely.
I don't really get it, according to Biden and the democrats, Trump is an existential threat to the US and I agree with that. And this election (even though it is said on every election) is the most important election so far in our lifetimes. But why, why in the world is the party sending a half dead corpse who can't get a sentence across, let alone a point that makes sense after 2pm? I'm not an American and I don't vote in US elections, but I can't understand this! Biden, his inner circle and democratic leadership is alienating such a huge amount of voters by holding on to Biden as candidate.
Because Democrats refuse to learn from past mistakes. They did the same thing in 2016 of holding on to their most boring and milquetoast candidate because any perception of change was too much. They try to appeal to conservative moderates instead of the massive working class that doesn’t feel represented
What about the 2020 election, which Biden won? And the many positive accomplishments he has achieved?
2020 was won because of negative voter turnout against Trump, not because Biden instilled confidence and hope for lasting change. It was literally just “better than what we’ve been living through.” All those accomplishments are shadowed by his support for Israel and poor voter engagement. Again he’s been appealing to moderate independents instead of the working class just like Hillary did. I recognize the accomplishments he’s done but that’s because I’m politically engaged. Most people aren’t and that seems to often be ignored by the Democratic establishment
People didn't vote for Biden in 2020. They voted against Trump. We've had 3 calm years in which to forget how bad Trump was. And the MSM doesn't help, magnifying every slip Joe makes, but normalizing Trumps.
80 million people voted for Biden. You sure you know the reason why every last one of them voted the way they did?
Of course not every single person voted that way. The thing is Biden won because of negative voter turnout not because people thought he was the best choice ever
Probably a combination of things, don't you think? Biden did actually run a campaign where he laid out lots of positive ideas like student loan forgiveness and action on climate change. Maybe a lot of his votes came from people who wanted those things?
If you’re not American then maybe you’re not aware that Biden has been the most successful and effective president in half a century. That’s why.
Effective at doing what, facilitating a genocide?
And all of his former accomplishments don't really matter if most voters, even dem voters think, he's a walking corpse and is going to drop dead in the next 12 months...
Thank you Robert, for saying what needed to be said.
The really sad thing about dementia is that people live a long time with the disease. Recently attended a conference on cognitive diseases and it was one of the points made over and over: Longevity without much quality of life. And so hard on the family. The body is there but the person is (mostly) gone. Heartbreaking.
At the conference you recently attended, may I assume there was discussion on the impact COVID has on cognition?
2023 study from the NIH: "Rapid Progression of Dementia Following COVID-19"
I understand Biden has had at least 2 bouts of C19--perhaps more as many infections are now asymptomatic.
Do you genuinely believe that policy record alone can win elections? Democrats have always been especially bad at messaging. The Democrats have to stop playing politics as if everyone sits down and looks at the numbers. His record with Israel is a bigger problem than you think as that pushes crucial demographics away from him. Biden’s perception of being too old is unfortunately a problem too. People are more motivated by flamboyant lies than quiet truths. Given that even the most accurate polling finds Biden losing to Trump, this confidence that he’ll just win seems unfounded. This isn’t 2020. At best we simply have no clue who will win in November. At worst Trump has a solid chance to return. If the Democratic establishment cared they wouldn’t have repeated so many of the same mistakes as 2016
I agree. It was just a little over a year ago, I was arguing to a friend that Trump could not win in another election. I stand corrected and humbled today. I’ve changed my tune.
We better get-a-get-on!!!
Same old same old is not cutting it.
We had primaries. Biden won all of them. That's why he's the candidate.
It’s silly to think that the Democratic establishment didn’t have a concerted effort to have people fall in line and support Biden. They knew Biden would be the candidate well before the first votes were cast
Because the only person who chose to run against him was Dean Phillips? Is that how we knew he'd win?
Look, this isn't Putin's Russia, where competitors get jailed or fall out of windows. All the people whose names are being thrown around today (Gavin Newsome, Gretchen Whitmer, etc.) COULD have run in the primaries, and they chose NOT to. Probably because they knew they weren't likely to win. Politicians really don't like running a losing campaign.
Yes, Democratic leadership has a preference for Biden. But so do the voters who voted in Democratic primaries.
You should consider the 2020 primaries. Remember that there were several candidates that dropped out immediately after Super Tuesday despite there being plenty of the races left? They then funneled all the voters to go for Biden and against Bernie. You need to consider that the voting base can and is tailored and manipulated to achieve results that align with the establishment agenda. The supposed freedom of choice we claim to have is subject to the whims of a few. If you want a better democracy you need to learn how that democracy fails to represent people’s voices.
"They then funneled all the voters to go for Biden and against Bernie."
What's your view of the voters? That they're just sheep who go wherever they're "funneled"?
Bernie stayed in the race, I voted for him, but in the end Biden got more votes and delegates.
Seems like you believe it's democracy when you get the result you want, if you don't that means the voters were "funneled."
You can't seriously claim democratic primaries are not shady as hell.. Dem leadership twice now cheated the voters to keep Sanders out of office.
My view of the voters is that their main initial choices were denied before they ever got a chance to vote. The other candidates strategically dropped out and endorsed Biden to redirect their base of support to him to prevent Bernie from winning. It’s this manipulation of the process that I find problematic. Bernie had the initial lead with all the candidates running. As soon as the establishment saw that they for sure coordinated to have all milquetoast liberal candidates drop out to reduce the choices people had to be more centered around Biden. You can’t pretend that the DNC plays clean politics.
Okay..? He's still a corpse though..
Also, thanks for your halfhearted agreement that the votes of Democratic primary voters should count for something.
See the "Walking corpse" the day after the debate:
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/28/politics/video/joe-biden-age-concerns-debate-donald-trump-digvid
Wow, he can hold a speech during the middle of the day! Don't look at how looked for the rest of the day...
But you gotta be kidding us! You must be one of four people in the US and the world quite honestly, who think Biden is not on his last miles of his life. Have you ever looked at his schedule and how he manages his schedule? It's even worse than Trump...
First it was "Walking corpse" now it's complaints about how he manages his schedule. I'm seeing some climb-down in terms of the claims you're making.
Nope, still a half deaf corpse and his schedule reflects that. Are you trying to make the point that Biden is not looking like he's 100 years old and his brain is leaking out of himself ears? Are you seriously claiming that he's fine? That'd be literal MAGA style denying of reality. Blue MAGA
He is a senile man trying to stay in power and the only way he can do this is by strengthening his alliance with AIPAC. Neither the DNC nor him care about the future of this country let alone the innocent lives taken in this brutal war. His disregard for the law, the cruelty and the inhumanity is disgusting and he has to be held accountable.
If Biden is senile and/or incompetent the how was he able to pass all that bipartisan legislation, particularly the deal to fund government debt back in the fall of 2023 with a hostile majority in the House? That took experience and understanding and a whole lot of political smarts. Not something a senile old man could pull off. And what would have happened to the world economy if the American dollar had been allowed to fail?
The clear path is neuropsychological testing of Mr President before the convention!
Yes--but it must be done by "non-biased" expert/s and the results must be make available to the people.
Joenocide Biden lost my support and vote when he chose 'unconditional support' for the Zionist Israel even in the case of genocide. His lies about 40 beheaded babies and countless other lies to shield this criminal Netanyahu is the line on the sand for hundreds of thousands of us that he does not represent our value of humanity and I am steadfast to hold him accountable coming next Nov.
And that is more important to you than saving democracy in the US of A? Because that is what's on the line this time. If Trump gets in it's going to be at least a couple of generations before America comes even close to returning to democracy.
It is, especially that I don't believe we Joenocide Biden honors our democracy and the independence of our nation. It is just that he is not as loud or open about it as the convicted felon.
Navigating in the dark… the perfect metaphor. This country is plunged in darkness at the moment and the Democrats are not the party to lead us out of it. As usual they are divided, indecisive, and incapable of coming together in a moment of crisis to act like a political party ought to act.
I have experienced the mental decline of both my parents prior to their deaths, and yeah; there’s a world of difference in an individual within 6 months. Mental decline comes on fast and proceeds apace. I now wonder if Mr. Biden’s stance on Gaza wasn’t being managed by the members of his staff and various advisors who hold dual citizenship with Israel?
Biden did insist at the outset of the Gaza genocide that he is a Zionist, but I agree with you that he also had very strong pressure from the Zionist neocons he has surrounded himself with to support Netanyahu's war crimes in Gaza.
And the AIPAC money helped too.
I don’t necessarily agree that Biden was a great president as he was badly played by Netanyahu who made him into an accomplice to genocide but that’s not the issue right now. Every single physician I know (including myself) sees clear signs of cognitive decline that is apparently accelerating. There is no way he can serve for 4 more years and he might have to step down before finishing his term. Every citizen of this country has a choice between supporting the country vs supporting the individual. I chose the former.
A vote for anyone else is a vote for Trump.
Not if the Dems nominate someone else. There has already been one poll showing that among independent voters, Harris did much better against Trump than Biden did. Dems will vote blue no matter who, but independents are a force we need to win.
That's the Democrat way, alright. Don't offer a single thing besides "the other guy is worse." Then shame and bully the voters into shutting their mouths and voting for the Democrat. I for one will not cast a vote for the horrible genocide funder, and I don't care who knows it or what they think. However, in these tough times, I also don't blame people for making their own tough decisions. It's either lose or lose out here, that's our choice.
A vote for Trump who many physicians, including geriatricians and psychiatrists say is unfit for office.
A rather pathetic piece. Surely your country has more to offer in terms of leadership. Is this an example of how democracy works? in a place with some of the greatest culture, educational institutions ever??? My god !!!
Sir, would you kindly avert your eyes? The United States is having one of its periodic crises. Don’t judge the lady too harshly, Mr. Borkiwicz, she is prone to hysteria and neurasthenia.
We had primaries. Both of these guys won. That IS democracy.
Were any serious alternatives to Biden on offer in the primaries?
Gavin Newsome could have run, he chose not to. Gretchen Whitmer could have run, she chose not to. Probably because they figured they'd lose, and they also might have been worried that running might help Trump, which nobody wants to do.
It was that place, but it is crumbling.
I am no expert, but there is a phenomenon in dementia patients called "sundowning," where symptoms get worse in the evening. Probably most interviews take place during the daytime, but the debate was held at 9pm.
There is a recent article in the Atlantic written by a neurologist (with concurring views by other neurologists) that systematically analyzes possible dementia symptoms in both Biden and Trump. I respectfully suggest you, and everyone wanting Biden removed, read the article. It concludes Trump has early stage dementia, and Biden is merely exhibiting normal signs of aging. His experience and wisdom remain intact. Due to federal law and the way donations are paid out, there is no way to replace Biden even if we wanted to: the next candidate would have no funding, and would surely lose. Mehdi and his team need to know that, and work to get Biden and all democrats elected. Despite their flaws, e.g., in Gaza, there is no choice after the many horrific SCOTUS rulings, project 25 platform, etc. The Republic will be irretrievably dead without Biden-Harris and a democratic control of congress.
I haven’t read the article you mention, but in general, neurologists don’t assess cognition and are not the experts in it. They rely on examinations usually done by Neuropsychologists (in-depth evaluations) and speech therapists using assessments that are objective but also necessitate a degree of clinical judgment. I don’t doubt Trump has cognitive deficits, but I think whatever they may be, they are far outweighed by his psychiatric disorders, including narcissism and anti-social disorder (and probably others).
In addition, I would bet money both are using drugs to help their performance, decrease anxiety, etc. But drugs can be a double-edged sword and very hard even for physicians with pharmaceutical expertise to get right. There’s an art as well as a science in their use. But if Trump has cognitive disorder too—doesn’t that kind of speak to the priorities of both parties—and doesn’t it beg the question of what values and qualities are determining their choice of candidates?
Shouldn’t we be questioning THAT?
Could a mis-choice like this accidentally happen twice in the same election?
Basically the same mistake as in 2020?
Is the selection process somehow biased toward the selection of cognitively and psychologically disordered persons?
And—do two wrongs make a right?
To me, pragmatically, the bottom line is this: we vote for principles, not individuals. If Biden strokes out or dies in office, Harris basically continues his policies. Though flawed on Gaza, I overwhelmingly agree with most of them. On the other hand, if Trump dies or is removed from office, every horror of Maga, SCOTUS, bribery under citizens United law, Project 2025, etc. will seamlessly be perpetrated under his “team”. Those are the stakes — I’m voting for the principles I believe in based on Bidens track record of accomplishments, even if the man, himself, has heath issues. Btw, changing course with a younger candidate at this point will almost ensure democratic defeat: federal law and donation rules will make it impossible for a new candidate (even Harris)to get enough funding. I think mehdi and team should research and explain this fully.
You’re right, sundowning is a thing with dementia and I believe some in Biden’s close-knit campaign team actually complained about the late time scheduled for the debate—in effect, validating your observation.
It’s clear to me anyway, there’s been a concerted effort by some in the DNC and the Biden administration (including Obama I’m afraid) to cover up Biden’s declining cognitive status. Dementia is a terrible progressive disease. Anyone denying his condition (now with rapidly accelerating symptoms it appears) is doing him and the country a great disservice. How absolutely cruel to manipulate a person in an obvious state of cognitive decline to step onto the world’s stage to be laughed at and ridiculed relentlessly.
And he, because he is cognitively impaired, is unable to comprehend what is occurring as he stands centerstage in front of the cameras of the world completely befuddled. Such cruelty!
Way to go, USA. This is just another example of how we treat mental illness and cognitive disease in this country.
Welcome to the colosseum.
Get your popcorn!
Open the gates and let the lions enter!
It's not the lions at the gate - it's the fascists.
And Biden’s no Spartacus.
Biden was exhausted, not sundowning. And he faced an unchecked psychopath’s tsunami of lies. Even the world’s champion debaters would have had a rough time countering that.
Wrong. Lies are the easiest to kill in a debate.
Perhaps with someone who is not a psychopath.
You're so wrong. A good debater would have an easy, marvelous time countering those blatant, idiotic lies.
Easy? When the lies come out of a firehose? Trump can put out ten lies in two minutes. Which ones do you counter? And while you're countering one or two and letting the other 8-9 slip by, when do you have time to talk about your own program?
And remember, you're not allowed to reach behind your podium and pull out a graph of crime rates or the US-China trade deficit.
This. Harris would have mopped the floor with him. As would many congresspeople. Raskin, Porter, Crockett, Goldman...
Someone that has had a lifetime of debate training should’ve had no issue countering that.
That is true. Debating is not one of Biden’s strong points. Let’s not make the perfect the enemy of the good. It was one bad night people. Sure, Mehdi could’ve duked it out with his superb skills. 😊
Mehdi lost the Munk Debate in Toronto. Look it up.
What Mehdi does well is he does his research, so he's ready with the perfect video clip or chart that exposes the lie being told. In a debate, you don't have those tools available.
And of course, the platform was not a “debate”. CNN totally failed the nation in allowing it to become an infomercial for Trump. We (collectively) can learn from our mistakes which is harder than just criticizing. Our outrage would be more productive if we acknowledge our mistakes and seek to correct them. I don’t believe tearing down the President who has the world on his shoulders benefits the country. What are we doing to correct course? Listen to Jasmine Crockett’s take on this today. Similar to Laurence O’donnell’s on MSNBC on June 29th. It is on YouTube.
You’re engaging in wishful thinking—seeing what you want to see.
Been there, done that!
I'm afraid I agree with the author.
And rather than blaming Biden for Netanyahu’s choices and behaviour, how about place ng the blsme for the war on Netanyahu? We can’t force him out! He is as bad as Trump and totally self-centered. He listens to no one. You try “negotiating” with a dictator. It never works.
I blame Biden for many of Netanyahu's choices and decisions simply because he couldn't make many of them without Biden's full support. Netanyahu is a war criminal who is fully propped up by our president and it's pathetic how the president of another country can bully our president. But King Biden doesn't give a shit about being made a fool or all the deaths in Gaza as long as the AIPAC checks clear.
Grandpa Groper is every bit the war criminal Netanyahu is.
You don’t “negotiate” with a dictator, ma’am. You cut off his supply of weapons until the cur comes to heel.
Biden can do a lot more to force Israel’s hand and prevent Palestinian deaths. They depend on our military support and Biden hasn’t been nearly as forceful enough. Of course we blame Netanyahu, but we can’t do anything about him. You know who can though? Biden.
You watch the press (everybody including Nazis, Magas, Democrats, and Hitler) come after him. And what support will he get? Not even from Palestinians. I know you recall who supported Obama when he tried to exercise his power to select a Supreme Court Justice. Yes it is genocide. Yes Netenyahu is a fascist. The money and the press will come to the Israeli fascists aid and Biden will surely lose.. Even Trump is smart enough to take advantage of the situation.
This from The Guardian : Last night, the president provided a fresh justification for his weak performance at a Virginia campaign event. “I wasn’t very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple times, going through around 100 time zones ... before ... the debate,” he said. “Didn’t listen to my staff and came back and nearly fell asleep on stage. That’s no excuse but it is an explanation.”
Frankly, this makes total sense. Many if not most younger people would also be exhausted after such a grueling schedule. Maybe he tried too hard, but the judgements are coming from people’s fears, not facts. He was still totally back on his game the following day in Raleigh. I believe solidarity supporting Biden is the surest way to defeat Trump. I remember the 1968 Dem convention and it was a disaster. We need to stand UNITED in order to roust the evil forces working for a dictatorship . If we fail to unify, we won’t have another chance.
That is exactly Biden’s problem: utterly poor judgment, whether due to aging or both, a king standing personality trait made worst by aging. In preparation for a crucial debate that would affect the future of the democratic party’s chance at another four years in power, Biden chose to “not be smart” and did everything NOT TO DO before a debate. Just like his support and funding of the genocide in Gaza.
*long (not “king”) standing personality trait made worst by again.
Rallies are midbrain activities for seasoned politicians. They require no significant input from the higher cortical centers like a debate does (even such poor excuses for debate as we saw). Hence, a politician can seem perfectly on key in a rally while being significantly cognitively impaired. Just remember Reagan as he campaigned for is second term.