Another “Bad Day?”
MY REACTION TO BIDEN’S PRESS CONFERENCE
Those of us who follow politics (which likely includes you, if you’re reading this) watched either *all* or *some part* of yesterday’s live press conference.
First Thought: I doubt that many minds were changed on the Biden candidacy/nomination question based on today’s events. Whatever camp you were in before is very likely to be where you stand right now.
The real problem is — *we* aren’t deciding the outcome of the 2024 election. Many of you are voting for the Democratic nominee, no matter who that may be. And, as I also have a fair number of conservative and Republican voters who follow along and sometime contribute comments, their loyalty to the GOP (Trump) appears to be unshakeable. Even among Democrats, we appear to be split on the question of Biden’s continuing candidacy.
This all leaves a much smaller but far more significant demographic called “the undecided voter” in the middle. Mostly apolitical, they probably didn’t watch today’s one-hour question and answer exchanges. But they will likely hear about it anyway. What will that takeaway be? I expect the few impressions of what happened today aren’t good for Biden. In fact, they’re terrible for Biden and Democrats. They’re yet further evidence and confirmation that presumptive Democratic nominee is incapable of carrying forth the immense responsibility he’s being tasked with.
Indeed, after yet another missed opportunity, most American voters will remember TWO horrific gaffes that will be replayed over and over again, blunders right up there alongside the debate fiasco two weeks ago. They will be fodder for the comedy shows for a week. You can’t un-see what you’ve seen and you can’t un-hear what you’ve heard.
What happened? At the conclusion of the NATO summit, Biden’s blundering introduction of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was cringeworthy. He called him “President Putin.” I was watching it live this afternoon and screamed at the television. Next, the highly-anticipated press conference (the first of the year–and it’s July!) started ONE HOUR LATE (no explanation was given) and within the first few minutes, Biden fumbled a softball question and called his running mate “Vice President Trump.” Huh??? How does anyone even string that odd malapropism together? Seriously, “Vice President Trump?”
Good grief.
Defenders of Biden and his performance will say “so what–everyone makes mistakes” and/or “but look at the other guy–he’s much worse.” Such responses are both reasonable and accurate. But you’re also misreading the critical SWING vote in the electorate. ALL THAT MATTERS IS WHAT THEY THINK. You’re ignoring further mounting evidence that when the teleprompter gets turned off, we’re holding our breath trapped in the Twilight Zone. THIS IS NO WAY TO RUN A PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.
Waiting for the next gaffe, or blank stare, or embarrassing blunder is not a matter of IF but WHEN….and when and when and when and when it will happen again and again. Anyone who doesn’t see these incidents repeat themselves in a prospective four months of campaigning is not facing reality. Yes, it will get worse with time, and many around the president have been expressing serious concerns. Quit ignoring evidence. That evidence is mounting and unmistakable.
The cement is drying fast. At some point, we’re going to be trapped in concrete shoes and will be forced to swim, destined instead to sink to the bottom if a change isn’t made, which will require more influential Democrats to speak up and shout out.
This campaign and election will not be decided based on Biden reciting the intricacies of foreign policy (his answers to a few questions today were absurdly long and incoherent at times) or rambling on about how many jobs “(he’s) created.” This campaign will not be decided on important issues, though it should be. The GAME HAS CHANGED. It has become a daily physical and mental fitness test, and Biden appears unable to pass it.
Good days? Bad days? President Biden can’t afford any more bad days, but they’re surely coming and Tuesday, Nov, 5th might be the worst bad day of all if this is allowed to continue.
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* I’d also like to know what White House idiot staffer pitched this as a “big boy” press conference. Posturing the president in such infantile terms sends a preposterously WRONG message to both the media and voters. Note: Likely, it’s White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre who mentioned “big boy press conference” at least three times yesterday.
