Also! Lost in the debate news, the Supreme Court stuck a knife in "Chevron deference" and said cities don't have to let people camp on the sidewalks and parks.
'[Biden] brushed aside Democratic concerns with his showing that he should consider stepping aside, saying, “No, it’s hard to debate a liar.” '
"This from you!" as we say at my house. But anyway, stipulate that Donald Trump lies. How does that fact explain Biden's inability to answer questions from the hosts about his own record or positions? His problem is not just cognition: he's also a dishonest and hostile person.
Yes, it’s why Biden’s campaign from hiding worked last time around. He wasn’t the one standing in front of people all the time as a constant reminder of his own dishonesty and hostility. This time he can’t avoid it though, so he and Trump look similarly unpleasant.
I see the top Drudge link is to an Op/Ed with the Drudge heading, “Cruel Jill Clings to Power.”
CynthiaW showed me the 🚪at the mothership...I think she as afraid Phil H took the day off?
But to be fair, I really did listen to some Pat Travers as the teen bros were playing basketball. It drowns out their screams. I thought of dedicating "Snortin' Whiskey, drinkin' Cocaine" to Jonah, but once I saw him on the after debate show, the only song that came to mind was Sebastian singing 'Under the Sea". 🤦♂️He looked deeply sunburnt...
Seems to me if I were in the Biden/Harris operation, I’d want to be out there grooming and marketing Harris as much as possible. I mean, assuming Biden makes it to the convention and the election, anyone who votes for Biden *has to be thinking* it’s a vote *for* Harris and not for Biden—and not just against Trump.
Have they even entertained the notion that she might wind up being the one who *has to* give the convention speech because Biden is otherwise incapacitated?
Biden can read off a teleprompter fairly well most days, he can give a convention speech. What he cannot do is think on his feet...or while sitting down...or while lying down...
I’ve seen people in the decline of advanced age—it comes at different ages, too, depending on one’s individual longevity. Biden looks to me to be in a state where he has good days and bad days, with the bad days getting more frequent and looking worse.
He already has a lot of moments where he looks completely disoriented, ready to wander off the stage, or just confused about where he is and why. I’m not all that sure he can read sensibly from a teleprompter very coherently. He slurs his speech a lot, for instance, and does not exude confidence.
Good morning. Partly sunny and forecast to the 80s today. Not too bad.
There was a debate last night. One candidate had a bad cold (or so we were told afterward) and a raspy voice. The other lied like a shag rug, falsely taking credit for “the greatest economy the world has ever seen,” blaming 1/6 on Nancy Pelosi, and stating “I did not have sex with a porn star.”
The Front Page TGIF story this morning claims Democrats are getting desperate. Maybe they will convince their old guy to step down from re-election. I have my doubts.
Was Stormie Daniels as star, or just a pornster? In Dayton, there's a "gentleman's club" I've never visited, but drive past while running errands. I saw her name on the billboard. I guess she did a tour off of Trump's notoriety a few years ago.
Did Trump bang her? Probably yes (I wasn't there to witness, thanks goodness).
Stormy daniels toured Columbus as well, visiting a local "gentlemen's club", as reported in the local paper. The vice squad raided the place and arrested her, which resulted only in the dismissal of the vice squad.
I will not argue against the premise that it's possible for a person to genuinely delude themselves in the face of overwhelming reality.
Jill Biden is on record as saying that she was put out because her husband was a senator and she was just Mrs. "Senator and Mrs. Joseph R. Biden". That was her motivation for getting the Ed. D. - the same poseur degree as soon to be former Rep. Jamaal Bowman. She wanted to go around calling herself "Doctor".
My point is that she is desperately status-hungry.
I doubt Kamala Harris would be much of an improvement, as she has clearly been in over her head.
Beldar at the mothership (probably stealing an idea from elsewhere), images an alternate universe where Sonia Sotomayor is stepping down from the Supreme Court, Biden nominates Harris to replace her, and also announces he will not run for re-election, releasing his delegates and ensuring an open convention to pick his replacement.
That would be a good way to get Harris out of the way and allow the convention to fight it out and make the pick. (Some of us remember when conventions actually picked the nominees).
Sotomayor is an ideologue, and Harris would be no worse. Her legal mind is as sharp as a rusty blade, but she is safely contained in this Supreme Court, while allowing the political process to move past her. As it is, she is in the way of picking a Biden replacement.
That's what I meant: we have a spot on the court for "ethnic minority woman, not very bright, predictably progressive." It doesn't matter who sits in the seat.
Good morning. How is everyone on this slightly cloudy Friday morning? I plan to take the tent down later today: the forecast calls for rain over the weekend. It's been a nice week.
I’m still reeling from that debate. It’s raining this morning after the perfect day we had yesterday. My pickleball friends are gathering this morning at one gal’s house for yoga and lunch.
I hope everyone has a nice time. The bros and I are going to have to move a bunch of camping gear out of the garage so we can get to the back row seat of the van. The girl Boy Scouts are going to need it to get to camp, and we need to start cleaning out the venomous spiders and whatever else lives there.
Pleasant weather here. Gonna hit mid 80s (temperature, not golf score) this weekend, dip a little, then climb again.
I put new mulch down in a flower bed, and last night noticed a spider web on it...Pretty....I left it. I typically leave spider webs unless they are in the way...
We have had wonderful weather up here. High 70s during the day (at least up on the mountain), but nights in the low to mid 50s. Great sleeping weather.
We had lows in the 70s, but it was fine for sleeping in shorts with one blanket. With the damp this morning, I was chilly enough to pull the sleeping bag over me.
Just watched the “debate” reaction from The Dispatch and am still glad not to have watched. But I feel vindicated—again!—in my permanent hostility towards Joe Biden…
I plan to listen to the Commentary podcast in a little while. I, too, feel vindicated in my long-stated view that Biden was completely dotty. I wanted to kick Jonah in the knee every time he said Biden had "lost a step."
I'm sure there will be commenters still saying, "Don't believe your lying eyes," and "Republicans pounce!" but that's as lame as putting that sick old man up on stage in front of 100 million people.
Surely his handlers, after spending the last week in seclusion with him doing "debate prep," knew this would happen.
One trait that winning the presidency does not reward is humility, and there are more than a few who become all the more convinced of their own rightness about everything in the Universe. But my estimate of Biden was already that he’s always been a revoltingly arrogant bastard. Yes, Trump exceeds him, probably, and maybe Obama, too.
A person with a more pronounced ability to reflect self-critically (better: any such ability) would have been able to pass the torch rather than running again.
Biden stands a good chance of having “Defeated Trump” as his biggest historical achievement outdone by a worst thinkable failure: “Got Trump Reelected”.
Also! Lost in the debate news, the Supreme Court stuck a knife in "Chevron deference" and said cities don't have to let people camp on the sidewalks and parks.
'[Biden] brushed aside Democratic concerns with his showing that he should consider stepping aside, saying, “No, it’s hard to debate a liar.” '
"This from you!" as we say at my house. But anyway, stipulate that Donald Trump lies. How does that fact explain Biden's inability to answer questions from the hosts about his own record or positions? His problem is not just cognition: he's also a dishonest and hostile person.
Yes, it’s why Biden’s campaign from hiding worked last time around. He wasn’t the one standing in front of people all the time as a constant reminder of his own dishonesty and hostility. This time he can’t avoid it though, so he and Trump look similarly unpleasant.
I see the top Drudge link is to an Op/Ed with the Drudge heading, “Cruel Jill Clings to Power.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/opinion-jill-biden-must-step-104351980.html
CynthiaW showed me the 🚪at the mothership...I think she as afraid Phil H took the day off?
But to be fair, I really did listen to some Pat Travers as the teen bros were playing basketball. It drowns out their screams. I thought of dedicating "Snortin' Whiskey, drinkin' Cocaine" to Jonah, but once I saw him on the after debate show, the only song that came to mind was Sebastian singing 'Under the Sea". 🤦♂️He looked deeply sunburnt...
Seems to me if I were in the Biden/Harris operation, I’d want to be out there grooming and marketing Harris as much as possible. I mean, assuming Biden makes it to the convention and the election, anyone who votes for Biden *has to be thinking* it’s a vote *for* Harris and not for Biden—and not just against Trump.
Have they even entertained the notion that she might wind up being the one who *has to* give the convention speech because Biden is otherwise incapacitated?
Biden can read off a teleprompter fairly well most days, he can give a convention speech. What he cannot do is think on his feet...or while sitting down...or while lying down...
I’ve seen people in the decline of advanced age—it comes at different ages, too, depending on one’s individual longevity. Biden looks to me to be in a state where he has good days and bad days, with the bad days getting more frequent and looking worse.
He already has a lot of moments where he looks completely disoriented, ready to wander off the stage, or just confused about where he is and why. I’m not all that sure he can read sensibly from a teleprompter very coherently. He slurs his speech a lot, for instance, and does not exude confidence.
The convention is still a few months away. He may not be able to read from a teleprompter by then.
Timely submissions from the mothership:
Worth Your Time II: 'MAGA Is Not Getting Everything It Wants From the Supreme Court'--David French
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/opinion/supreme-court-murthy-missouri-social-media.html?unlocked_article_code=1.3E0.eesS.lMObcX4MMq5Y&smid=em-share
'Joe Biden Is a Good Man and a Good President. He Must Bow Out of the Race.'--Thomas Friedman
http://archive.today/gk70j
Thomas Friedman must live in an alternative universe.
Biden is a bully and a jerk. Watch the end of the debate, how angry he was with Trump, not realizing it did nothing to help him.
But he's always been that...it's just now he can't finish a sentence...or really begin one either.
As for Friedman, he likes Chinese dictators...'nuff said.
Indeed. Joe Biden may be a good man, but he has been the most mediocre President and weak leader since Jimmy Carter.
He has only a few good points:
- He is closer to the center than many Democrats.
- He sometimes, half-heartedly does the Right Thing towards Ukraine and Israel (but not Afghanistan).
- He is not Donald Trump.
Good morning. Partly sunny and forecast to the 80s today. Not too bad.
There was a debate last night. One candidate had a bad cold (or so we were told afterward) and a raspy voice. The other lied like a shag rug, falsely taking credit for “the greatest economy the world has ever seen,” blaming 1/6 on Nancy Pelosi, and stating “I did not have sex with a porn star.”
The Front Page TGIF story this morning claims Democrats are getting desperate. Maybe they will convince their old guy to step down from re-election. I have my doubts.
God bless America. God help us all.
Was Stormie Daniels as star, or just a pornster? In Dayton, there's a "gentleman's club" I've never visited, but drive past while running errands. I saw her name on the billboard. I guess she did a tour off of Trump's notoriety a few years ago.
Did Trump bang her? Probably yes (I wasn't there to witness, thanks goodness).
Stormy daniels toured Columbus as well, visiting a local "gentlemen's club", as reported in the local paper. The vice squad raided the place and arrested her, which resulted only in the dismissal of the vice squad.
I have no doubt Trump "had" her.
I think I remember from Kevin Williamson's article about the porn convention that Ms. Daniels was actually a "star" rather than just a "performer."
And guess what the mothership is covering today.
I was able to read the entire article on TMD today. They must’ve moved the paywall today.
Dr. Jill Biden needs to step up here. What is she thinking? This will be his presidential legacy.
She's thinking that being "first lady" is a lot better than being in retirement with Joe.
I agree she’s the only one who can convince him, but must love her position so much that she’s blind to reality.
I will not argue against the premise that it's possible for a person to genuinely delude themselves in the face of overwhelming reality.
Jill Biden is on record as saying that she was put out because her husband was a senator and she was just Mrs. "Senator and Mrs. Joseph R. Biden". That was her motivation for getting the Ed. D. - the same poseur degree as soon to be former Rep. Jamaal Bowman. She wanted to go around calling herself "Doctor".
My point is that she is desperately status-hungry.
An Ed. D degree is also owned by the (now disgraced) Bill Cosby.
He was a very talented comedian.
Good morning, Phil H.
It sounds as though it was "hidden camera at the nursing home," as I half-jokingly predicted.
It was bad…real bad….worse than I could have imagined bad. Get him out of office stat. I don’t care if that means Kamala runs the show.
I doubt Kamala Harris would be much of an improvement, as she has clearly been in over her head.
Beldar at the mothership (probably stealing an idea from elsewhere), images an alternate universe where Sonia Sotomayor is stepping down from the Supreme Court, Biden nominates Harris to replace her, and also announces he will not run for re-election, releasing his delegates and ensuring an open convention to pick his replacement.
That would be a good way to get Harris out of the way and allow the convention to fight it out and make the pick. (Some of us remember when conventions actually picked the nominees).
Harris could not be a worse Justice than a couple we already have.
Sotomayor is an ideologue, and Harris would be no worse. Her legal mind is as sharp as a rusty blade, but she is safely contained in this Supreme Court, while allowing the political process to move past her. As it is, she is in the way of picking a Biden replacement.
That's what I meant: we have a spot on the court for "ethnic minority woman, not very bright, predictably progressive." It doesn't matter who sits in the seat.
Maybe one day we’ll decide to put forth candidates who don’t obviously require institutionalization.
Maybe one day we won’t let liars and insurrectionists anywhere near the White House.
Imagine a candidate telling the truth.
I have a dream. . .
Good morning. How is everyone on this slightly cloudy Friday morning? I plan to take the tent down later today: the forecast calls for rain over the weekend. It's been a nice week.
I’m still reeling from that debate. It’s raining this morning after the perfect day we had yesterday. My pickleball friends are gathering this morning at one gal’s house for yoga and lunch.
I hope everyone has a nice time. The bros and I are going to have to move a bunch of camping gear out of the garage so we can get to the back row seat of the van. The girl Boy Scouts are going to need it to get to camp, and we need to start cleaning out the venomous spiders and whatever else lives there.
Pleasant weather here. Gonna hit mid 80s (temperature, not golf score) this weekend, dip a little, then climb again.
I put new mulch down in a flower bed, and last night noticed a spider web on it...Pretty....I left it. I typically leave spider webs unless they are in the way...
We have had wonderful weather up here. High 70s during the day (at least up on the mountain), but nights in the low to mid 50s. Great sleeping weather.
We had lows in the 70s, but it was fine for sleeping in shorts with one blanket. With the damp this morning, I was chilly enough to pull the sleeping bag over me.
And you are sleeping outside because...?
Because I like camping.
Oh. Then that makes perfect sense.
Morning! I need a nap.
Just watched the “debate” reaction from The Dispatch and am still glad not to have watched. But I feel vindicated—again!—in my permanent hostility towards Joe Biden…
I plan to listen to the Commentary podcast in a little while. I, too, feel vindicated in my long-stated view that Biden was completely dotty. I wanted to kick Jonah in the knee every time he said Biden had "lost a step."
I'm sure there will be commenters still saying, "Don't believe your lying eyes," and "Republicans pounce!" but that's as lame as putting that sick old man up on stage in front of 100 million people.
Surely his handlers, after spending the last week in seclusion with him doing "debate prep," knew this would happen.
As a National Review commenter said afterward, “Why didn’t someone give him cough medicine?”
Funny he has a cold yet I didn’t hear him cough once in 90 minutes. I think he was hoarse from practicing for a week.
Or a pastilla de tos (cough drop) such as we hand out at choir. South Americans like ginger-flavored ones.
One trait that winning the presidency does not reward is humility, and there are more than a few who become all the more convinced of their own rightness about everything in the Universe. But my estimate of Biden was already that he’s always been a revoltingly arrogant bastard. Yes, Trump exceeds him, probably, and maybe Obama, too.
A person with a more pronounced ability to reflect self-critically (better: any such ability) would have been able to pass the torch rather than running again.
Biden stands a good chance of having “Defeated Trump” as his biggest historical achievement outdone by a worst thinkable failure: “Got Trump Reelected”.