The "Jump Scare" Biden Press Conference

Gaslighting, the "Lord Almighty" and more...

Jul 12, 2024

Surprises

I was relaxing in my chair at home tuned to CNN yesterday at the end of the joint NATO press conference when President Joe Biden, as he was introducing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said ‘Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin’, before realizing the mistake and correcting himself.

I don’t know about others who were watching it, but I involuntarily jerked in my chair in surprise. It was the biggest “jump scare” I’ve had since Ghostface jumped out from behind a plant on Judy's front porch in the last Scream movie.

Later, Biden said “Vice President Trump” when he was referring to Kamala Harris, and he did it again. Another jump scare.

Where those jump scares on your bingo card?

If I had been at a movie theater eating popcorn my popcorn would have flown into the air.

Gaslighting

Now I know some readers, party officials, and pundits believe that many like me who feel that Joe Biden should step aside feel that we are hurting his campaign and helping Trump. I respectfully disagree, and understand your concerns.

However, the Biden campaign is gaslighting us.

They are asking us to unsee what we have all seen. To believe that his disastrous debate with Trump was a one-off, that the gentle George Stephanopolous interview was a success, and that the press conference Thursday night was a victory because Biden had 10-15 good minutes talking about NATO and foreign policy that Trump could never have, while slowly circling the intellectual drain at the end of the press conference.

And to those doing the gaslighting, you might consider not using the word “hysteria,” given its etymology (sorry, it’s the anthropologist in me speaking).

The disgraced Fox “News” noted that Biden said “anyway” nine times and that a new drinking game had been proposed on social media. I presume we are to take a drink every time Biden says “anyway.”

Regardless, I noted that most if not all of the times Biden said “anyway,” that he had lost his train of thought.

As Biden wandered away from the mic at the end of the debate. I was pondering how much we were going to continue to lower the bar for him when a friend texted me:

A high school speech and debate contestant would not have earned a “1” at state for a similar performance. Hell, they probably wouldn’t even make it to state.

But what about Trump!

Many complain that the media needs to lay off Biden because they should be covering what a future Trump administration is planning to do to undermine democracy and the American way of life. That they should be covering Trump’s gaffs, mental decline, ignorance, and cruelty.

I understand, but the media has been telling and is still telling the truth about Trump since 2015. We all know who Trump is and what he will do, unless one is trapped in the Fox “News”/Newsmax bubble and it’s nearly impossible to get to that misled demographic.

While we know who Trump is and who Biden was (I think he was the greatest president of my lifetime), we are just learning who Biden is now, and who he will likely be in the future.

Biden needs to step aside to save democracy. By staying in the race Biden is doing exactly what Trump wants him to do, as they are more fearful of running a more difficult race against another candidate.

Hidin’ Biden

I learned on CNN last night that the last solo press conference Biden had was last year, and the last full cabinet meeting was held October 2.

Democrats are angry that Biden’s staff has been hiding the president’s deteriorating condition.

I understand why they are angry. The Biden team was irresponsible. They took a risk, and lost. Now we might lose democracy.

I haven’t seen anyone write this, but hiding Biden from his cabinet so they couldn’t see his decline was and still is, in my opinion, a national security risk. I’m no expert but the president not meeting with his cabinet since last October seems irresponsible.

“I’ve gotta finish this job”

During the NATO part of the press conference, Biden said the pronoun “we” many times, recognizing that NATO is a team.

During the remainder of the press conference, the prominent pronoun changed to “I.”

Biden said he’s staying in the race because of the dangers posed by a Trump presidency.

"Do you think our democracy is under siege based on this [Supreme] Court? Do you think democracy is under siege based on Project 2025? Do you think he means what he says when he says he is going to do away with the civil service and eliminate the Department of Education?"

"I mean, we've never been here before ... I've gotta finish this job because there's so much at stake," he said.

It’s not clear Biden can finish the job, but his team can if Vice President Kamala Harris is the nominee.

Biden’s support, from donors to elected officials, is eroding and will continue to erode daily. Drip, drip, drip.

Last week I wrote It’s time for President Kamala Harris.

Biden acts now like he’s the only one who can do the job when he’s mistaken. He’s said that 50 other Democrats could beat Trump, and he was right then.

Besides, Biden suggesting “only I can fix it” is Trumpian. And wrong.

The “Lord Almighty”

Much of the ABC interview bothered me, but Biden’s appeal to the “Lord Almighty” was arrogant and illustrative as to why he may not step aside. It’s his ego.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: If you can be convinced that you cannot defeat Donald Trump, will you stand down?

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: (LAUGH)- It depends on-- on if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that.

Shortly later:

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: You’re sure?

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Well, Yeah, I’m sure. Look. I mean, if the Lord Almighty came down and said, "Joe, get outta the race," I'd get outta the race. The Lord Almighty's not comin' down. I mean, these hypotheticals, George, if, I mean, it's all--

If any respected and well-loved mayor in any city in America was getting too old for the job, and those s/he respected suggested he not run for reelection, and if s/he said that s/he would leave the post only if the “Lord Almighty” descends to earth to tell him/her so, we would call that mayor delusional.

Wouldn’t we?

But I’m not going to call Biden delusional. I recognize (hope?) it’s a rhetorical tactic. Yet, it’s the ultimate appeal to authority (that not every American believes in), and a tactic many Republicans use to justify anything they want to do, no matter how shitty it is, arguing that they are doing “God’s will.”

Biden released his delegates

At the news conference, the president, asked whether his delegates could vote for someone else, said they were "free to do whatever they want."

"If they say they want somebody else, that's the Democratic process," he said, adding in a whisper that "it's not gonna happen."

I haven’t seen anyone else discuss the implications of this, but I presume there is a more formal process.

Life on the Titanic

The task the Biden campaign faces is impossible.

We can’t unsee the failed debate. Even if one thinks the Stephanopoulos interview was a wash, we still can’t unsee it. We can’t unsee the fumbles and mumbles in the NATO press conference, and we won’t be able to unsee any future public stumbles.

The Biden team wants us to believe three things that are impossible to prove. One, that Biden isn’t in decline. Two, that he can beat Trump. Three, he is the best candidate to beat Trump.

The Titanic is sinking. Some on the democratic deck say not to believe our eyes—that there is no iceberg. Others are rearranging the deck chairs, and increasingly, some are getting on lifeboats to board a different ship—one that can effectively lead, generate enthusiasm, and save democracy.

It’s time for President Kamala Harris.

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