The Republican Party is flailing around in search of a way to attack Kamala Harris, looking for any way to discredit her. As expected, they have made snide comments about her race, her gender, and her intellect. Trump says she’s “too dumb” to be president, which, coming from a man who refused to read his briefing books, is hilarious. He has even repeated revolting remarks about her sexual history, which is funny in a sick way since his is a disgrace and is well-documented.
One of the absurd charges against Harris is that she failed to tell the American public that Joe Biden had become senile. She “covered up” his mental decline, say the GOP critics.
But was he in fact in declining condition? Was he unable to carry out the functions of the presidency?
Biden announced his decision to step aside on July 21. Robert Acosta of CBS News conducted the first interview of Biden on August 12.
The conversation was wide-ranging. They discussed his decision to withdraw; why he decided to run in 2016; his belief that Trump is a threat to the security of the U.S.; his hopes for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza; his belief in the importance of NATO.
He spoke slowly and chose his words with care. He hesitated while thinking through his answers. He stumbled and corrected himself once or twice. His manner was that of a man past his prime. He is old.
But his answers were pointed and clear. He showed no sign of cognitive decline. He was on top of all the issues (as he was in his post-NATO press conference, where he gave what some commentators called a “master class” in international relations.)
He spoke from the depths of his wisdom and experience. He left the race to save the nation from another chaotic and divisive Trump term.
Kamala Harris was not protecting or hiding Biden. She has nothing to apologize for.
Biden has been an incredibly effective president, working with a deeply divided Congress. He came to realize that the campaign would be about his age, not the issues. The greatest thing he could do for his country was to step down, and he did, for the sake of the democracy he loves.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
That is what you do when your policy is to be against policy. The Republicans were far down the road toward Donald Trump when he surfaced as the takeover agent of the Grimy Old Party. When McConnell admitted– indeed trumpeted– that the Republicans would oppose any legislation that Obama proposed, even if it was beneficial to the country, he was obviously stating the policy of the GOP. Don’t do anything. Try to ruin the federal government so that it does a bad job, then blame it for doing a bad job.
The logical result of this policy became Trump. As much as I admire Cheney and Kinzinger, as much as I approve of the never trumpers, they had their chance at that juncture to put the brakes on the nihilism that has become the GOP. They didn’t even swing. The ball popped into the mitt for a called third strike, and the GOP ran salivating to the trough of false populism, accepting a candidate that began his campaign as such a divisive force that the other fifty-nine candidates in the 2016 race cannibalized each other, leaving The Donald triumphant. Talk about Hanibal Lecter.
Now they got nothing, and still threaten to take the White House, if not fair and square, by subterfuge. Of course they are putting up fake memes about communism. That is as old as the 1871 Paris Commune during the Franco-Prussian War. It is something Joe McCarthy’s grandfather heard. We are heard all this because the only Republican policy is to stand back and let the private sector work a miracle. When it does not work, blame the people, but tell them it is not their fault but the fault of the people who do have policy suggestions.
That a solid 35% of Americans a swallow this happily explains why we live in a day when opiates seem to be more popular than stimulants.
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Well stated . The Republican Party has been fundamentally against Government for 6 decades. Therefore when Government fails no matter what the issue or which branch the party that wants to shrink everything but the police state wins. As the masses many who are clueless as to how Government works , who represents them and what policy proposals each party represents; blames Government and not those who caused the dysfunction. A win for Republicans. As Kristof tells us we should not demean Trump supporters who he portrays as if they are all addicts. Has over a decade of hand wringing, of coddling to their fragile egos appealed to their “better angels”.
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Roy, good comment. Too many people on soma.
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Touché, Diane. How I wish that we lived in a society in which many tens of millions of people would read this post.
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Me too, Bill R.
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I heard they are rushing buckets of spaghetti to Mara-a-Logo as Trump and Vance are looking for a way to attack Kamala.
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The FSM, in a spirited revelation to yours truly, has assured me that no spaghetti is being used to demean and/or attack Harris.
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Jeroboams of ketchup, too, so the 6-year-old who lives there is well supplied on November 5 of this year and January 6 of the next.
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“Jeroboams!” Thanx, Bill, I just learned a new word!
-A jeroboam is a Double Magnum: it holds 3 litres (4 standard bottles) of wine.
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