As an active D in a rural county, reaction of some of my fellow activists was a feeling of nausea. Do the voices of those in our positions really count? Yet as a human being who gives up personal time for politics, I felt some relief, perhaps a projection of my exhaustion at only 70 years. I hope JRBiden can spend the remainder of his presidency focused on the work at hand with less reaction to the media frenzy. I hope he can find rest when he needs it not only when illness requires it. I hope he can focus on the loves of his life, his family. I am deeply grateful for his service and believe he still has lots to offer as an elder statesman. I hope he lives til 100…
Dorothy -- I totally hear you. But the consideration I kept coming back to is that Biden has seemed to decline even since the primary. Information about the debate, for instance, probably would've impacted voting decisions.
In any event, the Biden campaign's decision to have an early debate ended up being a fateful one, and hopefully the country ends up better off for it. Can you imagine the doom and gloom that would've ensued had Biden put forth that debate performance in September, after he was already the nominee, instead of June? In some respects it was a blessing that Dems had this period between June 28 and now to make an informed choice about how best to proceed.
I am on board. Our county and county chairs held off purchasing or ordering yard signs. God Bless Biden and God Bless America and our boots are on the ground here in rural Defiance County Ohio.
I'll keep my Dark Brandon big heads up the rest of the election season and just add some Kamala/?. I think Dark Brandon struck again based on the GOPs hilarious freak out over his noble decision to step aside and the Dem unity behind Kamala. The timing was perfection to some extent. They are locked into Trump after their convention and we just undermined their whole argument against Joe that they've been building for over a year-he's senile and incompetent. Their campaign is such a mess I dont see how they effectively retool and alot if not most of the people voting for Joe were largely voting against Trump-so no lost juice there, most of us would vote for a ham sandwich over the Rapist/Fraudster/Felon/Incompetent/Dictator Lover/Billionaire Lapdog/Facist/ Racist/ Misogynist....
Hear, hear!! You've eloquently said what my heart is feeling, except for the residual anger I have over the media and certain people who publicly castigated the president for not stepping aside. I will have a hard time forgiving the likes of Clooney, Schumer, Schiff, et. al. for their public betrayal of a good man.
I am in total agreement with you. When I first heard a palpable wave of relief went through my body, but then I found myself feeling profoundly sad for the President. He’s a good man and did a good job these last 3 1/2 years, but clearly age has caught up with him. I hope that history will acknowledge the very good job he has done as well.
You said it well. Yesterday's decision put him in Washington's category of thinking of the country before himself. Biden is not perfect - none of us are - but history will see him as a BFD; I hope more people come to realize it.
Living here in Iroquois land, i note that Washington is underrated as a genocidal tyrant, so the hyperbole has more purchase than first blush.
I never liked Joe Biden, believe his long service includes much more harm than good, but cannot hold him personally responsible for Israel’s cruel prosecution of apartheid and now ‘genocide.’
I believed in Bernie Sanders in 2016, and again in 2020. Democrats have been monstrous, by and large, since Nagasaki. But they haven’t been worse than the opposition.
It seems oddly oblique to say Biden will be “widely viewed as underrated.” Instead, as the comparisons to Washington and FDR will suggest, he may be viewed as indispensable.
This now hinges on the defeat of Trump. That seems well-suited to the skills if a prosecutor.
If that succeeds, we will likely need another Lincoln.
I agree with your assessment and with your sentiments. I'm heartbroken for Joe Biden, grateful forever for all he's done for us. History will look kindly upon him. I hate that we have such a shallow, optics obsessed nation, because Trump has gotten a lot of mileage by play-acting tough guy, when he is and never has been, anything of the kind. He's a know-nothing, dangerous, and he seeks to, what amounts to doing a hostile takeover of the nation and selling it for parts, to benefit himself.
I'm firmly behind Kamala, I hope she picks Senator Mark Kelly as her running mate. I think they'd make an incredible team. I made a donation yesterday afternoon to show my grassroots support, and I will work every bit as hard for Kamala and all Dem candidates as I have been for Biden-Harris, and democracy supporting issues (in Ohio, we're about to successfully have the anti-gerrymandering issue on November's ballot).
One final thing. I have been told by male grassroots counterparts that 90% of the pounding the pavement it takes to get things done at the grassroots is done...by women. Women in this nation are pissed off; Republicans are doing big and very visible things to roll back the clock and to harm us. There's a meme floating around that says "pissed off women will save this country". Count on it! A Kamala presidential candidacy? Now is the time and I think it's going to energize the women out there working hard to support democracy and Dem candidates. Let's go !!!
I really think Mark Kelly could work. Astronauts are heroes, his wife is surely a hero, and the optics (which is all the mainstream media is good for these days) are really good.
I really like Mark Kelly too for multiple reasons in addition to him being an astronaut. He served in the Navy so he has a tie to the armed forces and vets. He is a responsible gun owner who is for the Assault Weapons ban and other measures to reduce gun violence. His wife, Gabby Giffords, knows Congress having served in it so she would be a plus too.
And this last thing is more intangible, but I think he might help some white Republican and Independent men feel more drawn to the ticket. (not trying to start anything with that last comment but just a hunch)
I think you might be right on Independent men. I just don't know with Republican men because who are Republicans and who are MAGA. Both he and his wife may be a boon with white women Independents and centrist Democrats. I forgot that he was in the Navy too, theres a significant voting bloc of vets and military families who usually skew Republican. OK, he's looking more like the perfect partner by the moment.
I hope the majority of Dems support Harris. I don't trust them as much as I used to. I'm happy to support her because I think she is the best candidate now for many different reasons. I also believe she can win if she gets all the support she needs from us and the party. I am still very angry and sad about how Biden was treated but right now I have to focus on moving forward.
Kathleen -- I think the responses to Biden's announcement and endorsement of Harris last night and this morning make quite clear that the party will unify around her without much fuss, which is great news for the effort to defeat Trump again.
I certainly hope you are right. That piece is critical to success. I'm Irish and tend to ask "whoever lit the candle in the dark room would they please blow the d**n thing out!
I doubt it. I think he had a savior complex and was attached to the job, the power of it which conflicted his better judgment. His appearance was of a declining old man out of touch with himself and the reality of how his campaign was going… also in a bubble. I would have voted for him but in despair and even anger. Yes he deserves the praise he is getting now.
I kinda feel like Joe got a raw deal towards the end but if him stepping aside brings an influx of hope and reinvigorates the anti-fascist party, then I'm all for it. While Joe wasn't in my top 5 of choices in 2020, I admit that he did astonishingly well given his circumstances due to his political acumen and unflappable will ensure everyone benefits from his administration, not just a select few.
And I'll freely admit that I'm looking forward to a Harris/Trump debate. She will mop the floor with that prick, beat his ass bloody, and then use his and his followers ear gauzes to clean up the mess.
There shouldn't be a debate. We have got to stop treating him as if he is a normal candidate. No more letting him get on stage and basically not throw feces and be called strong and on point and all Harris has to do is clear her throat and the media will show her as weak. We need to stop running a normal campaign against an abnormal candidate. Biden was really onto something with his speech in Detroit last week. That needs to be the policy moving forward.
I think the debate is a, "damned if you do, damned if you don't" prospect at this point. If Harris calls it off (assuming she will uphold the September date Biden was to do) she will be excoriated. If she takes it on, agreed, another forum will be open for Trump to spew lies and vitriol. The only way to get out of the debate is if Trump decides to back out (again, assuming she's held to the September date).
But here's the kicker; Trump is a one-trick pony. He would try to "gish gallop" Kamala but she would be ready because he already did it once. He cannot help himself to go all unhinged. And he *hates* women, especially women of color. She could get under his skin and make him lose all control and actually reveal his true intentions. And she will be far more ready to refute his bullshit than Joe was, or even would be. And it's not like people haven't heard his bullshit before but she would be ready to bludgeon him with facts.
I definitely think she could and would eviscerate him but they'd have to turn his mic off or it would be a disaster. Do you remember how he kept interrupting Hillary Clinton and in the the debate even stalked her across the stage. How that was allowed I will never figure out. The Vice-President will already be in danger from wild eyed MAGAts when she's made the nominee. I think distance from the Republican nominee would be best.
The raw deal is aging. We would have all gotten more than a raw deal with Trump who was not showing his aging but conning more and more voters with his faux strength and lies. As well those who were not conned by Trump were conned by Biden's feeling that he could go on in the face of what he was actually showing us about himself... that he could defeat Trump when it became more and more obvious, there was more evidence, that he could not.
You've made your point. Now stop trashing a decent man who brought us out a pandemic and done more for this country than Obama and Clinton together ever accomplished.
Obviously I did not make my point if you think I am trashing Biden. I am criticizing him. Would you rather only see comments that make him a saint? Biden cost us by his denial and (yes) selfishness. Many had fear and anxiety about what was coming on. Now there is some hope. And now Biden is being praised for his sacrifice when in fact he really had no choice. He was heading for personal tragedy in terms of his legacy and more importantly for the future of country. I am tired of the "shut the f**k up" people who would not recognize reality staring them in the face.. This is democracy. You may not want to hear what I have to say, I realize, but the truth makes this country work... at the moment. It may save us.
Dear Aaron, grateful for the beautiful piece you wrote about POTUS. It is so well deserved, and honestly I think the media has been very unfair to him. I wish media would worry equally much about Trump’s mental state. POTUS’s decision was correct, and there is a relief. He put country above himself, but now we can rally around Kamala (I live on the other side of the pond); in any event cheering for her I will.
I am enjoying the very well and balanced articles from Public Notice. Much gratitude to you and your fellow writers!
My husband and I watched the debate 3 1/2 weeks ago. As physicians who care for many 70+ year olds, we were unable to ignore the evidence of his physical and cognitive decline since the State of the Union address. The rapid rate of change in his condition, whatever it is, is concerning and likely hastened by the stress of his job. So I'm not concerned that there has been a "coup", or some other type of unseemly pressure. I think he has taken good advice and made an incredibly difficult but responsible decision. Joe Biden is a good man. He will be remembered as a great president who pulled us out of the maelstrom caused by the Once and Former Guy.
I have been so angry and so frustrated through the last weeks. And I too was heartbroken yesterday. But VP Harris is an exemplary candidate and I am more relieved than I can say that the party does seem to be coalescing quickly around her. She was my first choice in 2020 and while Biden absolutely won me over as president I feel this is absolutely the right thing for him, for us, for the country, for democracy.
I completely agree with all of this. I feel terrible for Biden, who’s the best president of my lifetime. But I am filled with admiration again for his willingness to sacrifice his desires for his country, just as he did in 2020 in running at an age when most people would want to be playing with their grandchildren. He’s made the right decision, and I’m excited for Harris. I’m 67 this week, and watching Hillary “lose” (F—- the Electoral College!) in 2016 to a racist misogynist crook was a very bitter pill. I want to see a woman in the White House before I’m gone. The fact that this is happening after Dobbs makes it even more meaningful. Go Kamala!
I'm an Australian but as emotionally invested in this election as many Americans (or at leasts many Americans should be). It was clear that if Biden stayed the story was always going to be about him and his age and there was no way to change it. I wondered if he had the guts and hard headedness to withdraw and now feel a little bad that I underestimated him. Could anyone seriously think Trump would do this in the same situation? Or even half seriously?
The important thing is now to rally around Harris (who may yet lose) and let her run her race and in particular highten the attention on Trump and his charactar and indeed his cognitive issues. The odds of a win have improved with Joe's sacrifice and we should take the improved chances he has given us.
Michael -- you nailed it about the media environment. As this month unfolded, I became convinced that Biden had little chance of winning with reporters and people on social media hanging on his every syllable and dissecting them for signs of decline. It made it impossible to shift the focus to Trump, and for a Democrat to win this election has to be a referendum on his criminality and harmful policy agenda.
I’m sad for Joe, and hopeful for victory in November. And yes, Joe is a GREAT president. We are fortunate to have such a fine man leading our country. He has brought us out of the morass that was Covid/Trump, restoring our country to a place where more of us have a chance to succeed. God bless the USA.
I'm in the same boat as you, Aaron, sad to see him end his candidacy. He has been a remarkable president and he will work tirelessly during his remaining months. I support his decision and will support VP Harris at the top of the ticket.
As an active D in a rural county, reaction of some of my fellow activists was a feeling of nausea. Do the voices of those in our positions really count? Yet as a human being who gives up personal time for politics, I felt some relief, perhaps a projection of my exhaustion at only 70 years. I hope JRBiden can spend the remainder of his presidency focused on the work at hand with less reaction to the media frenzy. I hope he can find rest when he needs it not only when illness requires it. I hope he can focus on the loves of his life, his family. I am deeply grateful for his service and believe he still has lots to offer as an elder statesman. I hope he lives til 100…
Dorothy -- I totally hear you. But the consideration I kept coming back to is that Biden has seemed to decline even since the primary. Information about the debate, for instance, probably would've impacted voting decisions.
In any event, the Biden campaign's decision to have an early debate ended up being a fateful one, and hopefully the country ends up better off for it. Can you imagine the doom and gloom that would've ensued had Biden put forth that debate performance in September, after he was already the nominee, instead of June? In some respects it was a blessing that Dems had this period between June 28 and now to make an informed choice about how best to proceed.
I am on board. Our county and county chairs held off purchasing or ordering yard signs. God Bless Biden and God Bless America and our boots are on the ground here in rural Defiance County Ohio.
I'll keep my Dark Brandon big heads up the rest of the election season and just add some Kamala/?. I think Dark Brandon struck again based on the GOPs hilarious freak out over his noble decision to step aside and the Dem unity behind Kamala. The timing was perfection to some extent. They are locked into Trump after their convention and we just undermined their whole argument against Joe that they've been building for over a year-he's senile and incompetent. Their campaign is such a mess I dont see how they effectively retool and alot if not most of the people voting for Joe were largely voting against Trump-so no lost juice there, most of us would vote for a ham sandwich over the Rapist/Fraudster/Felon/Incompetent/Dictator Lover/Billionaire Lapdog/Facist/ Racist/ Misogynist....
Can't wait to put up my yard sign in Franklin Country, OH!
I do agree. I read and ponder but mostly we keep our boots strapped on and plan and organize our small piece of the country
Hear, hear!! You've eloquently said what my heart is feeling, except for the residual anger I have over the media and certain people who publicly castigated the president for not stepping aside. I will have a hard time forgiving the likes of Clooney, Schumer, Schiff, et. al. for their public betrayal of a good man.
100% agreement.
I am in total agreement with you. When I first heard a palpable wave of relief went through my body, but then I found myself feeling profoundly sad for the President. He’s a good man and did a good job these last 3 1/2 years, but clearly age has caught up with him. I hope that history will acknowledge the very good job he has done as well.
You said it well. Yesterday's decision put him in Washington's category of thinking of the country before himself. Biden is not perfect - none of us are - but history will see him as a BFD; I hope more people come to realize it.
Living here in Iroquois land, i note that Washington is underrated as a genocidal tyrant, so the hyperbole has more purchase than first blush.
I never liked Joe Biden, believe his long service includes much more harm than good, but cannot hold him personally responsible for Israel’s cruel prosecution of apartheid and now ‘genocide.’
I believed in Bernie Sanders in 2016, and again in 2020. Democrats have been monstrous, by and large, since Nagasaki. But they haven’t been worse than the opposition.
It seems oddly oblique to say Biden will be “widely viewed as underrated.” Instead, as the comparisons to Washington and FDR will suggest, he may be viewed as indispensable.
This now hinges on the defeat of Trump. That seems well-suited to the skills if a prosecutor.
If that succeeds, we will likely need another Lincoln.
I agree with your assessment and with your sentiments. I'm heartbroken for Joe Biden, grateful forever for all he's done for us. History will look kindly upon him. I hate that we have such a shallow, optics obsessed nation, because Trump has gotten a lot of mileage by play-acting tough guy, when he is and never has been, anything of the kind. He's a know-nothing, dangerous, and he seeks to, what amounts to doing a hostile takeover of the nation and selling it for parts, to benefit himself.
I'm firmly behind Kamala, I hope she picks Senator Mark Kelly as her running mate. I think they'd make an incredible team. I made a donation yesterday afternoon to show my grassroots support, and I will work every bit as hard for Kamala and all Dem candidates as I have been for Biden-Harris, and democracy supporting issues (in Ohio, we're about to successfully have the anti-gerrymandering issue on November's ballot).
One final thing. I have been told by male grassroots counterparts that 90% of the pounding the pavement it takes to get things done at the grassroots is done...by women. Women in this nation are pissed off; Republicans are doing big and very visible things to roll back the clock and to harm us. There's a meme floating around that says "pissed off women will save this country". Count on it! A Kamala presidential candidacy? Now is the time and I think it's going to energize the women out there working hard to support democracy and Dem candidates. Let's go !!!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Leigh, and for being such an engaged and thoughtful citizen! Your message is inspiring.
I really think Mark Kelly could work. Astronauts are heroes, his wife is surely a hero, and the optics (which is all the mainstream media is good for these days) are really good.
I really like Mark Kelly too for multiple reasons in addition to him being an astronaut. He served in the Navy so he has a tie to the armed forces and vets. He is a responsible gun owner who is for the Assault Weapons ban and other measures to reduce gun violence. His wife, Gabby Giffords, knows Congress having served in it so she would be a plus too.
And this last thing is more intangible, but I think he might help some white Republican and Independent men feel more drawn to the ticket. (not trying to start anything with that last comment but just a hunch)
I think you might be right on Independent men. I just don't know with Republican men because who are Republicans and who are MAGA. Both he and his wife may be a boon with white women Independents and centrist Democrats. I forgot that he was in the Navy too, theres a significant voting bloc of vets and military families who usually skew Republican. OK, he's looking more like the perfect partner by the moment.
I hope the majority of Dems support Harris. I don't trust them as much as I used to. I'm happy to support her because I think she is the best candidate now for many different reasons. I also believe she can win if she gets all the support she needs from us and the party. I am still very angry and sad about how Biden was treated but right now I have to focus on moving forward.
Kathleen -- I think the responses to Biden's announcement and endorsement of Harris last night and this morning make quite clear that the party will unify around her without much fuss, which is great news for the effort to defeat Trump again.
Trump's and Johnson's whiny Xeets make it clear that they aren't happy to be dealing with a younger team.
I certainly hope you are right. That piece is critical to success. I'm Irish and tend to ask "whoever lit the candle in the dark room would they please blow the d**n thing out!
Biden brought that on by being in denial about himself and then stubborn. I was getting angry about that.
Or was he strategically waiting until Republicans locked in their ticket at their convention of the bizarre last week?
I doubt it. I think he had a savior complex and was attached to the job, the power of it which conflicted his better judgment. His appearance was of a declining old man out of touch with himself and the reality of how his campaign was going… also in a bubble. I would have voted for him but in despair and even anger. Yes he deserves the praise he is getting now.
Biden really had no choice.
What a beautifully written article Aaron! I totally agree with you. ☺️
I had not seen Trump’s tweet. It’s so spot on of MAGATS that I know—always about money first!
Republicans created this Frankenstein. They ALL have enabled him. Not one of them will get my vote.
Thank you!
Trump's tweet is bad, but Squeaker Mike Johnson's is worse: https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1815093011669516433
Johnson defines tiny twerp.
He really does. He's a parody of a parody.
When the 2024 election has concluded, and the Democrats have taken the Presidency, theHouse, and the Senate, they must pass the Joe Biden Patriot Act.
Enshrining every single right Biden Harris have been fighting for -especially women’s autonomy rights.
I kinda feel like Joe got a raw deal towards the end but if him stepping aside brings an influx of hope and reinvigorates the anti-fascist party, then I'm all for it. While Joe wasn't in my top 5 of choices in 2020, I admit that he did astonishingly well given his circumstances due to his political acumen and unflappable will ensure everyone benefits from his administration, not just a select few.
And I'll freely admit that I'm looking forward to a Harris/Trump debate. She will mop the floor with that prick, beat his ass bloody, and then use his and his followers ear gauzes to clean up the mess.
There shouldn't be a debate. We have got to stop treating him as if he is a normal candidate. No more letting him get on stage and basically not throw feces and be called strong and on point and all Harris has to do is clear her throat and the media will show her as weak. We need to stop running a normal campaign against an abnormal candidate. Biden was really onto something with his speech in Detroit last week. That needs to be the policy moving forward.
I think the debate is a, "damned if you do, damned if you don't" prospect at this point. If Harris calls it off (assuming she will uphold the September date Biden was to do) she will be excoriated. If she takes it on, agreed, another forum will be open for Trump to spew lies and vitriol. The only way to get out of the debate is if Trump decides to back out (again, assuming she's held to the September date).
But here's the kicker; Trump is a one-trick pony. He would try to "gish gallop" Kamala but she would be ready because he already did it once. He cannot help himself to go all unhinged. And he *hates* women, especially women of color. She could get under his skin and make him lose all control and actually reveal his true intentions. And she will be far more ready to refute his bullshit than Joe was, or even would be. And it's not like people haven't heard his bullshit before but she would be ready to bludgeon him with facts.
I definitely think she could and would eviscerate him but they'd have to turn his mic off or it would be a disaster. Do you remember how he kept interrupting Hillary Clinton and in the the debate even stalked her across the stage. How that was allowed I will never figure out. The Vice-President will already be in danger from wild eyed MAGAts when she's made the nominee. I think distance from the Republican nominee would be best.
May it be so! But I'll bet the coward won't even agree to debate Ms. Harris.
The raw deal is aging. We would have all gotten more than a raw deal with Trump who was not showing his aging but conning more and more voters with his faux strength and lies. As well those who were not conned by Trump were conned by Biden's feeling that he could go on in the face of what he was actually showing us about himself... that he could defeat Trump when it became more and more obvious, there was more evidence, that he could not.
You've made your point. Now stop trashing a decent man who brought us out a pandemic and done more for this country than Obama and Clinton together ever accomplished.
Obviously I did not make my point if you think I am trashing Biden. I am criticizing him. Would you rather only see comments that make him a saint? Biden cost us by his denial and (yes) selfishness. Many had fear and anxiety about what was coming on. Now there is some hope. And now Biden is being praised for his sacrifice when in fact he really had no choice. He was heading for personal tragedy in terms of his legacy and more importantly for the future of country. I am tired of the "shut the f**k up" people who would not recognize reality staring them in the face.. This is democracy. You may not want to hear what I have to say, I realize, but the truth makes this country work... at the moment. It may save us.
Dear Aaron, grateful for the beautiful piece you wrote about POTUS. It is so well deserved, and honestly I think the media has been very unfair to him. I wish media would worry equally much about Trump’s mental state. POTUS’s decision was correct, and there is a relief. He put country above himself, but now we can rally around Kamala (I live on the other side of the pond); in any event cheering for her I will.
I am enjoying the very well and balanced articles from Public Notice. Much gratitude to you and your fellow writers!
Thanks so much, Helen, really appreciate the kind words!
My husband and I watched the debate 3 1/2 weeks ago. As physicians who care for many 70+ year olds, we were unable to ignore the evidence of his physical and cognitive decline since the State of the Union address. The rapid rate of change in his condition, whatever it is, is concerning and likely hastened by the stress of his job. So I'm not concerned that there has been a "coup", or some other type of unseemly pressure. I think he has taken good advice and made an incredibly difficult but responsible decision. Joe Biden is a good man. He will be remembered as a great president who pulled us out of the maelstrom caused by the Once and Former Guy.
I'm trying to understand such a rapid decline. It just seemed to happen in just a few months?
P.S. to the extent that he could, Biden ignored the media feeding frenzy and did his job well. Must have been exhausting!
I have been so angry and so frustrated through the last weeks. And I too was heartbroken yesterday. But VP Harris is an exemplary candidate and I am more relieved than I can say that the party does seem to be coalescing quickly around her. She was my first choice in 2020 and while Biden absolutely won me over as president I feel this is absolutely the right thing for him, for us, for the country, for democracy.
I completely agree with all of this. I feel terrible for Biden, who’s the best president of my lifetime. But I am filled with admiration again for his willingness to sacrifice his desires for his country, just as he did in 2020 in running at an age when most people would want to be playing with their grandchildren. He’s made the right decision, and I’m excited for Harris. I’m 67 this week, and watching Hillary “lose” (F—- the Electoral College!) in 2016 to a racist misogynist crook was a very bitter pill. I want to see a woman in the White House before I’m gone. The fact that this is happening after Dobbs makes it even more meaningful. Go Kamala!
I do agree that the prospect of electing the first woman president will be highly motivating in its own right!
I'm an Australian but as emotionally invested in this election as many Americans (or at leasts many Americans should be). It was clear that if Biden stayed the story was always going to be about him and his age and there was no way to change it. I wondered if he had the guts and hard headedness to withdraw and now feel a little bad that I underestimated him. Could anyone seriously think Trump would do this in the same situation? Or even half seriously?
The important thing is now to rally around Harris (who may yet lose) and let her run her race and in particular highten the attention on Trump and his charactar and indeed his cognitive issues. The odds of a win have improved with Joe's sacrifice and we should take the improved chances he has given us.
Michael -- you nailed it about the media environment. As this month unfolded, I became convinced that Biden had little chance of winning with reporters and people on social media hanging on his every syllable and dissecting them for signs of decline. It made it impossible to shift the focus to Trump, and for a Democrat to win this election has to be a referendum on his criminality and harmful policy agenda.
I’m sad for Joe, and hopeful for victory in November. And yes, Joe is a GREAT president. We are fortunate to have such a fine man leading our country. He has brought us out of the morass that was Covid/Trump, restoring our country to a place where more of us have a chance to succeed. God bless the USA.
I'm in the same boat as you, Aaron, sad to see him end his candidacy. He has been a remarkable president and he will work tirelessly during his remaining months. I support his decision and will support VP Harris at the top of the ticket.