They’ve been shown what to expect. Don’t assume he will just accept even a landslide vote. Nor will some of his followers. I expect violence. Be prepared, and don’t ever stop fighting for democracy and freedom.
Thank you for encapsulating a truly shining week so well.
I am going to go out on a limb here, but I am harboring a very powerful suspicion, bordering on a conviction, that the reason the consensus was already there for Harris when Biden announced his withdrawal was because Biden, Pelosi, Obama, and Jeffries had been working to build that consensus behind the scenes for at least two weeks. I believe that Biden recognized that his debate performance probably put a Biden electoral victory out of reach, and that after viewing it himself and looking at the polls immediately began a strategy to transfer the candidacy to Harris. In the meantime he kept up the façade that he would never abandon the race; presenting himself as the target up to and after the conclusion of the Republican national convention.
It is classic John Boyd disinformation warfare, and entirely characteristic of an experienced master politician. Biden did not get where he was through charisma, elocution, or money. His entire career is based on savvy politics. A man with those qualities does not deny reality, but seeks to use it as an opportunity. With the aid of other senior Democrats, they set up the play, executed it, and Kamala Harris's support was already in place within 24 hours of Biden's announcement..
I agree 100%. This was a well-oiled operation, and I'm thinking even Pelosi and Schumer's "outrageous turncoat!" behavior was all part of the script. Note how it took P and S no time at all to adjust to the "shocking" turn of events.
That would make me feel better about Nancy Pelosi, who I greatly admire. Even a day or two before Joe bowed out, she told a gaggle of reporters "it's his decision", even as reporting said she and Schumer were pushing him out. CS has seemed to enjoy a closeness with JB. It was breaking my heart to hear so many credible Dems coming out against JB. If this was planned ahead of time, & some were "playing a part" ... WOW. Just WOW. Back toy 1000 postcards to swing states!! #KamalaHarris2024
If it had not been planned out in advance there would've been a chaotic, mad scramble to realign the campaign. The Republicans were anticipating a "bloodbath." Instead we all just heard the sound of a "click" as though a switch had been flicked. That not only takes planning and organization, it takes EXPERT planning and organization.
That's really what drives the press crazy. The TFG administration was a constant source of material: staffers willing to talk dirt about TFG and each other! Ex-staffers with books to sell! TFG himself, announcing his every move in advance like a monologuing Bond villain! Reporters didn't have to do a damn thing to get juicy stories every day.
The Biden-Harris administration doesn't leak, nor do they telegraph their every move. THAT is why the press hates them
That's precisely the strategy Boyd coached Schwartzkopf on in 1991 in the gulf.
Schwarzkopf and Frank used OUR OWN media to tell the Iraqis that the coalition forces were going to go straight up the middle in a frontal attack. The Iraqis bought it, and put everything into entrenched positions designed to resist that expected frontal assault. On the day of the attack, only a small holding force was left in front of the Iraqis, while the main body went wide and hit them where they least expected it. Disrupt your opponent's information, both in terms of its quality and its rate of acquisition.
Exquisite planning, certainly, but I'm betting it took longer considering the logistics needed to implement the events of this past week. Secret Service, flights, crews, media, venues, etc. -the list is vast. And not one leak from the army of staff pulling the organizing together. Just as the Brits have a succession plan should ill befall the monarch, I do wonder if the Dems had similar. Without such a plan, Trump c/would have shouldered his way into the breach to try for Coup #2. Or is it Coup #3?
I TOTALLY agree!! And lest we forget, Obama was a community organizer in Chicago in the mid to late '80s before he and Michelle were married. He knows how to strategize and pull off something like that as well.
I began to suspect that that had happened within hours of Biden’s announcement last Sunday. Frankly, I’m quite sure that the Republicans got played by a master politician and tactician. I continue to love Uncle Joe and completely support Kamala Harris.
I certainly hope so. Idon't think the whole thing was a rope-a-dope, the way a (Democratic) friend does; I think Biden had every intention of staying in the race until the debate and his subsequent failure to reassure D voters. I think he truly agonizing and didn't decide to step aside until very shortly before the world learned the decision. However, I also:
-hope, and expect, that Pelosi was counting up delegates so that she Harris was all but sewn up
-hope, and expect, that Joe said to those who wanted him to leave, "I'll step aside only if you all get behind one candidate--no fighting on the convention floor, no jockeying by every white governor with a winning smile, no giving back the campaign funds we've amassed. And the candidate is Harris."
-hope, and expect, that even as Harris herself was continuing to campaign for the Biden/Harris team, and doing a great job of it, she and advisors were also planning how they'd roll out a Harris presidential run.
That's just smart politics and also good governance. The ideal would have been for Biden to decline to run a year ago, so we could have had a real primary. But it takes time for a person to recognize that age is ccatching up with him. So there is no time to run and recover from a shortened primary. This was the right way to go.
I am not certain which "dumb leaks" you are referring to. The ones I saw ended up being disinformation to mislead the Republicans. We were anything but dumb.
I admitfreely, I too thought President Biden withdrawing from the race would mean a Democratic bloodbath, with an unholy spectacle of Democrats in disarray. I have never been so happy to have been wrong.
We can come together when it really matters! I give President Joe Biden much of the credit because of the dignified and thoughtful way he stepped away from seeking a second term. He set the right mood and example for us to carry on his legacy.
Absolutely it’s already done. He and Kamala have always been a team, and Beau was the captain. Kamala’s smarts and Joe’s experience, this was as easy as eatin’ apple pie.
It was people-powered. Kamala sensed it, which is actually a beautiful thing I don't expect in politicians, she saw what was happening, and pounced on the phone for 10 hours straight, according to news reports, to whip up delegates.
It demonstrated in a bigly way how ready she is now.
I also think Biden did a master class move: he probably made the decision a week earlier when Chuck Shumer called on him, but delayed it to work on support for her as condition for his stepping back as well as timing it just right for after the RNC and Sunday shows.
That is precisely the reason to suspect that this was carefully and meticulously organized behind-the-scenes by a small group of senior leadership. If it had not been, it would've been a typical Democratic fustercluck.
I was also wrong. I had been very outspoken to call for Biden to drop out (and that part played out exactly as I expected), and thought he refused to do so for personal reasons. It's now clear that he had planned to drop out for a long time, and was just lining up the ducks to ensure a solid transition and to give Kamala a head start.
With 20/20 hindsight, his timing was brilliant, too - stealing the thunder from the RNC *and* the ear pillow *and* JD Vance all at once was brilliant.
Oh yeah!!!!!! I can see light at the end of the tunnel.....we will defeat tRump at the ballot box!
WOMEN are going to make a profound presence in this election. Kamala Harris might even be appealing to suburban Republican women who hated the overturning of Roe and will take revenge on tRump for appointing the 3 justices that helped swing the court to the right and took away reproductive rights for ALL women in this country.
The energy and excitement is palpable from my “Boomer” mom, to my millennial and gen z nieces and nephews! What a great time to live in America!!!!!💙💙💙💙💙💙
Oh how I wish I could share in this excitement with my boomer mom and grandma. I would love if they could see through the Fox shenanigans and just feel excitement about a woman being president. They couldn’t do it with HRC so I’m so surprised they can’t do it now.
And here I had a whole list of pet names for Vance: Couch cuddler, sofa snuggler, cushion comrade, settee seducer, loveseat lover, recliner Romeo, armchair amore....
I love how everyone is still pretending TFG chose Vance because of his sons. When, in their lifetimes, has TFG EVER gone to his sons for advice about ANYTHING?
Vance was picked by Heritage, Musk, Thiel, and probably Putin. The kids, as always, are just the scapegoats.
Another four years of negativity and having to listen to a nonsensical old man stuck in the 80's, no thanks. A powerful positive woman with a great sense of humor and brains to boot. I'm with Kamela all the way. Let's bring on an unstoppable blue tsunami.
But keep the Vance/couch/cat memes coming. How can they defend themselves against that? And I really needed some humor to get through this year. And this week has sucked the air out of the old man's nonstop coverage.
Yes, Angela, I became exhausted the way the press was reporting on the con man as if his every utterance was worthy of respect just because he was the presumptive (and then actual) nominee. By implication it made him seem legitimate, meanwhile going on and on about how *old!!* Biden is as if any moment he might keel over. Disgusting. I’m from San Francisco so Kamala has been a political hero of mine for years already. Imagine how excited and proud my feelings over the 180 we’ve all experienced this past week! We’ve got the fascistas on the run at last and now our collective responsibility is to run them right off the nearest cliff and prepare for a possible Jan 6 2.0😸
I lived in California for over 20 years. And I miss the diversity, the beauty and the food. But glad to be voting in a swing state and having a boyfriend voting the same way. Unfortunately, we are stuck in a county that loves Trump. But at least this year I am not seeing as many Trump signs. Only the one across the street from our house.
No surprise about Trump’s disdain and lack of empathy for his cousin’s child (Trump’s cousin once removed). I’ll never forget how he mocked that disabled reporter — and STILL got votes. He didn’t even try to hide his inability to feel empathy or compassion.
Again, the lack of empathy and compassion is not a bug, it's a feature. Magats LOVE being able to say the quiet part out loud. They hate having to hide their prejudices.
While I’d usually find the couch meme disgusting even against someone as vile as JD is, in this case I see it as cosmic justice. I hope he didn’t plan to go furniture shopping anytime soon…
The reason the republicans anticipated a “blood bath” if Biden stepped down is because that’s how they think: violent, confrontational, threatening.
That’s not how we democrats and liberal minded individuals think. And it shows. I’m with Kamala.
Exactly. Some of them sure do love that word.
They’ve been shown what to expect. Don’t assume he will just accept even a landslide vote. Nor will some of his followers. I expect violence. Be prepared, and don’t ever stop fighting for democracy and freedom.
Thank you for encapsulating a truly shining week so well.
I am going to go out on a limb here, but I am harboring a very powerful suspicion, bordering on a conviction, that the reason the consensus was already there for Harris when Biden announced his withdrawal was because Biden, Pelosi, Obama, and Jeffries had been working to build that consensus behind the scenes for at least two weeks. I believe that Biden recognized that his debate performance probably put a Biden electoral victory out of reach, and that after viewing it himself and looking at the polls immediately began a strategy to transfer the candidacy to Harris. In the meantime he kept up the façade that he would never abandon the race; presenting himself as the target up to and after the conclusion of the Republican national convention.
It is classic John Boyd disinformation warfare, and entirely characteristic of an experienced master politician. Biden did not get where he was through charisma, elocution, or money. His entire career is based on savvy politics. A man with those qualities does not deny reality, but seeks to use it as an opportunity. With the aid of other senior Democrats, they set up the play, executed it, and Kamala Harris's support was already in place within 24 hours of Biden's announcement..
That was not serendipity.
I tend to agree generally that perfect outcomes do not arrive sui generis. They come from perfect planning and timing.
"Deus ex machina" is always an unlikely plot device.
I agree 100%. This was a well-oiled operation, and I'm thinking even Pelosi and Schumer's "outrageous turncoat!" behavior was all part of the script. Note how it took P and S no time at all to adjust to the "shocking" turn of events.
That's why they waited until Trump's VP was chosen. JD made it easier.
Fox News is calling Kamala Harris a "DEI" pic.
Trump/Vance (along with six of the nine Supreme Court justices) are an Opus Dei pick.
Meow! Meow!
That would make me feel better about Nancy Pelosi, who I greatly admire. Even a day or two before Joe bowed out, she told a gaggle of reporters "it's his decision", even as reporting said she and Schumer were pushing him out. CS has seemed to enjoy a closeness with JB. It was breaking my heart to hear so many credible Dems coming out against JB. If this was planned ahead of time, & some were "playing a part" ... WOW. Just WOW. Back toy 1000 postcards to swing states!! #KamalaHarris2024
As far as all these folks thinking this was planned out, i think there is some wishful thinking going on here.
If it had not been planned out in advance there would've been a chaotic, mad scramble to realign the campaign. The Republicans were anticipating a "bloodbath." Instead we all just heard the sound of a "click" as though a switch had been flicked. That not only takes planning and organization, it takes EXPERT planning and organization.
*to my
me too, getting the postcards going!
They were in on the sting.
I hope that’s what happened. And that there’ll be more of that wily strategy to come.
I think we can agree, neither Biden nor Harris just fell out of the coconut tree.
They also have the self-discipline to keep their mouth shut.
That's really what drives the press crazy. The TFG administration was a constant source of material: staffers willing to talk dirt about TFG and each other! Ex-staffers with books to sell! TFG himself, announcing his every move in advance like a monologuing Bond villain! Reporters didn't have to do a damn thing to get juicy stories every day.
The Biden-Harris administration doesn't leak, nor do they telegraph their every move. THAT is why the press hates them
That's precisely the strategy Boyd coached Schwartzkopf on in 1991 in the gulf.
Schwarzkopf and Frank used OUR OWN media to tell the Iraqis that the coalition forces were going to go straight up the middle in a frontal attack. The Iraqis bought it, and put everything into entrenched positions designed to resist that expected frontal assault. On the day of the attack, only a small holding force was left in front of the Iraqis, while the main body went wide and hit them where they least expected it. Disrupt your opponent's information, both in terms of its quality and its rate of acquisition.
Reminds me of the Allies' misdirection about where the attack on the Channel coast of France would focus. There are those who do learn from history.
Ha, the GOP thought they were the only ones who knew that rule.
“monologuing Bond villain” 😂
🤣😉😎
🤣🤣🤣
Totally agree. Biden worked behind the scenes and timed it just right.
Exquisite planning, certainly, but I'm betting it took longer considering the logistics needed to implement the events of this past week. Secret Service, flights, crews, media, venues, etc. -the list is vast. And not one leak from the army of staff pulling the organizing together. Just as the Brits have a succession plan should ill befall the monarch, I do wonder if the Dems had similar. Without such a plan, Trump c/would have shouldered his way into the breach to try for Coup #2. Or is it Coup #3?
Not only was there not a leak, I had heard Biden had said he was going to "get back to campaigning next week".
Yes, I recall hearing that also.
I TOTALLY agree!! And lest we forget, Obama was a community organizer in Chicago in the mid to late '80s before he and Michelle were married. He knows how to strategize and pull off something like that as well.
I began to suspect that that had happened within hours of Biden’s announcement last Sunday. Frankly, I’m quite sure that the Republicans got played by a master politician and tactician. I continue to love Uncle Joe and completely support Kamala Harris.
Read an appropriate meme--"I get the feeling that Dark Brandon just pulled off the greatest rope-a-dope of all time"
That’s how I read it as well.
I hope that’s true because it’s super amazing if it is!! Good on Biden 👏🏼
I certainly hope so. Idon't think the whole thing was a rope-a-dope, the way a (Democratic) friend does; I think Biden had every intention of staying in the race until the debate and his subsequent failure to reassure D voters. I think he truly agonizing and didn't decide to step aside until very shortly before the world learned the decision. However, I also:
-hope, and expect, that Pelosi was counting up delegates so that she Harris was all but sewn up
-hope, and expect, that Joe said to those who wanted him to leave, "I'll step aside only if you all get behind one candidate--no fighting on the convention floor, no jockeying by every white governor with a winning smile, no giving back the campaign funds we've amassed. And the candidate is Harris."
-hope, and expect, that even as Harris herself was continuing to campaign for the Biden/Harris team, and doing a great job of it, she and advisors were also planning how they'd roll out a Harris presidential run.
That's just smart politics and also good governance. The ideal would have been for Biden to decline to run a year ago, so we could have had a real primary. But it takes time for a person to recognize that age is ccatching up with him. So there is no time to run and recover from a shortened primary. This was the right way to go.
Disagree. If the so called Dem leadership was behind Biden’s timing and approach, why all the dumb leaks?
I am not certain which "dumb leaks" you are referring to. The ones I saw ended up being disinformation to mislead the Republicans. We were anything but dumb.
I admitfreely, I too thought President Biden withdrawing from the race would mean a Democratic bloodbath, with an unholy spectacle of Democrats in disarray. I have never been so happy to have been wrong.
We can come together when it really matters! I give President Joe Biden much of the credit because of the dignified and thoughtful way he stepped away from seeking a second term. He set the right mood and example for us to carry on his legacy.
I love President Biden. I believe he will go down in history as one of the best.
I agree!
Absolutely it’s already done. He and Kamala have always been a team, and Beau was the captain. Kamala’s smarts and Joe’s experience, this was as easy as eatin’ apple pie.
The Democratic Party has shown us repeatedly that it is like a drunk staggering around in a mine field. This smooth transition is some kinda miracle.
It was people-powered. Kamala sensed it, which is actually a beautiful thing I don't expect in politicians, she saw what was happening, and pounced on the phone for 10 hours straight, according to news reports, to whip up delegates.
It demonstrated in a bigly way how ready she is now.
I also think Biden did a master class move: he probably made the decision a week earlier when Chuck Shumer called on him, but delayed it to work on support for her as condition for his stepping back as well as timing it just right for after the RNC and Sunday shows.
It was a great move to wait for the selection of such a horrible, anti-female VP pick. What better contrast than a female candidate
He is known for his timing. I was wondering all the same things.
That is precisely the reason to suspect that this was carefully and meticulously organized behind-the-scenes by a small group of senior leadership. If it had not been, it would've been a typical Democratic fustercluck.
I was also wrong. I had been very outspoken to call for Biden to drop out (and that part played out exactly as I expected), and thought he refused to do so for personal reasons. It's now clear that he had planned to drop out for a long time, and was just lining up the ducks to ensure a solid transition and to give Kamala a head start.
With 20/20 hindsight, his timing was brilliant, too - stealing the thunder from the RNC *and* the ear pillow *and* JD Vance all at once was brilliant.
Biden, you the man!
And Kamala you the woman.
I was wrong, too. Happy to have been wrong.
Same here!!
💯
Me too.
Oh yeah!!!!!! I can see light at the end of the tunnel.....we will defeat tRump at the ballot box!
WOMEN are going to make a profound presence in this election. Kamala Harris might even be appealing to suburban Republican women who hated the overturning of Roe and will take revenge on tRump for appointing the 3 justices that helped swing the court to the right and took away reproductive rights for ALL women in this country.
VOTE BLUE!
The energy and excitement is palpable from my “Boomer” mom, to my millennial and gen z nieces and nephews! What a great time to live in America!!!!!💙💙💙💙💙💙
Oh how I wish I could share in this excitement with my boomer mom and grandma. I would love if they could see through the Fox shenanigans and just feel excitement about a woman being president. They couldn’t do it with HRC so I’m so surprised they can’t do it now.
We have a long hard fight to go. Women WILL be the ones that decide this election.
And everyone else will have their back.
I keep having to revamp this:
You do all the stupid, evil, shit in the world and people hardly notice,
but you fuck one couch…
People need to ask the right questions. Was the couch a consenting adult?
He and the couch were in a relationship. It wasn't just a one nightstand.
Lol 🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂
🤣😂🫣
💀
I really hope it wasn't a brand new one. That way of christening it is worse than the dog and cat both peeing on it.
Is his new wife willing to adopt an out of wedlock "Ottoman?"
And here I had a whole list of pet names for Vance: Couch cuddler, sofa snuggler, cushion comrade, settee seducer, loveseat lover, recliner Romeo, armchair amore....
Of COURSE he didn’t fuck a couch! It was a typo: he fucked a conch! His wee-wee fit into the conch’s opening.
Loosely ...
It was a really big conch! 😂😂
😂😂😂
😂😂😂
Ever seen those tiny shells used to make the shell leis handed out at luaus? One of those would've likely slipped off.
😂😂😂
😂😂😂
🤣 Vance will need to bring that little loveseat to term whether he likes it or not!
HAHAHAHAHAHA
🤦🏻♀️
I love how everyone is still pretending TFG chose Vance because of his sons. When, in their lifetimes, has TFG EVER gone to his sons for advice about ANYTHING?
Vance was picked by Heritage, Musk, Thiel, and probably Putin. The kids, as always, are just the scapegoats.
Yup 💯
Not EXACTLY the best VP that money can buy, but I wouldn't be surprised if some considerable amount of payola changed hands.
Xeets and Giggles is gonna be epic tomorrow.
I was just thinking that! 😂
🤗🤸♀️🤣👏
Absolutely -- cannot wait!!
🏎️
One of my (many!) bumper stickers:
THE WOMEN ARE COMING--EXPECT US
WE WILL NOT GO BACK!
UPPITY WOMEN UNITE!
Also, as an old, only mildly degenerate (I don't do couches) white guy, I'm ready for the handoff.
Talk about something they've never been prepared for - "women are coming" is right at the top of the list.
Women are coming... Just not with Republican men...
😂😂😂
And “our men”!
Oohhh, where did u get it?!
Northern Sun:
https://www.northernsun.com/search.html?fi=products&co=yes&st=db&ml=60&su=1&ms=2&sp=results&tf=closeout%2Ccat_rank%2Ccategory%2Cprod_rank&to=n%2Crn%2Cf%2Crn&sf=%3Aprod_group%3Acategory%3Asku%3Adescription%3Acomment%3Atitle%3Agoogle_color&op=aq&se=the+women+are+coming
Thanks 👍
I sincerely hope Trump's past week was his best one. Let the punishment continue.
Another four years of negativity and having to listen to a nonsensical old man stuck in the 80's, no thanks. A powerful positive woman with a great sense of humor and brains to boot. I'm with Kamela all the way. Let's bring on an unstoppable blue tsunami.
🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊
I doubt that Trump will be even slightly coherent in another year or two, so we’ll end up with Vance if they win. That cannot happen.
But keep the Vance/couch/cat memes coming. How can they defend themselves against that? And I really needed some humor to get through this year. And this week has sucked the air out of the old man's nonstop coverage.
Yes, Angela, I became exhausted the way the press was reporting on the con man as if his every utterance was worthy of respect just because he was the presumptive (and then actual) nominee. By implication it made him seem legitimate, meanwhile going on and on about how *old!!* Biden is as if any moment he might keel over. Disgusting. I’m from San Francisco so Kamala has been a political hero of mine for years already. Imagine how excited and proud my feelings over the 180 we’ve all experienced this past week! We’ve got the fascistas on the run at last and now our collective responsibility is to run them right off the nearest cliff and prepare for a possible Jan 6 2.0😸
I lived in California for over 20 years. And I miss the diversity, the beauty and the food. But glad to be voting in a swing state and having a boyfriend voting the same way. Unfortunately, we are stuck in a county that loves Trump. But at least this year I am not seeing as many Trump signs. Only the one across the street from our house.
OH HELL YES!!! 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊
No surprise about Trump’s disdain and lack of empathy for his cousin’s child (Trump’s cousin once removed). I’ll never forget how he mocked that disabled reporter — and STILL got votes. He didn’t even try to hide his inability to feel empathy or compassion.
And don’t forget he told General Kelly to never have a disabled vet at any of his events ever again. THAT still makes blood come out of my eyes!
Empathy and compassion are for weaklings, women, and other pathetic losers. /s
Too bad for the Donald that they can also vote.
Exactly.
Again, the lack of empathy and compassion is not a bug, it's a feature. Magats LOVE being able to say the quiet part out loud. They hate having to hide their prejudices.
It sure is, and he’s not the only one with that feature.
She’s moving us forward and all trump and Vance want to do is belittle people! Let’s go folks! Onward!!
While I’d usually find the couch meme disgusting even against someone as vile as JD is, in this case I see it as cosmic justice. I hope he didn’t plan to go furniture shopping anytime soon…
Sectional assaulter running with a sexual assaulter.
Just in time for the Olympics, Jay. 🥇
Hahaha!
OMG!! Stop it, Jay -- my sides are hurting 🤣🤣🤣
HAHAHA
Best line re this subject ever, Jay!
😂
Furniture store manager to clerk, “Keep an eye on that guy over there. I don’t like the way he’s looking at that leather modular. ”
Times I wish Substack had a laugh react 😂
I’ve often thought that too!😂
Thank you a) for thanking me, a paid subscriber, and b) for your fabulous sense of humor. I can’t wait for tomorrow and the xeets!
Tough week for the Bloated Yam.
"Thoughts and prayers, Yam."
Surprised he didn't choose Dan Quayle. Or Sarah Palin. Or Mike Pence.
The latter also nearly took a bullet....
So much for surrounding yourself with all the best people.