The Real Danger Within the Democratic Party of a Fundamental Crack-Up
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Published 2024-07-09
My colleague, the Times Opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie, has been making some of the strongest arguments against Biden dropping out and throwing the nomination contest to a brokered convention. So I invited him on the show to talk through where he and I diverge and how our thinking is changing.
Book Recommendations:
Into the Bright Sunshine (global.oup.com/academic/product/into-the-bright-su…) by Samuel G. Freedman
Wide Awake (www.bloomsbury.com/us/wide-awake-9781639730650/) by Jon Grinspan
Illiberal America (wwnorton.com/books/9780393635928) by Steven Hahn
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at [email protected].
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast (www.nytimes.com/column/ezra-klein-podcast) . Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs (www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.…) .
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Elias Isquith. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Efim Shapiro and Aman Sahota. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Sonia Herrero.
All Comments (21)
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It’s one thing to support Biden. It’s another thing to destroy people trust of the Democratic Party by telling them they are “bed wetters” for just recognizing a weakness in this candidate in this important time in democracy.
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I’m getting Ruth Bader Ginsburg flashbacks.
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NYT is so out of touch with the average worker in America.
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“He has a good team” is not cutting it when the Middle East is on fire and there is another war with a nuclear power. He can’t just dodder through this. This is absolutely unacceptable.
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Why are we arguing about how little someone can do to still be fulfilling the duties of president?
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This didn't age well already
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This podcast episode perfectly encapsulates the Democratic Party’s inability to react to challenges and just bury its head into the sand. They come up with a million excuses not to improve the situation and let their leadership stay in power. Should be called the Party Formerly Known as Democratic.
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This sounds to me, listening to it, like an attempt to walk back the Times's full-throated calls for Biden to step down.
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Why is everyone ignoring that the 25th Amendment can be used to remove him?
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If it were done right, Joe Biden handing the baton forward to another generation could be a powerful compelling example of a party that is all about the future, in stark contrast to the man who only serves himself. It’s not a defeat for Biden but showing him as up there in stature with George Washington, who also passed the baton forward.
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The cope is real for these partisan people. Arguing about how little he does vs. the administration. He's the president he needs to be ready at all hours and lead his own staff. Not the other way around which it has been (he needs cards higlighting what to do at events, what questions will be asked, lots of teleprompter speeches etc.) When he's on his own he struggles and thats what people see. Most independent/swing voters focus on the candidate and it's clear Biden isn't the person he was even a few years ago.
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A narcissist old man doesn’t know want to leave 🤔
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Robbers never enjoy their theft; they must always pay the piper. The democrat party decided to play banana Republic.
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Insinuating that Joe Biden is handling global crises w aplomb at this moment is buck wild.😂
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The problem with all this Harris/not Harris, Convention/not Convention is the party is consumed with how to make what they do APEAR FAIR, rather then focusing on what the FAIREST THING THEY COULD DO IS. As soon as your going to the second order of trying to figure out how to make your action APEAR some way rather then having a commitment to the thing in itself you are gaslighting and people know it.
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Even with as talented as Ezra is, I'm paused at 0:58 asking myself if I want to continue listening. -Why wait so many days after recording a discussion about something developing so fast that your listeners will be far more informed than you were when you had the discussion? Ezra hadn't heard about the Warner visit cancelation (or even the plan for it, I don't think), the Parkinsons doctor visits, the rising number of black church leaders opposing Biden dropping out ..... hadn't even watched the Friday ABC interview yet .... my goodness that feels like ages ago!
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Amazing how people are trying to justify the unjustifiable - seriously undermines the claim by the USA being a role model - makes the need to consider alternatives imperative
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If you think Biden should stay, then I think you should get a team of carers too.
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POTUS is not a part-time position. What if critical decisions needs must be made outside of Biden's 6 hour window of lucidity? The very fact that this conversation must take place answers the question it poses. The question that begs to be addressed is how do we reverse the deterioration of our society that has us making a choice for POTUS between two such obviously unfit candidates.
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So what if he has a good staff as you say. And so what if having a good staff is an important part of being President. Is is not ok for the staff to run the country. You need a President who is strong enough and wise enough to be able to make a decision when he feels his adviser’s advice is wrong. You need a President who can think for himself. Biden cannot. He is not fit to serve and should resign immediately.
