Joe Biden, Senator from Citibank (oops, DELAWARE), to Run for President

I'm undecided as to who is the champion DNC cherry picker, unperson or iatee. It will probably come down to the talent competition.

Yes Summers lied in this memo, unequivocally, and even fought against reforming bankruptcy, which was part of the promise. https://t.co/S9wLE4YTK4

— David Dayen (@ddayen) April 23, 2020

Imagine reading this and thinking Gray came off poorly

I personally don’t think it is politically beneficial or, frankly, ethically appropriate for me to endorse Joe Biden, particularly at this stage, not that anyone is clamoring for my endorsement. The point of my tweet was to say that it is frustrating for a lot of supporters of progressive politics to see leaders in our movement seemingly fall in line with establishment politics without extracting any concessions on issues like a wealth tax, free child care, and Medicare for All. If these are in fact existential issues, then we need to behave that way, and not stop fighting.

^ That does not come off poorly. The fact that the tweet came off so poorly that she needed to explain it later in different language, with a different emphasis, in order to establish it as much more reasonable than could be derived from what she chose to tweet out, is what made her come off poorly.

Who gives a fuck if she comes off poorly anyway?

This whole notion—that she or anyone else needs to comport themsleves better, be more polite, whatever, is missing the fucking point in the first place.

She's not answerable to you.

Like just move on from it, the party has.

the tweet was fine

none of this matters

So apparently Tara Reade’s mother called in to Larry King Live about her daughter and a Senator back in 1993

what about a weeklong reprieve for Fred so we can get some exercise in

So apparently Tara Reade’s mother called in to Larry King Live about her daughter and a Senator back in 1993

Wow, this Ruskie scheme goes way back!

She's not answerable to you.

No. But she is (and acts like) a public figure through her tweeting, and she should expect people who read her tweets to exercise their judgment regarding her pronouncements. So should you.

So should I?

Being a public figure doesn’t oblige you to make nice with people who don’t care about you.

"be civil" is the rule demanded of the left that the mainstream pols never observe a fuckdoodle themselves

u know the Pelosi-to-McConnell spectrum

I'm undecided as to who is the champion DNC cherry picker, unperson or iatee. It will probably come down to the talent competition.

So should I?

Namely, you should expect that, as a public figure, she is answerable for her public tweets. Fuck it, people in general should be answerable for whatever they do or say in a very public way. iow, if you stroll in the mall chatting directly with your friend, it's just between you, but if you start lobbing comments at random passersby, you are answerable to whoever hears you.

With the utmost respect for Bernie Sanders, who is an incredible human being & a genuine inspiration, I don't endorse Joe Biden.

I supported Bernie Sanders because he backed ideas like #MedicareForAll, cancelling ALL student debt, & a wealth tax. Biden supports none of those.

— Briahna Joy Gray (@briebriejoy) April 13, 2020

might as well repost this tweet to underline that it's perfectly fine

Given that she tweeted that directly after Sanders endorsed Biden for the nomination and for the presidency, by publically tweeting this message she was implicitly endorsing the idea of not voting for Joe Biden. Which is only fine for certain values of fine.

The only votes that can be counted are votes that are cast. Practically speaking there are only two candidates who have a valid chance to be sworn in as POTUS in January 2021. Yeah, she would prefer a whole raft of policies that neither Biden nor Trump is likely to deliver. We all understand that. Voting for neither one implies that one has no preference between them. That's, um, not fine.

She should definitely retract, step in line, and learn to watch what she says, especially in public

Which is only fine for certain values of fine.

What does this mean

I would argue that now (or in this case a couple weeks ago) is the perfect time to say "you've got a ways to go to earn progressives' vote" in what might amount to a futile attempt to exert pressure. Especially now, six months is a fucking eternity. Why capitulate immediately unless you absolutely have to? As someone who's "no longer on the payroll", what's the urgency?

everyone who doesn't vote for joe biden should go to jail imo

No. I said nothing like that. But your saying that she is 'not answerable' for her public statements is in my view stupid. I'm saying I think her judgment in this is poor and reflects poorly on her. You have a problem with that. I don't.

I hate it when I behave stupidly by accurately stating the gap between my commitments and a politician's six months out from an election

it’s just no way to live

Joe Biden is a piece of shit

Yeah, but he's a not as bad piece of shit so I'm going to hold my nose and pull the lever for him.

like all our presidents

How one states that is subject to a great many shades and variations. I note her way was different than how you phrased it. Consider these alternatives:

"I find there is a gap between my commitments and Biden's, Therefore I have not decided at this time to endorse Biden for president".

"I find there is a gap between my commitments and Biden's, Therefore I have decided not to endorse Biden for president".

"I find there is an unbridgeable gap between my commitments and Biden's, Therefore I have decided not to endorse Biden for president".

All these 'accurately stating the gap between her commitments and a politician's six months out from an election'. They carry different meanings. As did the tweet she wrote.

I genuinely don't understand how those alternatives are any different or any better than her actual tweet

They carry different meanings. As did the tweet she wrote.

And they would all have been equally consequential

she was implicitly endorsing the idea of not voting for Joe Biden

not remotely

except for the THOU SHALT BOW DOWN crowd

Is there any room in here for an “I don’t fucking care what Bernie’s campaign staffers think” club? I’m thinking of starting one

I don't disagree tbh

Video👇🏻@ReadeAlexandra — is this your Mom’s voice? https://t.co/ospBhlKSvb pic.twitter.com/r5WsXJ2vQb

— Rich McHugh (@RichMcHugh) April 24, 2020

(reported confirmed in a reply)

This is my mom. I miss her so much and her brave support of me. https://t.co/okU80kqWAI

— taratweets ( Alexandra Tara Reade) (@ReadeAlexandra) April 24, 2020

I'm nowhere near this story, don't have a vote, but even I feel this dramatic.

Gray and Reade should definitely just shut up

feel like pure shit and just want him back

Find someone who looks at you like Jeffrey Epstein and @JoeBiden's top economic advisor look at each other. pic.twitter.com/73GYafb1Yn

— wokie from muskogee ☭ (@thereisonlypf) April 24, 2020

don't you guys understand, accepting people who run in such circles as a necessary part of our guvmint is "adult"

I can’t believe I have to say this, but please don’t drink bleach.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) April 24, 2020

Joe drink that bleach. It's good for you, and you only.

don't expect Medicare4All either

Joe and Aimless disagree on drinking bleach

Joe and Aimless sitting on the beach
Disagree on drinking bleach

maybe one upside of this clown being the democratic nominee is that his name recognition (and laziness and fear of putting his foot in his mouth) are cause to limit campaigning and thus campaign spending. so maybe this'll help set a precedent for less $-intensive presidential campaigns in the "future".

It would work the opposite direction. If he can't do live events (because of dementia or coronavirus or etc.) that means more spending on ads.

man Groundhog Day is in that weird dark cycle now huh

yeah, we're in the montage, only it's regular speed. very disorienting

i was just thinking of that movie earlier today. it seems likely that this ordeal will boost it up into a critical consensus top 3 movie of all time

i believe reade's story.

it appears that democrats aren't going to hold biden accountable. maybe some want to, but it seems clear that the vast majority of us don't want to hear about it. it's exhausting and frustrating, after everything else, to end up with a candidate like this.

so now what?

it’s basically this or worse for the rest of your life because rich people who are sorta vaguely liberal can’t countenance the idea of a tax on Wall Street speculation or removing the FICA cap.