“While it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as president for my term,” Mr. Biden posted in a statement on social media.

  • memfree@lemmy.mlOP
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    4 months ago

    He’s now announced that he’s endorsing Harris. https://www.vox.com/politics/361827/biden-drops-out-2024-kamala-convention

    Moments later, Biden released another statement endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris to take his spot atop the ticket.

    “My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made,” the statement said. “Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.”

    What is clear is that the presidential contest is entering uncharted territory for the modern era.

    • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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      4 months ago

      Mark Kelly would beat Trump like a rented redheaded stepmule.

      Harris… Won’t.

      Well, she wouldn’t today. She’s been VP for four years, and aside from her name, race, and gender, she’s still pretty much an unknown. She needs to develop a personality, fast, if she wants to get anywhere.

      Mark Kelly has had an extraordinary career. Fighter Pilot, Navy Captain, Astronaut, husband of Gabby Giffords, twin brother of Scott Kelly, who has had an almost identical career. He’s a Blue senator from a Red state; he will steal voters from Trump, turning red states into swing states, and swing states into blue states.

      • BoxedFenders [any, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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        4 months ago

        lol no he wouldn’t. If you still hold fantasies that a Dem with a military background is going to outflank Trump for the blue collar white vote then you really haven’t been paying attention.

        • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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          4 months ago

          Which former high ranking military officer and astronaut have the Democrats put on a ballot to test that hypothesis?

          Kelly doesn’t have to win the white, blue-collar vote away from Trump. He only has to poach a handful of Trump votes in a few key states.

          • BoxedFenders [any, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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            4 months ago

            Mark Kelly has had an extraordinary career. Fighter Pilot, Navy Captain, Astronaut, husband of Gabby Giffords, twin brother of Scott Kelly, who has had an almost identical career. He’s a Blue senator from a Red state; he will steal voters from Trump, turning red states into swing states, and swing states into blue states.

            You think any of that shit matters to the electorate in 2024? He beat a staunch anti-abortion crusader that previously lost to Sinema. Even Kamala could’ve won that one. You spout off his military credentials as if anyone impressed by that will now breathe a sigh of relief because they won’t have to vote to for the man who said rude things about them.

            • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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              4 months ago

              You think any of that shit matters to the electorate in 2024?

              Not in the blue-no-matter-who states. But in the states that will vote for Trump, and the states that may vote for Trump, it matters.

              Why put forward a candidate who can only win where any Democrat would win?

            • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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              4 months ago

              John Kerry was a Lieutenant in the Navy, an O3. He commanded a swift boat, which were typically crewed by about 5 people. He was a low-level officer. The civilian equivalent of John Kerry’s military command was the produce manager at a grocery store.

              Mark Kelly was a Captain in the Navy, an O7. Captains command hundreds to thousands of sailors, depending on their specific posting. The civilian equivalent of his position was CEO of a fortune 500 company, (albeit, a smaller one)

              John Kerry ran against GW Bush, who was a First Lieutenant (O2) in the Air National Guard and a fighter pilot. As they had comparable military careers, Kerry’s background was a wash.

              Mark Kelly will be running against Cadet Bone Spurs.

              Based on their military careers, John Kerry and George Bush were dirt bikes, Mark Kelly was a Formula One car, and Donald Trump wet his pants when the engines started, and cried until his mommy took him home.

              The simple fact is that if Kelly is the nominee, you’ll vote for him. You’ll vote for whoever is on the ticket. “Blue, no matter who” voters give the party room to focus on pickier constituents.

              The voters we need to focus on are those in swing states and red states who would otherwise stay home, or cast a vote for Trump.

              Kelly has proven he can win in red states. It’s time to tag him in.

              • queermunist she/her@lemmy.ml
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                4 months ago

                The average blue collar american doesn’t know the difference between a Lieutenant or a Captain!

                Normal people don’t care about this shit. Military families do, but that’s a shrinking demographic.

                • BurgerPunk [he/him, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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                  4 months ago

                  You’re out of touch. The average person i know laughs when they see a virgin O3 walking around like they weren’t just the equivalent of a grocery store manager when they were getting shot at in their dinky swift boats like little bitches.

                  But when a fucking chad O7 walks around everyone loses their minds! Its just like if they saw a Fortune 500 CEO!!! so-true

                • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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                  4 months ago

                  Anyone who has seen Top Gun understands the difference between a lieutenant and a captain.

                • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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                  4 months ago

                  Ok, now think like a voter who has cast two ballots for Trump, instead of a voter who is going to vote blue no matter who. Because that former Trump voter is the one you need to convince if you want to win.

                  • axont [she/her, comrade/them]@hexbear.net
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                    4 months ago

                    I’m a communist. I don’t win if there’s a Democrat or a Republican in office. Someone who has cast two ballots for Trump has a dead rat for a brain and should be promptly sent to reeducation, not given some military bozo to vote for.

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                4 months ago

                John Kerry ran against GW Bush, who was a First Lieutenant (O2) in the Air National Guard and a fighter pilot. As they had comparable military careers, Kerry’s background was a wash.

                michael-laugh

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        4 months ago

        ‘Who?’

        As you edited your comment, I will too.

        I know of and respect the man- I am a total NASA fanboy. The issue is he does not have general name recognition and they have very little time to get things out there.

        Having a scientist in the White House would be amazing.

        • Rivalarrival@lemmy.today
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          4 months ago

          Agreed, he does not have general name recognition. But he does have a compelling story for every major news organization to jump on, and information flows faster than it ever has. 2 months and change is plenty enough.

          He also has an identical twin with a nearly identical career, effectively giving him the ability to campaign in two places at once.