I'm going to vote, and vote for Biden, but realistically, the democrats have already fumbled this big time.

The debate: honest to fuck, Trump looked composed and almost presidential next to Joe in that debate. I facepalmed in the first thirty seconds and never stopped. Jesus Christ, that was a massacre, and I don't know how anyone can pretend otherwise.

Biden himself: The debate kind of unsealed the can of questions about Joe's well being, and you're just not getting the snakes back in. Every time he goes to prove he's still Joe from 2020 or 2012, we get Joe from 2024, or even a flash of Joe from the debates. His audio is always fucked because he's speaking so soft that they have to turn the gain all the way up to pick him up, which means they also grab all kinds of artifact. He walks like an old man refusing to use the walker that his doctor is begging him to use. He keeps having pretty serious gaffes that kind of go beyond what we've come to expect from Joe. This just isn't going away, especially because every attempt to clean it up makes it worse. So, they're going to rely on the HRC 16 strategy of just yelling "Just shut the fuck up and vote, or we're going to get Hitler!"

Only: Now they're afraid to use the one trick this donkey seems to know anymore. The democrats got lazy, being able to use the threat of fascism as a fundraising and outreach tool. The problem is that we're talking about armed Americans here, and you convince the right ones that the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of tyrants and, well... [Gestures]. So, now, the democrats have spent eight years telling us how Trump is Hitler (and make no mistake about it, he is a fascist) and building their platform around being the not fascists, and now that whole rug has gotten yanked out from under them because if they keep using that rhetoric, it's going to get someone killed. So, which is it? Trump is a serious threat of fascism and must be stopped to save the Republic, or it's not actually that bad and it's okay as long as Joe feels he tried his best?

Oh, and the assassination attempt gave Trump a couple of big Ws. First, that fucking picture. Show me a picture of Joe that's that cool that isn't just a meme; you can't. Second, instead of hustling away immediately, shit ass decided to have a moment of showmanship and pump his fist and yell "fight!" I hate that Donald is a good showman, but he is, and denying it won't change it.

So let's review, shall we?

Joe has: a really very just okay first time if you forgive the little genocide detail. And probably Parkinson's or sundowner's or something. He also has no real strategy left now that pointing out that the fascists are fascist leads to an unacceptable risk of political violence.

Trump has: a terrible awful first term that was a whole COVID ago, a badass picture, a badass moment, the ability to mostly kinda sorta speak in full sentences at a good volume, not bad reaction time tbh, and a bunch of newly sympathetic news coverage, donors, and people ready to join up with the fascists supporting him.

You might read all this and say "fuckin Trump supporter", and, I mean, good for you, I guess. I'm going to vote for Biden or whoever isn't Trump on November, but I'm also trying to be realistic about the situation we're in. The democrat establishment have bunglefucked the situation bad, and I have grave concerns about their ability to get their shit in gear by November. May they prove me wrong, I am not excited about Christian fascism.

"senior Democrats" would rather Trump than a progressive. At least Trump is good for their stocks.

"This kind of leadership is functionally useless to the American people."

It's been that way for a long time now. Frankly, I can't think of a single agenda the Democratic party has rallied behind in recent memory that isn't not being a Republican. The Democratic leadership is useless, that's just been better than the malicious alternative.

Edit: I'm getting responses referencing Biden policies or those that are advocated for by a few outspoken Dems. These are not what I'm referring to. The Democratic party as a whole has no message, no mission, no agenda seemingly other than "patch up the damage that the Republicans leave". No wonder Democratic voters aren't motivated, we're not being represented we're just voting to slow the inevitable decay.

They do realize that they would be the first to go in a fascist coup? The kind Trump's Project 2025 openly threatens? Right?

Fucking vote

Almost as if they've spent decades not giving a single shit about the consolidation of power and march toward fascism and instead have dedicated all their energy snuffing out anything left of "mid right" on a neutral scale.

if you sit at the table with fascists, and don't care whether or not they get to power, you are fascist too.

I'm regretting not looking for an office to run for now, there needs to be a retire and replace move among the democrats.

We need less aisle reachers and more firebrands who'll nail the GOP to their heinous ideals like a roman centurion handling a thief's sentencing and pile the shame on them relentlessly, I don't want to see this spineless shit, I wanna see someone having to debate across from Margie Infidelitress back her far enough into a corner for her to start having a crying panic attack, and then when the parliamentarian calls for decorum threaten to come up there and put the gavel up their ass sideways if they dare interrupt the much needed dressing down again before it's finished.

I wanna see someone pay their staff bounties for graffitying the doors of election deniers for being the traitors they are.

I want to see someone begin carrying an obvious vanity cain around and brandish it at any Republican who tries to nut up like they deserve to do anything but be afraid of what'll happen if they dare forget their shame again.

It's like all these D-dinosaurs forgot that they needed to plan for their succession. I would imagine them working hard to make sure the new generation of politicians is ready. But modern career politicians will die in the saddle and seemingly are not worried what happens after.

As soon as I saw the picture, I felt like we were doomed. I'm still not voting for Trump, but that assassination attempt and the picture are, unfortunately, sometimes all that's needed to sway an American voter.

Like, he's a rapist, convicted felon, bad bsuines man, mentally unwell, fascist, and a general boob, but they'll look at that picture of him, fist up, blood on his ear, people trying to get him to get down, and then look at old man Joe and make their decision from there. If Biden truly cared about this country, he would step down. He's been vice president and now actual president, but his performance this round has been terrible and he needs to face the reality of that instead of pushing forward for the sake of his ego.

Edit: Just adding this since people think I'm saying all of Biden's presidency was poor. I talking about his debate/campaign performance.

They resigned themselves to a second Trump term when they decided to push forward an individual that couldn't carry a conversation 5 years ago. This isn't new.