John and I finally had a chance to sit down and talk about the biggest news story of the last couple weeks: Joe Biden’s worryingly bad debate performance. Though even calling it “bad” is an understatement bordering on a category error, as prominent Democratic politicians and donors are now issuing calls for Biden to drop out. Over the course of 90 minutes, Biden appeared to confirm years of speculation regarding his mental and physical decline. He was inarticulate, his speech was halting, and he occasionally appeared to be confused. By comparison, Trump appeared relaxed and focused, though he lied and demagogued his way through the debate.
In this episode, John and I take up the big questions. We both think Biden should drop out of the race, for the good of the country and his party. What happens after that? Kamala Harris is the logical successor to Biden at the top of the ticket, but she comes with her own baggage, including an undistinguished performance as VP. There’s no question that, with Biden’s decline confirmed and no slam-dunk Democratic candidate waiting in the wings, a second Trump presidency looks more probable than it did a couple weeks ago. But will that make another four years of Trump any easier to swallow for Democrats? In the event that Biden does drop out, how will Democrats generate consensus around a new candidate this late in the race? And is this presidential race evidence that the US is in a severe state of decline?
This post was released on Monday to paying subscribers and is now unlocked. To receive early access to TGS episodes, an ad-free podcast feed, Q&As, and other exclusive content and benefits, click below.
Sign Up for City Journal’s Newsletter
City Journal provides rigorous analysis that allows you to reach your own conclusions, rather than rehashing ideologically “safe” talking points. Explore it for yourselves and sign up for their free newsletter today.
1:18 John: Biden probably should not be running for president
7:47 Who’s running the country?
11:17 Presidential bullshit
13:35 Ground News ad
15:56 Is Kamala up to the big job?
22:44 Kamala’s questionable climb to the top
27:53 The NYT Editorial Board’s surprising call for Biden to drop out
33:50 Trump at Gettysburg
35:45 Trump’s victory is now more probable. But is it more defensible?
40:42 Interrogating the “elitist backlash” interpretation of Trumpism
45:43 How should Dems proceed in a post-Biden election?
Recorded July 4, 2024
Links and Readings
Full video of the Trump-Biden debate
Harry G. Frankfurter’s book, On Bullshit
Clip from Adam McKay’s film, Vice
Kamala Harris attacks Biden during a 2019 primary debate
Kamala Harris defends Biden’s recent debate performance
NYT Editorial Board calls on Biden to leave the race
John McWhorter – Biden's Disastrous Debate