Holding Out For A Shero

So it came to pass.

I wrote last week that all signs (read: three weeks of constant media story creation, polls paid for by Republicans) pointed to President Biden bowing out of the race by the weekend.  That's not magical prognostication on my part, just being realistic.  I spend far more time online than most, and do not confine my surfing to one site where only my own thoughts are echo chambered back to me.  I pay attention to what Musk is doing via X, the level of bot activity contained within those fetid walls of his; Threads, Blue Sky, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, Stack Social, Medium; and yes, FOX, RedState, and TruthSocial (which is anything but truth or social). 

The relentless banging of the "he's too old" drum after one less-than-stellar debate turned into a media cacophony of an entire percussion section, complete with everything from timpani to steel drums.  Add in the nonstop digeridoo type drone of frightened Dem lawmakers calling for him to step aside?  Again, it was not unexpected.  Especially when COVID sidelined him last week.

Small aside - I find it hypolarious (hypocritical and hilarious) how they love to poo poo COVID as just a cold for themselves, yet when Biden openly shared his diagnosis and his physician kept the world briefed, COVID suddenly took on mythic and deadly proportions in their ramblings.  I would say 'Make it make sense', but consider the source. <insert mental gif of cow shitting in a field>

But I digress.

Regardless of what President Biden considered the tipping point in his decision, what we saw yesterday in his announcement that he would be stepping aside is notable, laudable, eminently patriotic.  This is what putting country over party, over self interests looks like.  This is what eschewing the pull of power means.  This is the definition of acting for the "greater good".  Or to put it in Star Trekese - "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few ... or the one." 

His timing was beautiful.  The RNC spent all of last week's convention bleating about Biden, his age, <insert all manner of manure>.  With one fell swoop, he rendered their convention moot, smashed their main talking point, and hung the mantle of "Oldest Candidate EVER" firmly on Trump's sloped shoulders. (Who incidentally spent all last night shitting his Depends on Truth Social, including demanding the DNC reimburse him for all his costs spent campaigning against President Biden.)

He also put his support firmly behind his current VP, Kamala Harris.

I can tell you that yesterday across the many platforms was a faction of Biden supporters, but especially phone bankers, activists, etc who began rending their garments, setting their hair on fire, and responding in a way that spoke more of a literal death than a figurative one.  And I get it.  To a point.

Supporting Biden through the years, but especially these last weeks when it was so obvious how much was being fabricated against him, took a lot of fortitude, emotion, focus.  Get mad at the media, the Dem lawmakers who openly joined the fray, but to feel betrayed by him?  Nah.  Miss me with that.  And as for the ones who spent yesterday in literal tears swearing they were not even going to vote now?  GROW UP.

Was there general anxiety and some fear?  Of course.  Change frightens most people.  Especially when we did not seek it out.

But here's the thing - nothing, and I mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G - changed about our goal.  Nothing changed about the dangers we face.  Nothing changed about Project 2025.  Nothing changed about the felonious rapist at the top of their ticket.

Another aside:  I am growing increasingly alarmed over the number of people who openly admit they have not heard of Project 2025, know little about it.  This has to change.  Yes, the damned thing is nearly 1,000 pages long, but there are myriad summaries, breakdowns, memes, and reference materials available with a simple Google.  DO  IT.  You're in there, I promise you.  Whether it is your money's safety, your child's education, your bodily autonomy, your parents' Social Security, your government job, and on and on...

Again, I digress.

Vice President Kamala Harris is the new standard bearer moving forward.  The Biden-Harris campaign war chest has been ceded to her campaign's control; by 5pm yesterday the list of endorsements from PACs and party members was longer than my husband's leg (I have short legs, would have been a bad example); by 1 am (yes, I am awake a lot in the middle of the night - hit me up, we can play Words With Friends) ActBLue had raised $70,410,317.  That amount has only grown throughout the night/morning.  (She just blew past 100 MILLION.)

And this from legal analyst Tristen Snell:

Again, I stress I do not believe any demographic is a monolith when it comes to voting, but I also recognize when we are repeatedly saved by a voting behemoth.  Black women have and will be instrumental in saving this democracy in November.  Pay attention, and pay homage.  And quite frankly, pay them back by voting with them.  (Looking at you white women who constantly vote against your best interests.)

My point is that there is energy and drive and focus aplenty as we start this week.

And that is what I want to emphasize for anyone still feeling shaky this morning; anyone dreading the open misogyny and racism we know this country is oozing with; anyone who worries we won't elect a woman.  Before I went to bed, I spent hours on all the sites I mentioned.  Dems are overwhelmingly galvanized and committed and excited to move this ball forward.  Because it is firmly in our court right now.

As for the MAGAs?  ON. THEIR. HEELS.  Whine all they like about Biden's age or bandy BS stories about his mental acuity - they were not expecting THIS.  In the face of actual patriotism they do not know what to do.  So they began scrambling.  Their main talking points last night?  Sit down...

Kamala wants to outlaw straws.

Kamala laughs too much.

And Trump's latest offering from his mental rectum:  Biden is faking COVID as an excuse.

They are now faced with a prosecutor against a perpetrator.  A woman who does not back away from a fight.  A black woman, no less.  And they see exactly how energized is this blue wave.  Yes, they are confused by how we can multi task - thanking President Biden for his accomplishments, leadership, and patriotism, all while getting behind his VP.  They are stymied how a man can step aside and change his Twitter (fuck the name X, Elon) background to this.

They are incapable of understanding that we see them.  We see through their bullshit, their never ending lies, their subterfuge.  And we are not going to allow them to implement their ruinous, dangerous, murderous plans.

Perhaps what confuses them the most (besides our lack of flags, gold tennis shoes, and truck wraps) is this.  In seeing them clearly this election stopped being about a candidate for us long ago. This campaign has never been about a candidate. It is about a future. A democracy. A set of protections. The rule of law. The way we should treat one another.  The path forward, not backward.  THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Kamala Harris is an excellent candidate and state delegations have already began throwing all their support behind her ahead of the convention.  Now, as her choice of running mate is being decided - swing state governors keep your ringers on - it is time to educate yourself about her.  She has been sitting that one heartbeat away from the Presidency for 3 1/2 years.  She is experienced, she is confident, she educated, she is respected on the world stage.  She is ready.  Accomplishments?

And for the record, I love typing SHE.  We have seen for centuries that men have proven to be largely shit at being in charge in this world.  The time is now.  The goal has not changed.  President Biden has been heroic in accomplishing so very much while in office, with nearly 6 months left to get even more done (bring on Dark Brandon), and in passing the baton to Kamala.

We are now holding out for a SHEro.  SHE can do this.  We can do this.  Get out the vote, people.  It's going to be ok.

Comments

[Robin in New Mexico]

John Scalzi in his blog "Whatever" does an excellent job of clarifying the current situation. Of course, the situation is still fluid.

[B Hohl]

I tried to join that 40,000. I just love how you write.

The RNC is butthurt over the putative bait and switch pulled on them. The very action they engineered with the help of Rusher,
Rusher, Rusher.

Focusing the wandering attention of the feline dems will be the hardest part of getting them behind whoever emerges from the Convention gauntlet.

Let's remember that the enemy is the Fetid Felon and his monied, hopeful supporters.

We MUST repel the tangerine terrorist's movement.

[Judith Spiegel]

You are my SHERO.