Not With These Dice

Biden cannot be the nominee with democracy on the line

By Timothy P. Holmberg

For months, I have been queried whether I was comfortable reelecting Biden to the White House, given his age, etc. And for months, I have told them, “I’d rather have a cadaver in the President’s seat than Trump”. Until last night’s debate, I’d assumed that pithy quip would be largely metaphorical.

The haunting picture that comes to mind now, post debate, is one of an ailing German President Von Hindenburg being cajoled by Hitler to sign over the reigns of power, and the onset of Germany’s fascist state. History has no perfect analogs, but it is replete with lessons of what can happen when an anxious and disillusioned electorate is forced to choose between an authoritarian autocrat and an enfeebled nice guy. 

The Democratic Party establishment is in a momentary panic. They should be. But by morning, I expect a ghoulish James Carville to have spit them back into shape. I hope I’m wrong, but the Democratic establishment is too high on their own hubris to really listen. I can already hear “How do we spin this?” That is probably the single most texted message traveling across DC right now. 

My message, such that Democratic Party leaders might ever hear it? 

Not with these dice! 

Don’t you dare bet our democracy with Joe Biden as our candidate. Not after last night’s debate performance. Both parties are diseased in my view. One certainly more than the other. One is now basically the Brown Shirts. 

Someone needs to tell the party leaders that The Producers musical was theater, not strategy. 

Biden is a nice guy, with a good administration, who took on a battered administrative state. He had notable accomplishments, and kept this nation far above its peers in dealing with global inflation, supply chain issues, and a host of global bullies determined to throw the world into a bloodbath to sate their appetites. 

All those things can be true, and Biden can and is still the wrong person to vanquish Trump and his cult from establishing the Fourth Reich here in the US. 

The only thing more scary than Joe Biden’s debate performance, was how brazenly unchained Trump was. He all but put on his swastika arm band in that debate, and dared anyone to mention it. Trump is the very reincarnation of “The Radio Priest” Charles E Coughlin who in the 1930’s spewed pro Hitler fascist fever dreams in the US.

Every leader in the Democratic Party needs to take a gut check tonight. Are they in this for party, for ego, or country? Republicans betrayed the nation when they did not impeach Trump following his insurrection. Will Democrats fail this country now too? 

Don’t gamble our democracy. Not with these dice.