New Rules!

No more 24 hour news channels.
No more talking head pundits who never went to journalism school.
No more reporting on what the other people are reporting without doing your own fact checking.
No more. 

I mean, that's not going to happen, but man if I ran the world things would be different. 

Even with trying to really limit my social media this month I've been constantly bombarded with the fact that Joe Biden is old. Even though I knew he was old. I'm apparently so smart that I knew he was old four years ago when he ran. Hell, I knew he was old when he was Vice President and he was MUCH younger then. 

I also know that he's a walking talking gaffe machine and now anytime he makes any sort of mistake the media is going to be talking about the DOZENS of democrats who are calling for him to resign. DOZENS. I mean...that's like not even statistically significant. But whatever... DOZENS!

Last night we ended up watching the tail end of the press conference. We didn't plan on it because both Brent and I believed it was a trap. There is no way and nothing he can do that will be good enough to calm the media bloodbath right now. And we were right. 

They latched on to the two times he misspoke all evening. Now, coming from someone who was never called by her name growing up, I was lucky if Mom got to my name before listing the pets, I don't find that to be that big of a deal. Especially considering I am terrible at names and will call you by the wrong one even if I've known you for well, ever. 

One time Brent and I were playing Scattergories and the clue was men's names that start with the letter D and I listed out like 5 and was tapped. While Brent kept looking more and more incredulous. "Are you sure that's all you know?" and I'm like, "Yes, that's it. Geez." Finally he says what about...and gives a name that is the first name of a good friend of ours. Oh shit, that's right! I should have gotten that. And he STILL looks incredulous and says, "AND IT'S MY MIDDLE NAME!" Oh yeah...

So I'm not going to get on anyone for flubbing a name. 

And I get it, the debate was terrible. More than just a flubbed name. It was awful. He looked lost. It wasn't powerful. It wasn't bombastic. It wasn't packed full of lies. Which I guess if you say them loudly makes them a good thing. The debate was a disaster. 

But two different pressers last night. One being an hour of being bombarded with the press asking, "What came out of the NATO meeting and oh yeah, are you dropping out?" And he handled everything fine. Except for those two name slips. 

So what did the media focus on? You already know...

And here is the truly hilarious part to me. We watched on NBC and the reporter they had in the room flubbed his words while he was reporting about Biden flubbing and when Lester Holt took the toss HE flubbed a name as well. Called Trump trope. Which, honestly? He is a trope. But nobody is screaming for them to be replaced with younger reporters and news anchors today. 

We're so far into the bread and circuses part of the downfall of civilization that the media doesn't even care that they are the circuses. Put someone on who looks news anchor-y and just let them talk. Hold a panel of people who will also be on a panel on another channel in an hour and let them all talk at each other. And make sure they assure us that they speak for everyone when they talk. EVERYONE is saying this...

Well, no, not everyone is. There are people out there who don't watch the news. There are people out there that are not chronically online. And there are even people out there who never pay attention to what the talking heads and pundits say. And the most recent polling suggests that those people have not changed their minds. 

Which, honestly, as far as how we will vote, is most of us. I mean, I know I'm voting for who ever the democrat is on the ticket. And for president right now that person is Joe Biden. If that changes I will vote for that person. 

I have no idea if it would be better to replace him or better for him to ride it out. My personal thought is that replacing him would be a mistake. You'd have a new candidate starting from scratch a few months out. The headline switches from Joe Biden is old to Democrats are in disarray! And then add to that the lawsuits that will be filed because the person is now not the person who won the primaries. You think the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society don't already have those written and ready to file? 

But that's my take. Nobody knows how this ends up. I've been worried that Trump wins since long before the drum beat of Old Man Joe started. I'm afraid because we know how terrible it would be if he wins. And fear is such a bad place to live. 

And it's fear that is pushing a lot of people into the replace him camp. And it's fear that is keeping a lot of the people in the don't replace him camp. 

What I want is the fear to motivate everyone to vote in November and vote to make sure Trump does not get a second shot at dismantling our country. Vote in a way that gives Congress the power and the numbers to make a change in the courts. Vote in a way that gives Congress the power and the numbers to undo some of the damage this court has already done. 

Do not vote in any way that puts Trump and his ilk back in power. 

They will come for you. Eventually. You might be farther down the list, but if you are reading my blog, and are friends with me, that probably means you are not their ideal candidate for keeper. 

I get that nobody like fear mongering. But for fuck's sake, maybe a little fear is a reasonable response. 

If you're worried that Biden isn't up to doing the job, take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember, he is doing the job right now. And even though the press would rather talk about how old he is, there are tons of lists out there of all of the things he's accomplished over the past 3 1/2 years. If you're worried that he won't make it another four years, that's why we vote for a ticket. Harris is more than capable of stepping into the role. That's why we should care who a VP is, because there is always the chance they will need to take over. I'd be fine with Madame President Harris. Have her name Boot Edge Edge as VP and we're cooking with induction powered by solar panels! 

I'm afraid Trump will win. Just like I was four years ago. But I'm hoping that America as a whole hasn't decided to end the country and usher in the Christian Nationalist Theocratic rule. Even though, and I'm not sure if you've heard, Joe Biden is old.