August 31, 2020

"Ask yourself: do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?"

Joe Biden went to Pittsburg today, where he read a speech indoors. Here's the video. I can't tell if he has an audience. There's no engagement with any questioners. I don't really know how this is different from speaking from his own home, but it was presented in the press as an important occasion. The NYT says: "Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Monday issued a forceful rebuttal to President Trump’s misleading charges that he would preside over a country wracked by disorder and lawlessness...." I watched the first minute of the video, but it was too tedious. I was distracted by the metal grid behind him.



I thought it looked like a screen and fantasized about a remake of "The Fly."



So I'm just going to read the transcript and react to it for you as I read:
In recent days, we’ve had a lot of talk about who’s going where and how I’ve decided to come to Pittsburgh to talk a little bit about what’s going on right now....
So vague. Such a weak beginning. You'd think he'd specify what the talk was. Trump's going to Lake Charles, Louisiana and Kenosha, Wisconsin? If he'd specified, we'd know Trump's decisions were based on the hurricane and the Jacob Blake incident. But there's no reason for choosing Pittsburgh. It's just: Here I am in Pittsburgh, talking a little bit. There's a lack of drive and purpose.
In the early days of World War II, Franklin Roosevelt told the country, and I quote, “The news is going to get worse and worse before it gets better and better. And the American people deserve to have it straight from the shoulder.” Straight from the shoulder. The job of a president is to tell it straight from the shoulder, tell the truth, to be candid, to face facts, to lead, not to incite. That’s why I’m speaking to you today. The incumbant president is incapable of telling us the truth, incapable of facing the facts and incapable of healing. He doesn’t want to shed light, he wants to generate heat and he’s stroking violence in our cities.
I checked the video, and he really does say that Trump is "stroking violence in our cities." Meade says, "He's thinking about how he likes to stroke little girls' hair."

Anyway, does Biden seem to want to shed light? He's accusing Trump of inciting violence. Ridiculous! Trump is offering to help end the violence and waiting for local authorities — Democratic politicians — to accept the offer. Will Biden ask these politicians to welcome the federal help? If not, it's absurd to blame Trump.
This is a tragic fact of the matter, how he’s dealing with this perilous hour in our nation.
The transcript cleans up a lot of stumbling in that sentence. He actually says: "You know, this is a tragic fact of the matter, about his perilous hour and how he's dealing with his perilous hour in our nation."
And now we have to stand against violence in every form it takes. Violence we’ve seen again and again and again, of unwarranted police shooting, excessive force, seven bullets in the back of Jacob Blake. Knee on the neck of George Floyd, killing of Breonna Taylor in her own apartment, violence of extremists and opportunists, right wing militias…
The video malfunctions at that point and "militias" repeats a few times, then we jump to the middle of a sentence.
... and to derail any hope and support for progress, the senseless violence of looting and burning and destruction of property. I want to make it absolutely clear, so I’m going to be very clear about all of this, rioting is not protesting. Looting is not protesting. Setting fires is not protesting. None of this is protesting. It’s lawlessness, plain and simple. And those who do it should be prosecuted. Violence will not bring change, it will only bring destruction. It’s wrong in every way. It divides instead of unites, destroys businesses, only hurts the working families that serve the community. It makes things worse across the board, not better. No, it’s not what Dr. King or John Lewis taught and it must end.
Good. He needed to say that.
Fires are burning and we have a president who fans the flames rather than fighting the flames. 
Seems to me, Trump is offering to fight the flames but the local officials reject the help. Presumably, Biden is referring to things that Trump is saying that are supposedly making the rioters more destructive, but I don't know what that is. I don't see the riots as being about Trump at all. They're about the police in cities that are run by Democrats.
But we must not burn, we have to build. This president, long ago, forfeited any moral leadership in this country. He can’t stop the violence because for years he’s fomented it. He may believe mouthing the words law and order makes him strong. But his failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows how weak he is.
He's not just "mouthing the words law and order." He's offering to send in federal forces to stop the violence. Biden just seems dishonest not to talk about this and not to talk about the role of local Democratic officials. Can I just announce that Biden has "forfeited any moral leadership"?
Does anyone believe there’ll be less violence in America if Donald Trump is reelected?
This is the line that I saw in news reports before the speech, and my reaction was yes. Why would the rioters stand down because Joe Biden gets elected? I don't see how you can look at these protests and form the belief that what these people want is just a Democratic President.
We need justice in America. We need safety in America. We’re facing multiple crises. Crises that under Donald Trump have kept multiplying. COVID, economic devastation, unwarranted police violence, [inaudible 00:03:48] white nationalists, a reckoning on race, declining faith in the birth of the right American future. There’s no reason why we can’t just do so much more than we’re doing. 
What would you do that Trump hasn't done?
The common threat, the incumbent president who makes things worse, not better, an incumbent president who sows chaos rather than providing order. An incumbent president who fails in the basic duty of the job, which is to advance the truth that all of us know, that we’re all born with the right to life, Liberty, and pursuit of happiness. That’s right. All of us, the moms and dads in Scranton, where I grew up, who have worked and scraped for everything they’ve ever gotten in life....
This is entirely bland and empty. There's no difference between Trump and Biden on the belief that we're born with a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! There follows a list of types of people — the auto worker, the single mom, etc. I'll skip that.
When I think of the presidency, I don’t think about myself. It isn’t about my brand. It’s about you, the American people. 
No, it's actually about you, Joe. What do you have to offer?!
We can do better and we have to do better. I promise you this. We will do better. The road back begins now in this campaign. You know me, you know my heart, you know my story, my family story. Ask yourself, do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really? 
Why then would the rioters stand down if you're elected? I would expect the protesters to be just as angry and dissatisfied with you as with Trump. They want radical socialism. You're a big disappointment to them. If you're weak and bland, they'll take advantage of you. I don't see how your oft-mentioned "heart" can save us.
I want a safe America, safe from COVID, safe from crime and looting, safe from racially motivated violence, safe from bad cops. 
But you're not just another voter, sharing our wants. You've got to be able to do something, and you seem much weaker than Trump.
Let me be crystal clear, safe from four more years of Donald Trump. I look at this violence and I see lives and communities and the dreams of small businesses being destroyed and the opportunity for real progress on issues of race and police reform and justice being put to the test. Donald Trump looks at this violence and he sees a political lifeline. Having failed to protect this nation from the virus that has killed more than 180,000 Americans so far, Trump posts an all caps tweet, screaming, “Law and order,” to save his campaign.
But you went to Pittsburgh to say that to try to save your campaign.
One of his closest political advisers in the White House doesn’t even bother to speak in code, just comes out and she says it. “The more chaos, violence, the better it is for Trump’s reelection.” Just think about that. This is a sitting president of the United States of America. He’s supposed to be protecting this country, but instead he’s rooting for chaos and violence. 
He's acknowledging a reality that you know is true and that motivated you to come up out of the basement sooner than you'd said you would. That doesn't mean he's rooting for more violence, only that you're hoping it will go away, so it won't hurt you. Why don't you call on the Democratic mayors and governors to accept federal help to stop the violence?
The simple truth is Donald Trump failed to protect America. 
Isn't the "simple truth" complicated by the failure of Democratic mayors and governors to accept the help Trump is offering? This assertion is dishonest and infuriating.
So now he’s trying to scare America. Since Donald Trump and Mike Pence can’t run on their record that has seen more American death to a virus, this virus, then the nation suffered in every war since Korea combined, since they can’t run on their economy that has seen more people lose their jobs than any time since the Great Depression, since they can’t run on a simple proposition of sending our children safely back to school, since they have no agenda or vision for a second term, Trump and Pence are running on this. And I find it fascinating. “You won’t be safe in Joe Biden’s America.” And what’s their proof? The violence we’re seeing in Donald Trump’s America. 
In cities that have been controlled by Democrats for years.
These are not images of some imagined Joe Biden America in the future. These are images of Donald Trump’s America today. He keeps telling you if only he was president, it wouldn’t happen. If he was president. He keeps telling us that he was president you’d feel safe. Well, he is president. 
I'm sure that's hilarious to hardcore Democrats, but — and I say this as someone who has often voted for Democrats, including in the last presidential election — it disgusts me. Trump doesn't say "if only I were President." It's a made-up line, used to tell a dumb joke in this empty, padded speech.
Whether he knows it or not, and it is happening, it’s getting worse. And you know why? Because Donald Trump adds fuel to every fire because he refuses to even acknowledge that there’s a racial justice problem in America because he won’t stand up to any form of violence. 
Did he watch the GOP convention?
He’s got no problem with right-wing militia, white supremacists, and vigilantes with assault weapons often better armed than the police. 
That's just a lie.
Often in the middle of the violence at the protestors and aiming it there. And because tens of millions of Americans simply don’t trust this president to respect their rights, to hear their concerns or to protect them. It doesn’t have to be this way. When President Obama and I were in the White House, we had to defend federal property. We did it. We didn’t see it. You didn’t see us whipping up fears around the deployment of secret federal troops. We just did our job and the federal property was protected. When president Obama and I were in office, we didn’t look at cities as Democratic or Republican run. 
See how he's avoiding the issue I want him to face. The badly run cities are run by Democrats, so your failing to look at that was to your partisan political advantage. You can't claim credit for that.
These are American cities. But Trump doesn’t see himself as president for all of America. 
There's no basis for that statement. It's just dishonest.
Frankly, I believe if I were president today, the country would be safer and we’d be seeing a lot less violence...
Why?
... and here’s why. 
I'm listening....
I have said we must address the issue of racial injustice. I’ve personally spoken to George Floyd’s family, and to Jacob Blake’s family. I know their pain. And so do you. I know the justice they seek and so do you. They’ve told us, “None of this violence respects or honors George or Jacob.” I believe it can bring these folks fighting for racial justice to the table.
Not sure what "it" refers to. Maybe he said "I" and the transcript is wrong. Biden is asserting that he has the power to address the issue of racial injustice — a term he never elaborates — because he has done phone calls with family members of those who died in encounters with the police.
I’ve worked with police in this country for many years. I know most cops are good, decent people. I know how they risk their lives every time they put that shield on and go out the door. I’m confident I can bring the police to the table as well. I’d make sure every mayor and governor had the support they needed from the federal government. But I wouldn’t be looking to use the United States military against our own people. If I were president, my language would be less divisive, I’d be looking to lower the temperature in this country, not raise it. I’d be looking to unite the nation. But look, if Donald Trump wants to ask the question, “Who will keep you safer as president?” Let’s answer that question. First, some simple facts. When I was vice president, violent crime fell 15% in this country. We did it without chaos and disorder.  And yes, we did it with Democratic mayors in most of the major cities in this country. The murder right now is up 26% across the nation this year under Donald Trump. 
With Democratic mayors in the major cities.
Do you really feel safer under Donald Trump? 
I don't feel safer, but it's because of the local officials, who are Democrats. What can be done about that?

Biden switches to talking about the coronavirus, cites some statistics, then says: "Do you really feel safe under Donald Trump? Mr. Trump, you want to talk about fear?" There's talk of Russia, the economy, and then a big play for Pennsylvania:
I am not banning fracking. Let me say that again. I am not banning fracking....
Not banning.
Donald Trump has been a toxic presence in our nation for four years. Poisoning how we talk to one another, poisoning how we treat one another, poisoning the values this nation has always held dear, poisoning our very democracy. Now, in just a little over 60 days, we have a decision to make. Will we rid ourselves of this toxin or will we make it a permanent part of our nation’s character?...
This is the crux of the argument. Trump is toxic, and the only alternative at this point is Biden, a man reputed to have a bigger heart.
Look, I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it, America is an idea. It’s the most powerful idea in the history of the world. And I believe it beats in the hearts of the people of this country. All men and women are created equal and they deserve to be treated equally. Trump has sought to remake this nation in his image. Selfish, angry, dark, and divisive. This is not who we are. At her best, America’s always been, and if I have anything to do it, it will be again, generous, confident, an optimistic nation full of hope and resolve. Donald Trump is determined to instill fear in America. That’s what his entire campaign for the president has come down to, fear. But I believe Americans are stronger than that. I believe we’ll be guided by the words of Pope John Paul II, words drawn from the scriptures: Be not afraid, be not afraid. Fear never builds the future, but hope does. And building the future is what America does, what we’ve always done. In fact, it’s what we have done best and continue to do best. This is the United States of America. There’s not a single thing beyond our capacity when we decide to do it together. So let’s get together. I want to thank you all. May God bless you, and may God protect our troops.
Trump is "selfish, angry, dark, and divisive" and that's inconsistent with the idea of America. That's the message. But you look at the protests, and what are those people saying is "the idea of America"? They say "systemic racism." Biden can only promise to deal with "issues of racial justice."

So that's what the NYT called a "forceful rebuttal" to Trump. To me, it's very disappointing.

197 comments:

mikee said...

So, this election is basically Joe asking, "Who you gonna believe, me or your damn lying eyes?" And I am happy to say that I don't believe Joe - who has dementia, and should not be running for president.

Michael K said...

I take it you didn't like the speech much.

He just compounded his problem of hiding in the basement. Who else was there?

I am assuming this is the last word on the debate issue. No debates.

Nancy said...

Best. Fisking. Ever.

whitney said...

"So that's what the NYT called a "forceful rebuttal" to Trump. To me, it's very disappointing"

You're very disappointed? That's hilarious. You should be really impressed he managed to be get through that speech

Gahrie said...

This assertion is dishonest and infuriating.

Welcome to the club. The Democrats have been making such assertions since Goldwater and the Daisy ad. We've been infuriated for quite a while. Some of us have been pretty pissed that some of you could never catch on.

Paul said...

I told you guys he would read from a script (teleprompter) and not take questions.

And yep, back to his basement.

What a joke.

doctrev said...

Nope nope nope. I don't care about the edited, sanitized transcript. People need to nope away from blogs that don't confront Joe Biden's obvious sundowning. He's not a Presidential candidate: he's a demented puppet propped up by Soros/ Bloomberg in their conspiracy to run the United States through the blackmail ring of their good pal Jeff Epstein.

That's my last word here for today.

JaimeRoberto said...

"But I wouldn’t be looking to use the United States military against our own people."

I must have missed the part where Trump used the military.

Vance said...

So I have a question: What is Joe Biden going to do for the people who don't vote for him? Where's the unity; the promise of "I will treat you fairly?"

From where I sit, the Democrats are saying that they will do 2 things: reward their followers and punish their enemies.

So isn't it a matter of life and death for me to vote for Trump, because if the Democrats win, they will go after me and mine with deadly force and vengeance? All in the name of "unity" and "tolerance."

If Trump wins, not a single Democrat believes they are going to be jailed for no reason. Oh, they blather on about it, but the mere fact they are screeching hysterically as loud as they can shows they don't really believe it. If they did, they'd be silent as a clam.

It's Republicans and conservatives who keep silent, who are afraid of the mobs. Like all leftist revolutions, if Biden wins it will end in the Terror.

rhhardin said...

It's not a lie, it's fiction. Some people want to live in that fiction. Biden reassures them that no fact will take that pleasure from them if they vote for him. He'll keep their fiction alive.

I don't get the feeling that Althouse can read Trump at all. She'd remark on the invalidity of Biden's reading of Trump if she could.

It's a fiction but one born of incompetent reading on Biden's part, which is a disqualifier. The inability to read a situation.

rhhardin said...

Only five flags in the background. That's pretty low for a candidate for high office.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I tried to alert Scott Adams.

omg. cc @ScottAdamsSays
Isn't this a huge persuasion blunder?

Drago said...

Yes.

The democraticals and LLR-lefties really are going to try and pull the Switcho-chango where its been right wing militias stirring up troubles in the cities and the lefties/dems/LLR-lefties had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Literally.

Really.

And now I await all the Althouse lefties/LLR-lefties to explain how it is they are the Law and Order party against right wing militias that are torching cities!

And if you have been reading this blog for a few years, you already know for a fact that Althouse lefties/LLR-lefties will be able to execute that 180 degree spin as easily as they breathe.......and the lefties/LLR-lefties will actually believe their new narratives as strongly as they believed their months long extolling of the virtues of the antifa/BLM/marxist rioters.

Just watch.........

rhhardin said...

No signs of dementia.

Drago said...

Michael K: "I am assuming this is the last word on the debate issue. No debates."

No doubt.

After this performance even the hack legacy media wouldn't be able to cover for Dementia "finger rapist" Joe in any debate.

Tommy Duncan said...

It was a selfish, angry, dark, and divisive night.

DavidUW said...

Zugzwang. He’s forced to debate. If he doesn’t he loses. Period.
If he does, he loses.

gilbar said...

from CBS news reporter:
Joe Biden delivered a stark rebuttal to President Trump's unfounded claim that Democrats are to blame for the recent wave of social unrest.
Biden believes President Trump has created the racial division we are currently seeing


kinda Neat!
President Trump's claim that the democrats are to blame, is UNFOUNDED
Jo Biden's claim that President Trump created the problem, is just His Belief

rhhardin said...

We need to heel; also sit, lie down, and stay. Avoiding crude joke here.

Ken B said...

That question about reduced violence. To me that is the logic of the heckler’s veto, an implicit acceptance of the violence. “As long as you vote against me the violence continues.”

Rory said...

A pretty good minute from Biden about fracking:

https://youtu.be/digRNl-tmKI

AlbertAnonymous said...

Really weak sauce from Joe.

I’m glad you’re calling out his lies. Just straight up lies about Trump.

Not a single specific thing about what he’d be doing different. Just ‘I won’t be Trump’ ... ‘I’ll succeed where he's failed’... ‘blah blah blah’...

And yes, he said Trump was “stroking violence”

Most of all, he really looks creepy staring straight into the camera/teleprompter the whole time and still stumbles around. He’s not capable. He’ll be crushed in the debates.

Like I said really weak sauce.

The only upside I see is maybe, just maybe, the press will now start talking about the violence and riots in the streets instead of the “mostly peaceful” BS we constantly hear. Does anyone believe that BS Spin?

Mike Smith said...

The speech confirmed his unfortunate dementia.

Watch this, while keeping in mind he has a Tele-A-Prompter: https://twitter.com/ThomasCatenacci/status/1300494641180139521

gilbar said...

I am assuming this is the last word on the debate issue. No debates.

serious question
if a person can't even do a live speech, could he Possibly do a debate?

serious question 2
when was the last time, PEOPLE actually Saw Jo Biden?

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

"Nice country you got there--
it would be a shame if something happened to it after Trump's reelection"

He now says he's against the violence, but bails out the perps

Ken B said...

Sad to see some otherwise honest lefties I respect but who have TDS latch onto this speech and see it as Biden standing tall. Ben Winegard for example. They ignore what Althouse can see as plain as day.

I agree with AA here. He did at least, and at last, condemn the riots. That is more than many Democrats have done. He should have done it months ago, and his failure to do so outweighs this belated profession, especially as it is tainted with the lies AA enumerated.

Sprezzatura said...

“To me, it's very disappointing.”

Althouse states that she wanted to see Biden jabber about how DJT is flying to places to solve unrest and natural disasters (and so that he can give folks valuable DJT signatures, cause that can buy a lot of paper towels, duh), and she wanted Biden to point out that DJT could solve the current “chaos” (though even at max-CHAD/CHOP, my two Seattle houses were in hoods w/ tons of open doors and lots of little kids out and about playing w/o supervision: it was mega-juxtaposition re the national coverage re the city.) in cities in an “hour,” except the D leaders are hindering him. Hence, reelecting DJT will solve this, in an hour.

Presumably Althouse did not want Biden to jabber re DJT promising (during his first acceptance speech) that unrest in America would end after he was elected. Back then he was joshin’. Don’t think about that. Rather, this time when he says he can wrap everything up in an hour if he’s reelected, it’s true! Not joking around. Definitely not full of shit. DJT blather should be (as Althouse shows us) taken as a serious solution (this time), just waiting for the opportunity re implementation/election(again). And, on the other side we have POS Biden who in his speech didn’t state that DJT can fix everything, in an hour, if DJT is reelected. Cause DJT said so! This time he’s not joking. Hence Althouse is disappointed.

Carry on.

Kevin said...

I can't tell if he has an audience. There's no engagement with any questioners. I don't really know how this is different from speaking from his own home, but it was presented in the press as an important occasion.

There was no audience but some people, less than 50, gathered outside. Some held Biden signs or flags.

It was different because Trump couldn't say he gave the speech from his basement.

Kevin said...

He doesn’t want to shed light,

Is Biden really going to keep repeating the "shedding" metaphor when we're dealing with a viral pandemic?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Shoot. I wasted my "insect politics" comment on the much earlier "Ominous Insects" post.

n.n said...

@CDCgov update on #COVID19 – US Deaths overestimated by 17 times

Conflation of causes.

Kevin said...

Shorter Biden speech about rioting: You know what's really scary? Coronavirus!

Kevin said...

I couldn't get over Joe's squinting through the entire speech.

Clearly his eyes hadn't adjusted to light coming from the sun.

Francisco D said...

Ask Yourself: Do I look like a corrupt lifelong politician with a soft spot for making sure my kids get their fair share of bribes?

"I am Joe Biden and I approve this thing, you know the thing. Damn it.

I am Joe Biden and I ... uh ... forgot this message."

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Remember Biden is the one who told a black audience that Mitt Freakin' Romney was going put them back in chains.

There's your racial healing.

eric said...

I'm with you on this one Ann.

Why did he go to Pennsylvania? Did he meet with anyone? Take a tour of a plant or something?

Seems like a huge waste. He could have done this speech from his basement. What was the point of traveling to Pennsylvania to give it?

Kevin said...

I was distracted by the metal grid behind him.

Didn't you immediately think, "cages"?

And not in a "Trump is terrible" way?

PluralThumb said...

So Inga Jr. mixes about some pop media with natural disasters. Yet afraid to fill in for Michael Ojo representing Serbia with some monkey non sense to redirect hatred. Returns patient enough and returns to the same. I can concur, but I'm not asking Inga out on a coffee date.
The kid had a heart attack at 27. While Michael Jordan smoked some weed in a club and found a new wife. Yet, white people are at fault ?

Tommy Duncan said...

"I'll do it better" is not a plan.

"Does anyone believe there’ll be less violence in America if Donald Trump is reelected?" sounds like a threat.

Leland said...

I stopped here:

Violence we’ve seen again and again and again, of unwarranted police shooting, excessive force, seven bullets in the back of Jacob Blake. Knee on the neck of George Floyd, killing of Breonna Taylor in her own apartment, violence of extremists and opportunists, right wing militias…

So now police are the right wing militias? All those other items are police related, no? And no mention of Secoriea Turner, the 8yr old girl shot in her mother's car. I'm not expecting a mention of Cannon Hinnint, because the NBA, MLB, NHL, and NFL don't care about somebody who never raped anyone.

Limited blogger said...

Reminds me of the screen the Blues Brothers used at the honky tonk joint. It prevented getting hit by throw bottles and other projectiles.

They eventually won the crowd over by playing 'Rawhide' over and over.

Hope Biden had similar luck.

Clues? said...

Am I wrong, or is “straight from the shoulder” not a well known idiom? And he repeated it right up front, thrice. I assumed he was just mangling “give it to you straight” or “shoulder to the wheel” or some such thing. Nope. Looked it up. Tried to find out if it was regional, but no luck. Maybe it’s a Pittsburgh phrase? That would be impressive

Qwinn said...

I agree with Nancy. An excellent fisking. Well done, professor.

mezzrow said...

Is this really all they've got? It seems so.

Pookie Number 2 said...

Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters?

He looks a divisive hatemonger who would accuse Republicans of wanting to put black people back in chains.

Iman said...

I checked the video, and he really does say that Trump is "stroking violence in our cities." Meade says, "He's thinking about how he likes to stroke little girls' hair."

Dollars to donuts that ain’t all Biden likes to stroke, teh sick bastard.

Original Mike said...

"And those who do it should be prosecuted."

One of the big problems is that democrat DAs are NOT prosecuting the offenders. Hell, even Lori Lightfoot has said this.

Qwinn said...

As for the title of the post, my wife and I both saw a clip of Biden saying that line and simultaneously said "Yes!" "Really?" "Yes!"

Andrew said...

That was a great analysis. Thank you for your honesty. I hope many left-leaners share your reaction.

However, you really should watch Biden's whole delivery. He is fading fast.

Actual quote: "Covid has taken this year, just since the outbreak, has taken more than 100 year, look, here's, the lives, it's just, when you think about it."

He came all the way to Pittsburgh for this?

Rory said...

It's perhaps ironic that the nomination of Biden is the clearest proof that Biden doesn't believe that Trump is the threat Biden says he is.

urpower said...

You couldn't pay me to watch this speech, but even fans are horrified at the Bidementia. https://twitter.com/besf0rt/status/1300527947586174976

Original Mike said...

"But his failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows how weak he is."

What? This has been going on for 3 months without Trump supporter "participation", and he thinks he can cherry pick the last two days? Phttt.

Static Ping said...

I presume he is going to Pittsburgh for three (3) reasons:

1. It is close enough for a day trip while not being in obvious driving distance. Philadelphia is basically on the border with Delaware so going there would just be another Old Joe joke waiting to happen. However, Pittsburgh is close enough for a short flight so it gives the illusion of vigor without requiring it. Chicago would probably have been too much.

2. It's the closest swing state to Delaware.

3. Going to Seattle or Portland or Chicago or Minneapolis or New York or Kenosha is, well, dangerous. Not only could he be targeted by the rioters and look weak (or get hurt!), he could be heckled by the rioters and/or the locals who just had their lives upended, followed by Biden lashing out stupidly and/or incoherently like he often does. Pittsburgh is relatively quiet.

They needed to get him out of the basement because they had no choice. They just spent the entire DNC pretending nothing was happening, and this is a desperate attempt to staunch the bleeding. This was the best they could do.

Sprezzatura said...

BTW, some patriots did fix Biden‘s jabber so that Althouse would not be disappointed by what he said.

But, then the F-ing SJW thought police killed our rights by putting a disclaimer on the adjusted-Biden. Thankfully this infraction re liberty didn’t mess w/ DJT fans re reveling:

https://twitter.com/texasglamo/status/1300531145394868224

The speech that would not have disappointed Althouse, made real. Well, sorta real.

Beth B said...

Take a listen to the C-Span feed of the speech, around the 12:30 mark. I would be interested to know how the transcript handled the pure gibberish Joe babbled when he lost his place on the teleprompter and tried to wing it with his usual verbal tics:

"COVID has taken, this year... jus-sin the outbreak... It's taken more than one-hundred year. Look... Here's... The lives... It's just...re-re-re Think about it! More lives this year than any other year... for the past hundred years. More than a hundred eighty thousand lives in just six months. An average... of a thousand people dying every single day in the month of August. Do you really feel safer under Donald Trump?

I don't know! Am I supposed to feel safer with incoherent ramblings like this? Should we all feel safer under Joe Biden's "Weekend At Bernie's" presidency, never really knowing who is in charge of the country, while handlers animate this old fossil's corpse for the cameras?

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

The violence we’re seeing in Donald Trump’s America.

There it is again. Just the other day, I commented that this was the new talking point to blame Trump for the riots (that weren't happening up to and through the Democrat convention).

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

"JoJo" the Organ Grinder's monkey

...let out of his cage for the day

"Never put the monkeys in charge of the bananas"

Hippogryph said...

Well, Joe, you *look* like an empty suit.

Who's going to fill it, when you're in the White House? That's the issue.

Unknown said...

My read here is that you had your mind made up before you read the transcript and you weren't going to change it.

"When I was vice president, violent crime fell 15% in this country." "The murder right now is up 26% across the nation this year under Donald Trump." You say: "With Democratic mayors in the major cities." But there were Democratic mayor in the major cities under both Obama and Trump!!! What is different is the POTUS, not the mayors.

Unknown said...

No, you look like a doddering fool who will be controlled by those who are radical socialists who have a soft spot for rioters

gspencer said...

"metal grid behind him"

Actually I thought he was inside a bird cage.

Iman said...

That was a good fisking... not a bad fisting too...

Francisco D said...

Drago said:

The democraticals and LLR-lefties really are going to try and pull the Switcho-chango where its been right wing militias stirring up troubles in the cities and the lefties/dems/LLR-lefties had absolutely nothing to do with it.

I guess that our resident Bedpan Commando is not as off-the-wall as she seems. She truly reflects the thoughts of the Democrat base.

h said...

There are two ways to end violent conflict: 1. To defeat the opponent with superior military/police strength. 2. To surrender to the opponent and promise to give them the things they demand. Trump is with method 1. Biden is with method 2. Every American will vote for the approach that most closely resembles his/her opinion. Is this good for Biden?

stevew said...

Thank you for doing that, now I don't have to read that nonsense.

I got a call from my favorite Pittsburgh resident, a friend I've come to know through working together. We've been colleagues and I even reported to him for a time. He is a veteran of the military, lifelong Pittsburgh (area) resident, Christian, and a Trump supporter. He watched the Biden speech (can't be a rally if no one is there) in its entirety. He said parts of it were delivered incoherently. Stopped short of expressing pity for aging and declining Joe Biden.

Joe Biden's heart is full of corruption, animosity toward those he considers his opponents, and harbors inappropriate emotions toward women, especially younger women. And his metaphors are muddled and terribly mixed.

I am astonished that the Democrats, Pelosi, Schumer, et al, have allowed this poor fellow to be their standard bearer. Something ain't right.

DanTheMan said...

I have to agree with Joe. He does not look like radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters.

He looks like the guy who will dither and speechify while our cities burn.



Justin_O_Guy said...

I've seen cities under democrat rule for decades,, They ARE shitholes,, Thats where the lawless are destroying, burning, looting,,
But we are supposed to believe that if we would just elect democrats to run the country,, somehow everything would be better than ever? Pardon my skepticism,,
Im goin for a Hard NO..

rcocean said...

Great analysis. The democrats, including Biden, have refused to criticize the rioting and the violence for almost 3 months now. Why can't Biden have said he disavows Antifa? why hasn't he supported Trump in trying to send National Troops and federal officers to help quell the riots?

Just after the Blake shooting, he didn't call for peace, he threw gas on the fire by tweeting about what an outrage it was. And never condemned the violence in Kenosha till now. even now he's making it some sort even-steven violence on "Both sides" thing, when 99% of violence has been by Antifa and BLM/radical left. A Trump supporter was murdered in Portland. Another guy - who MAY have been a TRump supporter "clashed" with Antifa and 2 are dead. But Biden jabbers about "Right wing militia"!

That's why I agree with Althouse. The violence has been coming from the Left and Biden and the D Leadership haven't been criticizing them. Who believes they will stop them if Biden is President? And that brings up the question: Why have they been so supportive of rioting? I just don't get it.

BUMBLE BEE said...

Ha! I listened to Bob Acosta being interviewed on the Hugh Hewitt show this morning. He blamed "Coronavirus for all the mayhem" Usless puddle of flesh that Bob is. Watch what Donald did next! ... https://heavy.com/news/2020/06/oakland-mercedes-benz-dealership-vandalized-looted/ What a pesky President that guy is. You know, as shown by so many democrat's kids behavior, their parents may not be able to differentiate Joe's deficits from their own. He's normal!

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Seems to me, Trump is offering to fight the flames but the local officials reject the help. Presumably, Biden is referring to things that Trump is saying that are supposedly making the rioters more destructive, but I don't know what that is. I don't see the riots as being about Trump at all. They're about the police in cities that are run by Democrats.

You're seeing the seeds of a new "Lost Cause" myth being sown.

narciso said...

so much for that,


https://thefederalist.com/2020/08/31/miami-herald-defenestrates-cuban-sports-reporter-for-criticizing-white-millionaire-qb/

BUMBLE BEE said...

Look at the shooter in Portland. A 48 year old "professional snowboarder"? Seriously? I've heard it argued that leftism thrives in the immature brain, but a 48 year old Pro Snowboarder? Peter Pan from Team Wendy!

BUMBLE BEE said...

If Joe had the plan, why didn't he tell BaracK?

chuck said...

To me, it's very disappointing.

To me, it's very Biden.

Rory said...

"Why did he go to Pennsylvania? Did he meet with anyone? Take a tour of a plant or something?"

It seems this tech center was given a government grant at the end of the Obama administration. In a more practical sense, it's pretty close to a small airport where a private jet would land.

rehajm said...

So I blather about the polling and lack of polling but it helps explain why they do what they do. We still haven't seen the post convention matchups ALWAYS run by the traditional networks shortly after the conventions to measure the convention bump...but today we got an Emerson D+4 national poll what shows Biden +2, consistent with Trafalgar and that we-have-to-laugh/can't-possibly-be-right Trump +3 from Democracy Institute.

Point being- Biden isn't the +10 his media allies have been crowing about. Rumor has it he hasn't been since July. Trump's known for a while, too...

Drago said...

Bill, Republic of Texas: "There it is again. Just the other day, I commented that this was the new talking point to blame Trump for the riots (that weren't happening up to and through the Democrat convention)."

Correct.

Just see adSs's comments today.

They really are going to run with "these aren't the droids you're looking for" ploy.

cubanbob said...

Orange Man Bad. That's all it is. He could have saved himself a lot of breath with that brevity. Of course neither Senility Joe or Willie's Side Piece have actually read the DNC platform, which is what they are running on and repudiated most of it.
As for justice, I would prefer justice for the victims of the criminals killed while committing crimes.

rehajm said...

...and if there isn't enough drama, some insinuation from Sharyl Attkisson today:

I wonder if Trump or Biden has received any series of medical treatments at the hospital in the past 6-7 weeks. I wonder if anybody will ask.

...and...

Do you think the candidates have a duty to disclose if they are undergoing medical treatments in the hospital? Or is it their own private business?

Who's this about?

cubanbob said...

Incidentally in 2016 Trump won 3,000 out of 3,200 counties. Just exactly who's America is Senility Joe referring to?

Guildofcannonballs said...

I've always doubted myself more than Althouse, even after Obama v. McCain.

Much much less so after Trump v. Hillary, but still.

My allowing you plebes to speak is quite interesting if you know history. Quite interesting indeed. Soldier Panlin and I will defire hubries. We will Make America Great Again.

S.P. THe Huntress is the greatest figure of our time.

Wouldn't surprise me at all to confirm DJT said "'hey they treat a lady like that, they'll do it to us all. We got to stop it.'"

PluralThumb said...

So, we traded a poligamy country for a free pornagraphy country? Thus the needle in the haystack or sorting rice away is the focus within monogomy. This is all too complex. Especially when the union between a female monkey and a male monkey, albino or not, yet litterally a set... Is challenging inside a zoo. I'm even having difficulties typing with my sausage thumbs on a 4.7 diagonal android phone. Don't get we wrong, I like my phone.

I'm Not Sure said...

"The violence we’re seeing in Donald Trump’s America."

Donald Trump’s America? Isn't the violence happening in progressive Democrat cities/states? Aren't those places currently managed by Democrat mayors and governors?

Asking for a friend.

DanTheMan said...

>>There it is again. Just the other day, I commented that this was the new talking point to blame Trump for the riots (that weren't happening up to and through the Democrat convention).

I expected the D's to give Trump the "Bush's Katrina" treatment for hurricane Laura, but I didn't see much of that, if any.

MountainMan said...

If you haven't read it yet, Glenn's excerpt from Rush Limbaugh nails it. He is exactly right.

Poor Joe Biden. I saw my mother go downhill with dementia just like this. She was able to read for a long time after her memory began to fail. I guarantee by the time Joe Biden gave this speech he probably couldn't tell you what he had for lunch. His family and his handlers should be ashamed of to doing this to him. It is elder abuse. Not only do I see him not debating I'm not sure he'll be all there by election day.

LilyBart said...

And yet..... he is.

pious agnostic said...

Is there any hard evidence that this entire speech wasn't an elaborate deep fake?

Big Mike said...

Does anyone believe there’ll be less violence in America if Donald Trump is reelected?

This came across to me as “the rioting will continue unless you vote Democrat.” A little like extortion isn’t it?

There will be less violence when there are more Republican mayors and governors.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

I've said it before and I'll say it again. How could it be clearer that the Democrat powers-that-be don't want to win in 2020? They need a cathartic loss that allows them to kick the anti-capitalist Left out of their party. A Donk victory will only serve to empower their enemies within the party. It isn't difficult. Simple self-interest.

Unknown said...

HE "LOOKS" LIKE A LOSING CAMPAIGNER

PLEASE CLAP

Unknown said...

> The violence we’re seeing in Donald Trump’s America.

Of the two

Who do the Rioters prefer you vote for

Sally327 said...

PA is an important state that Trump won in 2016 so Pittsburgh makes sense that way.

I find his use of the line "do I look like..." to be interesting as it emphasizes that he's white and male and old. Plus what would how you look have to do with being a radical socialist or having a soft spot for rioters? I wonder who Biden thinks does look like that? He needs to tell us that so we can quickly identify the radical socialists with a soft spot for rioters among us.

5M - Eckstine said...

Your kids and grandkids are not safe in Joe Bidens America. There is mob rule in the streets. There is mob opposition in the Senate. There is mob rule in the House. Elect this mob leader and expect old friend Corn Pop to head the DNI.

elkh1 said...

Democrats confine crazy Joe in a cage!
Is he in a cage in Pittsburgh or in a cage in his basement pretends to be in Pittsburgh?

Tyrone Slothrop said...

Who is Joseph R. Biden, jr.? I he related to Joe Biden?

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

JaimeRoberto said...
"But I wouldn’t be looking to use the United States military against our own people."

I must have missed the part where Trump used the military.


oh, but Team Hoe/Joe knows Trump WILL have to use the military,
because the ProgLibDems will ratchet up the violence after his reelection.
Military is the only way. Dont expect LESS impediments from Dem mayors and
governors after Trump's victory.
Now they have to keep it on a low boil so as not to totally tank their polls
but after Nov 3, all hell can break loose.
It forces Trump's hand for the sake of the bad "Dictator" optics, but it
will be a meager, Pyrrhic "victory".

Military vs "Silenced Majority" militias is the preferred order, though
not as cathartic for your average fed-up citizen.

AllenS said...

I watched the speech. Why anyone would vote for Biden is beyond me. He is certainly not a problem solver.

5M - Eckstine said...

I imagine Biden will probably pull the Lever for Trump but tell the media he supports Kamala.

Biff said...

"Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters?"

You know, he sort of has a Chernenko look going on there.

Patrick said...

Ann, never have you been more enjoyable to read! I only wish Obama had received the same treatment from you.

Pookie Number 2 said...

I am enjoying watching adSs flail to avoid actually acknowledging how eagerly he’s slurping up the media’s mendaciousness.

The weird thing is, I know some actually intelligent leftists. Amazing to me how weak their representatives are here.

MalaiseLongue said...

Hillary Clinton's rageaholic resentment over her defeat has been a toxic presence in our nation for almost four years. Poisoning how we talk to one another, poisoning how we treat one another, poisoning the values this nation has always held dear, poisoning our very democracy. Now, in just a little over 60 days, we have a decision to make. Will we rid ourselves of this toxin or will we make it a permanent part of our nation’s character?

Michael K said...

Does anyone actually read adss comments ? Biden Jr.

Drago said...

elkh1: "Democrats confine crazy Joe in a cage!
Is he in a cage in Pittsburgh or in a cage in his basement pretends to be in Pittsburgh?"

Not only was Dementia "finger rapist" Joe placed in a cage, he was also separated from his family.

D. said...

I want to say thanks to Dem Mayor Peduto. He kept the local communists on a short leash.

Gabriel said...

@Clues:Am I wrong, or is “straight from the shoulder” not a well known idiom?

It's a well-known idiom. It's a kind of punch.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

should have used "instead of", not 'vs' in our post above

Clyde said...

Clues? said...
Am I wrong, or is “straight from the shoulder” not a well known idiom? And he repeated it right up front, thrice. I assumed he was just mangling “give it to you straight” or “shoulder to the wheel” or some such thing. Nope. Looked it up. Tried to find out if it was regional, but no luck. Maybe it’s a Pittsburgh phrase? That would be impressive


Biden probably got it from the Rolling Stones song "Let Me Go":

You're going to get it straight from the shoulder
Can't you see the party's over
Let me go

Can't you get it through your thick head
This affair is finished, dead
Hey, let me go

I tried giving you the velvet gloves
I tried giving you the knockout punch
Hey, let me go...

Mark said...

Does anyone believe there’ll be less violence in America if Donald Trump is reelected?

That's a threat, not a prediction.

Bay Area Guy said...

Joe Biden is a liar. He didn't say one word about the riots, looting and violence at his own convention two weeks ago.

Back to the basement, toad.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Vote Biden, and America can be one hate-infested blue city.

DavidD said...

“ ‘The video malfunctions at that point and "militias" repeats a few times, then we jump to the middle of a sentence.’ ”

Shades of Max Headroom.

Amanda Pays was more attractive than Kamala, though.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hello from the other side.

Bob Boyd said...

Biden campaign premiers Robot Biden, direct from the robotics lab of Carnegie Mellon.

Not only can this fabulous machine convincingly impersonate the real Joe Biden, you can kick it real hard and it won't fall down. It can climb over a pile of cinder blocks, keep it feet on a patch of ice, open a door and it can put a box right on a shelf. The real Joe Biden can't do any of that.
Also, designers are confident Robot Biden will never become curious about what anyone's hair smells like.

Mark said...

"very disappointing" is a very disappointing reaction.

Outraged and disgusted beyond all description would be more apt. Disqualifying of any decent person's vote even more so.

After this, knowing what Biden said -- even if he only adopted and mouthed in stumbling fashion what his handlers wrote for him -- no one can in good conscience vote for Biden.

gilbar said...

if it Looks like a socialist, sniffs hair like a socialist, lives in a basement like a socialist...
IT'S PROBABLY A SOCIALIST!

Mary Beth said...

What was the point of traveling to Pennsylvania to give it?

To keep the press pool happy with a day trip.

DEEBEE said...

Why then would the rioters stand down if you're elected?

That had not occurred to me. Bow to thee oh wise one!

Rabel said...

"I can't tell if he has an audience."

Seems like there's one guy sitting a little off to the right side. Biden stares right at him the entire time and never looks away.

Seriously, he's unable to read off a teleprompter without staring it down.

Yancey Ward said...

You should watch the speech, Althouse- it is very illuminating.

No, there was no audience. I know this because there was no applause. The room apparently only had security and Biden's staff in it. I suspect that the reason there was no audience is that Biden's campaign people didn't want eye witnesses to the setup they used- I think the teleprompter was positioned right in front of Biden, and probably just below the camera. I thought the same thing had been done for Biden's acceptance speech- his eyes never really leave the teleprompter then or today, and he apparently has to squint hard just to read it.

I am too lazy to go back up and find it, but the commenter who explained Pittsburg as being the shortest flight Biden could take to a swing state city. I think there is probably something to this. I think at this point, Biden has to be kept at home in the evenings. This is a common thing with demented people- they are harder to handle outside the home, especially in the evenings. It will interesting to see if Biden does any overnight trips anywhere now.

wildswan said...

Althouse finished her analysis by saying: "[Biden says} Trump is "selfish, angry, dark, and divisive" and that's inconsistent with the idea of America. That's the message [from Biden]. But you look at the protests, and what are those people saying is "the idea of America"? They say "systemic racism." Biden can only promise to deal with "issues of racial justice."

How can Biden bring peace or order when he does not know what is happening? That's what I see as the main flaw in Biden's speech. He is simply ignoring what BLM has been saying for the last three months "the idea of America is systemic racism." Biden is saying the problem is Trump, and started under Trump, and did not exist when he, Biden, was vice president. Biden is ignoring DiAngelo and "white fragility", and he's ignoring the 1619 Project. He's saying we can return to a better time in a better America, a time that existed only a short while ago when we didn't have Trump. And really, how will BLM, the Marxist organization, react to having their entire presence and message ignored by Biden? In the few days between August 28 when Kamala Harris was supporting them and August 31st they've disappeared. Joe Biden is unaware of them. 95 days of riots in Portland - all done by Trump. I hate to use jargon but isn't what Biden is doing called "denying agency?" It's as if he's been on another planet for the last six months - Planet Delaware Basement.

PS Of course, after Trump wins a second time - and this time with a large black and hispanic vote - the whole approach to lawlessness will be different from the present Dem approach which facilitates burning and looting by throttling the police.

Mark said...

Saw a clip of a Chris Wallace interview with a Biden mouthpiece who said that Trump was instigating the violence. Followed by about five seconds of silence.

Wallace could not believe what he heard and was struck dumb. He tried to speak and said he was going to move on, but then said he had to challenge that and she doubled down.

So, yeah, the BS ain't selling.

Jersey Fled said...

A man who claims he wants to be President takes a trip to read (apparently poorly) a speech on a teleprompter with no one in attendance except his staff. A site picked for no other reason than it is not his basement. He takes no questions. Not even from the friendliest of reporters, because his handlers can't even trust him to do that. He then rushes home to hide out in his basement again. For who knows how long.

Pathetic.

Mark said...

I find his use of the line "do I look like..." to be interesting as it emphasizes that he's white and male and old.

White Privilege on display.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Buck Sexton
@BuckSexton
The Democrat media talking points have gone from:

“the protests are the new civil rights movement” to

“the protests are mostly peaceful” to

“what riots? these are protests” to

“Trump supporters are causing these protest riots”

all in one summer

Big Mike said...

Do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters?

No, Biden looks like a doddering old fool with a soft spot for rioters.

MBunge said...

Beyond Biden's own declining faculties, the defining element of his campaign is that it is the whitey-white-whitest political effort I've ever seen from a national Democrat. It is entirely conceived and executed by and for upper middle class whites who HATE Donald Trump not for any principle or policy but because his very existence as President proves they're not as smart or as good as they think they are.

Laslo Spatula said...

"I watched the first minute of the video, but it was too tedious. I was distracted by the metal grid behind him."

I don't think this is the full reason why you read the transcript rather than watch.

It is hard to concentrate on what Biden may be saying when he speaks because you're watching a tightrope act by a very shaky person -- and, sure, the tightrope is only a foot off the ground, but it is stressful to watch without the distance of looking at the words in retrospect, after he has made it from one side to the other (mostly).

No one wants to see Grandpa wander into the street at rush hour.

I am Laslo.

Qwinn said...

The report that there were less than 50 people outside made me laugh out loud, reminding me of one of the funniest bits from Arrested Development - the Nevernude guy shouting "There are dozens of us!! Dozens!!"

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Biden looks like a really bad used car salesman. The kind of used car salesman who is on the take... and pockets extra bucks from international crooks to feed his sons lavish tastes, and poor decision making.

Rory said...

Isn't there a creepy movie line that starts, "Do I look like a..."?

tomaig said...

His use of the present tense when he, as not-the-president, says, "I am not banning fracking" sounds quite Clintonian.

madAsHell said...

More evidence that Obama was just an empty suit for the Clintons, and here they want to try again.....with an emptier suit!!

MadTownGuy said...



"Does anyone believe there’ll be less violence in America if Donald Trump is reelected?

This is the line that I saw in news reports before the speech, and my reaction was yes. Why would the rioters stand down because Joe Biden gets elected? I don't see how you can look at these protests and form the belief that what these people want is just a Democratic President.
"

I can, because the lockdowns, the protest-riots, and the push for mail-in voting are all political stunts intended to take out Trump. If Biden is elected, the leaders of the protest-riot movement will be given orders to stand down so Joe will look good before the bait-and-switch replacement by Harris.

Yancey Ward said...

Yeah, if you can't sell it to Chris Wallace, then it ain't selling to those you need as buyers.

Michael K said...

This is a common thing with demented people- they are harder to handle outside the home, especially in the evenings. It will interesting to see if Biden does any overnight trips anywhere now.

Excellent point. It's often called "Sundowning" in Medicine.

It is entirely conceived and executed by and for upper middle class whites who HATE Donald Trump not for any principle or policy but because his very existence as President proves they're not as smart or as good as they think they are.

Another excellent point. The dogs are refusing the dog food.

Bob Boyd said...

Robot Biden can't appear outside yet. If he's not plugged in, you hear that little Rotax engine a-screaming.
Soon though...is what they say.

Yancey Ward said...

"Not only can this fabulous machine convincingly impersonate the real Joe Biden, you can kick it real hard and it won't fall down. It can climb over a pile of cinder blocks, keep it feet on a patch of ice, open a door and it can put a box right on a shelf. The real Joe Biden can't do any of that."

Also, it can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear! And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are bored.

Bob Loblaw said...

"Ask yourself: do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?"

Joe Biden doesn't look like that kind of person, no. But who cares? He might last six months as president, tops. A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for Kamala Harris, and she is "a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters".

As an aside, it's pretty telling the NYT has smoothly abandoned its previous "roiters what rioters" position.

Leora said...

So what did Joe Biden do in the last 50 years to address racial justice?

I seem to recall some racial unrest during the Obama administration. Isn't that when Black Lives Matters got started - 5 years ago. Ferguson, Baltimore, marches for Trayvon whose violence was not covered by a compliant press.

Yes, he does look like a socialist with a soft spot for rioters. He has employees who contribute to funds to bail them out when they're arrested.

I'm Not Sure said...

"Ask yourself, do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?"

Well, no. I'm thinking more like your garden variety lying shitweasel politician. On second thought, though- there's no reason you can't be both.

Sebastian said...

"Ask yourself, do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?"

"Why then would the rioters stand down if you're elected?"

Althouse! You're applying logic! So unfair! I'd almost say cruel!

Anyway, head over to Power Line for a small snippet of Joe on Covid, and shudder.

Francisco D said...

I think that we are missing the obvious: Biden is trying to shore up the base. Failing to do so will result in a Trump landslide.

If it is reasonably close, the Democrats will shut down the nation with Lawfare and Antifa/BLM riots. It will be the December Revolution all over again and the neo-Bolsheviks will eventually take control.

I am becoming as pessimistic as J. Farmer, although I am not depressed.

cornroaster said...

Former Vice President Biden lies when he says we are all born with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit or happiness, as he has endorsed infanticide in the moments after birth.

Drago said...

BleachBit-and-Hammers: "Biden looks like a really bad used car salesman."

Biden is completely owned by the ChiComs.

After the ChiComs put $1.5 Billion into Hunter's corrupt "investment" firm, Hunter did his part by purchasing 2 companies in the US, a precision tools (specializing in vibration dampening) company and a nuclear power plant (specializing in small nukes....like the ones that could fit in submarines) and all that tech found its way to China.

#Treason

Justin_O_Guy said...

Well,, TRump has been in DC for just under 4 years.. And the lying idiots who have been there for decades would have us believe everything thats wrong is because TRump did it.. so,, theres that.

Paul said...

Now I'd love to see the Hitler Parodies show the Fuhrer after watching Biden's speech. I bet that would be a gas.

Iman said...

"Ask yourself, do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?"

Biden apparently has a soft spot in his head and looks like he’s wandered out of a nursing home.

Mike Sylwester said...

A photograph of Biden giving his speech in Pittsburgh

bgates said...

I wouldn’t be looking to use the United States military against our own people

Has the Trump administration killed as many American citizens with the military as Barack "I'm good at killing" Obama's did?

Jon Ericson said...

Joe n Molly

Skeptical Voter said...

All that wire behind him. Is he in a cage somewhere? Maybe the secure storage room of a warehouse in Pittsburgh? C'mon man. Come out in the sunlight.

FullMoon said...

And now for something completely different:

Biden's sign language guy tries to interpret as Joe flubs covid

https://twitter.com/i/status/1300509047490306048

MikeR said...

"Ask yourself: do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?" No, you look like a corrupt lifetime politician who will do anything and say anything for power.

Leora said...

I was thinking about why Pittsburgh. They want local news coverage that he's not going to ban fracking which is a big deal there. They don't want that national, so the speech is about something else and the nationals don't have to talk about fracking in the coverage. It seemed just dropped into the rest of the speech.

Bob Boyd said...

Also, it can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear! And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are bored.

LOL

Joanne Jacobs said...

Biden would have done better to give a short speech focused on the looting-isn't-protest theme. Then he could have gone positive (shedding light!) with we're-all-humans statement. I still think quoting Blake's mother would be very effective. If he's going to calm divisions as president, he should demonstrate that now.

Also, I wish he'd stop mentioning being born in Scranton as though it was a major qualification for president. It's not as if he were born in a log cabin. I know his "story." His first wife and daughter died in a car crash. Very sad. Not a qualification for president.

Joanne Jacobs said...

Biden would have done better to give a short speech focused on the looting-isn't-protest theme. Then he could have gone positive (shedding light!) with we're-all-humans statement. I still think quoting Blake's mother would be very effective. If he's going to calm divisions as president, he should demonstrate that now.

Also, I wish he'd stop mentioning being born in Scranton as though it was a major qualification for president. It's not as if he were born in a log cabin. I know his "story." His first wife and daughter died in a car crash. Very sad. Not a qualification for president.

Scotty, beam me up... said...

I don’t know if Joe has dementia or not, but after watching a portion of today’s speech and a portion of his acceptance speech two weeks ago, Biden looks tired and lacking any energy and enthusiasm. I recall watching the news of him campaigning back in January and he appeared to be fired up while on the campaign trail. Today, he looks like he is going through the motions. Trump is out there, visiting places, and he looks like a 50 year old with a lot of energy & enthusiasm. Sooner or later, the public will pick up on this, especially if he makes very few campaign stops and does no debates. This will cause undecided voters to compare the 2 candidates and wonder who has the better odds of running the country for all 4 years. FDR was able to pull this off in 1944 due to being president for 12 years and running a shooting war for 3 - the public gave him the benefit of the doubt to let him finish winning the war. Clearly to me, whether Biden has dementia or something else, it looks like he has a major health issue that they are trying to cover up.

BudBrown said...

Pittsburgh because all the local TV stations will cover. Shout out to Scranton that'll be covered there. Hit's the main Dem campaign themes ... Trump is bad, Trump handled the virus
badly, and the violent protests are a response to the bad Trump zeitgeist . In Tampa seeing pretty effective Biden ads. Trump bad with military, Trump very bad on global warming, Biden
a man of the people who will respond to their needs. Trump ads are fewer and not so good.
I'm betting the 11 o'clock news will offer a snippet of Biden's speech. I'm curious which snippet. Biden doesn't need to get specific. Lot of unknowns ahead. Whatever, he'll handle it better.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Biden has a soft spot for Antifa.

I typed on my google browser "antifa.com" and it went to a Joe Biden for president page.

Make out of that what you will.

Narr said...

"Whatever, [Biden]'ll handle it better."

I'm glad I stuck with the thread.

Narr
Needed the laugh

NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...

Mike Sylwester said...

A photograph of Biden giving his speech in Pittsburgh

Meanwhile, here's Trump meeting in person with first responders in Lousiana today.

Unknown said...

HIS EXPRESSION LOOKS LIKE GEORGE W BUSH

and they used to call him "Chimpler"

He was "stupid"

Stooge of Cheney

Who was "mean"

Conservatives can only be mean or stupid

The Godfather said...

"But I wouldn’t be looking to use the United States military against our own people." Great line for the Democrat candidate in 1864.

MayBee said...

Ha! I got distracted by the cage too! And the odd cadence....the slurring of words together.

It's even like that in some of his voice over ads. Is that the best they can do?

The Gipper Lives said...

Joe Biden cares about all the people hurt by the riots named Joe Biden.

#All Bidens Matter.

The Gipper Lives said...

Joe wants to go to a Cashless Bail system.

Not for Reform. He just can't afford to keep bailing out all these looters, arsonists and killers.

MayBee said...

My old boss had dementia. Actually, he owned the company. He called my husband one day 4 times in a row to congratulate him for the same thing. For each call, he seemed very excited and personable.

He hosted a breakfast about a year ago and stood to read a speech introducing a new person in the company. He read the three pages, then flipped it over and started reading it over from the beginning. Did that three times.

My dad is struggling with some issues now, too. He gets overwhelmed when he doesn't know where he is, and he can't travel anywhere anymore, really. I think someone up above was right that Joe probably needs to be home every night.

The Gipper Lives said...

The Trump Campaign wants to move up the Debate Schedule.

Not in the month--in the day, before Joe's 6 p.m. bedtime.

Craig said...

It truly makes me embarrassed for our country that Biden is close to being President. I know some people feel the same about Trump, and so did I four years ago. But Trump has proven to be a strong President with many solid accomplishments despite constant media headwinds and hoaxes, while Biden... well, what Althouse said.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Joe, you look like a weakling who will be led by radical socialists with a soft spot for rioters.

Yancey Ward said...

BudBrown,

LOL! If television ads mattered one whit, we would be talking about President Hillary Clinton today, not Trump.

I saw exactly one Trump television ad in 2016- one- and I saw it twice. I saw Hillary Clinton's ads play about 100 or more times from August to November that year. Television ads won't save Biden if he can't run a regular campaign. Right now, compared to Biden, Clinton from 2016 looks like triathlete terms of vitality.

daskol said...

I feel like the people behind this whole Biden campaign/information operation are phoning it in. In the past, you'd have a clumsy politician like Bush I reading the stage directions. Now they are blatantly appealing to stupid and ill informed people, and don't give a shit that a lot of people see right through this brazen bullshit. There's something scary behind this change. It's a bold assertion of power. I don't even need to trick you, fuckhead, you don't matter enough.

Narayanan said...

zoom in zoom out - where in the world is Biden

Crazy World said...

Uncle Joe should just anoint Kamala and retreat back into his baseball, this is surreal. Oh and Tucker was on fire 🔥 tonight and righty so. Riveting

DeepRunner said...

Democrat Agitprop NYT Screeched...
"Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Monday issued a forceful rebuttal to President Trump’s misleading charges that he would preside over a country wracked by disorder and lawlessness."

Yes, strong words from a man who can barely keep a sentence from becoming alphabet soup. I hear Humperdinck yelling at Buttercup, "I would not SAY SUCH THINGS if I were YOU!" Beyond that, let's look at some of the words in that lead. "Rebuttal." I would be really cautious about using any word containing "butt" in it when talking about Creepy Joe. "Misleading charges." According to...whom, exactly? That word choice immediately takes sides.

Where did Biden go after his "speech"? Is he on the trail, or on the sofa in his basement?

Bob Loblaw said...

Biden would have done better to give a short speech focused on the looting-isn't-protest theme. Then he could have gone positive (shedding light!) with we're-all-humans statement. I still think quoting Blake's mother would be very effective. If he's going to calm divisions as president, he should demonstrate that now.

Biden spent so much time in the Senate and as VP he's personally affronted by any sort of challenge to his status. That's why he snaps at anyone who asks him a question that isn't the normal sort of obsequious softball he's used to.

RMc said...

"Ask yourself: do I look like a radical socialist with a soft spot for rioters? Really?"

Fastball, right down the middle of the plate.

All Trump has to do is swing the bat.

Rusty said...

The question comes to mind. Who is really going to run things if Biden Harris are elected? Right now Biden will say anything you want him to for a cup of pudding. And Harris? Well. She fulfils the "black woman" slot if only just barely. If you squint and don't examine her back story closely. She ain't exactly the smartest person in the room. My conclusion? Soros has bought the democrat party and is trying to buy and election. Somebody with more resources than I can muster might want to look into it.
Just sayin.

rehajm said...

Thank you Narayanan for the link. It explains the wire backdrop. Biden wants to put y'all back in cages, where y'all are industrial robotic arms.

wendybar said...

No questioning Joe.

Jeff Brokaw said...

Well Joe, since you asked, you look like a senile old man propped up in front of the country by a depraved political party. You have no idea what is going on in the world, much less how to address it, and cannot even read a teleprompter without getting hopelessly lost.

It’s depressing and sad to see what they’re doing to him, and quite a commentary on the party leadership.

MD Greene said...

No, Joe, you look like a marionette, a marionette who is willing to raffle off foreign policy to benefit your loser son.

Forceful rebuttal, indeed.

Bob Smith said...

Actually Joe looks like what he always was. A two bit grifter who uses family members to launder the bribes. The sad part is so many in both parties are doing the same thing. And our bulldog media turns a blind eye because “connections”.

Another old lawyer said...

Thinking about the screen behind him, and wondering if they choose it as a backdrop because the lines make it harder for the video to be altered? Or maybe easier?

Danno said...

Meade says, "He's thinking about how he likes to stroke little girls' hair."

Meade nailed it before the comments were even open.

Another old lawyer said...

Sorry, s/h/b "chose" and not "choose." Egad.

JAORE said...

The wire is part of a Faraday Cage to keep Trump and his Ruskey allies from beaming in signals that confuse Robo Joe.

Michael K said...

AORE said...
The wire is part of a Faraday Cage to keep Trump and his Ruskey allies from beaming in signals that confuse Robo Joe.


Could be it. Maybe to protect him from anyone changing the script.

dbp said...

The first part of the speech where Biden brings up FDR, reminded me that Biden always goes off the rails right from the start.

First this Biden classic.

“When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn’t just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed.”

What is all this straight from the shoulder malarkey? I'm 57 and "malarkey" is old-timy, but at least I've heard it before--it was something my Dad would say. I think straight does all the work which needs to be done: "I'm going to give it to you straight" the added "from the shoulder" adds little more than a reminder of how old and out of touch Biden is.

John henry said...

Back in the day they used to keep the really crazy people locked in literal cages.

Has Biden's dementia progressed to the point where they have to keep him caged?

We can see the back of the cage. Sides and front hidden by creative camera work.

We've gone from Obama kids in cages to Obama vp in a cage!

John Henry

John henry said...

Back in the day they used to keep the really crazy people locked in literal cages.

Has Biden's dementia progressed to the point where they have to keep him caged?

We can see the back of the cage. Sides and front hidden by creative camera work.

We've gone from Obama kids in cages to Obama vp in a cage!

John Henry

Robert Cook said...

"So, this election is basically Joe asking, 'Who you gonna believe, me or your damn lying eyes?'"

Well, Joe certainly isn't a socialist and he doesn't have a soft spot for rioters, and any who think so have soft spots in their heads.

Speaking of voters with soft heads, Joe has a soft spot in his head, given his apparent cognitive deterioration, and this is just one reason he is a terrible candidate for the presidency. Even if Biden were as mentally sharp as Trump boasts delusionally of being, Biden is just another corporate stooge, along with most of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle in the House and the Senate.

Whoever (whomever?) wins in November, the American people will be the losers.

J. Farmer said...

@Francisco D:

I am becoming as pessimistic as J. Farmer, although I am not depressed.

Why in god’s name would you be depressed? Pessimism is the key to happiness.

RigelDog said...

Pittsburgh, not Pittsburg. Us Burghers have to contend with this mistake for our entire lives; it's nigh unbearable.

Anthony said...

In the end, Biden is a vote for a return to something resembling normalcy. It worked in 1920, it should work now.