Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) went after former President Trump for his legal woes in an interview on MSNBC Saturday.
“I’ll take the individual who’s 81 over the guy who has 91 felony counts,” Swalwell said, making a reference to President Biden’s age in an interview on MSNBC’s “The Katie Phang Show” on Saturday.
“It’s not about two individuals,” Swalwell continued, speaking about the 2024 election. “It’s about the idea of competence versus chaos, or even greater, freedom versus fascism. If we make it about those ideas, and what they mean in our daily lives, we’re gonna win.”
Swalwell’s comments come after Trump was ordered to pay almost $355 million in penalties in a civil fraud case and amid increased scrutiny faced by the president on his age and memory in the wake of a special counsel report on Biden’s handling of classified documents. The report noted that Biden had problems with memory and recall.
You know what, Brandon is too old. But I’m voting for him anyway because I’ll be damned if I ever vote (passively or actively) for a filthy republican traitor cunt.
I would agree, but I kinda got forced to vote for a Republican Warden last election. The previous guy (Dem) and his administration had just overseen the worst case of prisoner deaths in a US jail, and the person the Dems ran to replace him was his deputy warden of the same administration.
The rest of my ticket was solid blue, or green.
Edit: I did look into the republican guy. He at least didn’t have huge scandals, just some small acts of assholery
I get it. It’s like voting for LDPR becase it is FPTP(municipal elections) and other “choice” is fucking United Russia.
We are lucky they’re both old. For a moment a couple years ago I was afraid DeSantis or Haley might actually be the nominee.
Rfk jr
Useful idiot
The comments by septics on Biden’s age reek of ageism.
His age is irrelevant. Can he do the fucking job?
Yes?
Then vote for him.
The poor bastard is destroying his retirement, health and twilight years to stop the US falling to fascism and all you can do is whine about his age?
I don’t think it’s particularly ageist to say that octogenarians should generally be avoided for a 4 year commitment to leadership roles. It’s no more ageist than barring 16 year olds from the job imo.
That said, in a battle between risky to lose competence midway and blatantly incompetent now the former always wins
Agreed. That being said it sucks to be stuck choosing between two ppl who won’t live long enough to see the ramifications of their decisions and policies.
I don’t see how that matters. Do you think Clinton, Bush or Obama made better choices because they got to live to see the outcomes materialize? I don’t think so which is why I don’t think it matters.
You want a president who makes decisions that benefit the people not a president who makes decision s that benefit them (or a group of elites). In that sense it doesn’t matter if Biden won’t see the results of his decisions, as long as he makes decisions that benefit the people. When it comes to Trump we can now be pretty certain he will make decisions that benefit him.
Exactly this. One could even argue that Biden being older makes him harder to be influenced by exterior factors such as bribes and whatnot. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Trump isn’t exactly a spring chicken either. He now has a half a billion dollars in judgements that he owes in addition to being within 4 years of Biden’s age. The issue is the double standard and blatant disregard for the fact that he has numerous conflicts of interest that should disqualify Trump
Oh I fully agree and this is absolutely being used to try to give another too old person the same position. Especially considering trump is both already senile and most importantly a fucking fascist who has attempted to overthrow the government after losing an election
Dark Brandon’s last act will be to bring about the first female US president. Based.
I think it is different, 16 year olds have no experience, limited knowledge of the world, and under developed pre frontal lobes. You want experienced leaders with wisdom, much more than inexperienced leaders with a lack of wisdom, they aren’t equivalent
I don’t think septics is the right word but I am also high
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He can’t do the job. He’s a terrible candidate and he’s not mentally fit. His only qualification is that he’s not openly fascist. Definitely vote for the not fascist, but that won’t stop fascism in the long run.
Being forced to choose between senile and psychotic is fucking bullshit, and I’m sick of being told to just suck it up.
To be fair, Trump is also senile.
Yeah, I mean, beyond senile. He doesn’t even pass for human, he’s indistinguishable from a racist LLM. Fuck he’s not even an LLM, he’s a Markov model.
But compared to Biden, Trump does enough drugs to make him appear like he’s less senile. Also probably even more crazy.
Citation needed for Biden being senile.
Afghanistan withdrawal alone was a fucking abortion. SO hella dumb, SO rushed, I mean that was done in the worst way possible. We left so much shit behind, we didn’t destroy it, we didn’t burn it up & just shoot the shit out of the Taliban before we left, we left our people there with no way home, what was it 13 American soldiers died?? It couldn’t have been done any worse. And that’s on Biden’s head, that’s on all the people that just went along with it & were like, “Okay, whatever you say President Potato Head”.
It’s just not enough to say these people shit the bed with Afghanistan. They shit the bed multiple times, rolled around in their filth, slaughtered a goat on the bed, lit the bed on fire, tried to put the fire out by spraying it with gasoline, burning down the whole goddamn house, and shuttling in the Taliban in a full service limo on the American dime to do a Gangnam Style breakdance where the house once stood.
Biden is putting the country at serious risk of having another Trump term vs if he were to concede to literally any other Democrat.
Voter shaming has never worked as a strategy and has only made people want to be less involved in politics. People need something to vote for, not against.
Also note how both sources strongly lean towards the Democratic Party. Not like I’m citing Fox here.
More evidence of low voter turnout with Biden: https://news.yahoo.com/only-4-registered-voters-show-122000488.html
Biden performs better against Trump than Newsom or Harris. Name another democrat even close to having the name recognition to win the general election.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4470956-biden-trump-harris-newsom-poll/amp/
Anyone that won’t automatically loss the mid west swing States due to a required demographic there accurately believing the candidate is supporting a genocide against a population they identify with.
Even in the link you posted, Biden is still down 1 point vs Trump. That’s not a risk that I think the country should take.
Also to answer your question, either Jon Stewart or Bernie would kick Trump’s ass in a general. Y’know, people who inspire people to get out and vote instead of staying home because “both sides are shit anyway, what’s the point?”
Are you thinking we need Bernie to replace the old guy?
No, but I think he’d win in a theoretical scenario. Bernie already said he’s not going to be running for president.
Also, there was a reason I put Jon Stewart’s name first.
Yeah, like all the old people who actually vote would consider Jon Stewart as a serious candidate. “Oh, but he would bring young people out to vote!” Would he? Do young people even know who Jon Stewart is? And I love me some Jon fucking Stewart. And Bernie is perceived as way too far to the left in this country. And I love me some Bernie.
If your serious candidates are Jon Stewart and Bernie, please GTFO.
Yeah, like all the old people who actually vote would consider Jon Stewart as a serious candidate.
I would. In a heartbeat.
Not that you are completely wrong, but don’t play so hard into the stereotypes.
His age is irrelevant. Can he do the fucking job?
He can barely speak or remember his own major life events and colleagues. His team constantly has to step in and correct “what he meant to say” regarding very important international relations.
His age is relevant.
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Age-related cognitive decline is real and inescapable. All people over 80 have declining mental abilities, less ability to handle stress, etc. Old age is fundamentally a handicap and to suggest it isn’t is a delusion.
Being a little slower is so far different from what Trump is that it sounds delusional to even make a deal out if Bidens age and cognitive abilities when there is an actual lunatic with knives running towards us
This right here. He didn’t have to run again. Right now he needs our support and deserves at least a hardy thanks of appreciation. He came out of retirement to stop trump and the maggats. If I could buy him a beer or a very expensive scotch I would.
Providing the weapons for a genocide is not doing the job.
Ignoring people saying we won’t vote for genocide with the strategy of ‘Vote Harder!’ is stupid and dangerous if you believe the alternative is the end of democracy.
Edit: people here are mad at the people saying ‘we won’t vote for genocide’ but not at the person directly responsible for the mass murder of babies.
What the fuck is wrong with you?
To all those downvoting or responding with “he’s all we have”, be honest: fucking outright say “I’m willing to have babies slaughtered to prevent Trump.” That is a choice you are making. Have the courage of your convictions and say it out loud.
Look at the cost you are paying without flinching.
Providing the weapons for a genocide is not doing the job.
Actually, it kind of is. America has interests in the middle-east and Israel is key to them. Plus, the rich warmongers who own all our politicians want this. So it doesn’t matter who is in the White House, the weapons will flow.
Ignoring people saying we won’t vote for genocide with the strategy of ‘Vote Harder!’ is stupid and dangerous of you believe the alternative is the end of democracy.
Ignoring people ignorant of the bigger picture is how we keep the entire house from burning down. Trump will literally do everything most Democrats don’t want while Biden only does a few. If you’re willing to throw away everything over a few issues, then you’ve failed to be an educated voter.
How many dead and murdered children do I need to walk over to be an educated voter?
You’re literally happy justifying genocide.
He’s saying this like Trump being 77 is somehow young or any different than Biden being 81
Clearly it is because 4 years ago, when Biden was 77 the election didn’t revolve around age.
I’m just going to throw it out that I think people are only looking at the first number and don’t care about the second one, kinda like in stores 9.99 seems much cheaper than 10.00 despite the actual difference only being a penny. It’s not a 77 year old vs an 81 year old, it’s 70 year old vs 80 year old. 70 year old is an old man, 80 year old is your demented grandpa.
There were definitely people 4 years ago trying to make the discourse about age but it didn’t really take hold.
They did the same crap for Hillary in 2016, proclaiming she was at death’s door. For some weird reason, she’s still alive despite all this rhetoric from the radicalized right wing and their Russian pals.
You can make the claim for anyone 65 and up truthfully. That’s the downside of running old ass candidates.
Absolutely. I think the argument was just as valid as it was 4 years ago, but now for some reason people seem to perceive it a lot more and specifically more with Biden than Trump.
According to actuarial tables it’s actually significantly more valid now than it was before. There’s something like a 90% chance that Biden experiences cognitive decline in the next 4 years (assuming he lives that long). And that’s not surprising since 50% of people over the age of 70 experience cognitive decline in America (and it’s higher for males).
Ignoring it last election for both candidates was a mistake. And Biden and Trump should both in theory put out a “I’m fine but if I develop dementia during the next turn this is the plan” plan. For Biden, that will help a lot of people who are on the fence between him and nobody see him as a better candidate and turn out in higher percentages.
Low turnout is the main thing Biden should fear. He will loose a low turnout election.
And Biden and Trump should both in theory put out a “I’m fine but if I develop dementia during the next turn this is the plan” plan. For Biden, that will help a lot of people who are on the fence between him and nobody see him as a better candidate and turn out in higher percentages.
I believe that’s called a running mate, and not too many people seem keen on a President Harris.
My nightmare scenario since he picked her was that he would claim the 2024 nomination as an encombant, then resign after two years. We’re going to have to wait until 2036 before we get another primary, since Harris will be eligible for two full terms after finishing out Biden’s second. Democratic voters soundly rejected her in 2020, but the establishment will be forcing her on us anyways.
Sure but how long would he try to hold onto power? What level of decline would trigger his resignation? What things is he doing to ensure VP Harris is ready for a takeover etc…
Just showing that he has done the planning necessary is a huge step. Nobody wants another vegetable like Dementia ridden Reagan or Stroked out Woodrow Wilson; whose stroke status led to him botching the WW1 peace process and directly contributed to WW2… Right now his (Biden’s) campaign is pretending that any sort of cognitive decline is a complete impossibly and that’s just irresponsible.
What’s wrong with Harris?
He’s clearly suffering cognitive decline already. It’s not the dementia that Republicans would like to claim, but I think he would be in trouble facing a competent Republican opponent.
Honestly I worry it is dementia. Some days he’s clearly sharp and other days he barely knows where he is. That’s what the early stages look like.
Republican: He has 91 felony charges and in debt for AT LEAST 355 million dollars. Let’s make him our president, make this country GREAT AGAIN! 🙏
Around $440MM if you throw in the $83MM he owes in that recent defamation suit
HE’S FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE
Damn, those are your choices? You okay america?
It’s worse than you think. Point out how we don’t actually have two choices and the party front liners come out and say a vote not for their party is in reality a vote for the other party. Then they say, “[blah, blah, blah] vote like us or the world will literally end.” I’m not sure if they are serious anymore.
Already polling at >20% wanting to vote for neither party. Going to get much worse here pretty soon.
If only you had at least two-round system.
No. But we have to work with what we got.
No 😭😭
Please help us.
No. Send help.
OTOH in some countries choice was poisoned with chemical weapon twice and then killed in prison.
Damn, that’s your standard? Russia?
Typical “Our system is perfect because it’s not the worst” thinking, the kind that leads you slowly to the end of democracy
I know. It’s called говнохранительство(shitkeeping). Our system between first and third worst systems in Europe. Just saying that here there even less choice.
Both instances are a huge fucking problem though. The first people who made the USA warned against a two party system.
Sorta. It was actually Washington who warned against a two party system, because one was already forming from everyone else.
It’s more like the first people who made the US devolved into this same tribalism, and Washington tried to warn them it was bad.
Mathematically, the system they set up - the first past the post system - will always devolve into a 2-party contest.
Strategically, it only counts for you to vote for one of the top two choices, and then only sometimes.
Even so, still vote against fascism. Every time.
When do you think people will learn that “Our candidate is the second worst choice!” is not a good campaign strategy?
They’ve tried telling people all the accomplishments and good things he’s done, but the media and whiners on the internet only focus on the negative.
Biden’s like a hunk of old, hard cheese with a little mold on it: you can still stomach it if you cut off (ignore) the bad part. Trump is horse shit in the shape of cheese with lots of orange food coloring.
When the baby bombers eventually die off.
I hate to tell you that us Gen-Xers as well as Millennials and Gen-Zers have more than our fair share of assholes in it. I don’t think the Baby Boomers dying off will do as much as you hope they will.
Gen X here. People that were assholes in high school are mostly assholes now.
A few people that I even thought were good in high school became more assholish as they aged.
I’ve watched people drift away from empathy. It’s sad.
how would they learn this? what circumstances could befall them that could overcome “the other side had russian interference”?
They should have learned many lessons when Clinton lost. “The other guy is worse” campaigns don’t mobilize voters, they are vulnerable to divisions within parties, and they are vulnerable to similar third party candidates siphoning off votes.
What if we had more choices? Why does our choice have to an old ass man and an old ass man with felonies.
They are all missing the point.
You have plenty of choices, none of them are viable other than R vs D because there are 350 million people in the US and they’re mostly all going to vote based on established branding of the big 2 parties. Convincing everyone to vote 3rd party in a FPTP electoral system is literally impossible.
Then we will die till it changes.
most people don’t vote
What if we lived in a Utopia? What if “What-Ifs” were more productive uses of our time?
Have you ever contacted your representative with these concerns? They accept emails, these days. I once sent my Representative 38 pages split among 3 peer reviewed studies because her stance on immigration and crime conflicted with mine, and she thanked me for sharing my concerns.
I don’t see how someone younger is any better just by dint of being young. That’s what a VP and a line of succession is for.
This is going to get all the more confusing if/when life extension rears its head.
What kills me about this is that a felon can become president, but isn’t even allowed to vote. Like how does THAT make sense??
There’s only a handful of states where felons have no ability to vote after they’ve served their full sentence (including parole).
The big issue is that people in jail can’t vote at all in any election despite them being counted towards the population count. (except for I think Vermont allows this? I forget exactly and can’t be assed to look it up atm)
a felon can become president
Genuine question: has he actually been convicted of any felonies yet?
No, he has not been convicted.
Nah, they keep saying “convicted” in the news when he loses civil trials
Never thought I’d be defending Trump but he’s only lost civil trials, not criminal ones. He’s not a convicted felons, and there is no guarantee that will happen.
What you prefer: Russia or USA? In Russia felon can’t be elected, but can vote, in USA what you said.
That, and there is a succession if Biden becomes incapacitated and/or steps down. Harris takes over; most/all of his cabinet stays. BFD.
We can thank our stars that the “liberal media” does nothing to call out this bothsiderist/horse race BS. Tiny d is a criminal and a fascist bent on being a dictator. The other guy is, OMG, OLD (even though tiny d is nearly as old as him)! I cannot tell which is worse!
Isn’t Trump 77? It’s not like he’s some young buck. The argument against Biden’s age is quite strained when your own candidate is almost just as old.
It isn’t a comparison between 81 and 77 I’m concerned about. They are both too old to run for presidency!
Two candidates pre retirement age would be great about now.
It isn’t a comparison between 81 and 77 I’m concerned about.
Tell that to all the trumpsters who complain about Biden’s age. They don’t seem to be particularly concerned about Trump’s age.
They can’t detect hypocrisy and much less spell it.
I think the frustration comes from the fact that this could have easily been avoided. The primaries didn’t have to be a formality.
Whereas I will take the guy who is 81 over the treasonous rapist wannabe dictator who has 91 felony counts.
In fact, all of that other stuff comes before the felony counts.
Not sure why it doesn’t for Swalwell.
Because it was another number. No need to be obtuse.
I can honestly say I have no idea what you’re talking about.
The “81 vs 91” thing makes for a snappier soundbite. It doesn’t mean that the other things don’t matter, just that there was a catchier way to mention the felony counts
I would suggest “I would vote for the guy who’s 81 over the rapist treasonous wannabe dictator” would be a better soundbite.
I can’t help but assume you don’t work in politics and have zero experience with this
That is true. Do you?
I would have thought him being a rapist and wanting to be a dictator would be better reasons to convince people not to vote for him.
Do you think this one sentence was the only opportunity every Democrat had to talk about this?
Yes, well, someone thought differently about how they would answer. Certainly there’s room for that?
I don’t have an issue with what you posted outside of the small chance that it’s an unnecessary purity test. I don’t think that’s your goal but what do I know
There is indeed. Is there also not room for my suggesting a different answer might be better?
Edit: Apparently multiple people think I don’t deserve to give my opinion. Should I delete my initial post?
Should I delete my initial post?
no.
I wonder when the ADA will file a lawsuit against the constitution for Ageism. Looks like it’s only for old shits. 40yr+?
Is there precedent for president being national born being illegal too?
Legal woes is a weird way to say criminal actions
