I can’t get John Kennedy or Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton or Barack Obama out of my mind. They are my idea of Candidates for President of the United States. Happy Warriors. Cut from the same cloth as the original Happy Warrior, Al Smith, four-time Governor of New York State, and the first Catholic nominated by one of the two major parties for President of the United States.
So, Joe isn’t in that category. And, we’re in a different time, Covid Time. But for Pete’s sake, take the mask off when you speak and they’re eight people in the room and the nearest one is 37 feet away.
I read the polls daily, so I know that Joe is the favorite. But I don’t like the feeling I have in the pit of my stomach where all true wisdom abides. I don’t like the fact that Joe hasn’t put Pennsylvania away. C’mon man, it’s almost your home state. Obama won it twice, easy. He even picked up votes from folks who “knew” he was a Muslim born in Kenya but had “a nice family” so they threw him a few votes anyway.
There’s a piece up in the New York Times today by Thomas B Edsall, a serious guy who puts some meat on the bones of my paranoia. (Remember, paranoid people can have enemies.) Below are the comments I filed on Edsall‘s piece:
This article reinforces what my stomach has been telling me since Jim Clyburn endorsed Biden making him the probable nominee.
I will vote for Biden. Most people I know will. I don’t know anybody who is wildly enthusiastic about Biden. Or anybody who would cross the street to meet him or hear him speak.
Trump dominated Biden in the debate and Pence did the same to Harris. Every picture I see of Biden he has this “something important is happening here, I wish I knew more about it” look on his face.
Look at Presidential elections from JFK versus Nixon to Trump versus Clinton the most energetic candidate draws the biggest crowds and wins most of the time. Plus, the candidate that wants it the most usually wins.
Joe may be the favorite but he has not closed the deal. He has to take it up a notch, add some urgency to his message. The people want to know, do you really want the job and, can you really do the job.
The Title of this piece has it absolutely right. Stated differently it says “Joe Can Lose.”
The race will tighten. Trump will get a bump when Amy Coney Barrett is Confirmed and another bump at the hoopla around the Swearing In. Fasten your seatbelts.
Comments are welcome at tomc[at]wednesdayswars[dot]com. Comments will be addressed in subsequent posts.