President Joe Biden hosted a small group of scholars and historians for lunch on Wednesday as he gears up for a speech framing the upcoming election as a battle for the nation’s democracy.
The discussion revolved around “ongoing threats to democracy and democratic institutions both here in America and around the world, as well as the opportunities we face as a nation,” the White House said in a statement.
Princeton’s Eddie Glaude Jr. and Sean Wilentz, Harvard’s Annette Gordon-Reed, Yale’s Beverly Gage and Boston College’s Heather Cox Richardson were among the attendees, as well as presidential biographer — and occasional Biden speech writer — Jon Meacham.
Attendees were tight-lipped about what was discussed at the gathering. One would only go so far as to say they “talked about American history and its bearing on the present — a lively exchange of ideas.”
Another person in the room, who like the others was not authorized to speak publicly about a private meeting, said the historians urged the president “to call out the moment for what it is.” In blunt terms, the academics discussed looming threats to the nation’s democracy and warned about the slow crawl of authoritarianism around the globe.
I hope they spoke very strongly, this is the time for strong language.
I think it’s important for Biden to call out this moment for what it is. It will be difficult to do, though, without alienating the people in the country who have incorporated Trump into their political identity. When you point out that their emperor has no clothes, they will feel exposed themselves and lash out at the truth teller.
Biden has to try and build a coalition of all sorts of people to meet this moment. Especially all the people who are disillusioned with the situation in Gaza right now. It amazes me how all those people would think Trump would be any better at that. Trump would sell out Gaza to build a resort if we let him.
Trump would gleefully see Gaza get destroyed. He would call on Israel to not slow down and allow aid to pass through, but do it faster. Like, “have it done by next Monday so I can take the credit for it”.
Then call on biden to act to stop the genocide and there wont be an issue.
Biden doesn’t control Netanyahu and Netanyahu would much rather have Trump back in power. Why the fuck would he do him any favors
It will be difficult to do, though, without alienating the people in the country who have incorporated Trump into their political identity
They’re already alienated, there’s likely nothing Biden could possibly do that would earn him their votes.
The question is- can Biden afford to alienate the folks who are against US support of Israeli occupation and genocide? If they stay home, the GOP wrecking crew may get another 4 years of opportunity to dismantle American democracy. Is it safe to bet that they’ll hold their nose and vote against the greater evil?
I’m not 100% sure how much of the Democratic party (or independents) would find it to be a deal-breaker if Biden were to take a critical stance of Israeli occupation and genocide, nor am I certain of how many likely-democratic voters find it a deal-breaker if Biden continues to give Israel military support without conditions. It seems likely to me that if Biden doesn’t address this issue directly and clearly, he will lose one or the other of these groups and I worry he can’t afford that in 2024
The great part is that there’s nothing Biden can do that would be a deal breaker. I must vote for him because the way we vote is stupid. There’s nothing that can make me not because the alternative is objectively worse.
So it’s no wonder the DNC doesn’t care what I think.
Or and hear me out here we could allow them to see the consequences of their own actions.
Fucking fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me
We are just sick of supporting people that support genocidal actions.
You guys have fun with genocidin biden, if he’s on the ballot I’m just staying home and staying quiet for the next 4 years
No I don’t care about game theory or blah blah blah.
I care that I do not show support for anyone who is helping to kill innocent children.
You guys still have a chance to actually run a primary.
Straight up fuck anyone who is VBNMW
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice – Rush, Freewill
Not choosing equates to choosing the default. You may not care about game theory, but you and others cannot get away from the consequences of it.
In this election, not choosing = voting for Trump
I have a question, does that mean if a trump supporter doesn’t vote for him, then it counts as a vote for Biden?
im voting for him regardless of his stance on israel/palestine. How is staying home going to help palestine??? Even for palestine, biden is the lesser evil on who runs the us.
Don’t try to apply logic here. This shit doesn’t make any since. Trump would 100% toss Ukraine to Russia and Palestine to Israel. All either countries would have to do is stuff some money in his pocket. They are fucking delussional thinking that theres some other option here. There isn’t. Our political system is not being overhauled for 2024. A new party is not arising. There are no new front runners for either party. Its gonna be Trump v Biden 2: Misinformation Boogaloo and these people really think Trump would do this gracefully and with the safety and peace of all nations in mind. They are steeped in madness.
You guys have fun with genocidin biden, if he’s on the ballot I’m just staying home and staying quiet for the next 4 years
“genocidin Biden”? No wonder you’re not voting, you sound like you’re 12. Go to your room and think about what you just said, young human. It’s not as deep as you think it is.
The situation in Gaza is tragic, and can’t be solved with a soundbite. But anyone who thinks outcomes will be better with Trump in office is delusional. Trump has proven that he doesn’t really care about human rights, he cares about enriching himself. The Palestinians will be sold to the highest bidder. Is that what you want?
Browbeating is satisfying, and is less work than addressing the issue and trying to make progress toward a resolution. Do you suppose that your response made it more likely that the person you responded to will behave in the way you want?
Dismissiveness indicates an aversion to introspection.
I’m 37 and voted blue from 18.
The party is officials are ignoring my concerns therefore, I no longer support them.
Feel free to do so if you’d like, I don’t intend on standing in your way.
You did not have my back, and now I won’t have yours
You’re killing trans children at home. Other out groups as well. Thanks. And thanks for sharing and encouraging others. This is helpful. I’ll remember your bravery and honor and this moment and the chair I’m sitting in, when they are separating my family at the gas chamber in 6 or 7 years. Bc you didn’t know how to read the room.
You’re already voting to support that, you just want other people to pay that price for you.
Okay, enjoy the genocide of your lgbtq+ and immigrant neighbors. You won’t vote but the MAGA crowd will appear in full force.
You’re kind of helping his argument, no? His choice is support genocide of his LGBT+ neighbors or Palestinians? Neither option presented sounds worthy of a vote.
Democrats already jumped at the chance to support one genocide. Why should anyone trust them to not do it again at their earliest convenience?
Now is definitely the time for stronger language and to actually communicate.
I’m encouraged to hear that he’s talking with historians on the current moment; there’s a lot going on right now that if he just follows politics-as-usual may result in a failure of democracy in the United States.
The deficits in trust the Democratic party are experiencing today might be unprecedented in modern US politics, but the pattern on display bears striking similarity to the politics of the Antebellum period in the United States, and there are also stark parallels to be drawn between US politics today and that of Weimar Germany in the 1920s.
The last thing Biden can afford to do is double down on the status quo. Although his admin has been doing yeoman’s work in bringing back progressive policy, I worry that his political instincts on Gaza will have him rush to the “middle ground” to appease the right, when really that isn’t a middle ground at all- and in doing that he risks squandering whatever goodwill he’s accumulated among likely democratic voters.
You know what’s a really big threat to democracy? Only getting two terrible choices for president, for Senator, for representatives, for governors, and for every other elected position above dog catcher.
People become disillusioned and hopeless because they don’t see any meaningful change and check out. And they stop voting.
But this speech is gonna be about Trump and not that.
Trump is the bigger threat. Once he’s gone that should become the new focus
There will always be another bigger threat, the fash voter base, police and military presence, and judicial presence doesn’t go away when Trump does. Biden needed to clean house, not tiptoe and allow these people to sit on the sidelines like Clarence Thomas until they activate like a sleeper cel.
Not likely. Alternative voting is a threat to both the RNC and DNC hegemony.
Libertarian and Green candidates are routinely decried as ‘false flag vote siphons’ despite having materially different policy stances from both main parties. It’s easier to keep your team in line with national level funding and intra-party discipline than to actually compromise and work on bi/tri-partisan legislation or a coalition government.
people should concentrate third party at local levels as there is a real chance there also vetting the candidates at the primary level. We have greens at various local positions around me but we have also had insincere candidates try and run as the party canidate (they think getting on a third party will be easier)
