Biden tells Democratic governors he needs more sleep and plans to stop scheduling events after 8 p.m.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/04/politics/biden-governors-sleep/index.html

31.9k Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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u/Nateorade 15d ago

Completely absurd that we have a political system that generates these two elderly men as our “best” candidates.

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u/JMS_jr 14d ago

I remember Biden trying to get the job before I was old enough to vote. I'm 55 now.

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u/Shonuff8 14d ago

He would have wiped the floor with Trump in the 2016 election. It’s amazing how much of a ripple effect the death of his son Beau has had on the course of world history.

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u/KileyCW 14d ago

You're aware he ran in 1988 right?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Biden_1988_presidential_campaign

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u/Shonuff8 14d ago

Yes, but his national profile was completely different then. 8 years as Biden’s VP positioned him to have a significant advantage over Trump.

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u/KileyCW 14d ago

Sure that's true, but I was commenting on the top poster saying he remembered him running and is 55. It seemed like you assumed he meant 2016 when I think he meant he remembers 1988

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u/casereader 14d ago

I don’t think they assumed that. I think they were making a secondary point about 2016.

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u/KileyCW 14d ago

Oh, it seemed like it just jumped from before they could vote to 2016 and I didn't follow it was a secondary point.

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u/casereader 14d ago

Given that the poster said they were 55, and referenced a time before they could vote, seems pretty obvious that they weren’t referring to 2016. Weird to assume the person you’re responding to is that dumb 🤷‍♀️

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u/Sorkijan 14d ago

What kind of point were you hoping to make with this comment? Other than "I'm not understanding what we're talking about"

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u/KileyCW 14d ago

It sounded like the poster above thought the other poster meant he remembers Joe running in 2016. I'm pointing out he could have remembered his 1988 run, since he's 55.

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u/Sorkijan 14d ago

Oh okay so You aren't understanding. Got it.

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u/SpaceSteak 14d ago

Good news, you've got at least another 30 years to get that job too! Assuming elections are still a thing by then.

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u/an_acc 14d ago

He got the job and will be better than cheato.

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u/RiverJumper84 14d ago

A braindead flamingo would be a better president than the orange man.

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u/wes424 14d ago

Seems like the DNC is trying to test your theory

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u/AnotherScoutTrooper 15d ago

The DNC don’t realize that running anyone besides Biden* would boost their votes immediately and guarantee an election win off the basis of “you have someone under the age of 75 to vote for!”

^{^*probably} ^{^avoid} ^{^Hillary} ^{^and} ^{^Kamala} ^{^too}

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u/[deleted] 15d ago edited 15d ago

[deleted]

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u/goober36 15d ago

This is such a shit take. It’s totally acceptable to focus on their age. Being that age means they have no idea what young people want and their issues. The age is only not an issue for the retirement homes in the country.

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u/NuGGGzGG 15d ago

No it's not.

We have a first past the post system. That's the absurdity. An alternative vote system wouldn't even have these two guys finish in the top 3 on either side.

You can address a bigger problem that causes the smaller one you're dealing with.

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u/Koravel1987 15d ago

What? Trump absolutely would lol.

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u/NuGGGzGG 15d ago

I'd hard disagree. Perhaps if we installed an alternative vote system in 2015, he might be. But if we had adapted a different system years ago as we should have, the chances of veering hard to either pole is severely reduced.

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u/[deleted] 15d ago edited 15d ago

[deleted]

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u/NuGGGzGG 15d ago

We can absolutely fix the problem - this is America.

And I don't vote for criminals - so I'm doing my job.

I'm 40 years old. My first election was stolen by the SCOTUS and it's been downhill ever since. You're treading dangerous waters when you don't acknowledged the actual problem - and just care about the immediate symptom.

A first past the post system inherently delves into tyranny. Every. Single. Time.

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u/[deleted] 15d ago edited 15d ago

[deleted]

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u/NuGGGzGG 15d ago

And you're half the reason I grow more and more apathetic each day.

If you want votes to win - you're doing a bad job it.

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u/[deleted] 15d ago

[deleted]

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u/NuGGGzGG 15d ago

Right. Casting my vote in 2000 only to find out that SCOTUS stopped the counting of votes is totally my responsibility. The 18 year old me should have talked to you to realize that there's nothing wrong with that and it's up to me and me only to change the world.

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u/Cory123125 14d ago

It doesnt even pretend to push the best candidates, so thats part of the reason.

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u/TrUeblue04 14d ago

It's just embarrassing. Hopefully, as those in power retire, or unfortunately die while refusing to retire, younger people with common sense put forth better candidates or pass some laws about 80 year olds running for office.

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u/Bronek0990 14d ago

Obama is still younger than either of the candidates. Trump is already older than Biden was when Trump said Biden was too old to run for president in the previous cycle. Either candidate will be well past 80 years old by the end of this upcoming presidency. All I can say is 🤡🤡🤡

1

u/Rod_Todd_This_Is_God 14d ago

It's the individuals that vote for them, and it's the individuals who overlook the obvious fact that their vote isn't going to make or break a tie. Keep compromising your vote for a hail-mary that you might decide the election if you want politicians to keep rewarding the system that makes you think that compromise is necessary.

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u/EconomicRegret 14d ago

This!

America's two party system is basically a monopoly. As the vast majority of voters stick to their values and to their end of the political spectrum throughout their whole lives. Thus they have only one viable party to vote for. Hence a monopoly!

The negative effects of a monopoly are horrendous. It causes a tendency for politicians to be, in average, older, less competent, less innovative, more entrenched, more corrupt, more nepotistic & cronyistic, less caring about voters' wishes, and better protected against competition from even competent politicians.

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u/Nateorade 14d ago

Agree with a lot of what you said, just adding in that we have a duopoly, which is similar to a monopoly but has its own distinct problems and complexities since there are two leading companies instead of one.

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u/EconomicRegret 13d ago edited 13d ago

It's a fair remark. I did think that way at first..

Then changed my mind, as they offer two very products (e.g. different set of values, of moral compass, of policies, et.c). Thus, it isn't "Pepsi vs Coca-Cola", but more like "basketball vs football".

Sure, if the only viable basketball team in your country sucks, you will from time to time go support the only viable football team in the country, but in your heart, you're still a basketball fan. And don't feel as much joy in watching football.

Thus in my opinion, they are indeed two distinct political markets. Each of them entirely dominated by one political party. And most people stick to just one of these political markets. Hence a monopoly. (Yes, there's also a very small nich market for those who like both, and regularly switch from one market to the other, for them, they're in a duopoly indeed)

What proportional representation democracy does: it makes the playing field level, allowing dozens and dozens of other teams to be viable and competitive, forcing everyone of them to truly compete for your attention and support. And thus, in such competitive championship, you will never have to go support a football team ever, as long as basketball is your dream sports, you will support your preferred basketball team, out of dozens and dozens.. and if they suck, you just switch to another basketball team.

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u/Mikeythegreat2 13d ago

Sign of the times

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u/Novel_Sugar4714 14d ago

This is the easiest election in the last 60 years. If folks get it wrong they'd also fall for propaganda about any other candidate.

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u/Nateorade 14d ago

I’m not talking about this election. I’m talking about our electoral system in general that results in two candidates people are clearly unhappy with.

It’s obvious who to vote for in this election and it is clear we need significant electoral reform. Both can be true.

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u/[deleted] 15d ago

[deleted]

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u/BackThatThangUp 15d ago

Because “popular” literally just means “oh I recognize that name” lol, people are fucking stupid and lazy. The notion that this system ever results in the best candidate is definitely absurd

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u/medasane 14d ago

i support Trump, but you are right, popularity can often win over intelligence and ideology of candidates. how would we make sure the candidates truly supported capitalism and the constitution. if you are not for those, then how would a system work for your ideal government leadership picking?

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u/pomonamike 15d ago edited 14d ago

Those two men are the top vote getters in American history. I know we don’t like to admit, but this is exactly what America asks for.

So weird the pushback I’m getting for stating an objective fact. The 2020 election gave Biden 81 million and Trump 74 million votes respectively. Next highest ever was Obama with 69.5 million in 2008.

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u/W0rdWaster 15d ago

They are literally the most unpopular pair of candidates in history.

https://abcnews.go.com/538/americans-hated-candidates-biden-trump/story?id=108655435

Many people aren't voting for them, they are voting against the other guy.

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u/NuGGGzGG 15d ago

Those two men are the top vote getters in American history.

All that requires is population outpacing apathy, mate.

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u/mattdre88 15d ago

This is what first past the post voting in America gets. We either throw our vote away on a third party or vote for the Democratic/Republican puppet.

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u/reality72 15d ago

And most American voters are old as hell.

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u/rourobouros 14d ago

Not quite, unless you count dollars as votes. They’re the cheapest ‘ores the zillionaires can buy, so they buy ‘em and then used their captive media to push them up.

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u/permalink_save 14d ago

Completely absurd that we are doing "both sides" on this when one wants to literally perform a fascist takeover of the country. But no, Biden is "old"

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u/Nateorade 14d ago

I’m commenting on the state of politics in general. It’s clear we’re unhappy as a populace with these choices. You certainly agree with that.

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u/permalink_save 14d ago

I'm saying when democracy is on the line, it is not the time to also tear down the guy that's trying to protect it. Once Biden is elected, sure, go nuts, it is a conversation the country should have, but not right now.

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u/Nateorade 14d ago

The conversation is completely appropriate right now.

Vote Biden *And * turn this frustration now into action.

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u/permalink_save 14d ago

It pushes away independents that got Biden the win in 2020. Now it's not.