Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth in MAGA Darkness

If you follow Jesus’ parable ending with the fearful servant cast into darkness to weep and gnash teeth, the Democrats likewise buried the gold versus doing something useful with this election. The party glitterati jettisoned Biden out of fear of losing what we had, versus using the gold given to us to do more for everyone. And now, Democrats everywhere are gnashing their teeth for the loss. Accusations for the Harris demise today swirl and bite in the party establishment like Michigan midge flies. The should’ves, the could’ves, and the if onlys fly in ferocious swarms of I told you so crowd against cover your ass perpetrators.

I was against dropping Biden. Nothing against Harris, who ran excellent campaign in difficult terrain, but dropping Biden left her and all Democrats in an impossible position. While I admit thought Harris could squeak through, without Georgia for instance, this move never set well with me.

Biden, supposedly too old and feeble, would have not campaigned into the sexist storm which swamped the Harris campaign. Biden could run on what he did for four years versus Harris needing to keep distance and plausible deniability. A Biden front porch campaign would certainly not have left us with a worse electoral map. I defy anyone to to argue Harris held a state Biden would have lost. Harris just did not have the time to win. Obama worked years just to get to a point people would consider him possibly presidential. No one can do that in 100 days—this is not Hollywood after all.

No, we lost this election because George Clooney was spooked by the debate. Him, and all the usual suspect Democratic donors in the Oort Cloud money orbit who panicked into rebellion and slammed their checkbooks shut. We had gold with Biden. A strong economy, shrinking inflation, lowering interest rates, near full employment and we buried that gold for fear of losing it. As Pogo said generations ago, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” It took a bit for MAGA to get its bearings, but it found the weakness created by our fear and took the election.

Biden’s dropping out of the race has been portrayed as a sacrifice for the nation. I think he stepped aside because he grew too tired for one more round dealing with fellow Democrats and their petty fears. Imagine having the best economy in the world, coming out of COVID better than any industrialized country. Successfully defending democracy in Ukraine. Getting hostages out of Russia. Appointing a record number of solid federal judges, including the first black woman Justice. Even growing the unionization rate. All this, and a first debate (which every incumbent president tanks), sends donors scrambling for the exit.

Biden was not too old and tired to govern our country. He was, however, likely too weary to gird up and fight the gold-burying Democrats one more time. I hope Joe has many years to enjoy his grandchildren and great-grandchildren on the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk, eating fried clams and Kohr Bros. custard—he served our country well and deserves so much more than petty recriminations.

Everlasting anger and disgust must be reserved for those, afraid of some judgement from on high, buried Biden’s accomplishments to sate their spineless fears. These are the people who guaranteed us Trump. These are the people to blame as miscarrying women die, undocumented children press into deportation cattle cars and a new generation of poor is cast out of health care. Thank you George Clooney, your work will be remembered.