I did see AOC's comments. I believe and trust her. I feel she is honest and is in politics to serve the people, not a donor class. I do believe that is a rare thing now in politics, but she really is interested in helping people. 

So, here is my take on it. I have no doubt what she said was true but I still don't think it has to do with Kamala's race and gender. When she ran for president before, before the primaries started, I believe the entire Democratic party embraced her and they wanted her to be their candidate. So, I think back then, they did all stand behind her. Her race and gender were not an issue for them. So, I think the biggest issue for them now is not her race and gender, I think it is how poorly she performed in the primaries and perhaps what some Democrats want to do is go full clean slate, not run Biden or Harris, because maybe they think Harris is too attached to Biden in people's minds. Kamala did come out and defend Joe and apparently that angered some Democrats she was speaking to. Which it should not have but in these times of great fear of encroaching fascism, and Donald Trump...well...tempers flare all over the place.  

I have no doubt we have some ignorant elected Democrats and some that see opportunity for themselves over opportunity for the country and people. That is absolutely rampant in the Republican party...or what is actually now the MAGA party because Trump made them throw the whole conservative Republican thing overboard. However, it is obvious it impacts some Democrats as well, just not at the level of whatever that party is that just had their clown show convention. That was not a recognizable American political party, it was some sort of weird fascist circus, that actual Republicans and conservatives did not even attend. 

So, perhaps the fight going on and what Biden is doing is this, maybe he has indicated he will step out, if and only if Harris takes the spot and the Democrats all, in unison back that. Basically, that's what Dean was saying, that it can be done, but it can't be a fight. You can't have different factions all arguing for different candidates. Like a side that wants Hillary, and a side that wants Newsom, and a side that wants Michelle Obama. They can't do that. So, maybe what Joe is doing is saying "If there is no agreement that Harris takes my place, I'm not going anywhere."

The reason I believe he is telling people he will step out is because of the names that have come forward and either asked him to or said he is going to "do the right thing."

These are people that would know what was going on inside the party and what the real talks are. I don't think it is ever leaked that Obama said that Joe should consider getting out if it was not going to happen. I don't think many of these Democrats that have spoke up would do it if they were not hearing it was going to happen. Because saying these things in public the way they have, is absolute scorched earth destruction of Joe's campaign if they don't know something. I mean it should never have been done. Say all you want behind closed doors, but in public, stand behind your candidate...always. 

That's exactly how the Republicans, or whatever they are now, do it. Behind closed doors they say openly what a moron and con artist Trump is, mock him as orange Jesus, mock the people that fall for his lies...but in public, they bow down to him like he is a god. 

I don't want Democrats to treat Biden as a god but they should all...every last one of them...be out there selling that this guy is one of the top three most successful and effective presidents in our history...because it is true. What a fucking failure to do that this mess is if they have all made their public statements without absolute certainty Joe is stepping out. If they did that, if they did not have full confirmation Biden was getting out before they said WORD ONE about replacing him, they have betrayed their own party, and in turn the country and world...because we can't have Trump in our White House again. He's a felon that has argued he should be allowed to commit felonies while in office and be totally immune for doing so. 

I also listened to Bernie Sanders, who also argued that we should be keeping Joe, and again, I love Bernie, I have no issue with what he said. The problem as I see it is this, we do have a public that is very nervous about Joe Biden's age and health. This is not in question. Now we also have big major players in the Democratic party saying Joe must go. They have not tried to quell the flames...they poured gasoline on them and now we have a raging out of control blaze of uncertainty about Biden 16 weeks out from election day. Why would they do that when they all know the stakes of this election?

I don't care what color these people are, they are supposed to be Democratic leadership. They should know if you want to have talks with your candidate about getting out, don't do it in the media. That's a really simple idea, not complex. If they did this, and they did not know what Biden was going to do...well, they knifed him in the back. I don't think Raskin, Schiff, Pelosi, Obama, any of these people would do that. It seems absurd. 

So, my feeling is, they did it because they knew something, they knew Joe was open to stepping out or saying he would if Harris takes over. I just can't fathom any other reason why they would do it. 

Politics is a heartbreaker. I know that. You only get in if you are willing to have your heart broken over and over. Well, if this turns out to be a plan, pushed by donors, and nobody asked Joe before they opened their mouths and spilled it all over the media...these people are heartbreakers. They are doing the wrong thing, at exactly the wrong time. 

I have nothing against Joe, he has lived up to being a outstanding president and steered us out of a dark time. I am not looking to have him removed. I will say at this point, if he stepped out and Kamala took the lead, I would at least feel there was some sort of plan that was intended. If Joe stays in now, well, it will look like a bunch of high level Democrats created pure chaos and intentionally damaged Biden's candidacy. That they went rogue. I honestly don't want to think that is what happened. 

However, what the Democrats did in 2016, that was a shitstorm of self-inflicted wounds as well. That was a huge part of how Trump won. So, it would not stun me if they did it again. 

To end on a positive note, I agree with Bernie and AOC that it should not matter who the Democrats run, they are running against the weakest Republican candidate maybe in history, and a multiple felon, sexual assaulter, tax evading, fraud committing, open liar. If you can't beat that...well...I don't know what the hell you are doing.