A prognostication: Biden is sabotaging his re-election

May 11, 2024 • 8:15 am

This article, from Claire Berlinski‘s Substack site was written by her as well as by John Oxley, and paints a picture of Biden as a doddering old fool with no clear take on foreign policy. Biden, they say, has waffled so much on his Israel policy, including his decision to stop most military weapons sold to Israel, that he’ll lose the vote of both Muslims and Jews—a hard thing to do.  It also includes ten summaries of and links to other articles, all criticizing Biden and all worth reading. It’s a valuable piece, and those of you who are so certain that Biden will win should read the whole thing. (Claire abhors Trump, by the way; like me, she just wants the Left on a sane foundation.)

Claire, by the way, is the daughter of evolution opponent David Berlinski, but seems to have a whole lot more common sense.

Clicking on the headline may get you one free read, but you also may wish to subscribe, as I enjoy Berlinski’s prose—and ideas. (The articles are written by Berlinski and other people.) Try clicking on the headline:

I’ll quote a lot of her short article, and be sure to read the Bret Stephens article mentioned in the first sentence (it’s archived here).

I just saw this column by Bret Stephens, who echoes my sentiments almost verbatim. I hadn’t seen that when we recorded this last night, and obviously, he hadn’t listened to this podcast.1 But he wrote more or less exactly what I’ve said here.

All of this is disastrous for Biden, and thus disastrous for us all.

I figured until this that he was basically a savvy politician who understood why the American electorate put him in power quite well. Normalcy. Not extremism. But I was wrong. He’s in a bubble. He doesn’t understand how much of his support comes from people like me.

People like me—and I suspect the majority of Americans, even still—loathe the far right. They also loathe the far left and the Islamists. People like me have for years rejected the argument that Biden is dangerously in the sway of the Islamists and the far left on the grounds that it’s absurd to say so. Befuddled though he may be, Biden is clearly an old-fashioned center-leftist, firmly in the postwar American tradition. He’s not going to do anything grotesquely offensive in office. Trump, meanwhile, is literally—not just metaphorically or hyperbolically—insane, a Clusterfuck B personality disorder on cloven hooves. It really is an open question whether the American republic would survive another term under his aegis.

I still maintain this—passionately. For all his deficits, and there are so many, there’s no option but Joe Biden. The prospect of a second Trump presidency is too terrible to consider.

But until recently, I had allowed myself not to consider it. I believed, in some primitive, unjustifiable way, that it just couldn’t happen. That Americans will somehow come to their senses before Election Day.

I no longer think so. What this tells me is that Biden is so out of touch that he’s confused the campus of Columbia with mainstream American opinion. It’s an unforced and terrible error. It tells me the people around him—including his cabinet—are giving him awful advice. Neither he nor his advisors have properly understood how many Americans want to vomit when they see those spoiled, pampered, Hamas-loving campus imbeciles demanding “humanitarian aid”—for themselves. So they don’t get peckish during their sleepover parties with their little chums.

It’s not just the greasy-pole climbers like Elise Stefanik who feel this way. There’s a broad American center that cannot stand what we’ve recently seen emerging from these institutions. They will instinctively and immediately understand that Biden has decided to pander to them at the expense of our ally, and they will understand that in doing so, he has made us weaker. They may not be able to admit or articulate to themselves what causes them to stay home on Election Day. But it will be this—this, and our withdrawal from Afghanistan, our timidity in arming Ukraine, our misbegotten efforts to coax Iran back into a nuclear deal it clearly does not want. This—and Biden’s infernal mumbling, stuttering, and slurring. This—and the massive, coordinated information war that Russia and China will mount on Trump’s behalf. (There will be a hell of an October Surprise. I promise.) This, and the failure of our judiciary to swiftly put Trump behind bars— not for paying off a porn star, but for attempting a coup. All of this, together, is enough to win Trump reelection.

I have no idea how Biden made this decision, or why. How could he fail to appreciate that it’s the political kiss of death to be lauded by Ilhan Omar? Her words will be on GOP attack ads from now until Election Day.

In capitulating to his party’s loons and cranks, Biden has breathed life into a GOP argument that until now was easy to dismiss—viz., that the crackpots are secretly running his administration.

This is a disastrous headline for Joe Biden:

(The headline below is from a WBMA, an ABC news site in Birmingham, Alabama).

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., speaks at a rally outside an Amazon facility on Staten Island in New York, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Here’s a new tweet by AOC, echoing the misguided claim that invading Rafah is a “red line”. What she doesn’t say it that crossing that line would make both Israel and the world safer.  In other words, AOC (and Biden) simply want Hamas to persist as the rulers of Gaza.

If AOC, Omar, and the other “squaddies” were in college, they’d be encamped.

38 thoughts on “A prognostication: Biden is sabotaging his re-election”

  1. I stopped reading after this. It’s hard to take anyone seriously, regardless of their credentials, when their emotions take over their brain.

    “Trump, meanwhile, is literally—not just metaphorically or hyperbolically—insane, a Clusterfuck B personality disorder on cloven hooves. It really is an open question whether the American republic would survive another term under his aegis.”

    1. When I reach that level of hyperbole during a rant, I know it’s time to chill and read a novel or watch the boob tube since I’ve jumped the shark. But it’s fun until the adrenalin dissipates and I feel ashamed of the raving lunatic I’ve been. Luckily, my animals are forgiving.

    2. I like the phrase, “a Clusterfuck B personality disorder.” The mot juste. But, as for the rest of it, yeah. Hyperbolic.

    3. Ms. Berlinski errs. Observable personality traits do not by themselves make a diagnosis of a personality disorder, and even having a personality disorder diagnosed by a mental health professional does not constitute insanity. The asylums and homeless shelters would be full to overflowing if it did.

      I didn’t exactly stop reading because I was curious about her point but I did stop taking her seriously at “literally . . . insane.”

      1. Yes, Leslie. “Mentally ill” does a lot of excusing, heavy lifting for shitty personalities. I’ve often had to disabuse people trying to connect them – sometimes to mothers of criminal boys (my clients once) who are “not good boys”. I never went as far as the truth: “bad seed, ma’am, little Jimmy will be in and out of jail all his life – a class A loser” – I’m a polite attorney.

        But I won’t allow “mentally ill” as an excuse except if the person is actually mentally ill – by various clinical diagnoses. Which is very rare.

        Ms. Berlinski is a tad extreme. It was hard for me to forget her odious father David B. along with his constant walking stick. His problem isn’t a leg problem but rather much higher in his head. Big time Discovery Institute prole.
        D.A.
        NYC

      2. Personality disorders are distinct from mental illnesses. People with Cluster B PDs don’t typically wind up in asylums. Especially the clinical narcissists; they’re often quite successful.

        A pattern of disordered behavior is actually a pretty good diagnostic indicator.

    4. I do think that Trump is insane – not in the strictly legal sense of the world (i.e. to be considered not guilty of any crime he could do) but in the sense of being mentally unstable to the point of being unpredictable, maybe even to himself. And in the corner of Eastern Europe where I live, this is the consensus opinion.

      I also agree that it “is an open question whether the American republic would survive another term under his aegis”. After all, as a result of his 1st term, people no longer peacefully accept election loss (an important feature that distinguished mature democracies from other societies), and Reagan’s party became pro-Russian.

      Still, Biden’s performance is so horrible that to me that I find a decision to vote for Trump legitimate (though not necessarily right).

      If I were a US voter, I’d be very conflicted, and I don’t know what I’d decide finally.

      1. Psychopathy isn’t mentally ill in the legal sense. The latter goes by the 1840 McNaughton standard – true psychosis and break from reality.
        Similarly narcissism isn’t a mental illness.
        Some people are just bad people, no excuses.
        D.A.
        NYC

  2. In addition to his stopping arms to Israel, Biden this week granted waivers for arms sales to Qatar and Lebanon.

    1. That makes sense actually Dr. B.
      Stay with me…

      Qatar is a US ally, important in our Iran containment.

      Lebanon is more complicated but STILL a good idea. The Army of the Rep of Lebanon is in competition against Hizballah. They haven’t attacked Israel since (I think) 48.
      Giving the (broke at the moment) army there power to counter the main enemy is counter-intuitive but essential.

      This was on fox I think. An example of how Fox Noos has no context or bigger picture or … smarts.
      Why do people watch Fox when there are smart conservative voices out there? Just not at fox or their audience.

      D.A.
      NYC

  3. This, that Biden’s waffling on policy toward Israel will tank his re-election, is exactly what I thought when he halted the arms shipment and is exactly what every knowledgeable person is saying this morning. See also Chris Stirewalt.

  4. So, Trump for President.
    That’s going to pose him (or rather, his handlers) the awkward problem of finding someone to act as Vice Prez between election and Trump’s insanity becoming undeniable to even the most die-hard of supporters. Such a full field to choose from.

  5. Biden will be reelected. “like me, she just wants the Left on a sane foundation.)”. That’s pretty funny, as it seems obvious to me that you hate the left, and prefer a very centrist Democratic party. Sorry, we need a more progressive Democratic party. In any event, stopping Trump is priority number one, and if Muslims and Jews don’t vote for Biden, they’re just going against their own interests, it’s foolish. I’m a loyal Democrat, even a very conservative Joe Manchin is better that voting for a Republican, I just wish the hated for Democrats like AOC on your part would stop and you’d show the same support for any Democrat. It should be “vote Blue no matter who” in these dangerous times.

    1. “Vote Blue no matter who” is the kind of thoughtless tribalism that got us into the current political mess. The country is facing serious economic problems, with Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid all facing insolvency and the national debt ballooning due to both parties. “Progressives” (whose policies are quite regressive in practice) have demonstrated they lack the economic literacy to address those problems. Supposedly fiscal conservative Republicans have shown they lack the will.

      Whatever the solution is, political tribalism isn’t it.

    2. Sorry, Rude Person, but I do not hate the left. Did you read the commenting policy (“Da Roolz” before you came over here to insult the host. Sorry, pal.

      1. Like our host, I’ve been a lifetime moderate leftie. I even worked as a volunteer on Hillary’s campaign.
        The ground has moved under us in the last decade. The left has gone insane – more people than just the 10-15% who have always been bonkers.

        D.A.
        NYC

    3. Sorry, we need a more progressive Democratic party

      Dems have been saying that for forty years. With the advent of “the Squad” and the Democratic mainstream pandering to identity politics, we got one. And here we are.

        1. David and Leslie, you’re both very kind, but I’m sure you have me confused with Eliza Mondegreen! I too am a fan; she’s terrific.

          (We came by our ‘nyms independently. If you don’t know the story of the coining of the term “mondegreen”, it’s delightful!)

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

          1. I wasn’t sure if you were the same person. But I like both of you anyway.
            Ah yes, mis-heard song lyrics. I recognized yours at once. Eliza’s I’m not so sure unless there is a more subtle clue.

            A couple not on the Mondegreen page:

            1) A jingoistic song once heard in Canada outside Québec but not in it went:
            “In days of yore, from Britain’s shore,
            Wolfe the dauntless hero came
            And planted firm Britannia’s flag on Canada’s fair domain.” etc. etc. etc.

            Many young boys of Boy Scout age were mightily impressed that Gen. Wolfe could scale the cliffs and conquer Québec for King George despite having been rendered “donkless” in some previous campaign no doubt.

            2) “You know how the [Cream album] title came about – Disraeli Gears – yeah? We had this Austin Westminster, and Mick Turner was one of the roadies who’d been with me a long time, and he was driving along and Eric (Clapton) was talking about getting a racing bicycle. Mick, driving, went ‘Oh yeah – Disraeli gears!’ … We all just fell over… We said that’s got to be the album title.” Ginger Baker remembering 1967, quoted on the link below.

            And sure enough today there is a website devoted to cataloguing every bicycle derailleur ever produced named, in Mick Turner’s honour, “Disraeli Gears.”
            https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site/home.html

  6. Taking the side of Bush lapdog Ari Fleischer over Democrat AOC? Hmmm. And you seem to approve of his stand that Biden is worse that “mean Tweets” Trump. Biden did the right thing in opposing Israel’s slaughter of civilians.

  7. I voted for Hillary and Joe but I don’t think Biden has been a very good president. In three areas I follow, he has been mediocre to disastrous. Our immigration system is broken, the education department is run by social justice warriors running amuck and the justice department has become part of the warfare establishment. Finally and very tragically, his bumbling stumbling recent about-face on an existential threat to Israel and peace in the Middle East may exacerbate conflict in that part of the world and endanger the state of Israel. Biden is a transactional politician, which should serve him well in Washington DC, a transactional city. But he has never been good at anticipating possible unintended consequences. Case in point: he and Senator Kennedy successfully derailed Judge Bork’s nomination to the Supreme Court for philosophical differences with the judge. Then came close to derailing Judge Thomas’s nomination as well. By politicizing the judicial confirmation process, they broke it. Now nominees to the court don’t share much of their thinking at all and the confirmation process is the poorer for that change. His seeming about face on the defense of Israel is another such case. He can understand immediate consequences but can’t anticipate possible or even probable long term consequences. And seemingly has close advisers who are similarly handicapped. Biden wants to win the moment. Good presidents seem to have an instinct to win the history.

  8. Upon an appointment to my first highly visible public board, I was warned by a politically astute friend that in trying to be something for everyone, you risk being nothing to anyone.

    1. +1 (which I too may be repeating. Not a great interview style, but very good and unique information overall. Well worth the time investment)

      1. John Spencer had a habit of not finishing sentences before moving on to another point, which I found annoying. But my wife and I did find the interview useful.

        1. He also had an annoying habit of answering everyone of Sam Harris questions with “ that’s a very good question” yes, that is why Sam asks them! I found that response irritating.

          1. Yep. I agree with both comments Jon and Robert, picking up on both those tics. That said, I still gleaned quite a bit of new and good information. Well worth the irritating tics. I listened to it in a couple of forty minute chunks after dinner.

  10. A good Saturday to redouble my donations to whoever is opposing AOC and her terrorist squad idiots. A dem would be preferable but I’ll write a check even to Republicans who can unseat them.
    Writing a check to a Republican was something I simply could not have imagined myself doing as late as 5 years ago.

    I’m sick of all the leftist social contagions and moral panics: the criminal and murderous BLM, the trans cult, excesses of MeToo and now Palestine.
    Too much. I’ll vote for Biden b/c the alternative is unthinkable, but down ballot I have some Money to give.
    D.A.
    NYC

  11. A vigorous second to David Anderson’s comment #10. The big US political parties suffer odd, unavailing pathologies. In the center-Left elsewhere, rational pragmatism can be welcomed in Starmer’s revived Labour Party, and in the Social Democrats of Denmark. Baffling that here, in contrast, the Dems’ Biden establishment concedes so much to its hysterical, DSAish, performance Left fringe. Even more baffling that the GOP endlessly fawns on its orange grifter—when a reputable, Eisenhowerish center-Right could receive enough support from independents to again form a decisive majority. It is as if both big US political parties suffer from a death wish.

    1. Grifter

      They call him Grifter, Fraudster, Liar and Cheater;
      Nobody you name
      Has so little shame.
      He calls them Pigeons, Patsies, Suckers and Losers;
      Nothing’s his fault,
      So others are blamed.

      © 2024, free for noncommercial use, all other rights reserved.

  12. Does anyone know if the articles that are “archived” expire? I’ve not been able to find the so-called “archived” articles actually archived. I often arrive late so perhaps they are only archived for a limited time? Thanks if anyone knows. For example, I tried accessing the Bret Stephens opinion piece in the nyt… No go.

  13. Well look who the cat dragged in! You’ve been missing in action, no? Good to see you back. Thanks for the link. I did try to get the url into an archive site. I think I was using the wrong (an inferior) site and I’m still not proficient at this “pasting” business. I’m not on a laptop/computer. Just a cellphone.

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