I launched ctrl+alt+persuade in January with the goal of bringing insights on political advertising, media, and technology that I was teaching students in the classroom to readers of this newsletter to "help decode billions of dollars in campaign spending during what may be the most consequential election cycle in US history
You know President Biden, so it must be particularly painful for you to witness this decline into dysfunction. But your judgment on the matter is inescapable: the President and his senior staff are doing a disservice ... by continuing the campaign. Why is this not obvious to them? President Biden asked for this debate, so he himself badly misjudged his own competence. Why then should it be his choice as to whether to stay in the race? The staff surely also had to have been unprepared for such a poor performance. That just confirms that mental decline is not readily predictable. What is highly predictable is that there is no plateau! Things just keep getting worse, fitfully. No one should ask the country to go through such a wrenching process. The Roosevelts, Kennedy, Clinton, and Obama won their presidencies through their oratory. That is missing now, just when it is most needed. Just when public opinion matters critically, things seem to be on autopilot in DC.
Very thoughtful analysis, Siegfried. I've been thinking a lot about history in this moment as well.
1) FDR, who had to fight through extraordinary physical hardship to lead the country during a grave threat. Of course, everything was different then (especially media) but he was able to go to the other side of the world at Yalta under unbelievable physical stress.
2) LBJ who as president had to make the incredibly difficult decision to put country first and step aside when it was clear he needed to step down for the good of the party.
Will Team Biden do the same? We will see in the coming days.
Steve, what are the odds that Biden pulls out befor the convention? Who could convince him to step down? It seems Jill and Hunter want him to stay in office.
Mitchell -- you know as much as anyone how important family is to a candidate's decision to run, or in this case stay in a race. But if donors dry up it doesn't matter. In some ways it's in their hands. Of course, leadership in the Senate and House will have a say too Family first, but money talks.
I’m feeling both wiser and helpless at the same time.
You are not alone...
Steve--
You know President Biden, so it must be particularly painful for you to witness this decline into dysfunction. But your judgment on the matter is inescapable: the President and his senior staff are doing a disservice ... by continuing the campaign. Why is this not obvious to them? President Biden asked for this debate, so he himself badly misjudged his own competence. Why then should it be his choice as to whether to stay in the race? The staff surely also had to have been unprepared for such a poor performance. That just confirms that mental decline is not readily predictable. What is highly predictable is that there is no plateau! Things just keep getting worse, fitfully. No one should ask the country to go through such a wrenching process. The Roosevelts, Kennedy, Clinton, and Obama won their presidencies through their oratory. That is missing now, just when it is most needed. Just when public opinion matters critically, things seem to be on autopilot in DC.
Very thoughtful analysis, Siegfried. I've been thinking a lot about history in this moment as well.
1) FDR, who had to fight through extraordinary physical hardship to lead the country during a grave threat. Of course, everything was different then (especially media) but he was able to go to the other side of the world at Yalta under unbelievable physical stress.
2) LBJ who as president had to make the incredibly difficult decision to put country first and step aside when it was clear he needed to step down for the good of the party.
Will Team Biden do the same? We will see in the coming days.
Steve, money doesn’t talk….it yells!
Steve, what are the odds that Biden pulls out befor the convention? Who could convince him to step down? It seems Jill and Hunter want him to stay in office.
Mitchell -- you know as much as anyone how important family is to a candidate's decision to run, or in this case stay in a race. But if donors dry up it doesn't matter. In some ways it's in their hands. Of course, leadership in the Senate and House will have a say too Family first, but money talks.
And thank you very much for your subscription Mitchell! 💪🏼
Steve, money doesn’t talk in politics….it screams!
Or as Bob Dylan said: "money doesn't talk, it swears." Perhaps SCOTUS was listening.