Rural Routes/Margot Ford McMillen

Is It Too Late to Switch?

I don’t know about you but I’ve felt exhausted ever since the Biden-Trump debate on June 27. Watched the whole thing on the TV, sitting with a computer on my lap turned to PolitiFact. After nearly every Trump statement, the Truth-O-Meter registered a degree of falsehood from “mostly false” to “pants on fire.” Biden told a few stretchers but the Truth-O-Meter stayed in the “mostly true” category.

I wanted to be outraged at Donald Trump’s lies and excited as Joe Biden stood up for truth and democracy. Knowing that he’d been holed up since June 20 at Camp David, where he’d presumably practiced answers to every question staff could come up with, I was shocked that he came onto the stage so nervously then rushed through his statements with a deer-in-the-headlights expression. I wanted to feel there was a leader in charge of our nation. Instead, I felt sheer terror as our boy bumbled his way through 90 minutes.

Could I have been mistaken? I found the transcript on-line and read it. On the Trump side, nothing but lies, braggadocio and bluster. Business as usual for his supporters. On the Biden side, wandering and incoherence. How did Biden garble the the millions, billions, trillions? Where did “we finally beat Medicare” come from? How did he get the trimesters of pregnancy so wrong? And his golf handicap? Give us a break.

Then, somebody told me about Biden’s powerful June 28 speech in North Carolina, delivered the day after the debate. I found it on-line and, yes, it is impressive. But being able to deliver a good pot-boiler speech with a teleprompter and an encouraging audience (67 breaks for approving applause and 16 breaks for boos at the mention of Trump’s lies) is different from answering questions for two inquisitors.

And which, may I ask, is the necessary skill set for a president beset with international situations—speaking to a room full of supporters and donors? or spur-of-the-moment responses to existentially important questions?

There is no question that a second Biden term would treat women and rural people better than a second Trump term. Biden would have excellent advisors while Trump would be surrounded by corporate lobbyists and bought-off politicians. Think of a Supreme Court appointed by Biden and Supremes appointed by Trump. Compare the result on world democracy of a Russia-sympathizing U.S. president with a Ukraine-sympathizer. And what about the future of women’s rights, voter’s rights, taxation for the rich, the deficit, gun laws, the climate, public transportation. As for future crises, neither candidate shows an instinct to hold his cards until we the people, or smart advisors, weigh in.

So far, we’re seeing party officials line up behind Biden as if he’s the only choice. He’s not. Normally sober voters are seriously evaluating third-party candidates. For my progressive pals it’s an “anybody but Trump; anybody but Biden; time to send a message” moment. Some folks are saying they’ll stay home, which would be tragic for the down-ballot candidate and questions like abortion that will be on the ballot.

I remember clearly the excitement of the 2020 presidential race and the line-up of candidates. Campaign promises, yes, but heartfelt statements that told rural folks we counted. On my podcast page, (https://farmandfiddle.transistor.fm/episodes) I posted four stump speeches at gatherings sponsored by Iowa organic farmers in the last days of 2019 when campaigns were kicking off. You can still hear them: Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, and Bernie Sanders talked about Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL), organic standards corrupted by industry, fair pricing for dairy farmers, bringing young people back to rural places, urban food deserts, food and health policies and how farmers “do math for a living.” They answered questions that we’re asking ourselves every day. We were heard. It was exciting.

And voter excitement is the missing quality in this campaign. Politics must be fun and engaging to guarantee turn-out. That’s just how humans are made. We must feel heard.

Googling “how-democrats-could-replace-biden-presidential-candidate” I found a half-dozen websites had asked the question and the answers were such things as “not so easy” and “it will be messy.” But reading on, it looks do-able: (1) Candidates step forward, declare themselves in the race and build campaign teams; (2) Biden gives up his delegates, freeing them to vote for other candidates; (3) At the Democratic convention in Chicago Aug. 19-22, 2024, delegates vote their preferences. If there’s no clear winner, they vote again. With each vote, excitement and commitment build.

At this point, the future of the Democratic Party is in Biden’s hands, along with the future of his legacy and the memory of his lifelong career of service to America. Those of us who have approached a certain age, or seen our friends get there, know how fast cognitive ability and physical stamina can vanish. It happens gradually, then suddenly. Like how Ernest Hemingway described going broke.

Am I overreacting?

Margot Ford McMillen farms near Fulton, Mo., and co-hosts “Farm and Fiddle” on sustainable ag issues on KOPN 89.5 FM in Columbia, Mo. Her latest book is “The Golden Lane: How Missouri Women Gained the Vote and Changed History.” Email: margotmcmillen@gmail.com.

From The Progressive Populist, August 1, 2024

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