2024 US Presidential Elections Megathread

[The Minsky Moment]

Also in the AP report

On Sunday afternoon, Biden's campaign formally changed its name to Harris for President, reflecting that she is inheriting his political operation of more than 1,000 staffers and a war chest that stood at nearly $96 million at the end of June. She added $81 million to that total in the first 24 hours after Biden's endorsement, her campaign said — a presidential fundraising record — with contributions from more than 888,000 donors.

That's really big, I can see why Pelosi rallied behind her, whatever misgivings.  Anyone else who wants to challenge would have to build a national operation from scratch in a matter of days.  Very daunting to face off with that against an already stocked, loaded, and fully staffed operational campaign.  With Newsom, Whitmer, Pritzker, Shapiro, Moore, etc. already endorsing Harris, there doesn't appear to be viable challenge possible.

[Grey Fox]

So yeah... I was against Biden stepping down, mostly because I don't like changing horses midstream and fear of backlash and all that. But now I'm cautiously optimistic about Harris.

I guess we'll see soon enough.

Don't let the Americans fool you, they really don't need a 1 year campaign. 50 days before the election would be fine.

[grumbler]

Why do you think this is just an emotional decision?   The VP seems objectively the obvious person. 

Furthermore, it is impressive how quickly Harris was able to rally support around her nomination. 

The Dems know that they need a first-ballot nomination because they (foolishly, IMO) scheduled the convention so close to many state filing deadlines.  There's no time for a contentious nomination process.

Harris only needs to be moderately effective on the stump.  She's got plenty of people who can campaign effectively for her and she's got a strong economic wind behind her.

[grumbler]

All of those, I think, are particularly pertinent and high risk for his VP (perhaps unfairly as my understanding is they weren't really that close). That isn't a question from the past - it clarifies down to did you know the President was in no state to serve and did you cover it up?

I don't think that many people will find your question compelling.  No one is claiming that Biden is in no fit state to govern except the some right-wing nutjobs that have been claiming that since he got the nom in 2020.  Multiple presidents have continued to serve in office without running for re-election.

[jimmy olsen]

Yeah I guess I thought there would be a competition. The Democrats almost seem scared to see what their base wants.

I think Kamala would probably win anyway but let's at least spend the weeks before the convention discussing the options.

The base seems to want her

Seems like a good sign
https://x.com/TrumpsTaxes/status/1815473121643913597

Wait, what?!

Of the 888,000 donors who gave to Kamala Harris in the last 24 hours, *60%* made their *first* contribution.

That's roughly *532,800* Americans who went out of their way to donate to Kamala's campaign.

I'm speechless.

[crazy canuck]

Why do you think this is just an emotional decision?   The VP seems objectively the obvious person. 

I don't see what that follows. Most of the delegates were pledged to vote for her as VP not as President. With Biden out, my understanding is that the delegates are free to act in accordance with their own judgment.

As a practical matter, I agree that Biden's endorsement gave her immediate momentum out the gate. If someone else wants to contest, they really needed to have said something by now. AP is now reporting Pelosi is backing her and she has support from a majority of the delegates.  If that's true, it is pretty much over.

Why do you think this is just an emotional decision?   The VP seems objectively the obvious person. 

I don't see what that follows. Most of the delegates were pledged to vote for her as VP not as President. With Biden out, my understanding is that the delegates are free to act in accordance with their own judgment.

As a practical matter, I agree that Biden's endorsement gave her immediate momentum out the gate. If someone else wants to contest, they really needed to have said something by now. AP is now reporting Pelosi is backing her and she has support from a majority of the delegates.  If that's true, it is pretty much over.

It is the fact that time is too short to go through a selection process that makes the VP objectively the best choice.

Hand wringing over a lack of process will do the election campaign no benefit. 

The party needs to rally as quickly as possible around Harris and just get on with the business of defeating Trump.

Is it perfect? No.  Is perfection in this circumstance, the enemy of the good? Absolutely!

[Jacob]

Saw someone quoting AP News that more than half of the pledged delegates have already endorsed Harris.

[crazy canuck]

Why do you think this is just an emotional decision?   The VP seems objectively the obvious person. 

Furthermore, it is impressive how quickly Harris was able to rally support around her nomination. 

The Dems know that they need a first-ballot nomination because they (foolishly, IMO) scheduled the convention so close to many state filing deadlines.  There's no time for a contentious nomination process.

Harris only needs to be moderately effective on the stump.  She's got plenty of people who can campaign effectively for her and she's got a strong economic wind behind her.

Yeah, good points

[Admiral Yi]

I think Obama was right to call for a process rather than immediately endorse.

What kind of process would you or Obama like?

[jimmy olsen]

Saw someone quoting AP News that more than half of the pledged delegates have already endorsed Harris.

https://x.com/BNONews/status/1815527144170156480?t=yuLzhx6HASuInpy9-iJVPQ&s=19

Kamala Harris has secured 75% of the delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination

[The Minsky Moment]

I think Obama was right to call for a process rather than immediately endorse.

What kind of process would you or Obama like?

Well we had a process.  All the viable candidates endorsed Harris.  You can't force people to oppose the leading candidate.

[Valmy]

I think Obama was right to call for a process rather than immediately endorse.

What kind of process would you or Obama like?

Well we had a process.  All the viable candidates endorsed Harris.  You can't force people to oppose the leading candidate.

Obviously the Democrats are well trained to take their turn.

Which, you know, fair enough I guess. That helps keep the party organized and cohesive. Guess we are going with Harris.

Hope she wins. It will take a week or two to see if this improves our position.

[jimmy olsen]

Shockingly well coordinated for the democratic party
https://x.com/Taniel/status/1815550506129056102

Harris is almost there.

The addition of all of New York delegates (not yet reflected in this Ap count at this moment) just now gets her to roughly 1900 delegates.

That's within 100 of the number needed to clinch the nomination on the first ballot.

[Admiral Yi]

Well we had a process.  All the viable candidates endorsed Harris.  You can't force people to oppose the leading candidate.

I agree.  I don't see the point of holding a model UN when everyone has already made up their mind.  But I asked the question of someone in favor of a process in hopes they would provide a perspective I had not already considered.

[Admiral Yi]

Is anyone else seeing any anti Kamala memes yet?  I expected them to come gushing out the second Joe announced.