Below is my column in The Hill on the applicability of the 25th Amendment to remove President Joe Biden in light of the Special Counsel report detailing his “diminished faculties.” Despite the various calls for using the amendment, it is neither practically likely nor factually warranted on the basis of his report.
Here is the column:
The report on President Joe Biden’s retention and mishandling of classified material hit Washington this week with a thunderclap. Yet the finding of Special Counsel Robert Hur that Biden “willfully retained” such material was not as shocking as Hur’s explanation of why he will not be prosecuting.
Hur noted that, even if he prosecuted Biden, a jury would find him a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory.” That was followed by a disastrous press conference at the White House, where a cranky president lashed out at the reporters while exhibiting additional signs of confusion.
Now, some are calling for Biden’s removal from the presidency under the 25th Amendment. However, constitutional removal would require more than just memory lapses and “get off my lawn” press conferences.
The Hur report details alarming gaps in Biden’s memory, and what Hur described as the president’s “diminished faculties.” Given the detailed accounts in the report, Biden’s press conference bordered on self-immolation. On Thursday night, Biden insisted that he was still sharp and not diminished mentally…before confusing the presidents of Mexico and Egypt. This followed a week when Biden repeatedly referenced conversations with long-dead world leaders.
The subsequent calls for Biden to be removed under the 25th Amendment are similar to demands made from Democrats and various law professors and pundits during the Trump administration. At the time, figures such as the University of Chicago’s Eric Posner argued that the “conventional understanding” of the amendment should be “enlarged” to include instances where both parties “lose confidence in the president’s ability to govern.”
The various experts and pundits who called for Trump’s removal under the 25th Amendment are notably silent this week, even after his own Justice Department cited his diminished faculties as a reason for not charging him.
Nevertheless, as I wrote with regard to the Trump demands at the time, calls for Biden’s removal ignore the true purpose and standard for removal.
The issue of “disability” of a president was briefly raised in the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It was a delegate from Biden’s home state of Delaware who asked how they would respond to a disability, “and who is to be the judge of it?” John Dickinson’s question was left unanswered in the final version of the Constitution.
What followed were persistent controversies over succession. This issue came to a head after President Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered a stroke. After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Congress finally addressed the issue in the 25th Amendment. The amendment addresses the orderly succession of power as well as temporary disabilities when presidents must undergo medical treatment or surgeries.
It is Section 4 that allows the removal of a president. One option is what I have called the “mutiny option.” It requires a vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare that the president is “unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” and notify Congress that the vice president intends to take over. If Vice President Kamala Harris could get eight Cabinet officers to go along with a letter to Congress, her status as the “Acting President” would likely be short-lived. Joe Biden (who yesterday declared, “I’m elderly and know what the hell I’m doing”) would only have to declare to Congress that “no inability exists.” Biden would then resume his powers.
Harris would have to send another declaration with the Cabinet members within four days to the president pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House, rejecting Biden’s claims.
With that second declaration, Congress would have 48 hours to assemble to debate the issue. It would then have 21 days to vote on the removal. However, that would require two-thirds majorities in both houses. If Congress did not vote within 21 days, the president would resume and keep power.
In other words, it is about as likely as François Mitterrand coming forward to say that he faked his death and has indeed been in communication with Biden.
The question on the merits is whether “diminished faculties” constitute an incapacity. While the 25th Amendment was written with physical disabilities in mind, it clearly can apply to mental or cognitive disabilities. Yet if Biden’s decline is viewed as a barrier to prosecution, would it necessarily be a barrier to the presidency?
The answer is complicated. A study in Psychology Today of the first 37 presidents suggests half of them experienced some form of mental illness. They were still able to perform their duties.
Memory problems are not a compelling basis for removal. However, it is a matter of degree. Biden’s cognitive problems are becoming increasingly evident, but the sole question is whether he can carry out the duties of his office. The standard is not whether he can carry out those duties well.
There is a difference between Biden confusing names and actually carrying on conversations with dead people. The latter would clearly be grounds for removal. Of course, it is hard for the public to know the degree of Biden’s decline. The White House staff has clearly shielded Biden from the public and the press for years. Even during the 2020 campaign, many suspected that the staff was hiding Biden’s mental struggles.
In that sense, the concern over Biden’s fitness is legitimate. However, it will take much more of a showing to establish a case for his removal under the 25th Amendment.
Jonathan Turley is the J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at the George Washington University Law School.
Hur tells us jury sympathy chills his confidence in a guilty verdict. What would an adjudication of incompetency to stand trial at all do to the 25th Amendment process?
Hur doesn’t have enough evidence to bring it before a jury. His entire case rests on 8 words where he’s cut out the context. Bottom line: Biden cooperated (and the DOJ does not prosecute people who cooperate) and Trump obstructed.
As for Hur’s conclusion about Biden being forgetful, he has no expertise in neurology, and it will have zero impact on a 25th Amendment process, which will not occur unless Biden’s cabinet finds him incompetent, which they do not.
Hur doesn’t have enough evidence to bring it before a jury
Willfully retained and distributed classified information.
Its like drunk driving . If you are impaired, you are guilty
There is no allegation in the report that Biden distributed classified information, and Hur concluded that he could not prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Again: it also wasn’t charged because the DOJ does not charge just for possession, as long as the person cooperates in returning the docs. Trump obstructed the return.
Willfully retained and distributed classified information.
Again: no allegation from Hur that Biden distributed classified info.
And Trump not only willfully retained it, he obstructed its return.
@Mike,
The courts did not find him incompetent to stand trial. No judge made that conclusion. It was a prosecutor who is deferring not to prosecute.
His discretion.
That’s it.
So until you have a competency hearing… you can’t use the 25th. And then… even if you get a competency hearing to conclude he is incompetent, his staff may disagree and refuse to use the 25th Amendment.
They are two different beasts.
Hur’s comments essentially kill his chances at winning re-election.
-G
“Can Biden Be Removed Under the 25th Amendment? Don’t Bet on It”
-Professor Turley
___________________
Was Real President Donald J. Trump decimated by totally “fake” “Russia, Russia, Russia,” and the criminal Obama Coup D’etat in America?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“[Obama] wants to know everything we’re doing.”
– Lisa Page to FBI paramour, Peter Strzok
I compare Biden’s blatant dishonesty to Trump’s “sales puffery.”
I compare Biden’s imaginative ‘factual creations’ with Trump’s global exaggerations.
I compare Biden’s attempts to falsely create a better image of himself with Trump’s belief that he IS the better image.
I compare a wannabe to one who thinks he IS what everyone wants to be.
I compare Biden’s multiple instances of plagiarism with Trump’s “no one tells it like I do” opinions.
I compare a secretive plagiarist who lacks self-confidence (and self-remedies with false bravado–“nobody messes with a Biden.”) with a what-you-see-is-what-you-get braggart.
I compare a smooth-talking liar to an no-holds-barred Insulter.
I compare behind-the-curtains puppet strings’ control of Biden to an “I’m the only one on this stage” Trump.
I compare Bidenomics’ taking credit for inevitable post-pandemic recovery to MAGA.
In the end, I compare four more years of devious, media/academia-buoyed dishonesty-coupled with dementia (now manifest in “confabulation”), to four more years of unfiltered braggadacio.
hmm.
If I had a real choice, I would choose Condoleeza Rice.
But if I wake up to reality, I choose Trump. (sorry to alienate disapprovers.)
Likewise. I’m just getting tired of holding my nose every time I vote.
I have defended Trump and republicans against idiotic lies, legal stupidity, and absolute nonsense from the left.
That does not mean that I voted for him. I did not have to hold my nose to vote for Gary Johnson or JoJo Johnson.
I do not know what I am going to do in 2024 – Libertarians have not chosen a candidate. But there is no way in h311 I am voting for Biden.
John Say, you have many great comments and I enjoy your contributions, but if you live in a swing state and you don’t vote for the Republican you are a fool, a useful idiot and a preening narcissist. It is as damaging to the country as voting for the fascist Democrats and I think you actually know it.
If you live in a swing state and you don’t vote for the only person that can beat Biden you will have caused the invisible border, the war in Ukraine, Hamas, Iran, inflation, student debt payoffs, censorship and crime.
I hate libertarians almost as much as I hate Democrats/liberals. I understand the mindset of libertarians, but the narcissism, the need to be different (better) than conservatives, the moral preening all on top of the actual damage their missing vote causes pi**es me off.
Lin,
Well said.
Saw a 60 Minutes interview, back when 60 Minutes was credible.
Condoleeza Rice struck me as a very sharp, capable woman.
I would vote for her.
Rice is a smart and capable woman, as is Nikki Halley.
If it is just a question of personality or competence – Rice and even Halley would top my list.
But Halley is running as a neocon, and I can not vote for a neocon ever again. I am not sure Halley is a neocon – that she is not running as a neocon to provide some distinction between herself and Trump or to raise campaign funds.
But I am not voting for her in the hopes that running as a neocon is just an act.
I am not sure where Rice is on policy – bu I will pick a candidate I beleive will impliment good policy over one who is smart and capable but is pushing bad policy.
John Say,
I am basing my assessment off her tenure as Sec of State.
Of course if she were to run, I would then base my opinion and possible vote over her platform.
Yeah, Haley as a neocon. Not so keen on that. I would like to see less of the world marching towards WWIII and more stability. Not sure Haley would bring that to the WH.
Excellent.
I would add that, Democrats adoption of rules for radicals campaigning have made it impossible for any republican that is NOT like Trump to win a national election.
Romney, McCain, Bush, Halley, ARE the candidates that do not have the personality traits we claim we do NOT want in Trump
Yet, they lose. Democrats have made political campaigns into brutal ad hominem driven slugfests.
Trump is the republican who can win in those fights. That is why he won in 2016, why he had the election stolen in 2020, and why he will win decisively in 2024.
As to policies – if I could, I would have a president with policies that are not reflected by any of these choices.
But of all the possible choices – completely ignoring the personality issues. Trump is the closest to the policies that I want and that will benefit the nation.
And finally – the executive branch needs a thorough housecleaning. I am not sure that Trump will accomplish that. But no other candidate republican or democrat will even try.
“And finally – the executive branch needs a thorough housecleaning. I am not sure that Trump will accomplish that. But no other candidate republican or democrat will even try.”
Agree there. Trump made some unfortunate personnel decisions the last time. I think that he will likely not repeat those particular selections, just to preen his own ego, but whether he has learned anything that will lead him to make choices bettersuited to a positive change of direction for the country this time around remains to be seen. I’m not terribly optimistic about that. When Haley’s name was being bandied about as a possible VP choice, he could easily, and imo at little political cost, have shot that idea down on principle, since she is a Deep State neocon, but he failed to do so. If he does really want to make an honest effort to clean up the executive branch, a broad repudiation of the power of the Administritve State by SCOTUS in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council would be immensely helpful, but, while I expect that Chevron will prevail, I fear that the decision will be so narrowly tailored as to be of little general impact.
And, here I would have thought the definitive case would have been that of Woodrow Wilson…
Jonathan: I agree. There is no basis to remove Pres. Biden under the 25th Amendment. That said wasn’t yesterday’s game one of the greatest in Super Bowl history? Everyone was on pins and needles until the last minutes of overtime. But I was conflicted. I won $100 betting on the Chiefs but my heart was in SF.
But the MAGA right-wing conspiracy crowd had a different and bizarre take on the game. They think the game was a Deep State plot by Joe Biden to get Taylor Swift’s endorsement. Clay Thomas was on Fox before the game. He is the founder of “Out Kick”, a right-wing sprots news outlet as an alternative to mainstream sports that Thomas considers an “elite, left-leaning minority”. Thomas said this about Taylor Swift: “I hope she is the Yoko Ono of the Kansas City Chiefs and she destroys their dynasty and puts them down in flames”.
There were others on the far-right with similar conspiracy theories. Regarding the turnovers by SF, Kandis Taylor posted this: “That’s the fakest turnover I’ve ever seen”. Matt Walsh, another right-wing podcaster, said: “Both teams should be expelled from the league for giving us the most boring Super Bowl of all time”. Walsh apparently was watching a different game. Megyn Kelly had her own take: “Do you want Nancy Pelosi’s team or Taylor Swift’s?”
DJT also weighed in on the game. In his malignant narcissism he tried to take all the credit for Taylor’s rise to music stardom: “I signed and was responsible for the Music Modernization Act for Taylor Swift and all other Musical artists. Joe Biden didn’t do anything for Taylor, and never will. There’s no way she could endorse crooked Joe Biden, the worst and most corrupt [he must have read all your columns] president in the History of our Country, and be disloyal to the man who made her so much money. Besides that, I like her boyfriend, Travis, even though he may be liberal, and probably can’t stand me”.
So for DJT, Taylor didn’t work hard for her success. She owes it all to DJT and should vote for him. Otherwise, she will be “disloyal” to the man that made all her wealth possible. I’m glad the game is now over and part of the history books–one of the greatest Super Bowls in history. And, hopefully, we won’t have to listen to the drivel on the right about how the game was fixed!
Dennis – you deserve credit, You can politicize as anything.
Dennis, the ONLY people that seem to think there is some consequential TS thing going on is the Left.
There are myriads of Trump world is angry that TS may endorse Biden stories – but they are all on Leftwingnut media like PBS
I do not see these anywhere else. Seems like lots of TDS to me.
TS is free to endorse whoever she wants, and those of you on the left are free to beleive she will endorse Biden – who knows maybe she will.
I highly doubt it, Endorsing political candidates for entertainers that have significant appeal accross the political spectrum is very dangerous no matter what you do you lose more than you gain. It can work for those who already are strongly identified with the left or the right.
But it is net harmful to those with appeal accross the spectrum.
But TS is free to do as she pleases.
Only the left seems to think Trumpworld cares.
But this is typical of those suffering from TDS.
You told us the 14th amendment claim was solid – while the farthest left justices are eviscerating it.
The DC appeals court did rule against Trump’s immunity claim – But they accepted ALL of Trump’s premises regarding presidential immunity.
They merely used a never before used and not explained balancing test that will near certainty will be shot down on appeal, to deny Trump as opposed to all other presidents any claim to immunity.
Yet TDS legal scholars all over told us presidents do not have immunity. That was a no brainer.
It should be quite obvious from the DC appellate decision that presidential immunity is NOT a simple issue. Trump may or may not win at higher courts, but it is not a slam dunk for the left, and Trump’s appeal will NOT be dismissed out of hand. When SCOTUS took up presidential civil immunity it took 2 years for a decision to come down.
You have repeatedly told us Biden is competent – SC Hur said he is not competent to stand trial.
You repeatedly told us Biden cooperated – SC Hur tells us that Biden and his attornies hid the discovery of Classified docs for 7 months before contancting NARA. SC Hur tells us that as Senator and VP Biden had a 40 year history of taking classified documents that he was NOT entitled to have and not returning them when asked. Not only did Biden NOT cooperate, he is been willfully uncooperative and reckless for 40 years.
You told us that Biden did not disclose classified instances – SC Hur found atleast 4 specific instances in which he did. Further SC Hur from Destruction of evidence in the Biden case.
SC Hur found that Biden had As many classified and TS documents as Trump did – but smeared over 4 different locations.
SC Hur found that none of Bidens documents were ever anyplace secure.
NARA and the FBI and the SC did NOT search Biden’s documents – Biden’s lawyers did, and AFTER they did the FBI had to returned finding More classified docs.
And documents from the FL case demonstrate that Trump actually DID cooperate with NARA and FBI, That but for outside political interference from DOJ and the WH that Trump was coopoerating with NARA and the FBI, that the only times that classified documents were removed from the SCIF of Trump’s secure presidential office was for lawyers to go through them for material complying with Subpeona’s.
The GA case is blowing up in every possible direction. The GA house has drafted articles of impeachment citing 22 Criminal violations of GA law.
atleast 6 other investigations of Willis are now underway. The Odds of her being removed from the case are extremely high.
She is conflicted merely because she is going to have to defend herself against numerous charges – some criminal while trying to prosecute the case – it is highly unlikely the judge will allow her to continue. And even if she does, she will be unable to proceed quickly.
The case is dead.
Last week was a disasterous week for the left.
John Say,
Well said.
It is a sad day in America when a candidate has to rely a pop star’s endorsement for votes.
Be a funny in not a good way of a footnote in Wiki, : Biden won second term only with the endorsement of TS.
I probably know several TS songs. But I do not even know that I know them.
I might be able to sing bits of a few – but I could not tell you they were TS songs.
I do not care about the politics of entertainers whose work I like.
Susan Sarandon is a complete left wing lunatic. But I like her as an actor.
Only left wing nuts would try to frame 49ers vs cheifs as political.
I am sure fans of the losing and winning teams have very strong opinions about the game.
Sports fans are often religious about their teams. It has NOTHING to do with right or left.
I did not know that Swift endorsed Biden in 2020. I doubt most people did or cared.
I do not beleive polls that claim the endorsement of any entertainer has consequential impact on an election.
I doubt TS gave Biden the election. I doubt she will have an effect in 2024.
Regardless, she is entitled to her political views, entitled to express them – which will NOT build here fans, and WILL cost her some.
And that would be true whether her views were left or right. Regardless, if she feels strongly enough – she can endorse whoever she please.
Trump has a whole stable of pop stars endorsing him – and they are free to make their own choices.
My advice to anyone who is in business – and entertainment is business, is that unless your Brand is overtly political, to studiously avoid politics in your business relations.
John B Say is NOT my name, it is the name of the 19th century economist who formulated the law of supply and demand.
I try very hard NOT to make political posts ANYWHERE under my real name.
It is highly likely that 70% of my clients share my pollitical views. But I am not interested in giving up even a few percent of my business because some small portion of my clients will not work with people with different politics.
There are some businesses where you can be successful in a niche with a political brand.
But that is not the norm, as Disney and AHB have learned.
TS can do as she please, but close to the only evidence I have seen that TrumpWorld is apoplectic is from left wing nut sources like PBS.
Trump eviscerates people that actually antagonise him or betray him.
Dennis’s cite of a Trump tweet are pretty tame. If that is Dennis idea of Trump going nuts – Dennis is delusional.
But that is a tautology.
“It is a sad day in America when a candidate has to rely a pop star’s endorsement for votes.” Don’t forget that such an endorsement may be ineffective, or even backfire on the object or the source. Remember when La Streisand and her then bf Alec “Spontaneous Discharge” Baldwin threatened to leave the US if Bush Jr, was re-elected?
Is there something Trump said that is a problem ?
Trump did NOT say that TS did not succeed on her own, only correctly that he signed a law she benefited from.
He also state pretty clearly that while he can not understand why TS would endorse Biden that he likes her and that she is free to do as she pleases.
Never heard of Outkick or Thomas, and really do not care.
Is it possible for you to understand that football fans as a whole tend to be more conservative than the country, and that it is likely that the majority of cheifs and 49ers fans are conservatives.
That trying to cast a football game as a political contest is a sign of very very deep TDS.
As to your claims regarding Thomas – Politics has no place in sportscasting. For most of my lifetime sportscasters did NOT comment on politics.
Increasingly now they do – that is a reflection of the lefts idiotic efforts to politicize everything – which you post reflects perfectly.
I like Susan Sarandon as an actor – I ignore her politics.
I like Meryl Streep as an actor – I ignore her politics.
I do not want politics of any kind in my entertainment.
I do not want DEI, or trans content.
A bit of non-partisan patriotism is fine – we are in the US, I expect you to stand for the national anthem.
You are free to chose not to, and I am free to boycott and boo you if you do not.
As a sportscaster if you bring politics into your job – right or left – you should be fired.
As to Clay Thomas – I have not heard of him and likely most have not.
It appears he is trying to create the Fox of sportscasting – if fans do not want left wing garbage in sportscasting – he will succeed.
As to Clay Thomas – I have not heard of him and likely most have not.
That’s because Dennis has the name wrong.
Clay Travis of Clay and Buck National radio show. They took over from Rush.
But the MAGA right-wing conspiracy crowd had a different and bizarre take on the game. They think the game was a Deep State plot by Joe Biden to get Taylor Swift’s endorsement
This is just like the Q thing. The only time I here anything, its some idiot leftist troll like dennis pushing the story.
And on cue Turley throws this post for his Trump Cult followers. After 3 days of Trump’s off the wall rants about removing Pennsylvania’s name and telling Putin outright, sure go ahead and take eastern Europe, Turley writes this BS.
Another “whatabout Trump”? Don’t you ever get tired of that hackneyed response?
No, he/she/it does not get tired. He/she/it is a paid DNC troll, and probably gets paid by the word, so cut and paste saves time, and still earns a check.
I can always count on you for a healthy dose of TDS.
What are you talking about ? Your living in a bubble and only hearing distorted versions of reality at best.
Trump is never quiet, but he has been mostly quite the past few days.
Why ? because last week was a terrible no good very bad week for Biden and Trump should not take the focus off of Biden;
This particular moment is a moment in which Trump should go to the basement and let the multiple albatrosses arround Biden’s neck take him down. Trump congenitally can not do that – few politicians can, but he has been relatively quiet.
Except in YOUR head, where you have let him live rent free.
Watch this clip of Biden from 2018. Then compare it to now. His ability to think and speak has diminished significantly in six years.
https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1756890676770246710
Here’s the now:
https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1756773199071633765
Pretty big difference, wouldn’t you say?
Here he is being interviewed shortly before the Hur interview, and you’re wrong:
So Hur made it all up? This is a boot-licking session by a worshipful follower.
I’m not saying that Hur made it up. There’s no way for me to know that without being able to read the transcript. But that long Harwood interview shows that oldmanfromkansas is wrong in claiming “His ability to think and speak has diminished significantly.”
Also keep in mind that Hur interviewed Biden the day after the October 7 attack on Israel, when Biden was likely preoccupied with more important concerns.
Either way, Hur is not a neurologist (nor are you and I) and shouldn’t have been commenting on it. Section 9-27.790 of the DOJ’s Principles of Federal Prosecution require prosecutors to “remain sensitive to the privacy and reputational interest of uncharged parties.” Hur’s report violates this principle. He was supposed to write a straightforward report about prosecution and/or declination decisions, and he didn’t.
Hur also may well have misinterpreted what Biden told his ghostwriter: https://www.emptywheel.net/2024/02/09/robert-hurs-box-checking/
We don’t need the Hur report. We can see it with our own eyes.
If I look out the window and see rain, I’m going to conclude it’s raining even if you repeat 100 times “oldmanfromkansas is wrong” – which seems to be your favorite phrase.
Again: give me a long unedited recent video of Biden, and let’s see what you’re basing your conclusion on. Don’t given me an “mashup” of his worst moments. I’ve given you two long videos, one from today, one from last summer, both of which show Biden to be competent.
If Delta airliners were to crash and burn at 4x the rate of other airlines, I could still give you long videos of Delta planes landing safely. That doesn’t mean their elevated crash rate is meaningless. We have all seen Biden crash and burn on many, many occasions. I saw him say, “End of Quote, Repeat the Statement” with those vacant eyes demonstrating he did not even recognize his error. I’ve seen him slur and stop to stare blankly for many seconds on end, then say “anyways” and mumble something incoherent. Again, if I look outside and see rain, you’re not going to convince me it’s not raining no matter how hard you try.
And blaming his slowness and slurring of speech on his being preoccupied with other important concerns puts you in Baghdad Bob territory. You wouldn’t extend the same accommodation to Trump, and moreover, every president is preoccupied with important matters aside from the interview they’re in, that just goes with the territory of being POTUS.
Again: I invited you to post ANY long, continuous video of Biden — totally of your choosing — so we could jointly look at it, and you’ve been unwilling so far. I absolutely agree that in your Delta scenario “That doesn’t mean their elevated crash rate is meaningless.” But unless you provide good evidence for your case, it’s a terrible analogy: you presumably have data for Delta in that scenario, whereas you’re not providing it for Biden, only insisting that you see it.
I’m willing to change my mind in response to good evidence, but your “mashup” video is not good evidence. Perhaps you don’t want to change my mind, even though I’m willing to. How about you: is there anything that would make you change *your* mind?
oldman: please explain to me how or why you and other starry-eyed Trumpster fans can ignore Biden’s massive successes: he turned around the worst economy since the Great Depression, brought out by Trump’s stupid trade war with China and his botched handling of the pandemic. Got passed the CHIPS Act, Infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Acts, Stock market set a new record high. Inflation coming down; real wages exceeding inflation; COVID under control, mended relations with EU and NATO allies that Trump trashed. Why don’t these actual FACTS figure into the equation? Could someone who is mentally incompetent do all of these things? If given the chance, Trump would once again destroy our economy, try to pull the US out of NATO (not just because he needs to pay Putin back for helping him in 2016, but because he’s too stupid to understand the role and benfit to America of NATO and danger of China and Russia), he would decimate the separation of powers we’ve relied on since our founding, stack the DOJ and government agencies with people who kow tow to him instead of honoring their obligation to the American people, and turn loose the insurrectionists who tried to help him overthrow Biden’s victory. Now, Trump has gotten Republicans to ditch the bipartisan border security act strongly supported by border patrol agents and which Republicans also supported until Trump commanded them not to, all to create a fake issue to attack Biden on. Why can’t you see these things “with your own eyes”?
Natasha,
Everything you just commented on are lies.
OK, farmer: are you saying that Biden didn’t get passed the CHIPS Act, Infrastructure and Inflation Reduction Acts; that the stock market didn’t set a new record high; that inflation isn’t coming down that real wages aren’t exceeding inflation; that COVID isn’t under control, that schools, businesses, restaurants and leisure travel haven’t been restored, and that Biden hasn’t mended relations with EU and NATO allies that Trump trashed? Is this what you’re saying, and if so, what proof do you have? Everything I wrote is provable factually–what do you have other than faith in a malignant narcissist?
are you saying that Biden didn’t get passed the CHIPS Act,
Biden did nothing for the CHIPS Act. Except sign the bill
and that Biden hasn’t mended relations with EU and NATO allies that Trump trashed
Trump improved NATO
MAY 17, 2018 9:55 PM CET
BY ELI OKUN
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg praised President Donald Trump on Thursday for pushing countries in the alliance to boost their defense spending, an issue that has driven a wedge between Trump and Europe before.
Today:
Any assault on a Nato country would be met with a “collective and robust reaction”, said its chief Jens Stoltenberg, after Donald Trump threatened to encourage Russia to attack countries that have not contributed enough to the Western military alliance.
“Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk,” Stoltenberg said.
https://theweek.com/politics/nato-chief-denounces-donald-trumps-threat
For quotes from European leaders in response:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/12/europe/trump-comments-reaction-nato-stoltenberg-intl-hnk/index.html
bingo! All the press manipulation that they can conjure cannot erase our own eyes and what we see clearly each and every day. Sure biden has always been a mean fiesty SOB but he was never the sharpest tack in the box and even obama admitted that, but to still defend this blowhard dementia patient is illogical but predictable. Just admit that he is only propped up because of the specter of kamala sitting at the Resolute Desk. Just how far will the progs go in defending this farce?
The S.C. rule requires him to explain his decision not to indict. Here, he says that an important reason is his doubt that a jury would convict an old man with diminished faculties who claims to remember nothing about his crimes. You may think this is a bad reason, but it is one he gave. Without it, he could not fully explain his decision.
He could easily have explained his decision: Biden cooperated, and the DOJ does not prosecute people who cooperate, especially when his case rests on 8 words taken out of context.
Cooperation after committing a crime and getting caught is taken into account at sentencing. It is usually not part of the charging decision.
It’s part of the charging decision when classified documents are discovered and returned. Just as Pence wasn’t charged for possession of classified documents; he, too, cooperated. Had Trump cooperated instead of obstructing, he wouldn’t have been charged either.
So I watched the above (from summer 2023), and I could see a noticeable difference between it and the energy level and clarity of speech from 2018. Even since summer 2023 he’s declined. You disagree?
I don’t think he’s declined in his speech. He’s a little less physically vital, and so is Trump. This is a normal part of aging. But Biden’s mind is functioning fine.
I think that your “Fantastic mashup” is dishonest. Pick ANY current long unedited tape of Biden, and let’s take a look.
Here’s another from today, and you’re free to pick a different one:
My late mother-in-law developed dementia and my wife and I moved into her house to assist. I work from home and therefore could observe and interact with her for extended periods. She could have a very cogent conversation for hours at a time and then there would be days where very little she said was understandable nor in the context of the moment. She also had fits of rage primarily directed at my wife and her other daughter over very minor things. You defense of Biden doesn’t take into account the disease process and how it has played out with him over the last very few years.
Apple, penny, table… IYKYK…
SC hur found that he was incompetent in 2018.
He didn’t.
I think that all candidates over 60 should take a cognitive test and release the results (similar to how other medical results are released for POTUS). As said earlier in the comments, there will be some who will vote for their candidate whether they are breathing or at room temperature.
As far as the 25th goes, its up to the VP and a majority of the cabinet to trigger it. Short of a POTUS who cannot function and may be in a catatonic state, there isn’t much anyone outside of VPOTUS and the majority of the cabinet.
If the USA was a Airplane – I wouldn’t let Biden or Trump Pilot it.
FAA age limits for commercial airline pilots employed by airlines certificated under 14 CFR Part 121.
These airlines cannot employ pilots after they reach the age of 65.
https://www.faa.gov/faq/what-maximum-age-pilot-can-fly-airplane
The Fasten Seat Belt sign is definitely on at Biden Airways
If the USA was a rock …..
Being president requires a small amount of physical stamina, but a large amount of cognative ability.
We have had bad presidents young and old. And good ones young and old.
Ronald Coase died at 99 having written an excellent book on economics the year before.
Milton Friedman was nearly as old and quite mentally adroit until his death.
My father died at 84, in severe cognative decline over the prior 3 years.
Watching Biden is reliving the last few years of my fathrs life in a painful way.
What difference does it make? He’s not running anything anyway. Keep him right where he belongs. Worst. Animatronic. President. Ever.
What I’m looking for is a Queeg-like psychotic break on the witness stand. But what’s more likely will be a debilitating fall, and then a resignation for reasons of health. He’s not likely to even make it long enough to pardon Hunter, that side-show is taking too long.
Yep! He will have a “heart attack”, or something physical, so the Democrats can continue to pretend that he is not suffering from senile dementia, as he has been since 2019. You can bet the medical record will be doctored.
The problem is, everybody already knows it, Democrats too, that he is out of it, mentally. James O’Keefe just did another sting op on a White House security guy, as if we didn’t already know it.
It reminds me of a drunk I know. The guy is so bad that he walks around with a bottle of Jim Beam in his pocket, and he has to constantly sip, or he gets the shakes. Everybody knows that he is a drunk. He is so out of it, that he can not even maintain a free Obama phone, or a place to live, or a car, or even more than one suit of clothes. Or food. I am the kind of person to be brutally honest, so I tell him openly – You’re a drunk, and a drug addict when you have a few bucks. Get on disability so you can at least have a roof over your head. He’ll tell me, f*** you, I’m not a drunk, and I am not going to go on disability and say that I am. So I say, OK, “Mr. I’m not a drunk” – if you ain’t a drunk, then hand me your bottle of Jim Beam. I get, I’m not a drunk, I am not a drunk, I am not a drunk, as he drunkenly stumbles away.
This is the Democrats, denying the obvious over and over and over.
Congress is collectively even more foolish and corrupt than Biden. The voters will have to vote Biden/Harris out if our country can survive until November. Count on the democrats to remove Biden/Harris in August? Naawww, that would require statesmanship to override the left’s desire to destroy this country….
The 25th amendment is totally unconstitutional because of how it was made and the content. Only the States assembled proportionally in the House may impeach, and only the States assembled in the Senate as equals with equal suffrage may convict. As long as Congress is improperly assembled and operated, we can’t impeach, convict, or amend the Constitution of the United States, especially since all our State governments are also likewise improperly assembled.
Here’s the requirement:
Constitution of the United States
[Article. IV. Section. 4.
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.]
To form a larger republic, all the constituent parts, the States, must also be either simple or compound republics themselves, and that requires that the Most Numerous Legislative Branch be an exact representation of the population which assembles that branch of the legislature, and it must be assembled by the republican principle of per capita apportionment based upon an enumeration, and the process and qualified electorate to assemble that branch of the legislature must be established in each State’s own constitution rendering the process and qualified electorate for that purpose unalterable by any means, not by congressional statute, State or Federal, and not by Federal Constitutional amendment.
By the way, there is no presidential line of succession in the United States, those who act as the president only continue to act until the reason for the absence is removed or a president is elected, which could be scheduled by the States in Congress at their pleasure, as they can always remove the president from office for any reason they want, as a misdemeanor is like spitting on the sidewalk.
The States as the Union don’t have to put up with a despotic and insubordinate government official, up to and including the President of the United States. So, the States as the Union could remove any President instantly, even Biden, because all it takes is a finding of impeachment by a majority of the States by proportion in the House, and the trial in the Senate for conviction could occur as soon as the Chief Justice is informed and arrives in the Senate to preside.
I would say most people don’t realize there are two conditions of removal in Article 2 Section 4, upon impeachment for, which creates an absence, and conviction of, which creates a vacancy, and both conditions are addressed in Article 2 of the Constitution of the United States.
The Constitution has a provision for amendments. The 25th Amendment is constitutional.
My advice to you is, learn to read, then apply what you have learned before you make your next ignorant comment.
My advice to you is that you understand: by definition, no part of the Constitution is unconstitutional.
The 25th amendment is totally unconstitutional . . .
The Constitution is unconstitutional?
“The Constitution is unconstitutional?”
When Democrats need it to be. They live in a Fantasy World, like Sovereign Citizens, and they just make up legal stuff.
He definitely serves the purpose of being a blank slate for them to write teleprompter policies for. The ultimate Useful Idiot for the Deep State.
Fran,
Thank you for also reminding us of other indications of Biden’s questionable mental capacity: Reading the ‘direction’ off the teleprompter. Like “end of quote.”
It’s nice when someone actually explains the rules and doesn’t just make it up. Thank you.
I heard a Democrat lady say that she would vote for Biden over Trump even if Biden were dead. I do not believe this is an outlier view. Biden suffers from dementia. Trump does not suffer from dementia. That fact alone should wake people up but we must not forget that the media and Democrats have done a magnificent job of making Trump into a monster, infecting those who absorb the propaganda with Trump Derangement Syndrome. These same people apparently are incapable of reviewing Trump’s accomplishments in office and comparing them with those of Biden. They are unconcerned about the several disastrous failures of the Biden administration such as the border, Afghanistan, the middle East, etc., etc., and the loss of law and order in so many major cities because of Democrat policies. The progressive chickens have come home to roost. The 25th Amendment will not save us.
Hhonestlawyermostly,
Well said.
TDS is truly a mental illness. Makes people see thing that are not there. Like dead people.
It’s not just Trump – the Left has made the Republican Party into some kind of symbol for racism, fascism, and everything bad in the Universe. This crap was going on as far back as the original SNL show. It has been done in concert by many parts of the Left. The Democrat Party has been an America hating party for maybe 4 or 5 decades now, and that is why they embrace everything bad, and hate everything good and normal. Blacks teach their children that the Republican Party is The Racist Party.
The other day I coined the term, The Maher Syndrome, after Bill Maher, who openly admits that the Left is wacky and insane on many fronts, but will continue to vote for them. That is why the Walkaway Movement was started, which sounds a lot like a drug rehab thing – because being a Democrat is weirdly ingrained in some people’s psyche to the point of being an addiction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw8f6IX7vgw
Floyd,
Well said.
Thank you.
Exactly right…so many Democrat women are fanatical now: abortion! abortion! abortion!
It’s a single issue ride or die vote for them.
As for TDS, it’s too late to save any of them.
The TDS has been installed into their brains.
These people are now so deranged that you could lay out facts from here to the moon in front of them and it will not penetrate their Trump deranged brains…they’re gone. See, Dennis McIntyre’s comments here on this blog, for example. Zero capacity to see or hear the truth or the facts, so much so that it’s scary to be around these people. They cannot have a normal, reasonable, rational discussion about our current politics. It’s like they’ve all been MK Ultra’d by the CIA media propagandists over there at MSNBC, etc.
TDS is real mental illness. And it’s scary how deranged so many people have become primarily because of the lying fake news propaganda media.
That tells you it isn’t just Mr. Biden who is suffering from diminished mental capacity…
“The various experts and pundits who called for Trump’s removal under the 25th Amendment are notably silent this week, even after his own Justice Department cited his diminished faculties as a reason for not charging him.”
???????????????
What about the ‘diminished capacities’ of the people who rigged the election to get this guy in office? https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1756745105732436416
Biden needs a cane or even a walker
“If Vice President Kamala Harris could get eight Cabinet officers to go along with a letter to Congress, her status as the “Acting President” “. Now there is a more frightening contingency than the biden presidency itself.
Did anyone watch the PSA by Biden about shrinkflation which is directly related to the disastrous Bidenomics?
Whoever is running the WH, how the heck did they think that was a good idea?
It made him look even more mentally incompetent!
You would be surprised at the percentage of Americans who have not the most minimal grasp of economics and get their total understanding of what is happening from such entities as “The View”. This is, for the most part, an educated and intellectual forum here and we can discuss many topics with the assurance that other posters have more than the basic grasp of what is happening. Not so the general population who have been misled and indoctrinated every so slowly and subtly by our media/education industries; they cannot conceive the concept that printing free money to the parasites for decades is the main cause of our monetary woes, they just want cheap gas and groceries and they don’t look any farther than their own nose to see why raising minimum wage and curtailing industry has anything to do with it – they literally think that the president can just make it all better with a stroke of a pen as obama told them it could be done.
Michael Hudson says that virtually everything that is taught in economics classes is false.
My late husband taught economics and political science and most of what happens in those curricula is a combination of voodoo and wishful thinking. It’s all a gamble and if you are good at poker you can understand economics and political science. The best situation is to allow free markets to decide everything and not attempt to “manage” human activities with a specific goal in mind since that will always fail in some what whereas true unfettered capitalism, while there will be winners and losers, will find the most rational solutions in the long run.
Whimsicalmama,
I find economics to be more of a question of knowing human behavior.
The stock market is more psychological, reacting to various news and reports.
My average is 14% in the markets.
My best was 23% during 2020. I saw the reaction of COVID coming from across the Pacific and pulled everything out in March. I should of done it in late February. I got back in, in mid-September. I dodged a 16% loss.
Due to Bidenflation and Bidenomics, I only did 9% last year.
“. . . PSA by Biden about shrinkflation which is directly related to the disastrous Bidenomics?”
That is a typical move by a lying, statist politician: Blame business for the destructive consequences of their statist policies.
A reminder that recently Donald Trump:
– Confused a photo of his rape victim for his ex-wife during a deposition
– Confused Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi 4 times in a row
– Said Jeb Bush sent our troops to the Middle East
– Said he ran against and is currently running against Barack Obama
– Said President Biden started World War II
– Said that Viktor Orban is the leader of Turkey
– Said you need voter ID to buy bread
– Said windmills are causing whales to wash up on shore
– Confused North Korea and China
– Implied Dallas is in another country
– Was confused about where he was during a speech
– Claimed Hungary borders Russia
– Crowed about passing a dementia test, claiming it was a hard test
When interviewed for the Mueller investigation, he said ~30 times that he did not recall.
Biden certainly makes gaffes, but Trump’s are even worse.
I found out long ago that true facts (remember those tings? Actual truth), mean nothing to trump supporters. They love their orange god. Heck, they send him money to pay lawyers. How dumb is that?
I voted for Trump, twice, not because I am enthralled by my “Orange G_d” but because I totally understood that the alternative is far worse. This has been demonstrated by surveying what has happened to America during the 3 obama presidencies. That is why people vote for Trump – they are tired of the swamp (which, by the way, is the nursery for Niki Haley and her presidency would just be a placeholder for more RINO/prog/left swamp activity). If you think that insulting conservatives because we know that we would vote for Mr. Potato Head before any democrat then you totally misunderstand the issues at hand and are operating under the misleading propaganda of the prog/left – but that is what you do at your own peril.
And many of us believe that Trump is much worse than Biden.
Funny that you have difficulty understanding that different people can have vastly different opinions.
As as long time ( half a century) of studying history – firstly academically in the 60s and 70s anf later as a continual researching of items of interest, it is apparent that there can be opposing understandings of life and its events. The point here, and it will prove to be essential for our survival as the nation conceived and built by our founding fathers, is that those who, at present, seem to barage us with their hatred and contempt at this ethos, should search the globe for an alternative home that would offer them all the woke, socialiat claptrap that they desire and leave this original nation alone to continue as it was originally constructed. I see no other solution since we have become 2 separate, distinct, and oppositional societies attempting to occupy the same real estate and one side needs to find a new home. I’m not saying that you must discard your personal concepts but that they are just not a good fit for our nation and its constitition.
On the contrary, I’m a staunch supporter of our country and our Constitution. You seem to have trouble believing that one can be a staunch supporter of both, and have beliefs that are a good fit for both, yet believe that Trump is a danger.
I’m confused. We had an election, actually 20, 2020, and 2022. In 2020 trump after 4 years lost, big time. In 2022 there was talk about a red wave, both houses of Congress were going to turn red in a massive amount, it was a flop.
So you love our country, we vote and elect representatives. And when your side doesn’t win you want the other side to take their toys to another place? Sounds like perhaps you don’t really like this country as founded.
Do you actually trust election results at this point? There is ample evidence that at least 45-50% of the nation disagrees with the prog/left ethos yet those dems keep winning elections – that is illogical at best. We are well aware of the twisting of facts and views via our media/education industries and the general dumbing down of our general population under the designs of that prog/left. Are we to just say; sure you flooded the populace with well-trained tools and leave it like that. Remember your history and realize that democracies are bad for personal freedom and republics. They only insure mob rule and we see how that worked out for France in 1789, Russia in 1914 and Venezuela just for a few examples. I would wager that only a complete fumigation of socialist/woke/humanistic views from our culture could save this nation as originally conceived but then what do you do will millions of parasitic, ignorant tools?
trump had 60+ court cases to prove election fraud. He never once, not once, zero, nada, zip, did he present evidence in a court of law. Why? because A) there was no evidence of massive fraud, and B) he finds it much easier to rile up crowds with lies instead of facts.
Now if you choose to believe his lies, that is certainly your prerogative. But believing in a thing does not make it real.
I believe 100% that if trump is on the ballot in November 2024 he will lose both the popular vote and the electoral vote. Further, if he is on the ballot, the Repos will sustain a historical loss. They will certainly win in a few red states. But they will lose both the house and the Senate as well as the Presidency. Good luck with putting a criminal on the ballot.
Reagan is turning in his grave. To think that in less than 40 years the Repos went from “tear down that wall”, to go ahead, I’ll help you invade a NATO country, is astonishing, sad, and shows the depravity of the current Repo party. Good luck with that as a campaign slogan. Putin, invade Eastern Europe, see if I care.
Those that worked closet to trump in the White House say he should never be allowed near the White House again. What do you know that they don’t?
You really want to encourage Russia to invade NATO countries?
“You really want to encourage Russia to invade NATO countries?”
Here are the honest questions:
If those countries are worried about a Russian invasion, shouldn’t they ensure their own security by paying their NATO bills?
Or should Americans continue to be played for chumps?
There are no “NATO bills.” It’s a fundamental misunderstanding of the way that NATO membership and the 2% guideline work. This guideline is not part of the NATO Treaty, and if one measures total national security expenditures, some countries are at 3% or 4%. Americans aren’t being played for chumps. A reminder that the *sole* time Article 5 of the NATO Treaty was invoked was by the US after 9/11. Trump is dangerously encouraging Putin to invade NATO countries and saying that he will pull out of NATO.
So you’re fine with Russia invading NATO countries? Or as trump said, encourage Russia?
Wow, says a lot about where you stand.
I know. Let’s shift the conversation from who “should be President” to “who is President.” Just for a moment, if you can imagine Trump not running this year, would you feel differently about Biden’s competence? I’ll bet many would. He’s not up for it, and without the Trump specter out there, you’d probably agree he’s not. He only looks ok to some who are afraid of Trump. By himself, he’s unfit.
Biden is not who I voted for in the 2020 primaries, but I think Biden has been a competent President, and certainly fit. You’re free to disagree. In the end, I will decide between the two actual nominees. It looks like they’ll be Biden and Trump, but if that changes, I’ll make my decision accordingly.
Anonymous, what has Biden done that is competent? Is it Afghanistan, the border, the economy, uniting the country, crime in our cities, race relations or the middle east?
On top of that insanity you then opine that Biden is fit. That is laughable. You are either a paid shill, a weak minded liberal Democrat or a cat lady that hasn’t been out since March 2020.
HullBobby,
That is the difference.
We base our opinions on facts, which you point out a few.
Below, T points out other facts that are uncomfortable to the various anonymous.
When we actually compare the Trump admin and Biden admin, we clearly see under which admin we, and the world was better for.
Yet, our TDS addled friends tell us not to believe our eyes, ears and pocketbooks.
Biden has shepherded major legislation through Congress (e.g., the infrastructure bill, the American Rescue Plan, the CHIPS Act, the Inflation Reduction Act), managed a soft landing for a difficult economy with the lowest inflation of any wealthy country, lowest unemployment in decades, stock market highs, rallied our NATO allies to support Ukraine, first major gun safety bill in decades, supports the right to an abortion, got a cap on insulin, is trying to address climate change, repaired fraying relationships with our allies, …
I doubt that there’s anything I can say that would make you change your mind.
Biden is old, but he is still mentally and physically fit. He’s not my first choice. But I’ll absolutely vote for him over Trump.
The American Rescue Plan is what got us high inflation.
Most chip manufactures were already planning on building plants here in the US. Have no doubt they are going to take advantage of it.
The Inflation Reduction Act was nothing but a green boondoggle. Even Biden admits he wish he did not call it that. The CBO said it will do nothing to reduce inflation. Due to Bidenflation, many of those green boondoggles are canceling their projects or cannot be profitable without more taxpayer money or they raise electricity rates. Several electric bus companies have gone bankrupt as they were never viable in the first place.
As I have to point out to you ignorant dupes, inflation is cumulative. We are all still paying more than we did pre-COVID and that is hurting all but the top 10%.
The unemployment rate you keep citing is pre-revisions. 11 out of the last 12 reports have been revised significantly. Economists say this is very unusual. If you look at the Household survey, you will find that more Americans are having to take second or even third jobs to make ends meet. That is not better.
The Job Participation rate is even worse. But they dont factor that into the unemployment numbers.
Wall St. is a heck of a lot different than Main St.
There was a peace deal in the works in late March 2020 in Istanbul. Russia would of pulled back to pre-war lines. Boris Johnson crushed it. Biden the butcher and other neocons wanted this war. There could of been peace. Thousands of lives could of been saved. Rather, Biden is bringing us closer and closer to WWIII.
The gun law did nothing but hurt law obeying Americans.
Climate change is another grift.
Our relationships with our allies? They all see his is mentally declined and know it. They are just going along and waiting for the next election. Others are positioning themselves for a American socio-economic collapse by means of de-dollarization, joining BRICS.
Meanwhile, our enemies who see Biden’s weakness are taking advantage of it. Russia, China, Iran. Hamas. The Houthis.
Biden and the DNC are the party who favors censorship.
Under Biden anti-semitism has risen by triple digits.
Blacks see the Biden admin as ignoring them while coddling illegals.
Asians see the DNC as the anti-Asian party as the DNC punishes Asians for being successful.
Same goes for whites too.
These are all facts that we all see.
When I go shopping for food, buy a gallon of gas for my car, having to pay my credit card after buying things I needed but couldn’t pay cash, eating out which I couldn’t really afford and having to file my income tax, Yes I will think about Trump and what we all had when Trump was our President.
Somehow when you think of what we did have with Trump somehow the gaffes were the least of my worries.
Hillary Clinton had memory lapses far more numerous than Trump’s.
Likely because she sat for many more hours of questioning. Both of them said some version of “I do not recall” over 2 dozen times.