The line Joe Biden used to put into nearly every big speech — “I’ve never been more optimistic about America’s future” — is a long way from what he says in private now.The line Joe Biden used to put into nearly every big speech — “I’ve never been more optimistic about America’s future” — is a long way from what he says in private now.

These days, multiple people who’ve spoken to him over the last year say, Biden often punctuates conversations with: “You think we can actually come back from this?”

The 83-year-old Biden continues to feel out a post-presidency that may prove to be one of the shortest in history and is already one of the most complicated.

There are days when Biden is heartbroken, indignant or in disbelief about what is happening as President Donald Trump — the man he defeated in 2020 — returned and moved not just to tear down his accomplishments, but to dig in with petty insults like the autopen photograph he put in Biden’s spot in the “Presidential Walk of Fame” installed at the White House.

  • Tempus Fugit@lemmy.world
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    7 hours ago

    I’m no longer concerned with winning. I’m more concerned with keeping my personal morals intact in this world of snakes and demons. If a candidate fits my criteria I’ll vote for them, if they don’t I won’t. If that leads to a fascist takeover and the end to our way of life, so be it. I’ll be at peace with myself which is now my top priority. I’m not scared of death or the end of the world. I’m scared of compromising myself.

    • Ryanmiller70@lemmy.zip
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      5 hours ago

      This is how I feel with voting which is why I do third party or independent in every election/primary since 2014 (when I became eligible to vote).

    • HubertManne@piefed.social
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      6 hours ago

      Its funny because this is how I said people should be and intended myself but this is not about winning in the general. Which is what I was thinking about when I have said as much as you have here. Its about a centerist (and heck im a centerist) type democrat being the democrat on the ticket (and someone who I feel talks one way and does another) vs someone who seems a bit better all so I can gamble that the best one wins. I mean im sure krishna will be getting certain types to be talking about how bad the democrats are but maybe not with stratton so much. Then again stratton has been leuitant govenor and does not have a federal voting record to scrutinize. She might just be better at appearing better all said and done. She has been pushing to abolish ice but again from a state elected position that can’t really do anything but call for it. Kelly is to me the best canidate and the most progressive but voting for her could hand it to krishna*. This is what democracy is and at the end of the day we actually have to live with the results of these elections. Now krishna* is still light years better than the best republican and 100% I will vote for hime in the general if he wins but I have to decide to gamble with kelly or mitigate with stratton. Heck the only reason I can be so unsure is because krishna* is not as bad as a republican so I can contemplate voting for kelly and we still have the general. If this was the general I would 100% vote for stratton because I could not take the risk. Again we have to live with our decisions. I sometimes feel folks just can’t stand the responsibility of being in a democracy so want to take the high ground and claim our end situation is then other peoples fault because they took the high ground. (holy trump I have been using the star character and did not realize it would trigger markup type stuff)

      • Tempus Fugit@lemmy.world
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        6 hours ago

        I get where you’re coming from, but I’d still vote for my personal best candidate regardless of their viability. I feel like being against the elites and Zionists isn’t that much of an ask from a candidate. I’m just tired of the liberal Democrats saying one thing and doing another. They’ve been doing that to me my whole life. I have to set up some guardrails or I’ll lose myself.

        • HubertManne@piefed.social
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          6 hours ago

          yeah and kelly who I like and just compare krishna to her voting as they were both in the house. well both had to not run for the dem spot on their house seats so if they lose they will be out. That means if kelly does not win the senate then we will lose a nice progressive democrat from the federal legislature. sttraton again is state so its not as big a loss. krishna having someone else in his house seat might very well be a good thing as long as its a democrat. Ill tell you I am very divided. This has been one of the hardest decisions I have had in an election and its a primary. Honestly im not going to vote based on folks who I have no idea who they are on the internet. I have local folks to talk this stuff around with but I just wanted to express how complicated a democratic system is as well as the responsiblity of voting not just to you but whoever other actual human being us people are out there. I have a feeling many don’t vote in primaries and don’t really reflect on the decisions but will monday morning quarterback the trump out of the election later. Im not saying you do that im just expressing some frustration I have with the average american and lets face it those who bother to vote are the best of us. Man Im still so jelly because of the write in guy who is not in my district who I wish I could vote for.

          • Tempus Fugit@lemmy.world
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            5 hours ago

            I agree, voting isn’t simply casting a ballot. That’s why I can’t in good conscience vote for those that will do harm to my people or others. I’m a very active voter actually. I haven’t missed a local election since I turned 18, decades ago. Unfortunately my local votes are all but meaningless as my district is 70% Republicans.

            • HubertManne@piefed.social
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              5 hours ago

              yeah all the same if you don’t vote for someone who might take out the republican you are losing your chance. the hanging chad thing in florida came down to a few votes. republicans have faced losses in heavily republican areas because of all the bull trump they have been doing. if a bunch more in your 70% do that and yours is not there to support. well you, me, we all live with that. clear conscience is great but living in a modern functioning democracy can be pretty nice to.