Today is Brought to You by the Numbers 25 and 47

 

Yes, yes. I know. Yesterday was Inauguration Day. #46 hasn’t been in office a full 24 hours as of this writing and I’m already thinking of #47.

On this day, two of the nation’s left-leaning media outlets (excuse me if I repeat myself) have pieces up on Joe Biden’s cognitive decline.

From Politico:

For higher-profile remarks, [Biden would] obsessively rehearse portions until he committed them to memory. And at times through the various iterations of outlining remarks, Biden could grow downright ornery.

“I would never say this,” Biden once snapped at an aide, aghast over the prepared remarks he was reviewing, according to a person in the room during a speech prep session last year. “Where did you get this from?’”

The aide explained that Biden had just said it in a public speech a couple of weeks earlier.

And the incident they’re writing about is almost a year old.

From Axios:

Biden now heeds guidance about staying on task with speeches and no longer worries a gaffe or two will cost him an election. His staff also limits the places where he speaks freely and off the cuff. This Biden protective bubble will only tighten in the months ahead, aides tell Axios.

One prominent Democrat says the lingering question is can a nearly 80-year-old person “process” multiple major issues like the pandemic, a sagging economy, an ascendant China and pesky Russia?

The acid test, this Democrat said on the condition of anonymity, was whether Biden could ace a Rose Garden news conference.

Got that? Now that he’s actually in the Oval Office, the press is freely admitting that “the Big Guy” just might be a few quarters short of a full roll.

Why? Well, there’s that other number – the number 25 – as in the 25th Amendment. How long do you give them until the push is one to elevate the new Vice President? Three months? Six? A year?

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  1. Eustace C. Scrubb Member
    Eustace C. Scrubb
    @EustaceCScrubb

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    • #1
  2. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Yes, this post has pretty much been done already:

    https://ricochet.com/870914/how-long-will-biden-be-president/

    • #2
  3. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    Although that makes sense as far as maximizing the Kamala would spend in office, that’s an awfully long time to carry Grandpa around. I figure that Joe will be back in his basement by Christmas.

    • #3
  4. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Percival (View Comment):

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    Although that makes sense as far as maximizing the Kamala would spend in office, that’s an awfully long time to carry Grandpa around. I figure that Joe will be back in his basement by Christmas.

    Poor Kamala might only get to be President for 7 years, not 10.  Boo-hoo.

    • #4
  5. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    Although that makes sense as far as maximizing the Kamala would spend in office, that’s an awfully long time to carry Grandpa around. I figure that Joe will be back in his basement by Christmas.

    Poor Kamala might only get to be President for 7 years, not 10. Boo-hoo.

    How is her mental acuity compared to Biden’s?

    • #5
  6. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    The Reticulator (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    Although that makes sense as far as maximizing the Kamala would spend in office, that’s an awfully long time to carry Grandpa around. I figure that Joe will be back in his basement by Christmas.

    Poor Kamala might only get to be President for 7 years, not 10. Boo-hoo.

    How is her mental acuity compared to Biden’s?

    She’s at least consistently, and reliably stupid.

    • #6
  7. JoelB Member
    JoelB
    @JoelB

    An inactive Democrat President hiding away in the White House could be a blessing in disguise.

    • #7
  8. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    JoelB (View Comment):

    An inactive Democrat President hiding away in the White House could be a blessing in disguise.

    Except he was not going to be the one really doing stuff anyway.

    I wonder if, once Biden gets “retired” however it happens, anyone will remember that Republicans were calling out that farce from the start?

    • #8
  9. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    kedavis (View Comment):

    JoelB (View Comment):

    An inactive Democrat President hiding away in the White House could be a blessing in disguise.

    Except he was not going to be the one really doing stuff anyway.

    I wonder if, once Biden gets “retired” however it happens, anyone will remember that Republicans were calling out that farce from the start?

     You are not allowed to remember things like that. 

    • #9
  10. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    Biden’s future likely depends on his and the Democratic Party’s poll numbers — any switch of leadership in the early going via the media suddenly changing wacky-but-lovable Uncle Joe to dangerously senile Uncle Joe would be seen as a bait-and-switch by swing voters, who might resent finding out they were lied to and would then pay the Dems back at the polls in the 2022 midterms. But if the Biden administration’s actions end up causing unhappiness among those same voters and a drop in pre-midterm poll numbers, jettisoning Joe for Kamala could be seen as a Hail Mary effort to excite both black and female voters about having a new president in the run-up to the ’22 election, and gin up Democratic turnout for both groups.

    • #10
  11. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Jon1979 (View Comment):

    Biden’s future likely depends on his and the Democratic Party’s poll numbers — any switch of leadership in the early going via the media suddenly changing wacky-but-lovable Uncle Joe to dangerously senile Uncle Joe would be seen as a bait-and-switch by swing voters, who might resent finding out they were lied to and would then pay the Dems back at the polls in the 2022 midterms. But if the Biden administration’s actions end up causing unhappiness among those same voters and a drop in pre-midterm poll numbers, jettisoning Joe for Kamala could be seen as a Hail Mary effort to excite both black and female voters about having a new president in the run-up to the ’22 election, and gin up Democratic turnout for both groups.

    I tend to think that anything where Biden doesn’t serve at least one full term, will show as having been a cover-up from the start.  As to how upset Dim voters will be about that, is anyone’s guess.  A lot of them were apparently just voting for Kamala anyway, so for them it might be the sooner the better.

    • #11
  12. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Jon1979 (View Comment):

    Biden’s future likely depends on his and the Democratic Party’s poll numbers — any switch of leadership in the early going via the media suddenly changing wacky-but-lovable Uncle Joe to dangerously senile Uncle Joe would be seen as a bait-and-switch by swing voters, who might resent finding out they were lied to and would then pay the Dems back at the polls in the 2022 midterms. But if the Biden administration’s actions end up causing unhappiness among those same voters and a drop in pre-midterm poll numbers, jettisoning Joe for Kamala could be seen as a Hail Mary effort to excite both black and female voters about having a new president in the run-up to the ’22 election, and gin up Democratic turnout for both groups.

    I tend to think that anything where Biden doesn’t serve at least one full term, will show as having been a cover-up from the start. As to how upset Dim voters will be about that, is anyone’s guess. A lot of them were apparently just voting for Kamala anyway, so for them it might be the sooner the better.

    I’d say the activists who are obsessed with politics are expecting Kamala to take over. The ones who bought into the ‘Return to Normalcy‘ schtick might be willing to accept them idea of a Biden cognitive decline 18-36 months down the line, but would feel betrayed if Democrats and their media supporters started playing that card in any major way 18-36 days down the line.

    • #12
  13. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    kedavis (View Comment):

    JoelB (View Comment):

    An inactive Democrat President hiding away in the White House could be a blessing in disguise.

    Except he was not going to be the one really doing stuff anyway.

    I wonder if, once Biden gets “retired” however it happens, anyone will remember that Republicans were calling out that farce from the start?

    Only if we remind them. Often. 

    • #13
  14. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    If you mean, with reference to the objective truth about poor ol’ Joe’s cognitive abilities, I give him six months. However, I think the Ds will cover for him as long as they can.

     

    • #14
  15. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    EJHill: The acid test, this Democrat said on the condition of anonymity, was whether Biden could ace a Rose Garden news conference.

    They really are just high schoolers.

    • #15
  16. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    Kamala has no political skills or charisma.  She dropped out before Iowa.  She was running  something like 6th place in her home state.  Just wait until she breaks out that cackle a couple more times.

    The last thing anyone needs to worry about is whether she can be elected twice.

    • #16
  17. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    Kamala has no political skills or charisma. She dropped out before Iowa.

    She got clotheslined – by Tulsi Gabbard.

    She was running something like 6th place in her home state. Just wait until she breaks out that cackle a couple more times.

    The last thing anyone needs to worry about is whether she can be elected twice.

    That’s no probkem. She’s got the dead vote sewed up, plus I’m sure that mail-in voting will still be a thing.

     

    • #17
  18. Dr. Jimmy Carter Member
    Dr. Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    This administration is brought to You by the letters F and U.

    • #18
  19. DrewInEastHillQuarantineZone Member
    DrewInEastHillQuarantineZone
    @DrewInWisconsin

    JoelB (View Comment):

    An inactive Democrat President hiding away in the White House could be a blessing in disguise.

    Not really. Because the country is going to be run by his puppet masters. Unelected bureaucrats with nobody holding them accountable.

    • #19
  20. DrewInEastHillQuarantineZone Member
    DrewInEastHillQuarantineZone
    @DrewInWisconsin

    kedavis (View Comment):
    I tend to think that anything where Biden doesn’t serve at least one full term, will show as having been a cover-up from the start. As to how upset Dim voters will be about that, is anyone’s guess. A lot of them were apparently just voting for Kamala anyway, so for them it might be the sooner the better.

    This is certainly true of a few people I know. They were burbling with joy over Kamala Harris yesterday. Not a word about Joe Biden. All this nonsense about breaking through the glass ceiling. I wanted to remind them exactly how Kamala got to where she is, but thought that might be rude. I’ll wait a few days . . .

    • #20
  21. John Park Member
    John Park
    @jpark

    Check out Dov Fischer at spectator.org . He’s got the Vice President’s number.

    • #21
  22. Troy Senik Member
    Troy Senik
    @TroySenik

    EJHill:

    From Politico:

    For higher-profile remarks, [Biden would] obsessively rehearse portions until he committed them to memory. And at times through the various iterations of outlining remarks, Biden could grow downright ornery.

    “I would never say this,” Biden once snapped at an aide, aghast over the prepared remarks he was reviewing, according to a person in the room during a speech prep session last year. “Where did you get this from?’”

    The aide explained that Biden had just said it in a public speech a couple of weeks earlier.

    I do not intend this as a commentary on Biden’s mental acuity (in either direction), but I’d note that virtually every speechwriter I know has had a version of this conversation with their principal at some point (it’s happened to me multiple times). Could it be brain fog? Absolutely. But it also can be a function of indifference, exhaustion, or just general cussedness (by and large our clients are not normal people). But good for the writer for at least mounting the defense. Half of the time they just turn into yes men in this scenario.

    • #22
  23. Troy Senik Member
    Troy Senik
    @TroySenik

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    Kamala has no political skills or charisma. She dropped out before Iowa. She was running something like 6th place in her home state. Just wait until she breaks out that cackle a couple more times.

    The last thing anyone needs to worry about is whether she can be elected twice.

    I think this is right. Whether Harris is the incumbent president in 2024 or the incumbent VP (I simply do not take seriously the reports that Biden plans on running again — an obvious feint to keep him from being perceived as a lame duck from day one), I expect there to be a competitive Democratic primary. She had an abysmal performance in the primary race. She did one media hit for the Biden campaign on 60 Minutes that was so bad that they pulled her off of further appearances. That jaw is all glass. 

    • #23
  24. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Troy Senik (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    Kamala has no political skills or charisma. She dropped out before Iowa. She was running something like 6th place in her home state. Just wait until she breaks out that cackle a couple more times.

    The last thing anyone needs to worry about is whether she can be elected twice.

    I think this is right. Whether Harris is the incumbent president in 2024 or the incumbent VP (I simply do not take seriously the reports that Biden plans on running again — an obvious feint to keep him from being perceived as a lame duck from day one), I expect there to be a competitive Democratic primary. She had an abysmal performance in the primary race. She did one media hit for the Biden campaign on 60 Minutes that was so bad that they pulled her off of further appearances. That jaw is all glass.

    Lame? He was lame back in 1987. He’s one step shy of comatose now.

    • #24
  25. Jon1979 Inactive
    Jon1979
    @Jon1979

    Troy Senik (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    Eustace C. Scrubb (View Comment):

    As some have noted, the Big Guy would have to serve two years to allow Willie Brown’s ex a chance to run twice. As if anyone would vote for her once.

    Kamala has no political skills or charisma. She dropped out before Iowa. She was running something like 6th place in her home state. Just wait until she breaks out that cackle a couple more times.

    The last thing anyone needs to worry about is whether she can be elected twice.

    I think this is right. Whether Harris is the incumbent president in 2024 or the incumbent VP (I simply do not take seriously the reports that Biden plans on running again — an obvious feint to keep him from being perceived as a lame duck from day one), I expect there to be a competitive Democratic primary. She had an abysmal performance in the primary race. She did one media hit for the Biden campaign on 60 Minutes that was so bad that they pulled her off of further appearances. That jaw is all glass.

    That could make things interesting, if the VP and her people think her best chance in 2024 is going into the primaries as an already-sitting president, as opposed to a VP facing a field of other challengers.

    As with people who were trying to nudge RBG out the door in the final years of the Obama Administration and who are hinting very loudly to Stephen Breyer right now that there’s no time like the present to be put out to pasture, the Kamala crew could be hinting very loudly by late2022-early 2023 if Joe’s still in office that it might be time for him to board that Acela express for Wilmington one last time, and give Harris 8-10 months in the Oval Office before Iowa and New Hampshire arrive.

    • #25
  26. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Jon1979 (View Comment):
    if Joe’s still in office that it might be time for him to board that Acela express for Wilmington one last time

    And have one more breakfast at the restaurant that’s been closed for 20+ years…

    • #26
  27. Manny Coolidge
    Manny
    @Manny

    The cognitive decline was evident in the campaign.  I will be surprised he makes it through four years.

    • #27
  28. davenr321 Coolidge
    davenr321
    @davenr321

    I think the number 35 will be a big part of 25-47… As in the Dow Jones Hitting 35,000… ‘cos it’s held at 31,000 and change for a couple of days. And there’s plenty of anarcho-communists who want to be rich anarcho-communists. Hey, 25-37-47 hike! 

    If things go down and don’t bounce-pop like they did this year, then there’s no way 25 will get near 47.

     

    • #28
  29. 9thDistrictNeighbor Member
    9thDistrictNeighbor
    @9thDistrictNeighbor

    EJHill: Now that he’s actually in the Oval Office, the press is freely admitting that “the Big Guy” just might be a few quarters short of a full roll.

    A roll of quarters can be an effective substitute for a set of brass knuckles.  Take a few quarters out and it will better fit a woman’s hand.  We should be able to tell when Joe is headed out when Kamala starts swinging.

    • #29
  30. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    davenr321 (View Comment):

    I think the number 35 will be a big part of 25-47… As in the Dow Jones Hitting 35,000… ‘cos it’s held at 31,000 and change for a couple of days. And there’s plenty of anarcho-communists who want to be rich anarcho-communists. Hey, 25-37-47 hike!

    If things go down and don’t bounce-pop like they did this year, then there’s no way 25 will get near 47.

     

    I was hoping it could somehow be twisted into “25 or 6 to 4” but apparently that’s not possible.  What a shame.

     

    • #30
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