A Reckless Farewell: Notes on Biden's Strange Exit

"This is a Coup"

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I woke this morning not knowing where I am or what day it is. A week ago, I was folding clothes, packing for Milwaukee, when a text came through: “Trump’s been shot.” From there, it’s been a surreal sweep — a whirlwind of mayhem leading up to yesterday's political earthquake. My brain is a few steps behind, trying to process it all.

I am in Cape Cod, here to document a sailing event and clambake hosted by RFK at the Kennedy Compound. A week after he was spotted in town during the RNC seemingly trying to work out a deal with Trump. On my layover in Chicago, I got another text — Biden steps down. I had the bartender at the airport turn the baseball game to the news. The whole bar gasped when he did. Our president stepped down via a note. No televised appearance. No presidential letterhead. Too late for primaries to determine his replacement.

After weeks of lies and gaslighting from the left, we are finally unburdened by what has been, living through a Veep storyline. This is a coup. There is nothing noble about it.

A month ago, phrases like “false flag” and “Patriot” were considered slurs by the media. Now the left is using them to their advantage — rebranded to flag their own conspiracies and skepticism about the assassination attempt and to applaud Biden for stepping down. Nothing here is coincidence. Nothing is spontaneously decided. They knew this was coming for weeks, if not months; they just needed time to figure out an exit plan. Word is the Bidens were stalling because they were demanding lots and lots of money, immunity for Hunter, and all kinds of other over the top stipulations that brought negotiations to a halt.

They didn’t push him out because he had dementia; they pushed him out because the American people finally caught onto it. Because the money froze up. The donors dropped out. And Trump dodged a bullet to the brain. There’s a big difference in the WHY.

Obama is also mysteriously silent on the matter. A week ago, he, along with all the rest, were assuring us that Joe was just fine to lead this country. His remarks now come without an endorsement for Kamala. In fact, he outright overlooks her, making us wonder if it’s really her they have decided on.

Whatever the case, it’s hard to overlook that Biden didn’t drop out of the race until the attempts to imprison and assassinate Donald Trump failed. Democrats now are being flooded with funds — $50 million in donations came pouring in after Biden officially dropped out. Overnight, liberals are getting in line cheerleading Kamala’s promotion. Robotic obedience is a strange thing to witness in real time. Last election I was one of them. This round, I have a new aversion to the same tactics that once bound my allegiance.

It’s going to be an interesting 3 months.

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Mark Halperin’s Predictions Last Week:

A handful of us reported last week that Biden would be stepping down because Mark Halperin announced it. He credited an anon source but did so with the kind of confidence that speaks to certainty.

He Was Right. Here’s a Look Back.

Biden Will Drop Out Of 2024 Race / Will Not Endorse VP Kamala Harris

“HALPERIN: Carl, according to multiple Democratic sources, this is happening all of a sudden. Everyone said it would happen gradually and then all at once, and that's what's happening. According to my sources, President Biden has agreed to step down as a Democratic nominee.

It will happen as early as this weekend. A speech has been drafted for him. He will continue on as president, is his intention. He also will not, I'm told, endorse Vice President Harris as his successor. They're hoping that he will endorse an open process in which the convention will be open to Vice President Harris and a few other candidates in Chicago to pick the Democratic nominee for president.

The belief is that Vice President Harris is already looking at potential running mates to go to Chicago with a full ticket, including one possibility, Andy Beshear, the governor of Kentucky, and perhaps the governor of Pennsylvania, Governor Shapiro.

Other possible candidates who are being talked about include Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, perhaps Gretchen Whitmer, and again the vice president running. On the first ballot, the regular delegates would be allowed to vote under this agreement that's being talked about amongst the president and high-level Democrat officials. The regular delegates would vote on the first ballot. If there is no winner on the first ballot, the so-called super delegates would be allowed to vote on the subsequent ballot.

This decision was reached, I'm told, all of a sudden because of the high-level pressure from Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama, and others, as well as the decision of many of Biden's top aides, that there was no path forward for him, that he would not be able to win this election, win the general election, and therefore he's stepping aside again as early as this weekend.

CARL HIGBIE: So, Mark, you know, what are the political ramifications for a party that based much of their platform on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and they're passing right over Kamala Harris, and he's not going to be endorsing her, according to your sources?

HALPERIN: According to my sources, he will say very nice things about her.

They do not want what some of my sources have been calling a Kamala coronation, that the problem, in part, that they found themselves in was that President Biden was not seriously challenged for the nomination. I'm told by some of her people, I don't know that the vice president thinks this, but some of her people believe she will win this, that she'll choose a strong running mate, that she does have the support of many of the delegates who are Biden Harris delegates, and that she can win this basically on her own. At least one of her allies said to me, this is better, better to not be anointed by Joe Biden, better to show independence, better to show with a strong ticket, the capacity to win the nomination on her own.

HIGBIE: Well, Mark, that said, though, I mean, you're very familiar with campaign finance laws. He has, you know, $200 and 300 million in his war chest right now. I believe, in my understanding, is Kamala would be the only one who could absorb that and continue on the campaign. How's that going to work when all their big pocket donors have already pushed for that?

HALPERIN: Well, there's all sorts of money, right? There's super PAC money, there's low dollars. The belief is that a new ticket will inject excitement into the party, and that both low dollar donors and the big donors, who in the last few days have sent a strong message to President Biden that they will not support his being the Democratic nominee. So there's a strong belief that with a new ticket, that they can raise money from the big dollar donors who can give and bundle hard dollars, can give super PAC money, as well as the small dollar donations, that they will come in to whatever the new ticket is, whether it's the vice president or not.

If it is the vice president, most campaign finance experts believe she does get to keep the Biden-Harris money.” — Via Real Clear Politics

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"Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve - And never was! He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t. And now, look what he’s done to our Country, with millions of people coming across our Border, totally unchecked and unvetted, many from prisons, mental institutions, and record numbers of terrorists. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" — Trump on Truth Social

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