As a lifelong Democrat, I feel very insulted by what Biden and Democratic politicians are doing here.

Tim you are such an ethical guy. You have the ability to sit in the middle and be objective and call a spade of spade even when it takes guts to do it and you know you’ll get a lot of flack. You are led by being true to who you are rather than following the crowd. Well done keep that up. I wish more people in the political world would be like you. You certainly don’t follow the Herd. You are your own person and as I say, you’re very ethical, which is why you left the Republican Party and why you can look objectively at the Democratic Party now. Keep the good work up. ❤️❤️

I have concerns about president Biden's ability to effectively serve, given his age. It is time to consider passing the torch to a younger, more energetic candidate. I'm disappointed that the Democratic Party seems to be employing tactics similar to those we've criticized the Republican Party for using - namely, promoting a candidate who doesn't appear to have widespread support. This approach feels disrespectful to voters and inconsistent with the party's stated values. I believe we need to reassess our candidate selection process to better reflect the will of the people.

I am with you 100% Tim, thank you for continuing to speak out.

When it comes to Kamala, I think people are forgetting one of the fundamental rules of politics -- in a choice between a very well-defined candidate (i.e. an incumbent) and a lesser-known candidate, the less-known candidate tends to have an advantage because, in the right hands, the lesser-known candidate can more or less be fashioned into whatever the voters want. It's not iron-clad, of course, but it IS a built-in advantage. I suspect she'd do better than people think. That said, in the end I suspect it won't matter, because Ruth Bader Biden seems absolutely determined to stay in the race. It seems he cares more about his ego than the good of the country. He will go down in history as the man who saved democracy from Trump's fascist MAGA cult TWICE, or the man who let it burn down because he couldn't admit it was time to quit. Joe Biden is NOT going to win. In polling averages, Trump has consistently led him in all six 'swing' states since September of last year. And in all but Georgia (which remains unchanged), the gap has widened in each of them since the debate debacle. As an exercise from time to time, I plug the current polling numbers into the electoral map, just to see how things stand. I did it again this morning. If the polls are accurate (and they've been pretty damned steady over the long haul), if the election were held today Trump would beat Biden 312 to 226. It's time for Joe Biden to step up. By stepping down.

Hi Tim. I am with you. Joe needs to step down now. Chance for defeating Trump goes way up with Harris as president. Also, unlike you, I don’t think Biden can function fully as president now, let alone for 4 more years, even if he wins somehow. It’ll be good we avoided Trump, but Harris will be so much more effective as our future president than Biden going forward.

You know, America? We could have a president who is neither too old or insane. How Joe Biden can save the republic and also be remembered as being as great as George Washington: release his delegates to someone else.

Note to Tim: I’m a lifelong registered Democrat (admittedly centrist and rarely swing-voting). I feel exactly as you do about this match up and gut analysis. I think there’s an element to messaging for swing voters that your host was picking at that you aren’t quite picking up. I need to think about why more. Keep speaking truth to power, sir. I think you’re mostly right. Kudos to The Dispatch also for continuing to hold the line on their analysis. Barely even a whiff of I told you so. I tended to agree with your analysis back in March. I extra agree with it now. Subscribing!

Please have Tim back on! This was such a great conversation!

Biden’s performance during his Joe Scarborough interview reminded me a lot of James Traficant interviews and speeches when he was a Congressman in the 1980s where he frequently came across as a raving lunatic. It sounded like Biden’s prompters had to remind him to answer the final question about the upcoming NATO conference after he had rambled for three minutes while saying nothing about NATO until he finally got in a final brief sentence about NATO.

Biden has always been terrible at campaigning. There's a reason he always lost when he was attempting to get the nomination for however many years. He happened to be uniquely positioned with the white middle class in 2020 so he was picked out of the weak crowd by the powers that be. He then barely beat the worst president in history. I've never been able to stomach more than a few minutes of listening to him speak, and now it's excruciating. This from someone who really wanted him to be good at the campaign thing. Find someone else dems.

Circling wagons on the Titanic.

Love this and Bulwark KZfaqs, it's whats left of my once Republican party.

Even with the PSA guys, bidens age was in the background. They were not outright saying he was too old, but it would come out in little quips or jokes. It wasn't that they were hiding that it was a topic of anxiety, anymore than I as one of their audience members were. It was just about priorities. The fact they changed their message when it became blatant is what mattered to me. I never felt deceived by them at all. They did NOT handle 2016 well, but I think they learned and are handling this situation a lot better this time.

Great interview. More of this please.

Tim, Steve - all of you guys in this cohort of integrity - thank you for your honesty and courage. I’m so sorry about the awful personal attacks. It does help many of us to know that it’s happening to you as well, though (albeit on a much larger and more public level) - and you still continue what you do with courage. Because so many Americans are worn down and they are bowing out. Politically, age-wise, my husband and I are in Tim’s cohort. First the majority of our friends and family trashed us from the right, because we remain conservative but we never supported Trump and we were vocal about that. Then more recently our remaining friends on the far left have done the same thing. Devolving at a dinner where I said I just didn’t want to discuss politics and my oldest closest friend, a Democrat, screamed at me about abortion and the Supreme Court until I cried and left me at the table. I’m not sure why, but we can’t find the moderates or the rational normies. If you know where they are, please tell us.😆 But anyhow - all this to say, we don’t have to agree on everything you guys say (though typically we do, or if we don’t it causes us to pause and think) - that would be weird. What we do appreciate is your deep commitment to truth, courage, intellectual honesty, and doing the right thing. We appreciate you more than words can say. Thank you. Never underestimate how good y’all are for morale, or how vitally important that is! Would that we had leaders to choose from who were of similar caliber.

Tim, please keep fighting the good fight.

I definitely want more honesty and less team playing.

Is this a Big Boy Podcast because you answered every question?!

Lifelong democrat here and I’m 100% behind Tim on this and those who are taking the threat of Trump as seriously as we observe it to be. Biden absolutely needs to step down. He cannot age backwards and change how he’s performing enough to rescue this campaign, and it’s existentially important that we not lose. If he can step down, the party can unify behind a (now seeming refreshingly excitingly) younger ticket, we can at least have a chance of celebrating his accomplishments and building up some enthusiasm and confidence among the base and independents. The Democratic leadership (for all that there’s no “process or precedent”) needs to not leave this decision up to Joe Biden. I’ve seen grandparents get to this point. I fear that he really can’t make the right decision for the country on his own now.

So glad that the pricipled conservative Bulwarks and Dispatchs aren't fighting. Hope the Dispatchs will get a bit more courage, although they showed a lot in those Trumpian years, and back the non authoriarian candidate (hopefully not Biden) like the Bulwarks and then by all means serve as the loyal opposition to him/her.

Tim, another lifelong California Democrat and I’m with you as well.

God bless you, Joe Biden. I am as dedicated to President Biden as any voter; but I plead: Please do not run again.

The frustration that many of us have with the "should Biden resign?" debate, is the lack of focus on the alternative. Kamala Harris is the clear alternative, but as was pointed out, she is very unpopular. And if there is an open convention, who has the ability to mobilize delegates, and how do you deal with the Israel-Gaza debate which will inevitably take center stage? The whole discussion feels like, "I wish Joe Biden announced he wasn't running in 2022." That's nice, but he didn't. What are the realistic options. I'll give Tim credit for saying he thinks Kamala would do a better job, but that should be the focus of his argument.

My Mom was a great admirer of Steve Hayes on Fox News, back when he still has dark hair. We could tell you getting increasingly disaffected with the GOP and the network and MAGA guests like Mollie Hemingway. Wasn't surprised when you bailed. She was going to vote for Biden in 2020 but she died. Firs time she would have voted Dem for pres. in decades.

Thanks for speaking the truth.

Amazing conversation. Thank you. I hope there will be more in the future.

I go back and forth about whether Biden should quit or not. I pay attention to who and why someone is calling on Biden to quit. If they never liked Biden from the start because he wasn’t far enough to the left I won’t take them seriously now.

I am a regular crooked media and bulwark watcher and I trust both more than dems who are telling us to just get in line. I appreciate the mixed feelings and internal struggle that these hosts are feeling and am thankful they’re reflecting how I am feeling.

Tim is spot on about Whitmer/Shapiro. As a RINO who has been in therapy since Trump won his first primary in 2016, I was really hoping for Klobuchar or Buttigieg in 2020. I know Buttigieg would be way too risky at this dangerous point, so just go with a safe bet and let's all move past this Trump era!

I’m a faithful listener of Crooked, I don’t agree with them about everything, but I do respect how honest they are about where they’re coming from. I’m grownup enough that I can detect and prefer people who are honestly trying to be in their integrity than pretending to be “objective” and really just substituting in their preference for contrarianism.

Tim half this country are voting g for Trump no matter what. Just use Nickey Haley has an example. It is what is. Joe is our man and we need to get behind him. You will break up the Dem base if you through Joe out.

Well! I feel sooo much better now. Thank goodness we have you two obvious geniuses to clarify the state of the political world for us poor stupid voters who cannot digest ALL the information available to us and arrive at a sensible conclusion. I do have a question. Since you both have such clairvoyance concerning politics, why is it neither of you are working on campaigns for candidates that could make a difference?

Thanks for this conversation. I am so sorry that Tim is being attacked. He and The Bulwark are patriots. I am very tuned in with politics and I was devasted AND shocked by President Biden's debate performance. I can understand that Lovett and others may have been genuinely surprised

My perspective of Tim's original take was that he, by a distance, most cohernetly explained the absolute brain numbing absurdity of what we witnessed. The fact that opponents responded with gaslighting IS THE EXACT FUCKING POINT OF THE WHOLE THING. The Dems who criticise subservient Republicans now criticise the Republicans stood up to Trump for not showing subservience to Biden. They are caving to Trumpism.

We ridin with biden

I’m still amazed people came to know that on debate night… he’s more or less been like this for the last year.. if not since 2020 .. how much of a bubble have most Dems been in?

Silver linings: We can use how it feels right now -being gaslit by politicians "on our side" and feeling almost powerless and inconsequential - to: 1. empathize with fellow humans in history ruled by monarchs or masters or dictators; never knowing what it would feel like to have a bit of political power; 2. get ready for how it will feel in several years (or a few years) under Trump and then his unelected successors and (far worse) their hordes of locally-empowered minions; 3. write in our journals so grandkids can imagine what it felt like when people had political power "before"; 4. or to get mad as hell. And tell our representatives to wake the F up. Join us or get the F out of the way because we will NOT go gently into that soul-broken night which we Americans have been trying to end for the past two and a half centuries, albeit with horrid failures due to greed, ignorance, hate, and not enough courage. Keep up the fight, Tim!

I think the Dispatch should talk with Pod Save America people about your concerns. Why hammer Tim about feelings or speech that isn’t his?

I enjoyed the discussion, although I was a bit distracted by how much Tim Miller reminds me of golfer, Rory McIlroy.

Joe has apologized many times.

❤️Tim

I knew Reagan had a bad debate in 84, but I didn't think it was anywhere as bad as Biden. Forty years ago so glad you confirmed.

"Tim or me", because you are not continuing the sentence.) BUT anyway I agree with you 100 percent! and Tim.

I feel generally terrified and viscerally sick

I'm not really uptight about cursing, but wasn't used to hearing so much of it on this podcast. It was like listening to the Adam Carolla or Kevin Smith podcast.

Why won't Trump leave after he ends his second term? What's he going to do? I honestly don't get the Trumpophobia. The doomsday scenarios are silly.

I agree with Tim 💯

Sorry, can’t watch with that filthy mic filter.

Hey! Tim has a head of thick hair! Who knew? Usually guys who always wear a cap are bald. So this was a pleasant surprise.

You resolve the supposed difficulty of reporting the truth of the candidate you want to win but have concerns about by putting on your grown up pants and doing your job.

I've avoided voting for Trump in 2016 and 2020, abstaining both times. Whatever his poitical advantages to Biden -- maybe he's better on Israel, for example -- it's a hard sell to choose him in 2024 for me, due to his behavior, his populist invasions on freedom, and his apparent power list. However, the way people hid the truth about Biden's mental deficits is the sort of thing that makes me consider voting for Trump and take chances with his dark side. If the argument is that Trump's morally deficient, your own side can't exhibit moral deficits without some peril to your cause. I know the difference between a speech impediment and being mentally out to lunch. How Biden supporters behave matters to who I choose, since their increased influence if they win will concern me.

Opinion Journalism. I do appreciate that qualified newspeople have an important role to play in informing the body politic, but the prevalence of opinion journalism vs simple informed, qualified, verified news is distressing to me. Allow me the responsibility to determine what is important based on fact, not opinion.

I'm with Tim

The word she was supposed to be age. Small keys on my phone. Oops

After watching the democratic party rig the election against Bernie Sanders, I left the party and never looked back. Became an independent and despise both parties, they are owned by the same people known as the donor class.

The contention that Donald won't step down after his second term is ludicrous. To think that is to fundamentally misunderstand why he didn't leave the first time. He can't lose. If he didn't win, it's because it was stolen, not because he's wholly unfit for office and a repulsive human being (barely). This is about ego more than the privileges afforded to him as President. Next time (God forbid), he would leave because he knows you're only allowed two terms.

You guys are basically trying to stratify the political niche media landscape? Timbo, you just gotta ask yourself what would Sykes say? He wouldn't sugarcoat this, i don't think?

TimDS Miller.

He is not ethical in the curse words he uses. Please, stop!!!! This isn't a "who can cuss the most show!!"

I voted for Biden because he’s been a great President and nothing has changed my mind he is our best candidate right now.

Love this 💜

Tim's point about being upset with the editorial is silly. If Biden stays in, he will lose. The argument that biden would be not as bad is irrelevant.

Keep the faith and continue speaking truth (to Tim and Steve), regardless of the partisan hackery (on either side). Really appreciate what you guys do.

Tim can have an opinion but its not grounded in reality. There is no way at this point that Rs would allow another nominee to get on all 50 state ballots. It would be caught up in the courts all the way up to the SC....a receptive SC.

I also think that 80% of the nation does not want either one of them. We can not wait to rid ourselves of the incompetence and toxic baggage. Constantly we face the lesser of two evils. "Vote blue no matter who. THE "WHO" should matter? We need change & hope. Our voices mean so little, I'm about to just not care. We're burned out. It would be nice to vote FOR someone. Or something for a change. You can only stay at high-level fear alert for so long. It gets old.

his message is when something is over, don't quit, you got this, you can still try even if you have no chance of success, just keep going

Used to enjoy Steve Hayes on that nighttime Fox show with Britt Hume. Always wondered what happened to him. TDS got him. Disappointed.

If Trump gets in, he is not running again. There will be no need to worry about him not wanting to leave. Biden doesn’t want to leave right now, and he is clearly sick. His party doesn’t have the guts to come out after him! Say it aint so. 😂😂😂😂

I'm one of those "none of the above" voters who wishes Romney/Manchin would happen, but why no discussion of RFK Jr?

The comments at the Bulwark are like just people shouting down the hosts now. Im with timbo we need a god damn Goldwater to Nixon moment!!!!

Kamala shd drop out. Biden with another vp is the best option and will make voters more comfortable with the possibility that Biden might not finish his term.

In 20 years when nothing happened to you from 24 to 28 are you going to look back and say I was wrong?

Every talking point that the Democrats came up with was echoed by the Bulwark within minutes. Now your itty bitty feeling have been hurt because your true character has been exposed. They were carrying the gaslight and the Bulwak did everything to help them turn it down. Diminishing your integrity is rightly deserved.

It's ridiculous! I'm a AMERICAN FIRST. DONALD TRUMP CANNOT BE ALLOWED NEAR THE OVAL OFFICE AGAIN AND I'M A DEMOCRAT AND WE NEED A NEW CANDIDATE! IF THIS WAS REVERSED AND TRUMP WAS A DEMOCRAT I'D VOTE FOR THE FIRST PRO 🇺🇲📜 REPUBLICAN OR WHOEVER THE OTHER CHOICE WAS. AMERICAN, AMERICA, 🇺🇸📜FIRST, Person! PARTY AFFILIATION COMES WELL BELOW MY DEVOTION AND OATH AS A AMERICAN TO THE 🇺🇸📜!

All these hand wringers are hilarious. You’d rather watch the country burn than admit you’re afraid of your shadow. It’s wild seeing all the comments. Keep drinking the Dem Koolaid

Is this the Lincoln Project peddo group 🤔

Steve comes across as a total dick in this , just rub it in in a friendly way and move on, some underhanded round about way to say I told you so 20 times doesn't seem very courageous or smart.

You do lie.

In other news...who is the guy moderating? I think he's a cutie 🥰🥰!!!

Blah blah blah blah

Tim should just literally clutch his pearls while he's talking about the threat to the Republic that Trump supposedly poses. Incurable TDS is something to behold.

I'm gonna look at RFK jr unless Biden drops out

Tim stop wetting your bed. Calm down.😢