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Ruben Navarrette Columnist, host & author
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Democrats picked the wrong horse, might wind up with Trump

Ruben Navarrette Columnist, host & author
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Recent polls indicate that Republican front-runner Donald Trump leads incumbent President Joe Biden eight months before the presidential election. And age is not the only factor on voters’ minds — Biden may now be losing the likability advantage he has held over Trump.

Straight Arrow News contributor Ruben Navarrette contends that Democrats are solely responsible for the predicament of their aging candidate. Making matters worse, Navarrette argues, any hope of another Democratic candidate emerging is now unrealistic given how close we are to November.

Damn you, Democrats. Republicans accuse you of making bad policies that harm the country, but what you really excel at is making bad decisions that hurt yourselves. Anyway, what are Republicans now? They’re just as broken, just as corrupt, just as hypocritical, just as dysfunctional and just as lacking in principle as they accuse you of being.

But you, Democrats, have become so comfortable with using the failings of Republicans to deflect attention away from your own shortcomings that it’s hard to get through to you when you really screw up. And boy, have you gone and done it now. You stuck us with Joe Biden, a perfectly affable and good-natured public servant, who is, if you believe the polls, likely to get clobbered by he who shall not be named in November.

Well, how was it that special counsel Robert Hur described Biden, whose handling and possession of classified documents Hur was tasked with investigating? Ah yes, “a sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.” Ouch. It’s no wonder those words stung Democrats like a swarm of hornets, so much so that they instinctively attacked Hur for what Biden’s defenders called a “partisan hit job.”

Biden’s age — 81 — is a sensitive issue for a lot of Democrats. A majority of them have been telling pollsters for the better part of the last year that they didn’t want Biden to run, insisting that he was too old to serve out a second term as president, and it continues to this day.

Damn you, Democrats. Republicans accuse you of making bad policies that harm the country. But what you really excel at is making bad decisions that hurt yourselves. Anyway, what do Republicans know? They’re just as broken just as corrupt, just as hypocritical, just as dysfunctional and just as lacking in principle, as they accuse you of being. But you Democrats have become so comfortable with using the failings of Republicans to deflect attention away from your own shortcomings. That’s hard to get through to you when you really screw up. And boy, have you gone and done it now. You stuck us with Joe Biden, a perfectly affable and good natured public servant, who is if you believe the polls, likely to get clobbered by he who shall not be named in November? Well, how was it that special counsel Robert heard described Biden who is handling and possession of classified documents, her was tasked with investigating a yes, quote, a sympathetic well meaning elderly man with a poor memory and quote, ouch. It’s no wonder those words stung Democrats, like a swarm of hornets, so much so that they instinctively attacked her for what Biden’s defenders called a quote, partisan hit job and quote, Biden’s age 81 is a sensitive issue for a lot of Democrats. A majority of them have been telling pollsters for the better part of the last year that they didn’t want Biden to run, insisting that he was too old to serve out a second term as President, and it continues to this day. A recent ABC News Ipsos poll found that 73% of Democrats have Democrats say Biden is too old to serve out a second term, to this day with the train. So very far down the tracks. Polls still show a lot of Democrats holding out hope that someone someone younger, someone more dynamic, will swoop in and save the day for them and their party and their country. Guess what, folks that probably won’t happen. Democrats are stuck with Biden, it’s a done deal. And the President’s not getting any younger and he’s sharper, any more inspiring. This is a reality that Democrats have been blind to and a message that they refuse to hear for the longest time. Ever since Biden was sworn to office in January 2021. The Democratic Party has attempted to encase him in a protective cocoon. If anyone raised the age issue they got slammed and called an ageist the thinking seems to be Hey, folks, don’t worry. 80 is the new 40. And besides, Biden’s defenders said, Look, he’s fine. He rides a bike only now in February 2024. After a succession of polls that show Biden losing to Trump, as voters concerns about the former’s age seem to be skyrocketing. are Democrats finally coming around to the idea that Biden’s failing memory and advanced age could be a problem for his reelection hopes? Hey, better late than never right? But I fear this time late is too late. what Americans think of Biden, for better or worse is already cemented in our minds. There’s no room for redemption or readjustment. And according to polls, a lot of Americans think he’s just not up to the job. Biden doesn’t do much to alleviate those concerns when he wanders off mid sentence falls down the stairs, or mistakes the president of Mexico for the President of Egypt, or if you believe the Special Counsel, presents himself to investigators as an elderly man with a poor memory when answering questions, and then when confronted about his age and memory gets angry and aggressive and defensive. It’s like dad reacted when you told him he couldn’t drive anymore. It’s a bad look. Don’t worry. Democrats have for months been telling anyone who raised these concerns age is just a number. Yeah. And for those Americans who tremble at the thought of Donald Trump getting another crack at defiling the White House, the number that haunts our dreams is 47.

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