Democratic Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) on Biden's farewell plea: 'Now he tells us'

[Celerity]

https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5090419-sheldon-whitehouse-joe-biden-farewell-address/

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said statements in President Biden’s farewell speech came much too late in a Thursday statement, raising question with the commander in chief’s parting remarks.

“Now he tells us. Biden speaks out against dark money, for climate action, and for SCOTUS term limits. I pressed four years for this speech,” Whitehouse posted on social platform X.



“That was a great speech. Had that speech launched the reelection campaign, we’d have won. Had that speech launched his presidency, we’d have saved America. Now we fight on,” he wrote in a subsequent post.

Whitehouse’s comments criticizing Biden emphasize party sentiments after Democrats not only lost the White House but also the majority in the Senate, delivering the GOP a trifecta. Some have criticized Biden for not suspending his presidential campaign early enough, which resulted in a stunted bid for the presidency by Vice President Harris.

snip

[Autumn]

1. I would have liked to have heard this as a steady drumbeat for the last four years.

[msfiddlestix]

3. that might have helped. I'll give you that. steady, constant unrelenting

[OrangeJoe]

15. Repetition of simple points

The Republicans are so much better at dumbing down complex problems, personalizing them and repeating them ad nauseam.

[Kid Berwyn]

4. Political Best Practice

Something we seem to need more of.

[Blue_Tires]

7. And I would have liked for Dems to have gotten off their asses and voted for Kamala

They didn't need this speech just to know what was at stake...

[NotHardly]

12. We saw it coming and 1/2 of America betrayed itself.

[msfiddlestix]

2. It would have taken more than a speech. I'm not sure what happened in this election, but that speech wouldn't saved

it for us, If "mind your own damn business" and pointing to the SCOTUS as a direct threat to Women's rights wasn't enough, what the fuck would it have been?
Dark money has been a thing just like all the rest.

Something happened, in this election and it was dark forces. I just can't point to exactly what.
It's hard to believe the enthusiasm we saw at the rallies didn't translate to the ballot box.
One things for damn, sure, it isn't just here. Democracy is taking a giant hit in favor of authoritarianism worldwide, and that my friends should be the focus of alarm.
What happened here, is happening elsewhere.

[Blue_Tires]

11. Here's what happened

Too many Dems and moderates couldn't bring themselves to vote for the best qualified black woman over the worst qualified white man. Qualifications for office no longer matter, and the so-called "issues" no longer matter. What people and the media want is circus entertainment...

[msfiddlestix]

18. Fair point, and apparently true. it is still hard to take in.

It's easy for me to say this now, after the fact. But I will.

Back in 2020 when Biden chose Harris as running mate, I kinda freaked out a little bit.

First I'm a Californian, and I remember her as our Attorney General. I was pleased when she ran for the Senate. I felt that was the office for her, that was the seat Californians and the Democratic Party needed her to hold. When Biden chose Harris, my heart sank a little because of the racist hell that Obama's had endured, though he was able to withstand it and come out with a second term victory, still it was shaky to me. I did not have confidence that we "overcame" race or gender for that position.
But we won, Biden Harris ticket won. Ok. Looks like I read the country wrong.

But then, J6 happened. And then Biden took office, and the virus was a mighty big problem.
But J6 and the entire circus maggat cult shit show with all of these confederate white supremacists lunatics running half of the Senate and Congress, and Biden is taking office at a very senior age, and I'm wondering, guessing if and when Biden is no longer able to hold command, Harris will have to take over, and will she be able to take the second term. Who might be running against her, I'm thinking a woman. Not just any woman, but a white christo fascists Nazi woman. There's a few.
But then the J6 committee hearings were holding court, and there was Liz Cheney presenting herself to the world like a brilliant state person. She could toss her hat in the ring as an Independent and win over any dumbass GOP , and probably beat Harris, because she has much better political chops. more experience etc.
Bottom line I did not feel Harris could win over moderate white women. UNTIL the rallies, the debates. I thought she was outstanding. How in the hell could she lose, I was sure she had it.
I was also eating crow for ever thinking she would not be able to pull off a victory obviously I was wrong cuz look at the money, look at the rallies.

My initial instinct in 2020 was correct, but it never included the prospect of TSF being her opponent.

[malaise]

6. He is correct

Rec

[Blue_Tires]

9. True, but his timing is utter shit... Sheldon is being petty here.

And have I missed something or did somebody steal Whitehouse's ability to speak? I don't recall any firebrand red-meat-for-the-base speeches from him lately...

But let's be honest here -- When given the choice, most Dems would MUCH rather bludgeon fellow Dems than set their sights on King Donnie and his cult who are about to embark on their Worldwide Revenge Tour. Punching down is so much easier and it's what everyone expects from us at this point.

[malaise]

10. Why? N/t

[haele]

23. Whitehouse was stating the obvious. But Dark Money was always in the background.

Cambridge Analytics, Clarance Thomas, Gini Thomas, and Harlan Crow, anyone? Unline and the Christo-Fascists?
The J-6 committee walked just up to where they could see the Money and Media organizational collaboration backing behind Q-Anon, Conservative organizations and J-6, and jumped back quick. Could have been Cheney, could have been the shear scale of the collision that had been going on since Nixon - or perhaps back as far as the Great Depression to it's recovery period - from with Father Coghlin to McCarthy, where Religion met Gilded Age Capitalism to fight "Godless Commies" and any form of Enlightenment.

My thought. Biden isn't to blame, it's the infantilization of the American Population; a concerted push to turn us into mindless Consumers instead of informed Citizens for Profit and Power. And it's been happening for generations.
On edit -
Here's the problem. When not during Campaign investigations, Dark Money is portrayed as a Boogie Man that "smart people" could easily overcome because they can't be fooled, like uneducated idiots would be watching a Carney barker ...
The other conceit is that Dark Money is just Rich Folks throwing their excess money around; it won't really affect normal people personally in their jobs or say to say, because the media portrayal of Politics pretends politics don't affect normal people who work hard and follow the law. Politics only affects criminals and Rich people -according to the Media.
I don't see how Politicians in either party can inform the People about any dangers without Media influencers backing them.
Otherwise, the People are being told those Politicians are trying to fool or cheat them.
We the People are in a world of shit due to Media Influencers in this post-truth environment.

[newdeal2]

8. Easy to be armchair quarterback

Why doesn’t he take any action or responsibility?

I’ve definitely heard Biden talk about these issues in the past. Where’s the rest of the party? What was the thin majority going to do about these issues especially with Manchin and Sinema?

[a kennedy]

13. Why now Sheldon......you were an up and comer......now?? NOT SO MUCH.

Belittle POTUS Joe Biden……. now when he’s got what….. 2 DAYS LEFT. TWO, 2, TWO, 2, TWO.

[Celerity]

22. He will be 75 years old the next time we have a actually solid chance to retake the US Senate, so not exactly an 'up and

comer'.

That said, he is deffo one of my favourite US Senators.

[JI7]

14. What exactly did he need to hear ? Isn't he a senator ?

And the only thing that would have happened is the right wing and far left trash calling him a hypocrite and attacking him for raising money.

[NoMoreRepugs]

16. I appreciate Whitehouse but those comments are bullshit IMO.

[jalan48]

17. Bernie's been giving this speech for years but it's been too far left for our Party.

Maybe we’re finally waking up when it’s too late.

[thebigidea]

19. Bernie should've considered winning

[Grins]

20. In the summer before the election...

…and even after the election - nothing. So many things he could have done to lay land mines for the incoming vulgarians and - nothing.

I wish I was part of an organized Party…

[Sky Jewels]

21. This is so fucking typical of many, many Democratic politicians.

They find the power of their convictions when they no longer have power.

I'm beyond sick of it, as are millions like me.