I’m not looking forward to this week. Work has been emailing me all weekend, and I have largely ignored it. This morning, I have to deal with it. The emails have been about something that I do not find to have so high of a priority that any of this couldn’t wait until today. It’s all for a committee I’m on, and some of the recent decisions made and how the committee chair has acted recently has me angry and apathetic.
Furthermore, on a grander scale, I’m sure you all know that Joe Biden dropped his reelection bid. I find this sad and worrisome news. Yes, Biden had a bad debate night, but I don’t agree with so many Democrats pulling their support from him and calling for him to drop out of the race just months away from the election. They should have either thrown their tantrums before we went through the primary season and allow people to actually choose a candidate, or they should have rallied behind him after the debate. I’m afraid it’s too late.
Biden has endorsed Harris who has shown a very different personality since she started her presidential election campaign in 2019. She did not and has not since then projected a likable personality. I hope she shows the warm personality that has occasionally come out and also the fight and fervor she showed as a Senator. She can certainly run rings around Trump not only in debates but also in the campaign process. I just hope she chooses a great vice presidential running mate.
The fact is, I’m feeling kind of hopeless at the moment. I’m aggravated at work, and I’m scared for my country’s future. The problem at work will soon be out of my hands, and while I’m sure I’ll still be angry, I can at least move on. As for the United States, I can only pray that we can preserve democracy. Whoever the Democratic nominee is, I will vote for them. At this point it’s all we can do.
I just hope the Democrats can put aside internal dispute and rally as one united front against whoever is Trump’s opponent. If Democrats get out and vote for the nominee, whoever it is, Trump does not stand a chance of winning. Trump is a candidate for a party that has become an increasingly desperate party hoping to hold onto power through unfair, undemocratic, and often illegal means. They are a minority party, but that’s true only if the Democrats unite and get out and vote!
Time will tell with all of this. I hope everyone has a great week!
Joe
The Closet Professor 
July 22nd, 2024 at 7:21 am
You mention several themes.
First, being expected to read office emails in your spare time over the weekend is plainly very rude and wholly unacceptable. At no office at which I have worked would that attitude be allowed save in the most dire emergency. Besides, all my work was done at the office except over Covid, and my private email was off limits. I refused to be a slave to technology.
Second, I know you support Biden, as did most sensible folk, but that dreadful interview, where he had to express his thoughts logically and cogently and without a prepared script, showed his mental deterioration. Many close associates have known this for a fair while but felt unable to express his true condition publically.
A day after the interview a senior consultant clinical psychologist wrote to The Times saying that in his professional opinion Biden had deterioriated to the point where not only should he not seek re-election but that he should give up the presidency forthwith.
Harris is virtually unknown here in England. All we know is that at interviews she has been pretty incoherent and lacks a common touch with the electorate. If she is the best that the Democrats can produce then heaven help your great country.
July 22nd, 2024 at 9:54 am
First, I think people should have spoken up and been more forceful well before this point. As for Harris, I’ve seen her project a common touch but she has not in recent years.
July 22nd, 2024 at 7:28 am
Today’s handsome man seated at the beach looks like the Irish model and harpist Fiachra O’Faolain.