Joe Biden has dropped out of the presidential race. He's endorsing Kamala Harris. I'm endorsing Kamala Harris. Anyone who wants a President who doesn't act like he just popped out of a Cracker Jack box should do the same.

From his announcement:

My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this.

Run Lola Kamala, Run. You can do this. [More...]

America, it is our choice. Authoritarianism and Xenophobia vs. our representative democracy.

Let's not throw away the last 200 years. Please reject the Manichean, extremist, right-wing ticket.

A 20 year-old named Crooks used his father's semi-automatic weapon to take a sniper shot at Donald Trump at a rally last night.

I'm not going to say "too bad he missed" but I wonder what percentage of the public is thinking that today. (In fairness, the shot grazed his ear and a little trickle of blood was seen.)

Interesting that Trump's comments on his website today were all about "the almighty" saving him. Maybe he has found religion and "the almighty" will tell him next that he's better off making money during these last few productive years of his life than he is having a desk in the oval office with nothing to do but twiddle his small thumbs since leaders of countries all over the world think he's a dangerous cartoon of a leader. On the news this morning, one anchor said other countries are "already preparing" for his ascendancy by making self-protecting plans.

I'll be watching and I hope some of you will join me.

When it's over, we can discuss: Where can we go to find America?

Updates with my comments below. Shorter version: It was a disappointing performance by Biden due to his low energy and weak, very low voice, but Trump was an energizer bunny of lies.

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Americans have been dealt a hand with two candidates, neither of whom they particularly think should be President. Nonetheless, barring Trump being criminally tried, convicted and imprisoned before November, which has become more and more unlikely the past few months, Americans will have to choose between them.

So there's a lot riding on Joe Biden's speech tonight. I have not seen the draft, but I suspect like almost everything he does, he will land in the center, disappointing those with firm convictions at either extreme.

He's not going to come out against the death penalty, in favor of removing border walls or cutting back on prisons or cessation of jailing non-violent offenders, or even for federal legalization of marijuana. If he supports lowering pot from a Schedule I substance to a Schedule 3 substance, he is still missing the point. Marijuana should be removed from the controlled substance list entirely. Now that would be progress. [More....]

I've joked a few times I wouldn't be surprised if Trump were to make Ivanka his running mate -- or appoint Don Jr.'s girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle to be Attorney General if he gets re-elected (because she would dismiss the federal indictments against him, relieving him of the need to spend years in court debating whether he has the power to pardon himself).

But I missed the real mark: It's Eric's wife Lara Trump who Donald Trump is promoting for Co-Chair of the Republican Party.

Can no one in this family get where they want to go on their own credentials and experience? Apparently not. Except for Jared Kushner, who finally got it through his thick skull that he is rich enough not to have to step in the dog doo that follows his father-in-law everywhere he goes. In a recent interview, Jared says he won't be involved in a second Trump administration, should there be one.

The media is over-playing the significance of Trump's win among the 15% (110,000) of Iowa's Republicans who showed up to vote in yesterday's Republican caucuses, and in its entrance polls. The last contested Iowa caucus was in 2016, and 187,000 Republicans showed up to vote.

Winning the Republican caucus vote in Iowa does not translate to winning the Republican nomination for President. Caucuses are different than primaries and mean a whole lot less. Just look at the statistics for Iowa Republican caucuses in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Also, the candidate with the most number of delegates is the one who wins a party's nomination, not the one who won the most votes or has the greatest percentage of the vote.

Trump's win is slightly more than a nothing-burger, but not by much. It certainly does not mean he will be the party's nominee.