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The media giveth and the media taketh away. That’s the big takeaway from the Biden disaster unfolding since the debate. The situation with Joe Biden is complex and full of layers, but a huge part of it boils down to the media’s role. Revolvers own Darren Beattie nailed it in a recent interview. He laid out how the gaslighting media built up Biden—crafting this image of him as the “adult in the room,” the brilliant elder statesman. This media-made persona let Joe shuffle along for years, gaslighting and fooling many Americans, but ultimately, it also set him up for a spectacular fall on that debate stage, one he will never be able to recover from.

Yes, the media giveth and the media taketh away…

Aside from this insightful interview where Darren Beattie dissected the “media gaslighting” game, he also wrote a compelling piece explaining why Biden won’t be stepping down.

Revolver:

As you might recall learning in elementary school, America literally has a designated constitutional position whose sole purpose is to step up and take over if a president dies or becomes incapacitated—and notably, it’s not the Governor of California. It should be very natural for Democrats, staring at a declining Biden, to insist that his vice president be elevated to the top job right now. Everything that makes dumping Biden difficult and awkward would, in this singular case, be quite smooth. Kamala Harris could inherit Biden’s war chest and campaign apparatus fully intact. She could be swapped out at the DNC and on state ballots with little issue. Heck, unlike any other potential replacement, she could be elevated to the presidency right now, giving her both a honeymoon period and a slight incumbent’s advantage in the race—and besides, she’ll probably be taking over after next November anyway.

But that is very conspicuously not happening. This speaks volumes. It transcends Kamala Harris merely having low poll numbers for a vice president. If Kamala’s only problem was shaky approval, one could imagine more than a handful of people suggesting she is at least worth a roll of the dice. Instead, virtually no one has said that. The implication is that Kamala isn’t merely unpopular with the public, but that she is profoundly hated by everyone around her: by activists, by the Biden White House, by Democrats in Congress, and by her own staff. Obama once humiliated Hilary with the backhanded compliment that she was “likable enough.” Kamala Harris evidently doesn’t even meet this very low threshold.

Amanda Terkel:

NEW — Biden’s campaign manager held a tense call with top donors today, outlining what would happen to the campaign infrastructure should Biden step aside. (In short, the war chest go to Kamala Harris.)

One participant said some donors even asked for refunds for their contributions

https://nbcnews.com/politics/joe-biden/bidens-family-keep-fighting-donors-alternatives-rcna159694 by @mikememoli @albamonica

https://twitter.com/aterkel/status/1807615540426326214

This is a crucial, rarely-stated component of everything that makes replacing Biden so hard. If Kamala were a natural heir apparent, or at least a natural politician, she might be able to rally Biden’s cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment against him. But instead, there’s no shot at that; the Cabinet probably hates her just as much as you do.

There Is Nobody Anti-Biden in Control

The very loud yelping from TV talking heads and D.C.-based columnists might make you think there is an overwhelming tide of Democrats standing up to insist Biden step aside.

But think to yourself: Have any actual lawmakers demanded that Biden leave? Has any Democrat with power come out to say that Biden’s delegates should pick them instead at the forthcoming DNC? Have there been any public defections from the group surrounding Biden in the White House itself?

Nope. It hasn’t happened. And it almost certainly will not, for several reasons.

First, there is the natural collective action problem. There is a big risk to being the first prominent Democrat to call for Biden to step aside. If Biden stays in the race and wins, they will be frozen out of the Democrat inner circle as traitors. If Biden stays in the race and loses, they might be blamed for stoking party division and chaos and handing the race to Trump. If Biden is forced out and the replacement subsequently loses, they face the same problem. This makes launching a first strike extremely politically dangerous.

You can read the entire, insightful piece here:

Don’t Be Fooled: Joe Isn’t Stepping Down

A prime example of media gaslighting comes from Jake Tapper himself. Remember, this is the guy who’s been telling us for years that Biden is the steady hand guiding the US. Now, after years of falsely building him up, Tapper’s swiftly tearing him down, acting as if he wasn’t part of the plot to keep the old guy afloat.

So, as we witness this media bloodbath, remember that every stab the media makes at Biden only ends up helping Trump in the long run. Two parties were exposed during that debate: the Biden family and the media. Now, with their backs against the wall, the media are scrambling to salvage any scrap of credibility they have left by turning on Joe. Meanwhile, the Bidens are hunkered down, trying to weather the storm. But here’s the thing—the Bidens relied on the media to keep Joe afloat, while Trump doesn’t need them to prop him up. Without the media’s support, Biden faces a daunting climb, with only Jill and a handful of DNC staffers to push him up the mountain. But never underestimate the Dems; they’re not known for giving up easily. So, brace yourselves for the unexpected, because it’s coming.

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