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Is Biden LBJ? [1]

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Date: 2023-12-15  

LBJ was an incredibly consequential President. Civil Rights, Medicaid, Medicare, the “great society”, our country is more progressive and a better place to live because of his Presidency. LBJ, like Biden, knew the Senate and knew how to get shit done. Biden, like LBJ. thought big and made big things happen.



But then, Biden, through events out of his control, like LBJ, became increasingly unpopular within the party and was unfairly demonized by the Republicans of the day (and the media). Such that in March of 1968 he went on TV and announced he would not be the nominee.



The war in Vietnam was spinning out of control and especially within the left of the Democratic party was highly unpopular. We now know that Nixon (Republicans were traitors even back then) wrecked Vietnam peace talks that would have surely led to Democrats winning in 1968. We know that incorrigible elements (like the entire South) was being whipped up into opposing LBJ due to his role in passing civil rights legislation.



So despite his accomplishments, LBJ felt he could not get the Democratic nomination and would not win re-election. Too much happened on his watch.



While I don’t think the Hamas/Israel situation is even close to Vietnam, the combination of Covid recovery, Israel, Ukraine, traitor Republicans, racists feels a lot like what LBJ was facing in 1968. His likely opponent is an untrustworthy, defeated Republican. The left is threatening to splinter and let this sinister agent become President.



Had RFK not been assassinated it is very likely he wins the Dem nomination and beats Nixon in the fall. I have questions for discussion:



If Biden were to step down, would an RFK (not the current one ugh) emerge from the Democratic field to capture America’s imagination and beat Trump?



Should Biden run again?



I believe Biden should run again, but the parallels to LBJ are striking.

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