Despite polls, Biden aides insist Gaza campus protests will not hurt reelection bid

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Reuters) - Several top White House aides say they are confident protests across U.S. college campuses against Israel’s offensive in Gaza will not translate into significantly fewer votes for Joe Biden in November’s election, despite polls showing many Democrats are deeply unhappy about the president’s policy on the war.

The White House optimism on the issue, which is shared by many in the Biden campaign, runs contrary to dire warnings from some Democratic strategists and youth organizers who warn misjudging the situation could cost Biden votes in a tight race with Republican rival Donald Trump.

givesomefucks,

This is what “blue no matter who” gets us.

Politicians who don’t care what we want because they’re entitled to our votes as long as they’re not as bad as Republicans.

Right now Schumer and Biden are trying to pass a “border bill” that would make some of the things we gave Trump shit for legal. Like, Biden really wanted to codify that any sitting president can “shit down the border” and prevent any asylum seekers from entering.

A child could see that if that passes, republicans will always say it needs done in office. Millions of people will be hurt by it, but it gives moderate Dems another knife to Dem voters throats:

Vote for me, or republicans will do that thing I just passed a law to let them do!

And there’s no guarantee the Dem won’t do it anyways.

It’s really like watching a real life Brewster’s millions, Biden keeps doing shit that’s going to cost him the election, but apparently even listening to someone 40 years younger or even slightly to the left isn’t something Biden can handle.

He only compromised with Republicans, and then gives them everything they want.

If protests don’t work to change Biden’s mind, what will?

What other options do voters have?

Mastengwe,

And what exactly do to think not voting at all gets us? Because third part voting is essentially the same thing as not voting. The only difference in a third party vote is that you at least can’t be accused of pouting and staring home.

But you know this already. Don’t you?

Semi-Hemi-Demigod,
Semi-Hemi-Demigod avatar

I think the point is that voting has now become ceremonial

Jaysyn,
Jaysyn avatar

If that were remotely true the fascist GOP wouldn't spend all their time, money & effort in making sure fewer people voted.

Semi-Hemi-Demigod,
Semi-Hemi-Demigod avatar

Clinton won California by a 2:1 margin and Trump was still president.

The fascists know how to play the game better than the non-fascists.

Maeve,

A lot of people will be looking at "a dozen eggs is $4+, a gallon of milk is $4+, frozen vegetables are as expensive as $11 fur 3lbs of chicken. Prices were better under Trump."

Jaysyn, (edited )
Jaysyn avatar

That may have been an issue if the election was held two months ago.

"Inflation" is dropping like a stone here.

I have no idea what eggs cost now, because we keep chickens.

Maeve,

It's great you can keep chickens, and still have Winn Dixie! Jville is not that far in hours, but I'd imagine has way more population, and bulk shoppers probably helps? keep down prices. I'd imagine it's very regional, but I really dk. Going way ot, how is public transportation there? I'm about to finish some classes and have my eyes further away. The South really isn't a place to live when you have bills and still have to work. It is where people with money come to retire, but with an impending BOE, I'm not sure how long that will remain true either. It just irks me everything people vote for before they retire and move here, they vote against, after they retire and move here. Boomer is a mindset, not an age. I just hope I can get out soon.

gravitas_deficiency, (edited )

No… this is what a rigged primary system gets us.

Voting for Republicans at this point - or voting third party - is voting for fascism. There is precisely zero chance that Trump will handle the Gaza Genocide better than Biden will. If Trump wins, I would expect him to order a few B-52 squadrons to carpet bomb Gaza “to help Israel”, and then he’d also probably do the same to the West Bank just because he thinks it’d make him look like a big boy.

WraithGear, (edited )
@WraithGear@lemmy.world avatar

Not voting at all is the real worry. It takes effort to vote. And when you can’t even rally your base against trump then you ducked up bad. He literally saying that he does not have to appeal to his base because he has them with the threat of trump. Fine then they just don’t give a fuck any more. Disengagement is the name of the game and we all lose

AfricanExpansionist,

This is why I don’t vote

Psychodelic,

And this is why I punch myself in the balls! I’m some kind of a stable genius myself

psvrh,
@psvrh@lemmy.ca avatar

Yeah, this.

The back half of “Blue no matter who” was supposed to be primarying out regressive Democrats. Much like Labour in the UK, the party is doing its best to disenfranchise and disengage with actual progressives, so this is slow going.

It’s not impossible, though: Republicans, to their current horror, let the inmates run the asylum and it shifted their political alignment from “capitalist” to “fascist”.

WraithGear,
@WraithGear@lemmy.world avatar

They think so huh? I mean if Biden wanted to vote for trump he should just say so!

RizzRustbolt,

Sure Jan.

Wilzax,

My favorite is when counter protesters begin chanting “Fuck Joe Biden” and the pro-Palestine protestors join in

barsquid,

The fuck are Repubs mad at him about? Is the genocide not happening fast enough?

Ensign_Crab,

He’s doing what they want while not being Trump.

Fedizen,

biden election people should be sending their people to these protests, imo

Ensign_Crab,

They already have counter protesters.

ArcaneSlime,

Honestly idk what sounds crazier to me, that the counter protesters are democrats disguised as trump people because they have the most to gain from the protests being silenced, or that the counter protesters are actually right wing nazis in support of…ending the protests in order to benefit Joe Biden and literal Zionists because “libs bad.”

I just think it’s funny that really with the state of the world neither would come as a surprise, honestly.

Mastengwe,

There’s a good chance that most of the protestors weren’t going to be voting anyway. As I understand demographics, every election year, the “SJW” types aren’t counted on to participate.

juicy,

Hahaha! Whenever I see someone arguing “Vote Blue no Matter Who” on here, I don’t have to look far to find evidence that they don’t actually mind the genocide at all. “SJW”

Jaysyn,
Jaysyn avatar

I'd hope that most Muslims are intelligent enough to put their emotions aside & vote for the candidate that hasn't committed to stripping birthright citizenship & mass exile of Muslims post-election.

But you never know...

juicy,

You BlueAnons truly have no self-awareness, do you?

Psychodelic, (edited )

I would phrase it another way, people that don’t vote against Trump simply don’t care as much about their fellow Muslim-, Mexican-, and gay-American citizens (and noncitizens, etc.) compared to other issues

I said it in 2016 and it’s still true today. It’s the US though; that’s literally always been true. It’s honestly time the rest of us realized it and accepted reality

jordanlund,
@jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

I think the #1 problem is defining “youth voter” as 18-29.

College age is 18-24, but I don’t see anything looking specifically at that demographic.

For 18-29:

…tufts.edu/…/state-state-youth-voter-turnout-data…

“Nationally, CIRCLE estimates that 23% of eligible young Americans cast a ballot in the 2022 midterm elections.”

Now, problem #1, that’s a mid-term election which always draws lower voter participation.

2nd is looking at 18-29 instead of 18-24.

ny1.com/…/young-americans-harvard-poll-trump-bide…

“The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 54.1% of 18- to 29-year-olds voted in 2020, which had the highest youth turnout overall of any election in the 21st century.”

samus12345,
@samus12345@lemmy.world avatar

There is a huge difference between 18 and and 29, so it is odd that they lump all of them together.

jordanlund,
@jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

As a “youth vote”. My 28 year old kid and his 29 year old wife haven’t been in school in years now.

BrianTheeBiscuiteer,

I was a libertarian in college. So yeah, college students don’t have enough awareness to realize that another Trump presidency could mean the end of America (if SCOTUS doesn’t beat him to it).

Psychodelic,

Sounds about white. Jk, kinda

I was pretty far left by the end of high school. I only just missed voting for Obama and was all about that change! That was when I learned about things like our high income inequality, low social mobility, and rampant corporate profits

On a related note, I was super caught off guard by all the “libertarians” that hopped on that grifter, Ron Paul’s, train. Man what a time. So many heated discussions. Good times

Did you support Paul(s)? Any regerts?

BrianTheeBiscuiteer,

I did support Ron back in the day. I still mostly respect the guy though. If he is another right wing grifter he’s got his mask on 24/7. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything contradictory from him. However, like most “libertarians” he completely ignores that corporations exist or he thinks they’ll magically self-regulate.

Rand went zero to fascist in no time so I was never really a supporter.

Psychodelic,

Yeah, grifter maybe isn’t the best word to use. I just meant in the sense that libertarians seem to support policies that help themselves, even/especially if it’s at the expense of others.

That’s really good you were able to see the policies Rand supported were even worse

Neato,
@Neato@ttrpg.network avatar

Some do. As a Freshman in college I was an idiot because I was raised on years of conservative talk radio every day to and from school. Took a bit less than a year to realize all that shit was made up and get deprogrammed. Then it’s been a leftward trend ever since.

gravitas_deficiency,

Jesus tapdancing christ his advisors are so high on their own farts if they really believe that.

Nomecks,

College kids have crappy turnout. This is very well documented.

mozz,
@mozz@mbin.grits.dev avatar

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 54.1% of 18- to 29-year-olds voted in 2020, which had the highest youth turnout overall of any election in the 21st century.

Average across all ages is 60%

(Credit to @jordanlund)

Nomecks,

6% is probably representative of millions of votes.

Ensign_Crab,

So you won’t be blaming them if Trump wins? If they’re insignificant enough to ignore, they’re too insignificant to blame.

Nomecks,

Don’t shoot the messenger.

Mastengwe,

I’ll absolutely be blaming them if the margin is close enough to make a difference. Because that is how it works. The votes are needed until they aren’t needed and we won’t know what’s needed until someone is elected.

You shouldn’t need this explained to you.

I will say however, that like previous election years- all of you anti-[whoever is the democratic candidate] folk will predictably disappear the moment the election is called.

I wonder why that is….

gravitas_deficiency,

No, I would blame Biden for being a complete fucking ass about the whole Palestinian Genocide.

There’s a right side and a wrong side here. To be incredibly blunt: the fact that Jewish people endured the Holocaust does not give Israel carte blanche to perpetrate their own genocide. And that puts aside the fact that Israel is NOT, in fact, synonymous with Jewish people. There are a hell of a lot of Jews (including Israeli civilians) who vehemently object to what’s happening.

Mastengwe, (edited )

Nope. I’ll be blaming singe-issue voters. You can blame whoever you want. When you’re ready to understand nuance and how Biden has little choice in this matter and how congress actually works, we can talk.

But until then, yeah… if you’re not voting, or voting third party because you think you’re teaching someone a lesson- I’ll be blaming you.

But we both know you’ll just reroll as a victim of Trump come November when you help him win.

juicy,

Sorry, buddy, but no, we won’t let you and Biden have your genocide and another term, too. If it’s that important that he has four more years, Biden knows what he needs to do. Being able to look past genocide isn’t enlightened, pragmatic or strategic, it’s moral depravity.

slurpinderpin,

deleted_by_moderator

    •
    Mastengwe, (edited )

    Not exactly how I would put it, especially here- but yeah… I don’t know how they can expect to do nothing and create change. But they’re young and naive.

    Hopefully they don’t ruin so much shit for themselves that can’t be undone when they begin to understand how things work.

    slurpinderpin,

    I just call it like I see it man, no point in softening language

    juicy,

    Defending genocide with ableist slurs. It’s certainly a choice, I’ll grant you that.

    slurpinderpin,

    deleted_by_moderator

    •
    slurpinderpin,

    Show me where I defended genocide, you extremely intelligent individual

    juicy,

    Let’s see… Oops, the comment was removed due to said ableist slur. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

    slurpinderpin, (edited )

    deleted_by_moderator

    •
    jordanlund,
    @jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

    Removed, civility.

    Ensign_Crab,

    Of course you’ll blame anyone but Biden if he loses.

    Mastengwe,

    You don’t have the point you think you have. It only makes you look like you don’t understand how things work. And trust me when I says this…. Even one is aware of it.

    And no, I’m not going to explain any of this to you again, so don’t bother with your questions. I and many others have been trolled by you and your bad-faith responses where you rewrite the talking points so that it suits whatever it is you’re trying to say, only for you to pretend to be the victim.

    I’m sure you and your many sock puppet accounts are going to report me now so…. Do your thing.

    Ensign_Crab,

    If you had defensible positions, you would do something other than gaslighting, abuse, and baseless accusations.

    Mastengwe, (edited )

    And if you had a point, you wouldn’t need to change the topic or rewrite what people say to you.

    We’re done here.

    TheUncannyObserver,

    No we’re not, because despite you saying you’re done with the conversation because you know it won’t go anywhere, you seem incapable of walking away without having the last word.

    jordanlund,
    @jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

    You know, for two guys who have claimed, repeatedly, “Imma block you!” you really seem intent on replying to each other.

    Please, engage the block. I don’t want to have to ban either of you, but the repeated slap fights are tiresome.

    https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/dd78755c-8048-4847-9b98-713e7e475c41.png

    Mastengwe,

    The onus shouldn’t be on the user to block trolls. That’s YOUR job if you read the rules.

    jordanlund,
    @jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

    Hey, if that’s how you want it.

    Ensign_Crab,

    We’re done here.

    I’ve heard this lie before from you.

    jordanlund,
    @jordanlund@lemmy.world avatar

    You know, for two guys who have claimed, repeatedly, “Imma block you!” you really seem intent on replying to each other.

    Please, engage the block. I don’t want to have to ban either of you, but the repeated slap fights are tiresome.

    https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/dd78755c-8048-4847-9b98-713e7e475c41.png

    Mastengwe,

    K.

    Ensign_Crab,

    deleted_by_moderator

    •
    Mastengwe,

    K.

    Riccosuave,
    @Riccosuave@lemmy.world avatar

    deleted_by_moderator

    •
    Mastengwe,

    K.

    Riccosuave,
    @Riccosuave@lemmy.world avatar

    deleted_by_moderator

    •
    Mastengwe,

    Fun with the sock puppet accounts? It’s interesring how the upvotes are flooding in for your little “friend” there so quickly.

    Riccosuave, (edited )
    @Riccosuave@lemmy.world avatar

    Sorry, no sock puppets here. Just a regular old pain in the ass.

    EchoCT,

    K

    NoneOfUrBusiness,

    Crappy means relatively low, not nonexistent. See: https://blog.ucsusa.org/ingrid-paredes/student-voter-turnout-key-data-on-recent-trends-and-opportunities/

    They should vote more, but Biden is still absolutely fucked without this almost entirely blue demographic voting for him. What you're thinking of is young people in general; those hover at above 30%, which is again low but not a number Biden can afford to lose.

    Semi-Hemi-Demigod,
    Semi-Hemi-Demigod avatar

    I'm less concerned with college students and more worried about Muslims. They're key demographics in a lot of swing states. If Biden loses this by a few hundred votes in Michigan or Pennsylvania it'll be because of that, not college kids.

    And it will also show what a joke of a system of government we have. Again.

    NoneOfUrBusiness,

    I mean it'll be both. Muslims are killing Biden's chances in a few swing states, but we also can't underestimate the importance of progressives as part of the coalition that carried the Democrats in 2020.

    Neato,
    @Neato@ttrpg.network avatar

    Belief is irrelevant. PR would always say this to downplay affects and keep supporters engaged. Apathy will kill Biden’s chances more than anything else.

    gravitas_deficiency,

    You sound like you’re high on your own farts

    Dagwood222,

    It reminds me of the Star Trek TOS episode “City On The Edge of Forever.”

    When McCoy goes back in time to the 1930s he changes the future and ends the Federation. When Kirk and Spock go back they discover that a rising anti-war sentiment would lead to America staying out of WW2, allowing the Nazis to take control of the world.

    IndustryStandard, (edited )

    I had to look up the date of TOS it aired 1966–1969 during the Vietnam war.

    The lesson to be learnt here is that stopping the Vietnam war meant the Nazis would take over the world.

    The anti-war sentiment won in 1973. That is year the Nazis and communists took over America and the whole world.

    And that’s all the fault of college kids protesting against the Vietnam war.

    Dagwood222,

    So, you don’t know the difference between “1930” and “1970.”

    You don’t know who was fighting in the Vietnam War.

    Maybe, just maybe, instead of looking up the dates of old TV shows, you should read some actual history and basic math books?

    bookshop.org/p/books/…/18074845?ean=9781644212516

    bookshop.org/p/books/…/15984839?ean=9798585055546

    IndustryStandard,

    I am substituting the Nazis for the Soviets as an example.

    In 1970 the argument was that if America pulled out of Vietnam the commies would take over the world.

    For every time 1930 is used as an excuse to promote war, a lot of pointless wars have been lost without dr. Evil taking over the world.

    Dagwood222,

    That’s like saying because Jack the Ripper stabbed people no surgery should ever be allowed.

    There were plenty of people who were against America getting into WW1 who turned around years later and pushed for war in 1930.

    Ensign_Crab,

    That’s like saying because Jack the Ripper stabbed people no surgery should ever be allowed.

    No, that’s an entirely different episode of Star Trek.

    Dagwood222,

    [long ]

    When they started making '2001:A Space Odyssey" they planned on making the Mysterious Object a glowing diamond, as in the original short story.

    They couldn’t make the diamond work, so they put black tape over the diamond in all the story boards. The tape was a placeholder for the time when they figured out what would be a really good Mysteriosu Object.

    One day, someone looked at the storyboard and said that maybe they should just just the black slab.

    Years pass, and all the viewers come up with theory after theory about what the Monolith is supposed to be. A book? A tombstone? A doorway?

    One day, a young fan comes to Arthur Clarke and tells Clarke that he knows the secret. The ratio of the rectangle is 1 : 4 : 9, the squares of the first three numbers. Clarke loves it and puts it in the next book in the series.

    The point of the story is that I could have pretended that I made that commnet without thinking about the Jack The Ripper episode. I didn’t and so I pass on the coveted No Prize.

    en.wikid.org/Marvel_No-Prize

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