Should George W. Bush endorse Joe Biden?

[Progressive Pessimist]

Not publicly. But if he wants to vote for him, by all means.

[Admiral Stockdale]

I know a lot of progressives who would withdraw any support for Biden if Bush, the worst President in modern history, endorsed him. I would hope that Biden would reject Bush's endorsement if it came.

I don't understand this behavior honestly.  They would rather have Trump for four more years, a SCOTUS with one maybe two more, young conservative justices, etc.  --  all because someone they hate endorsed Biden?   

[Ferguson97]

I know a lot of progressives who would withdraw any support for Biden if Bush, the worst President in modern history, endorsed him. I would hope that Biden would reject Bush's endorsement if it came.

I don't understand this behavior honestly.  They would rather have Trump for four more years, a SCOTUS with one maybe two more, young conservative justices, etc.  --  all because someone they hate endorsed Biden?   

They're operating under a Kantian ethical philosophy, not a utilitarian one.

It doesn't matter how bad the impacts of a Trump presidency would be. They'd view voting for Biden at that point, the very act of voting, as being wrong. It's not about the consequences, it's about the action - or more specifically, feeling good.

They'd rather feel good than do good.

[McGarnagle]

No.

[RodPresident]

Endorsing Biden means killing Bush family political career for good. He won't do this!

[Wiggle Your Yummy Moist Preggers Cake Ben Shapiro]

Endorsing Biden means killing Bush family political career for good. He won't do this!

It isn't dead already?

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

He's not gonna endorse Biden, the R party are a very Patriotic party and his father is in the Reagan museum, he may vote due to secret ballot, but he probably does a write in like Hogan

[cp]

I know a lot of progressives who would withdraw any support for Biden if Bush, the worst President in modern history, endorsed him. I would hope that Biden would reject Bush's endorsement if it came.

I don't understand this behavior honestly.  They would rather have Trump for four more years, a SCOTUS with one maybe two more, young conservative justices, etc.  --  all because someone they hate endorsed Biden?   

They're operating under a Kantian ethical philosophy, not a utilitarian one.

It doesn't matter how bad the impacts of a Trump presidency would be. They'd view voting for Biden at that point, the very act of voting, as being wrong. It's not about the consequences, it's about the action - or more specifically, feeling good.

They'd rather feel good than do good.

That's rather ungenerous. A straw man argument, even.

For such a voter (I'd classify myself as one but I'm not eligible to vote), Biden is an improvement on Trump only insofar as he represents a genuine shift away from the sorts of policies and behaviours Trump does. The behavioural stuff - the insults, pettiness, twitter nonsense - would certainly improve, but that's not really very important in the grand scheme. To use your formulation: it would *feel* good, but it wouldn't *do* much good.

As for actual policies, Biden has only the most minimal commitment to policies I think are a genuine improvement. Meanwhile, he's embraced a lot of ideas and policies I see as functionally equivalent in terms of the good they do (read: harm they cause) to those of Trump. More broadly, Biden represents a continuation, even a restoration, of decades of policies under Clinton/Bush/Obama (or Blair/Cameron/May/Johnson in my local case) that have been so obviously ruinous.

For Bush - one of the most prominent architects of this failed system - to endorse Biden would remove the last shred of cognitive dissonance I'd have about believing Biden might actually improve things. It would be an endorsement that confirmed everything rotten I suspected about Biden and validate every suspicion I ever carried about what 'good' centrist politics can offer.

[Ferguson97]

I know a lot of progressives who would withdraw any support for Biden if Bush, the worst President in modern history, endorsed him. I would hope that Biden would reject Bush's endorsement if it came.

I don't understand this behavior honestly.  They would rather have Trump for four more years, a SCOTUS with one maybe two more, young conservative justices, etc.  --  all because someone they hate endorsed Biden?   

They're operating under a Kantian ethical philosophy, not a utilitarian one.

It doesn't matter how bad the impacts of a Trump presidency would be. They'd view voting for Biden at that point, the very act of voting, as being wrong. It's not about the consequences, it's about the action - or more specifically, feeling good.

They'd rather feel good than do good.

That's rather ungenerous. A straw man argument, even.

For such a voter (I'd classify myself as one but I'm not eligible to vote), Biden is an improvement on Trump only insofar as he represents a genuine shift away from the sorts of policies and behaviours Trump does. The behavioural stuff - the insults, pettiness, twitter nonsense - would certainly improve, but that's not really very important in the grand scheme. To use your formulation: it would *feel* good, but it wouldn't *do* much good.

As for actual policies, Biden has only the most minimal commitment to policies I think are a genuine improvement. Meanwhile, he's embraced a lot of ideas and policies I see as functionally equivalent in terms of the good they do (read: harm they cause) to those of Trump. More broadly, Biden represents a continuation, even a restoration, of decades of policies under Clinton/Bush/Obama (or Blair/Cameron/May/Johnson in my local case) that have been so obviously ruinous.

For Bush - one of the most prominent architects of this failed system - to endorse Biden would remove the last shred of cognitive dissonance I'd have about believing Biden might actually improve things. It would be an endorsement that confirmed everything rotten I suspected about Biden and validate every suspicion I ever carried about what 'good' centrist politics can offer.

Even a marginal improvement is better than nothing.

[Pulaski]

I know a lot of progressives who would withdraw any support for Biden if Bush, the worst President in modern history, endorsed him. I would hope that Biden would reject Bush's endorsement if it came.

I don't understand this behavior honestly.  They would rather have Trump for four more years, a SCOTUS with one maybe two more, young conservative justices, etc.  --  all because someone they hate endorsed Biden?   

They're operating under a Kantian ethical philosophy, not a utilitarian one.

It doesn't matter how bad the impacts of a Trump presidency would be. They'd view voting for Biden at that point, the very act of voting, as being wrong. It's not about the consequences, it's about the action - or more specifically, feeling good.

They'd rather feel good than do good.

Just have a read of some of those links I posted. Bush's administration literally kidnapped totally innocent people, tortured them, held them for years (in some cases, we still don't know where) and threw them out onto the street in a different country.

How in the hell are you supposed to trust that Biden would be better if a guy like Bush can say "this is a guy I trust, this is the guy who I want running things"?

[cp]

I know a lot of progressives who would withdraw any support for Biden if Bush, the worst President in modern history, endorsed him. I would hope that Biden would reject Bush's endorsement if it came.

I don't understand this behavior honestly.  They would rather have Trump for four more years, a SCOTUS with one maybe two more, young conservative justices, etc.  --  all because someone they hate endorsed Biden?   

They're operating under a Kantian ethical philosophy, not a utilitarian one.

It doesn't matter how bad the impacts of a Trump presidency would be. They'd view voting for Biden at that point, the very act of voting, as being wrong. It's not about the consequences, it's about the action - or more specifically, feeling good.

They'd rather feel good than do good.

That's rather ungenerous. A straw man argument, even.

For such a voter (I'd classify myself as one but I'm not eligible to vote), Biden is an improvement on Trump only insofar as he represents a genuine shift away from the sorts of policies and behaviours Trump does. The behavioural stuff - the insults, pettiness, twitter nonsense - would certainly improve, but that's not really very important in the grand scheme. To use your formulation: it would *feel* good, but it wouldn't *do* much good.

As for actual policies, Biden has only the most minimal commitment to policies I think are a genuine improvement. Meanwhile, he's embraced a lot of ideas and policies I see as functionally equivalent in terms of the good they do (read: harm they cause) to those of Trump. More broadly, Biden represents a continuation, even a restoration, of decades of policies under Clinton/Bush/Obama (or Blair/Cameron/May/Johnson in my local case) that have been so obviously ruinous.

For Bush - one of the most prominent architects of this failed system - to endorse Biden would remove the last shred of cognitive dissonance I'd have about believing Biden might actually improve things. It would be an endorsement that confirmed everything rotten I suspected about Biden and validate every suspicion I ever carried about what 'good' centrist politics can offer.

Even a marginal improvement is better than nothing.

My point is that with a Bush endorsement, it would be clear that Biden would not even provide a marginal improvement. It would be as bad and possibly worse.

[ctrepublican512]

No. And it probably works out that he won't because I'm not sure it would even help Biden.

[Ferguson97]

I know a lot of progressives who would withdraw any support for Biden if Bush, the worst President in modern history, endorsed him. I would hope that Biden would reject Bush's endorsement if it came.

I don't understand this behavior honestly.  They would rather have Trump for four more years, a SCOTUS with one maybe two more, young conservative justices, etc.  --  all because someone they hate endorsed Biden?   

They're operating under a Kantian ethical philosophy, not a utilitarian one.

It doesn't matter how bad the impacts of a Trump presidency would be. They'd view voting for Biden at that point, the very act of voting, as being wrong. It's not about the consequences, it's about the action - or more specifically, feeling good.

They'd rather feel good than do good.

That's rather ungenerous. A straw man argument, even.

For such a voter (I'd classify myself as one but I'm not eligible to vote), Biden is an improvement on Trump only insofar as he represents a genuine shift away from the sorts of policies and behaviours Trump does. The behavioural stuff - the insults, pettiness, twitter nonsense - would certainly improve, but that's not really very important in the grand scheme. To use your formulation: it would *feel* good, but it wouldn't *do* much good.

As for actual policies, Biden has only the most minimal commitment to policies I think are a genuine improvement. Meanwhile, he's embraced a lot of ideas and policies I see as functionally equivalent in terms of the good they do (read: harm they cause) to those of Trump. More broadly, Biden represents a continuation, even a restoration, of decades of policies under Clinton/Bush/Obama (or Blair/Cameron/May/Johnson in my local case) that have been so obviously ruinous.

For Bush - one of the most prominent architects of this failed system - to endorse Biden would remove the last shred of cognitive dissonance I'd have about believing Biden might actually improve things. It would be an endorsement that confirmed everything rotten I suspected about Biden and validate every suspicion I ever carried about what 'good' centrist politics can offer.

Even a marginal improvement is better than nothing.

My point is that with a Bush endorsement, it would be clear that Biden would not even provide a marginal improvement. It would be as bad and possibly worse.

Why are you assuming a Bush endorsement would impact Biden's policy?

[mileslunn]

If he plans to support him, absolutely.  It might anger progressives, but in reality most hate Trump so much, they will still show up.  This is more about giving Never Trump Republicans another reason to vote for Biden.  He should though preface it on still disagreeing with Biden on many issues, but at least believing he is competent and fit for the job while Trump is not.  Also, make it clear it is a vote against Trumpism not traditional conservatism.

[cp]

I know a lot of progressives who would withdraw any support for Biden if Bush, the worst President in modern history, endorsed him. I would hope that Biden would reject Bush's endorsement if it came.

I don't understand this behavior honestly.  They would rather have Trump for four more years, a SCOTUS with one maybe two more, young conservative justices, etc.  --  all because someone they hate endorsed Biden?   

They're operating under a Kantian ethical philosophy, not a utilitarian one.

It doesn't matter how bad the impacts of a Trump presidency would be. They'd view voting for Biden at that point, the very act of voting, as being wrong. It's not about the consequences, it's about the action - or more specifically, feeling good.

They'd rather feel good than do good.

That's rather ungenerous. A straw man argument, even.

For such a voter (I'd classify myself as one but I'm not eligible to vote), Biden is an improvement on Trump only insofar as he represents a genuine shift away from the sorts of policies and behaviours Trump does. The behavioural stuff - the insults, pettiness, twitter nonsense - would certainly improve, but that's not really very important in the grand scheme. To use your formulation: it would *feel* good, but it wouldn't *do* much good.

As for actual policies, Biden has only the most minimal commitment to policies I think are a genuine improvement. Meanwhile, he's embraced a lot of ideas and policies I see as functionally equivalent in terms of the good they do (read: harm they cause) to those of Trump. More broadly, Biden represents a continuation, even a restoration, of decades of policies under Clinton/Bush/Obama (or Blair/Cameron/May/Johnson in my local case) that have been so obviously ruinous.

For Bush - one of the most prominent architects of this failed system - to endorse Biden would remove the last shred of cognitive dissonance I'd have about believing Biden might actually improve things. It would be an endorsement that confirmed everything rotten I suspected about Biden and validate every suspicion I ever carried about what 'good' centrist politics can offer.

Even a marginal improvement is better than nothing.

My point is that with a Bush endorsement, it would be clear that Biden would not even provide a marginal improvement. It would be as bad and possibly worse.

Why are you assuming a Bush endorsement would impact Biden's policy?

It's more that it would reveal how alike and compatible Bush's despicable politics are to Biden's plans. Also, it would have the knock-on effect of giving cover to Biden to allow Bush acolytes reentry into positions of power, diluting the influence of mainstream Democrats and further marginalizing the ascendant leftwing.

[You are responsible]

Compromise: Bush should urge voters not to vote for Trump, but without explicitly endorsing another candidate.

[Stranger in a strange land]

No. Please no. I'm fine with Dubya voting for Biden, but there's a large bloc of voters who will be turned off by his endorsement, and there's no longer a large bloc of voters who see his endorsement as a positive.

[Red Wall]

Yes, this helps Trump massively in rust belt swing states.

Only place this helps Biden is Texas which means more wasted votes for Senile Joe. At best this flips one house seat in Texas.

[Pulaski]

Bush has a 61% overall favorable rating and 76% rating with Republicans (at least according to this 2018 poll), so I hope that he does. There aren't many endorsements that truly matter in the general election, but I would hope that Bush's endorsement might sway a relatively small number of conservative-leaning Republicans and independents to at least not vote for Trump.

Of course, Bush's nephew (George P. Bush, currently serving as the TX Land Commissioner) probably wouldn't appreciate it.

Honestly, how can you hope the Democratic nominee for President gets endorsed by a war criminal?

How would the party have any credibility in criticising Trump's embrace of Putin, or Erdogan, or Duterte?

I want to beat Trump by the largest margin possible in order to a)get him out office, b)have a clear mandate for him to leave office so that he's put in as difficult a position as possible to challenge the results of the election, and c)rack up as large of congressional majorities as possible in order to pass legislation that will make peoples' lives better. I don't believe that any left-leaning individuals would actually have their vote affected by a Bush endorsement, I don't see how Bush merely endorsing Biden hurts Democratic credibility, and (as previously stated) I believe that a Bush endorsement could potentially encourage defections among conservative-leaning Republicans and independents.

1. A Bush endorsement would likely have little effect on Republicans. Their party platform was literally a few lines swearing undying allegiance to Trump; anyone who was going to jump ship already has. The end result of Never-Trumpers endorsing Biden and rebuking Trump hasn't been to bring disaffected conservatives with them; it's been to be disavowed and rejected by the Republican Party.

2. A Bush endorsement by itself maybe doesn't say a huge amount about what kind of President Biden would be, but Biden accepting or disavowing it sure does. If a war criminal and human rights violator endorses you, you disavow unless you want to signal to progressives that you're A-OK with torture, kidnapping and murder.

[politicallefty]

No. Please no. I'm fine with Dubya voting for Biden, but there's a large bloc of voters who will be turned off by his endorsement, and there's no longer a large bloc of voters who see his endorsement as a positive.

I agree. If he wants to drop private hints that he's voting for Biden like his parents did for Hillary, that's fine. It should be nothing more than that.

[ηєω ƒяσηтιєя]

Yes, this helps Trump massively in rust belt swing states.

Only place this helps Biden is Texas which means more wasted votes for Senile Joe. At best this flips one house seat in Texas.

Another Trump troll that just randomly pops up. *Interesting*

[Mr.Bakari-Sellers]

Bush is reserving himself for an R comeback in 2022 and 2024, since Rubio was the better candidate all along. In case a vaccine comes and Biden has a subpar 2022 midterms due to 8 to 9 percent unemployment,  the Rs would be strengthened by a Rubio nominee, not Cruz. But, Biden, will get the credit and the reason why Rs won in 2010, Obama blundered by not getting rid of filibuster to enshrine DC statehood and immigration reform when they had 59 seats, rookie mistake that Prez Hillary wouldn't have made.

If Ds get 52 to 54 seats, DC statehood and immigration reform is a certainty

[Andrew]

Everyone who has anyone who cares about his or her opinion should endorse Joe Biden.

[Non Swing Voter]

I think if GWB came out with a statement about how Trump is too divisive and the nation needs to heal and should vote for Biden even if some of his policies are too liberal, etc. etc., that would really help Biden with some older voters.  However, GWB is kind of a POS politician who started illegal wars so I doubt he'd do anything like that which would actually require him to put country above his own personal benefit.

[Ferguson97]

I know a lot of progressives who would withdraw any support for Biden if Bush, the worst President in modern history, endorsed him. I would hope that Biden would reject Bush's endorsement if it came.

I don't understand this behavior honestly.  They would rather have Trump for four more years, a SCOTUS with one maybe two more, young conservative justices, etc.  --  all because someone they hate endorsed Biden?   

They're operating under a Kantian ethical philosophy, not a utilitarian one.

It doesn't matter how bad the impacts of a Trump presidency would be. They'd view voting for Biden at that point, the very act of voting, as being wrong. It's not about the consequences, it's about the action - or more specifically, feeling good.

They'd rather feel good than do good.

That's rather ungenerous. A straw man argument, even.

For such a voter (I'd classify myself as one but I'm not eligible to vote), Biden is an improvement on Trump only insofar as he represents a genuine shift away from the sorts of policies and behaviours Trump does. The behavioural stuff - the insults, pettiness, twitter nonsense - would certainly improve, but that's not really very important in the grand scheme. To use your formulation: it would *feel* good, but it wouldn't *do* much good.

As for actual policies, Biden has only the most minimal commitment to policies I think are a genuine improvement. Meanwhile, he's embraced a lot of ideas and policies I see as functionally equivalent in terms of the good they do (read: harm they cause) to those of Trump. More broadly, Biden represents a continuation, even a restoration, of decades of policies under Clinton/Bush/Obama (or Blair/Cameron/May/Johnson in my local case) that have been so obviously ruinous.

For Bush - one of the most prominent architects of this failed system - to endorse Biden would remove the last shred of cognitive dissonance I'd have about believing Biden might actually improve things. It would be an endorsement that confirmed everything rotten I suspected about Biden and validate every suspicion I ever carried about what 'good' centrist politics can offer.

Even a marginal improvement is better than nothing.

My point is that with a Bush endorsement, it would be clear that Biden would not even provide a marginal improvement. It would be as bad and possibly worse.

Why are you assuming a Bush endorsement would impact Biden's policy?

It's more that it would reveal how alike and compatible Bush's despicable politics are to Biden's plans. Also, it would have the knock-on effect of giving cover to Biden to allow Bush acolytes reentry into positions of power, diluting the influence of mainstream Democrats and further marginalizing the ascendant leftwing.

To be honest I think this is a ridiculous conclusion.

Bush’s endorsement would just mean “yeah I don’t agree with his policies but Trump is literally insane and hates democracy”