(I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch Mischa Collins in anything ever again without feeling twitchy about impending news. )

Ha! Same.

Kentucky's governor Andy Beshear is on the short list for VP nominee. He got elected as a democrat in fucking Kentucky, he's Southern, he's affable, he's white -- I honestly think he'd be a good pick.

Swift/Kelce ticket would be interesting...I'm imagining Travis Kelce as the First Gentleman and the speeches he'd make.

Also the Secret Service having to figure out the logistics of dealing with friendship bracelets. And Jason Kelce.

It's amusing.

My week has been so stressful. I left early and went to Aldi to supply myself for nibbly meals the next two days (my weekend !!woot!). Except they are out of a lot of stuff because it was Sunday evening. But I bought a lot of cheese. I thought of Teppy while I was buying it

I got regular sliced cheese and a Chipotle chili cheddar sliced cheese, Gouda, and a grass fed cheddar. And mozzarella balls. And bread and crackers and fruit and salami. I also plan to spend a great deal of time in the bath or under a weighted blanket. I have a bath tray so I'm going to have an IG/Tik Tok bath with snacks but no wine since I don't drink it.

Also I would also vote for Calli's cat's hairball instead of Trump.

At 59, Harris is also barely still in Gen X, and damn it, one of us needs to be POTUS.

But I bought a lot of cheese. I thought of Teppy while I was buying it

YESSSSSSS

Also the Secret Service having to figure out the logistics of dealing with friendship bracelets. And Jason Kelce.

Jason has friendship bracelets down.

I've been extremely annoyed with all the dems calling for Biden to step down. He deserved better.

How was this conversation not better held two years ago? Or a year ago? It's a few weeks before the convention. I am team No More Old White Guys but I'm still puzzled how this doesn't hand more votes to Trump. Moot point now.

I'm still puzzled how this doesn't hand more votes to Trump.

I really think that all the people who are going to vote for Trump are already accounted for. I don't think anyone is undecided between Trump and [Democratic candidate]; I think they've been undecided between Biden and [not voting]. So this may push some of those anti-Biden undecideds from [not voting] to [Democratic candidate].

I really think that all the people who are going to vote for Trump are already accounted for. I don't think anyone is undecided between Trump and [Democratic candidate]; I think they've been undecided between Biden and [not voting]. So this may push some of those anti-Biden undecideds from [not voting] to [Democratic candidate].

Yeah, pretty much. It also has scrambled the GOP messaging a bit, at least short-term. That's been amusing to see. I think Biden did the correct thing in dropping out, FWIW.

Trump was always incoherent and rambling he has gotten more so but there hasn't been a dramatic decline . With Biden it's pretty obvious that he has been having issues based on his recent past. And that is ...maybe not dramatic but a big deal. Of course I'm pretty sure that if Trump were in coma the GOP would keep him as the nominee and his supporters would vote for him.

Agreed on all counts.

I really think that all the people who are going to vote for Trump are already accounted for. I don't think anyone is undecided between Trump and [Democratic candidate]; I think they've been undecided between Biden and [not voting]. So this may push some of those anti-Biden undecideds from [not voting] to [Democratic candidate].

Yeah, I think/hope that's right. Yikes, though.

Oh, and while I was out shopping for the residents, there was an amateur marching band practicing up and down the shopping mall sidewalks. It might have been School of Honk, I know I've seen that polka-dotted tuba before. Just loverly random!

This is from days ago, but Theo, it was the summer camp program, and they'll be around this week, too!

I want to think that whatever is going on with Biden is either really new and the issues have taken everyone by surprise OR it's something they've known about but suddenly he's had more difficulties and that the plan was to get through until the new year and step down but the debate and the shooting changed things and pushed the issue.

I really hope it's something like that and not winging it.

Five days before the debate, someone who’d seen Biden recently at a fundraiser told me that he looked and sounded dramatically worse than the previous times they’d seen him — as recently as six months ago — and that they were now convinced Biden wouldn’t be able to make it through a second term. I blew that warning off and assumed things would be fine at the debate.

That's from Matt Yglesias, askye, and it tends to support your hope.