DEFCON 1 

Love your show! Bummer for Biden last night........Smerconish for President!

No old guy likes to have the car keys taken away. But there comes a time. Plenty of able drivers out there for the Dems.

Best line of the night. You have the morals of an alleycat.

Good morning from cool and cloudy Newark Delaware

Still voting for Joe , but Josh Shapiro is a GREAT idea !!

Didn’t know Smerconish has a RU-vid channel. Subscribed. Talk about an interesting political season ahead of us folks. And to think, they cancelled The Circus show. Whoever’s decision that was will come to regret it.

Criticisms of CNN's debate policies and moderators the morning after are desperate spin machine at work. I think every debate should be just like last night. Great job, CNN! We actually got to see each candidate in full clarity and that is what has everyone who was not a double hater flailing for answers. The DNC should have had a proper primary and they know it!

Biden should have checked into Walter Reed first thing this morning.

If Michelle Obama can't be persuaded, Democrats need to think outside the box. Pair Gavin Newsome with Jeff Flake, Adam Kinzinger, Joe Manchin, or Susan Collins. Preserving democracy is more important than party loyalty.

Big Wes Moore fan. Right on…

This is the time for the Ds to get former Rep Dean Phillips as Biden's replacement - as we cannot really afford to lose any Ds in the senate or congress - Why not Dean Phillips - he is a voice of reason - during his various interviews with you and other he has policies, calm, ability to bring us back together as a country (not an extremist), and could speak with specifics and coherently - he could beat Trump handily without some of the "neg" things that might be brought about some of the Gov options you have mentioned - in my humble opinion.

Wasn't going to watch, and after 10 minutes, I wish I hadn't. Jake & Dana did a fantastic job. As much respect as I have for Biden, it's time for him to retire. It was embarrassing to see him look so lost. trump littered the stage with a full 3 feet of 🐂💩 lies; nothing changed. Appreciate the newsletter and be well.

I would like to see Josh Shapiro. I think him being from Pennsylvania (a swing state) has many advantages because he is exposed to many different political views. He also has an extensive resume in law & politics.

Did anyone not notice that Biden said, “If I’m elected” at one point?

WAKE UP AMERICA! THINK ABOUT IT FROM THIS PERSPECTIVE - Would any of us want EITHER of the gentlemen we saw on display at last evenings debate at the helm of this great nation if we had another 9/11 event, or worse yet, had to make a decision to engage the nuclear "football." Please dont just react. Give these questions some very serious introspection and consideration.

I started watching, but after fewer than ten minutes was unable to continue. Biden looked and acted old, which is understandable since he is, but it was worse. He appeared unanchored and befuddled. Was he? I don’t know, but he gave that appearance. Trump, on the other hand, Gish galloped his way over every question and response. He appeared restrained, but barely so, eager to unleash his inner asshole. We’re in trouble as a country and as a people. Divided and conquered before casting a ballot we bob and bounce on the choppy current, headed directly toward the killer Class V rapid tumbling between Scylla and the Charybdis. This is the fault of both parties, all three houses, and their corporate masters who buy, sell, and discard politicians like fast fashion clothing during a Black Friday frenzy. It is also our fault. We allowed this to happen. Sort of. Sure, foreign and friendly actors have deployed weaponized algorithms to destroy our ability to discern fact from fiction, truth from lie, but still, we invited them in, not as guests, but as classic vampires. We self-sorted ourselves into rival camps, refusing to listen and empathize, denying that the “others”, the “enemy” had valid complaints, and consumed only that which supported our side. We allowed it to become a zero-sum game when, in fact, it never was. Sigh. I fear that it is too late to change. The damage is done, the vampires have multiplied, their ranks swelled, gorged on the blood of neighbors, friends, and family members. And many among us appear to revel in the, uh, carnage and even welcome the possibility of bloodshed. Are any among us human enough, wise enough, mature enough to make a difference? I hear all this blather about leadership, well, if ever we needed it, it’s now, so if you’re out there… Today, both sides will crow about victory while we, the people, at least those of us who think critically, wallow in absolute misery and anxiety over a bleak and unappealing future at best. Enough. Enough.

What can an average citizen do to request a replacement candidate?

Biden: old man yells at cloud, on top of a sinkhole but refusing to move

More than anything what was on display last night was today’s Republican and Democratic parties. Pathetic. We must have an alternative.

Michael, remember the movie Dave with Kevin Kline? I wonder if there are power hungry enablers surrounding a far more questionable Joe (much as Frank Langella in the movie).

I don't want to sound like a whiner, or a lame here, but I do have some observations based on what I saw at the debate and what I heard from you this morning. There is no doubt that Joe Biden had an abysmal performance in this one event. He was muttering, his voice was raspy, and although he warmed up later, the damage was already done. When he stumbled about 6 minutes in, I told my wife that he had lost the debate. You acknowledged that this morning. That being said, is the bar so low for Trump that his "restraint" (your words) is rewarded as if that is something noble? It was a debate, and he didn't answer a single question, not even the one about accepting election results. He further muddied the waters by saying "if it's fair". We've been a nation since 1776 and not ONE of our vanquished presidents said, "it was rigged." Only him, because he's unfit. Another observation is that he tried to shift blame to Nancy Pelosi for January 6th! I may have missed it, but I hope that you addressed that. That was a spineless move on his part. Your characterization of Trump's restraint, "Yes, he lied, but he was restrained..." was a little jarring to me. Is that the bar now, just show restraint? Biden was best when he was responding in attack mode, not trying to remember statistics. I think his team OVER prepared him, and did not consider how Trump would not follow a script. They did him a disservice by loading him up with statistics and numbers. That's not his strong suit. They tried to paint him as a sage, but they should have simplified his answers/responses because everyone knows that Trump will offer zero substance. He should have given simple, clear, less wordy answers and been done with it.

Newsom and AOC

I think Wesley Clark would make a good president.

To state the obvious, Biden didn't do very well. With that said, he did okay for his age. Either way, I'd never vote for Trump.

I’m curious about Mingle - are you reaching out to people outside of your “typical” audience? Also, love the political cartoons behind your chair. I am so happy you are helping keep these jobs alive.

Embarrassing, sad, uncomfortable, empathy, disbelief, and anger.

Biden was very hard to watch. My son watched with me and called Biden “‘cringeworthy .” I would like alternative candidates on both, but definitely rambling Joe.

Michael, as soon as you are able to ditch the casino sponsor, you really need to.

Please don't gloat too much with how well your guy did last night. CNN provided Trump with an opportunity to lie without being fact-checked and once he got going and knew he it was just another campaign rally. Biden had to bring his A game and he didn't regardless of having a cold.

Sorry Joe time to retire a vote for Joe Biden would be a vote for Kamala Harris to be president

Poor Republicans got exactly what they hoped for. Enter new Democrat candidate, stage left.

Too late to change candidates, states have election laws.

Biden should have challenged Trump to a bike ride....

Michael, I remember when you went out on a limb and interviewed RFK Jr. What happened did someone get to you along with the rest of the mainstream media. RFK Jr’s debate last night was amazing and not a peep about it. You are pushing so many Americans to give up on our political process, maybe that’s the plan.

Watching last night’s debate was the happiest moment of my life. 😄😄😄

Bill Tench or Holden Ford?

Trust me bro: No need for a primary. He is sharp as a tack and we have a hard time keeping up with him.

Why does not anyone ever bring up Andy Beshear, the successful two term governor of Kentucky, when they mention a possible replacement for President Biden? Is it because he’s from the south? Keep in mind that the south use to be the backbone of the Democratic Party and I’m not just talking about during the 60’s and 70’s. The Democratic Party was strong in the south during the mid to late 90’s, Bill Clinton the former Governor or Arkansas and Al Gore, the US Senator from Tennessee.

I have never witnessed a panic such as these left leaning mainstream media and a major political party like the Democrats. 😂😂😂

DJT is back.