Biden refuses to explain why he dropped out (07-25-2024--Hour3)

[00:00:04] What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon to 3 on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, go to thepetekalendershow.com. Make sure you hit the subscribe button, get every episode for free, right to your smartphone or tablet. And again, thank you so much for your support.

[00:00:28] I am unsatisfied. I am not satisfied with the speech that President Joe Biden delivered last night. First off, for the love of me, somebody give that man a bottle of water, right? Look, I know it kind of ruined Marco Rubio, but Joe's done. It doesn't matter. Give the guy a cup of water.

[00:00:54] It was uncomfortable. It was just uncomfortable. With the swallowing and the kinds of sounds coming out of his mouth, I didn't want to hear it. But I'm going to hear it again. Because I have the audio of the address last night. He did not answer the question. I like, I think it was Ed Morrissey. Yes, Ed Morrissey at HotAir.com.

[00:01:20] He described it as a valedictory speech, like a valedictorian, I guess, you know, but like a valedictory speech, like you're up there like, here are all the things I've done.

[00:01:32] Like he was so great for America. He did so many things. He's such an awesome president. That's why he's passing the torch. It doesn't make any sense.

[00:01:41] It doesn't make any sense. This speech. It does kind of, but not what, all right. Well, it makes sense if you know what's really going on, which is that he can't say why he's stepping aside for multiple reasons.

[00:01:56] He cannot say he's stepping aside because his own party pushed him out and threatened him with removal under the 25th Amendment for cognitive impairment.

[00:02:06] All right. He can't say that. And then they can't say that the reason why they're trying to push him out or did push him out was because of his cognitive impairment.

[00:02:17] Because if that's the case, then he needs to leave now. Right. All right. So here's the president's speech.

[00:02:23] My fellow Americans, I'm speaking tonight. Wait, are you really, though? Like that's.

[00:02:29] Hey, I think I'm sorry, I'm not going to. OK, I might do this. I might stop it pretty frequently as he says stuff that angers me.

[00:02:38] Look, this is the equivalent of me yelling at my television set. OK.

[00:02:42] And I don't watch really TV. I watch this stuff on computer screens.

[00:02:47] So I just scream at computer screens and into this microphone.

[00:02:49] But I kind of get the sense I'm channeling you. So it's all OK. Right. OK.

[00:02:54] I'm behind the resolute desk in the Oval Office.

[00:02:57] In this sacred space, I'm surrounded by portraits of extraordinary American presidents.

[00:03:03] Thomas Jefferson wrote the immortal words that guide this nation.

[00:03:07] George Washington showed us presidents are not kings.

[00:03:12] Abraham Lincoln, who implored us to reject malice.

[00:03:17] Franklin Roosevelt, who inspired us to reject fear.

[00:03:22] I revere this office.

[00:03:24] OK. All right.

[00:03:26] Can you hear the background noise?

[00:03:29] Can you hear the heavy air?

[00:03:32] I've talked about this before.

[00:03:34] This is an audio thing.

[00:03:36] You can hear this if you're in the radio biz.

[00:03:38] I don't know if you can hear it over the AM compression that happens, you know, between here and the radio.

[00:03:45] But when you watch this stuff, you can hear it.

[00:03:48] They have his microphone jacked up so high.

[00:03:52] That it's picking up room noise.

[00:03:56] Just the room like you don't hear when I stop talking, you don't hear the room noise in this room.

[00:04:01] Right. We've got padding.

[00:04:02] We've got all sorts of sound muffling stuff going on in here.

[00:04:06] But you don't hear it because I don't need my mic jacked up to 12 out of 10.

[00:04:12] You know, like a spinal tap-esque 11.

[00:04:15] I don't need that.

[00:04:17] He does.

[00:04:18] He's got a little mic on his lapel.

[00:04:20] What's called the lavalier mic.

[00:04:22] He's got that.

[00:04:22] And then usually they'll have a mic sort of overhead.

[00:04:26] But he speaks so softly that they have to turn the mics up on the board side.

[00:04:34] So all the mics feed into a board.

[00:04:37] You control all of the mics so you can turn them up, turn them down.

[00:04:40] So they're controlling the volume on that board before they send the audio down the line to be broadcasted.

[00:04:48] So that's where they're jacking up the audio.

[00:04:51] Otherwise, you wouldn't hear the room noise because they have no other choice.

[00:04:54] This is not a slight on the production crew.

[00:04:57] They have no other choice.

[00:04:58] But the reason why this is important is because it is one of the symptoms of Parkinson's.

[00:05:05] That was identified by that doctor on NBC News.

[00:05:08] Hypophonia.

[00:05:10] Hypophonia.

[00:05:11] The weak and low volume of speech.

[00:05:16] And that's why you hear the room noise behind Biden as he speaks.

[00:05:21] OK.

[00:05:22] I love my country more.

[00:05:23] It's been the honor of my life to serve as your president.

[00:05:28] But in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think is more important than any title.

[00:05:34] I draw strength and I find joy in working for the American people.

[00:05:39] But this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me.

[00:05:45] It's about you, your families, your futures.

[00:05:49] It's about we, the people.

[00:05:52] Which is why you're not going to get to vote for any of these people in a Democrat primary.

[00:05:56] OK, you're going to take her because you couldn't have me because I got forced out.

[00:06:00] Right.

[00:06:00] There you go.

[00:06:01] It's about you, really, if you think about it.

[00:06:09] I've made it clear that I believe America is at an inflection point.

[00:06:13] One of those rare moments in history when the decisions we make now determine our fate

[00:06:19] of our nation and the world for decades to come.

[00:06:23] America's going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and

[00:06:30] hate, between unity and division.

[00:06:33] OK, I got to play this clip.

[00:06:36] It's at 134.

[00:06:37] OK, I got to play this clip because this is this really does sum up this campaign and this

[00:06:42] this whole narrative, really.

[00:06:44] This is from the documentary called The Simpsons.

[00:06:47] But tonight I say we must move forward, not backward, upward, not forward.

[00:06:53] And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.

[00:07:02] There it is.

[00:07:03] That's the whole campaign.

[00:07:05] For real.

[00:07:07] And apparently it's going to lead us like to be governed by some aliens, like literally

[00:07:12] outer space aliens, if the documentary is correct.

[00:07:15] But that's what it seems like.

[00:07:19] Tell me how this tell me how this language is different.

[00:07:21] Like The Simpsons totally called this.

[00:07:24] This is you're literally hearing these types of slogans being used right now.

[00:07:29] But tonight I say we must move forward, not backward, upward, not forward.

[00:07:36] And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.

[00:07:45] Now that's a campaign I can get behind, you know.

[00:07:50] Upward, not forward, forward, not backward and twirling towards freedom.

[00:07:54] Who could who could object to any of that?

[00:07:56] Come on now, people.

[00:07:58] All right.

[00:07:58] I'm going to have to re-rack the Biden thing here.

[00:08:00] Let's see.

[00:08:01] Let me mute that.

[00:08:03] Pull that up.

[00:08:04] We'll go here to we got to go to 134.

[00:08:07] And go.

[00:08:09] On those rare moments in history, when the decisions we make now determine our fate of our nation

[00:08:15] and the world for decades to come, America's going to have to choose between moving forward

[00:08:22] or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division.

[00:08:29] We have to decide, do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and

[00:08:36] democracy?

[00:08:38] In this moment, we can see those we disagree with, not as enemies, but as fellow Americans.

[00:08:45] Can we do that?

[00:08:47] Does character and public life still matter?

[00:08:50] Well, I don't know, Joe.

[00:08:51] Can I show you a video of a speech you gave in Philadelphia?

[00:08:56] It's kind of a red backdrop with some dark spots behind you.

[00:09:01] You put the military behind you.

[00:09:03] You got very, very angry.

[00:09:04] The whole dark Brandon meme thing started.

[00:09:07] Can I show that to you?

[00:09:10] Right.

[00:09:10] You called half of the country extremists.

[00:09:15] I don't know.

[00:09:16] Can we all be Americans again, Joe?

[00:09:17] I don't know.

[00:09:18] I would like that.

[00:09:19] I would very much like that.

[00:09:21] All right.

[00:09:21] Let me get Mickey on here.

[00:09:22] Hello, Mickey.

[00:09:23] Welcome to the program.

[00:09:24] Hello, Mickey.

[00:09:25] Hello, Brent.

[00:09:27] Love your program and WBG.

[00:09:29] Obviously.

[00:09:30] Yeah.

[00:09:31] You've been talking or running Biden's goodbye speech.

[00:09:36] I did.

[00:09:36] Yeah.

[00:09:38] If he cannot get on the speaking circuit and if his book won't sell, wonder what is about like when a coach leaves?

[00:09:52] Yeah.

[00:09:53] Is there like a golden parachute kind of a thing?

[00:09:55] I don't know.

[00:09:56] Well, I mean, Senator Bob Menendez, he's sticking around until like the last paycheck clears.

[00:10:02] Like literally, he's going to resign after his last paycheck comes in.

[00:10:07] So maybe there's something like that.

[00:10:09] I don't know.

[00:10:09] But Biden's going to stick around all the way through the end of the term.

[00:10:13] I know that.

[00:10:14] But he punted on the second term.

[00:10:20] Right.

[00:10:22] Look, I don't know.

[00:10:23] A week ago, he was insisting and his team was insisting he wasn't going anywhere.

[00:10:29] Correct.

[00:10:30] He was running.

[00:10:31] Correct.

[00:10:31] Anyway, that's all.

[00:10:32] No, you are correct.

[00:10:34] And Corringe Jean-Pierre was asked about that very thing.

[00:10:38] Was asked about that very thing.

[00:10:40] Hang on a second.

[00:10:41] Let me get the...

[00:10:41] Where is my...

[00:10:42] Oh, no.

[00:10:43] Where's my pencil?

[00:10:44] Oh, my gosh.

[00:10:46] All right.

[00:10:47] We have an emergency.

[00:10:49] There's a missing pencil.

[00:10:50] All right.

[00:10:50] No, it's okay.

[00:10:52] It's fine.

[00:10:53] I just want to make a note here.

[00:10:54] 1.55.

[00:10:55] All right.

[00:10:56] So we're going to go to this clip here.

[00:10:59] This is Corringe Jean-Pierre being asked about this very question.

[00:11:05] Let me see here.

[00:11:06] It is from Nancy Cordes at CBS News.

[00:11:10] You read the president's statement where he said that it's in the country's best interest

[00:11:14] for him to step aside.

[00:11:16] Why is it in the country's best interest for him to step aside?

[00:11:18] Does it have to do with his health or...

[00:11:20] It does not have to do...

[00:11:21] It does not have to do...

[00:11:21] It does not have to do...

[00:11:22] It does not have to do...

[00:11:22] It does not have to do with his health.

[00:11:23] Again, the president's going to speak to this directly to the American people tonight in prime time.

[00:11:28] I know many of you all will be watching it.

[00:11:30] There are specials going on tonight.

[00:11:32] He will...

[00:11:32] I promise you, he will speak to this directly to all of you tonight.

[00:11:37] But in his letter, he talked about the country.

[00:11:39] He talked about the party.

[00:11:40] He talked about the moment that we're in right now.

[00:11:43] It is not about his health.

[00:11:44] I can say no.

[00:11:46] That's not the reason.

[00:11:47] But hear him out tonight.

[00:11:50] It is not about his health.

[00:11:53] Okay.

[00:11:54] Second question from Nancy Cordes at CBS News.

[00:11:57] And the president denied for weeks, and you denied for weeks, that he was even thinking of stepping aside.

[00:12:04] What changed from all those days that he had that message to Sunday?

[00:12:08] So look, he's going to address this as well this evening.

[00:12:11] Let him speak for himself.

[00:12:13] But here's what I will say.

[00:12:15] And I think we gave a little bit of a TikTok to all of you.

[00:12:17] He met with a small group of advisors on Saturday evening and with his family and was thinking through how to move forward.

[00:12:33] Sunday afternoon, he made that decision.

[00:12:35] It was in a very short period of time, as you can imagine.

[00:12:38] And then at 1.45, he got on the phone with some of his assistants to the president, some advisors.

[00:12:47] He let them know.

[00:12:48] And then minutes later, a letter went out.

[00:12:51] So it was in a very short period of time that the president was able to think about this and make a decision.

[00:13:00] But I would say again, the president's going to address the American people.

[00:13:05] You will hear directly from him tonight.

[00:13:08] Didn't answer the question.

[00:13:10] The question was, what changed?

[00:13:12] Right?

[00:13:13] Just like Mickey asked.

[00:13:14] What changed?

[00:13:16] And she says he'll address this tonight.

[00:13:18] And then she walks through about how it was a very quick decision.

[00:13:21] A letter went out.

[00:13:22] And that was it.

[00:13:23] But he'll talk about it tonight.

[00:13:24] But there's no answer to that question.

[00:13:26] What changed?

[00:13:29] Whether or not, look, I have no doubt that assurances were made to Biden and his family.

[00:13:36] I don't know what those might have been.

[00:13:38] I could guess at some of them.

[00:13:40] But I have no idea.

[00:13:41] But I have.

[00:13:42] If I were a betting man, I would bet that assurances were given.

[00:13:48] On things.

[00:13:48] I also believe that it was poll driven and that there probably were threats made about having him removed via the 25th Amendment.

[00:14:02] Because if people started leaking that to the media inside the Democrat circles, inside the White House and the campaign circles, there's probably some validity to it.

[00:14:15] And you had the story.

[00:14:16] I went over this, I think, on Monday or Tuesday that members of the Biden family say that it was the Democrat Party officials that pushed for the early debate.

[00:14:25] So they needed it to be earlier.

[00:14:28] Remember when that was first agreed upon?

[00:14:31] And you had people wondering, why are they racing ahead?

[00:14:35] They've cut out the presidential debate commission.

[00:14:39] Remember that?

[00:14:39] And people were wondering, why did they go around the debate commission?

[00:14:43] Why did they cut this deal with CNN?

[00:14:47] The Biden campaign apparently did not want to do it.

[00:14:52] The Biden family didn't want to do it, but the Democrat Party forced them to.

[00:14:56] Why?

[00:14:56] So they had enough time to do this.

[00:14:59] Right?

[00:15:00] Obviously now.

[00:15:01] So they had enough time to do this.

[00:15:05] But Corinne Jean-Pierre said explicitly, this has nothing to do with his health.

[00:15:13] So then what does it have to do with?

[00:15:15] Well, we'll have to watch his speech.

[00:15:17] Well, I watched his speech.

[00:15:18] Guess what he did not talk about?

[00:15:21] Why he decided.

[00:15:24] They just walk right past the why and get to the what.

[00:15:28] Right?

[00:15:28] All they're saying is, I've decided not to run.

[00:15:31] Oh, why?

[00:15:32] I've decided not to run.

[00:15:34] For the good of the country and the party, I've decided not to run.

[00:15:37] But why?

[00:15:37] I've decided not to run.

[00:15:38] That's where we are.

[00:15:39] They're not going to answer the question.

[00:15:41] Because if they answer that question, he's got to resign now.

[00:15:44] That's it.

[00:15:46] Because he goes through a litany of all the things that he has done and he's so fantastic at doing and got all these things accomplished.

[00:15:53] Then why wouldn't you run for another term?

[00:15:55] Why is your polling so bad?

[00:15:57] Doesn't make sense.

[00:15:58] Is it because Americans just don't know how awesome you were?

[00:16:01] Or is there something else?

[00:16:03] It wasn't one bad night.

[00:16:05] That's the answer.

[00:16:07] Let me go over here and get Travis on.

[00:16:09] He's been waiting patiently.

[00:16:10] Hello, Travis.

[00:16:11] Welcome to the show.

[00:16:13] Oh, no.

[00:16:16] Travis, are you in a tunnel?

[00:16:19] No.

[00:16:20] Are you in a parking deck?

[00:16:23] No.

[00:16:24] Can you hear me better now?

[00:16:25] It's not very good.

[00:16:26] All right.

[00:16:27] It's not very good.

[00:16:27] Let me see if I can get up.

[00:16:28] Oh, no.

[00:16:29] You sound good there.

[00:16:29] Okay.

[00:16:30] Just stay right there.

[00:16:31] Don't move.

[00:16:32] Don't move.

[00:16:32] All right.

[00:16:33] You threw me into the middle of this.

[00:16:35] Now I've got to...

[00:16:36] You've got the pencil went missing.

[00:16:38] The pencil came back.

[00:16:39] I'm supposed to say something in the middle of all this chaos.

[00:16:41] I know.

[00:16:42] But it's back.

[00:16:42] It's okay.

[00:16:44] All right.

[00:16:45] Yeah.

[00:16:45] It's all right.

[00:16:46] Pencil returned.

[00:16:47] I was listening to you correctly identify that they forced him out.

[00:16:51] But now I've been several months.

[00:16:52] I'm trying to remember.

[00:16:53] Didn't the Democratic Party of North Carolina remove challengers from the primary ballot for Biden back when they were setting up a ballot several months ago?

[00:17:05] That can't possibly be the case because that would be completely against all democracy.

[00:17:11] Although I am seeing that that, in fact, is exactly what they did.

[00:17:14] Yes.

[00:17:15] Well, so in my mind, I'm looking at it.

[00:17:16] Okay.

[00:17:17] They forced him in.

[00:17:19] Then out of nowhere, he entered Connage's decline.

[00:17:23] No one saw it coming.

[00:17:24] So then they forced him out.

[00:17:26] And then they had to find a replacement, so they forced Harris in.

[00:17:30] And the only thing I would love for them to make Alexander Vindman her running mate, because then we could put a wonderful bow on this whole our democracy movement.

[00:17:41] Vindman, of course, being the guy who correctly identified that having a popularly elected president pursue a policy that was contradictory to an interagency committee of bureaucrats was a threat to democracy.

[00:17:56] Democracy.

[00:17:56] Democracy, yes.

[00:17:57] Right.

[00:17:58] Well, the problem with picking Vindman would be you would have to assume every time you talk to the guy he's going to be recording your conversation.

[00:18:05] And you really can't.

[00:18:06] I mean, that does not foster trust, you know?

[00:18:09] Especially not with what happened with Biden.

[00:18:11] That's right.

[00:18:12] All right, Travis.

[00:18:13] I appreciate the call, man.

[00:18:14] Thanks for finding the proper spot to stand in there.

[00:18:18] Travis is correct.

[00:18:19] The North Carolina Democrats eliminated all other Democrat candidates from the primary ballot.

[00:18:26] They did not want there to be a challenger to Joe.

[00:18:30] The board voted unanimously back in December of 2023 and then again in February of this year to decline to add any additional Democrat candidates.

[00:18:40] Because he's the sitting president, leader of the party, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

[00:18:45] But then the Democrat Party officials forced him into a debate way before the convention.

[00:18:52] And then they forced him out.

[00:18:54] Now they're cramming Camila down on us.

[00:18:59] Hmm.

[00:19:01] I mean, that is what democracy is about, I guess.

[00:19:05] They're the experts.

[00:19:08] Sarah Bedford, investigations editor at the D.C. Examiner, said Democrats don't seem to have a more compelling answer for why they forced Joe Biden off.

[00:19:18] Except we were going to lose.

[00:19:21] That's the most compelling argument that anybody has asserted at this point.

[00:19:25] And it makes Biden's whole democracy defense argument a lot harder to graft onto a handpicked candidate who didn't win a single primary vote.

[00:19:37] Not one.

[00:19:40] Matt Taibbi, journalist, says the party has the right to choose its candidate.

[00:19:46] Absolutely.

[00:19:46] But unelected Democrats aren't just pushing Biden out of the race.

[00:19:51] They're keeping him in office despite obvious incapacity so they can run the White House through him without answering to the public.

[00:20:00] How is that not a coup?

[00:20:03] Good question, Matt Taibbi.

[00:20:05] Good question.

[00:20:08] Steve Krakauer, the author of Uncovered.

[00:20:10] He's the executive producer of The Megyn Kelly Show.

[00:20:13] He's also the editor and host of Fourth Watch Media.

[00:20:16] He's a contributor at News Nation and The Hill.

[00:20:19] He says, to save democracy, we must let Nancy Pelosi, George Clooney and the guy that invented LinkedIn pick the Democrat nominee.

[00:20:27] Obviously.

[00:20:32] Let's see here.

[00:20:33] Who else we got?

[00:20:33] Oh, Ari Fleischer, former press secretary for George W. Bush.

[00:20:38] He summed up Joe Biden's speech last night thusly.

[00:20:43] Quote,

[00:20:46] I was going to lose, so I quit.

[00:20:48] I hope Kamala can do better than me.

[00:20:52] He's really not explaining why he dropped out.

[00:20:54] He's just taking credit for everything.

[00:20:55] And that is what Joe Biden did.

[00:20:58] He sat there and took credit for all of these fantastic things.

[00:21:02] I'm not kidding.

[00:21:04] No joke.

[00:21:05] No joke.

[00:21:06] No joke.

[00:21:07] I believe you know the answer to these questions.

[00:21:10] Yeah.

[00:21:11] Because I know you, the American people.

[00:21:13] And I know this.

[00:21:15] We are a great nation because we are good people.

[00:21:20] When you elect me to this office, I promise to always level with you, to tell you the truth.

[00:21:28] And the truth is the sacred cause of this country is larger than any one of us.

[00:21:34] Okay.

[00:21:35] And those of us who cherish that cause cherish it so much.

[00:21:39] Oh, cherish.

[00:21:39] The cause of American democracy itself.

[00:21:41] What?

[00:21:42] Must unite to protect it.

[00:21:44] Okay.

[00:21:45] You know, in recent weeks...

[00:21:46] Hey, let's go back to that truth part.

[00:21:48] Hang on.

[00:21:48] I need to unite my party in this critical endeavor.

[00:21:52] Okay.

[00:21:52] I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future,

[00:22:01] all merited a second term.

[00:22:03] But nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy.

[00:22:09] That includes personal ambition.

[00:22:11] All right.

[00:22:12] So wait a minute.

[00:22:13] Let me get this straight now.

[00:22:13] Okay.

[00:22:14] You say you got to unite your party because of democracy.

[00:22:17] Jose.

[00:22:18] So you have to unite your party.

[00:22:20] But you believe that everything you did, all your accomplishments, warranted a second term.

[00:22:26] You earned a second term because of all of the awesomeness of your first term.

[00:22:31] But you have to unite your party.

[00:22:33] Why does your party...

[00:22:34] Wait a minute.

[00:22:35] Are you saying that your party wants America to fail?

[00:22:40] You did all of these things that were so great to make America awesome again, let's say.

[00:22:49] You did all these great things, but your party is divided over them.

[00:22:52] So are you saying that there's a larger portion of your party that doesn't want great things for America and they forced you out over it?

[00:23:00] Why are they opposed to you?

[00:23:02] Why?

[00:23:03] Why?

[00:23:03] I keep coming back to this question because nobody is asking him and he's not offering it.

[00:23:09] From Congressman Dan Bishop.

[00:23:11] LOL.

[00:23:12] CC.

[00:23:13] Pete Callender.

[00:23:15] Politico.

[00:23:15] Actual headline.

[00:23:18] Why isn't it loading now?

[00:23:20] There we go.

[00:23:22] Republicans pounce after Netanyahu protesters burn U.S. flags.

[00:23:31] Republicans pounce after protesters burn U.S. flags and wave Hamas ones instead.

[00:23:40] Yes.

[00:23:40] So, again, good time to revisit rule number two of Pete's journalism-ing rules.

[00:23:46] Rule number two, right?

[00:23:48] When the scandal involves a Republican, then the story is that there were...

[00:23:52] The scandal, right?

[00:23:53] When the scandal involves a Democrat, then the story is the Republican reaction to the scandal.

[00:23:58] And that's what this is.

[00:23:59] That's the whole pouncing and seizing part.

[00:24:02] Only Republicans pounce or seize.

[00:24:04] Democrats do not pounce or seize.

[00:24:06] Ever.

[00:24:07] It's only Republicans.

[00:24:10] And this is the way that you frame the reaction, that the Republicans are seizing on a scandal.

[00:24:15] Let's not talk about the scandal.

[00:24:17] And that's what we see with the Biden stuff, too.

[00:24:20] Right?

[00:24:21] Biden does a speech.

[00:24:21] And here's the closest he gets last night.

[00:24:24] The closest he gets to explaining anything that happened over the last three weeks.

[00:24:32] Quote.

[00:24:36] I will translate.

[00:24:38] In recent weeks, it's become clear to me that I needed to unite my party in this critical endeavor.

[00:24:43] I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America's future all merited a second term.

[00:24:49] But nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy.

[00:24:54] That includes personal ambition.

[00:24:57] And we all know Joe's got that in spades.

[00:25:00] Philip Klein at National Review said that doesn't actually explain the underlying reasons.

[00:25:05] His words leave the American people to fill in the blanks as to why he needed to drop out to unify his party and why the cause of saving democracy required his exit from the race.

[00:25:18] The obvious reason is that were he to do so, he would have to explain that his rapid mental decline left him unable to campaign for re-election.

[00:25:29] And that would raise further questions about why he doesn't resign from the presidency.

[00:25:36] Instead, he just didn't elaborate.

[00:25:39] Because he knows that the media that helped Democrats push him out of the way, they'll stop reporting on his infirmity.

[00:25:48] Right?

[00:25:49] They're not going to cover any more.

[00:25:51] They're done.

[00:25:51] They don't need to do any more stories because mission accomplished, Operation Ripcord, a success.

[00:25:59] Right?

[00:26:00] That's what I've been calling it.

[00:26:01] I don't know if that's the actual code name for the project, for the op.

[00:26:05] But I've been calling it Operation Ripcord.

[00:26:08] Pull the ripcord.

[00:26:10] Right?

[00:26:11] Gotta go.

[00:26:12] Bail.

[00:26:13] We're out.

[00:26:14] Leave the Joe Biden.

[00:26:19] That's not the USS.

[00:26:21] Those are ships.

[00:26:23] What are planes?

[00:26:24] Is there a name for the planes?

[00:26:26] It doesn't matter.

[00:26:27] We're going to, you know, let Joe Biden, the 740 Joe, let that go.

[00:26:31] And let him keep piloting that thing.

[00:26:33] But we're out.

[00:26:35] We're jumping out.

[00:26:38] And he knows that a, an allied media will allow him to just ride off into the sun or fly off into the sunset.

[00:26:47] Or so it would look.

[00:26:48] But the plane is actually going into the water.

[00:26:51] It's not, it doesn't just look like it's going to go into the water.

[00:26:53] It's probably going to go into the water there at some point.

[00:26:56] Joe Biden delivered what turned out to be a valedictory speech from the Oval Office.

[00:27:00] The speech lasted a little bit over 10 minutes.

[00:27:02] Ed Morrissey says it was perhaps his best public appearance in several weeks.

[00:27:06] The speech hit all the right notes, at least in terms of tone, even if it never actually explained how Biden went from insisting he would remain in the race as recently as a week ago to deciding to pass the torch to the next generation.

[00:27:19] Nor did we get any explanation of why Biden now thinks he shouldn't run again.

[00:27:25] Nor why he reached that decision after he ran in 50 primaries while his party excluded any serious challenge to his candidacy.

[00:27:36] Right?

[00:27:36] There was no explanation of a bizarre sequence of events that brought us to this stage.

[00:27:44] It settled nothing last night.

[00:27:46] All right, that'll do it for this episode.

[00:27:49] Thank you so much for listening.

[00:27:50] I could not do the show without your support and the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast.

[00:27:55] So if you'd like, please support them too and tell them you heard it here.

[00:27:58] You can also become a patron at my Patreon page or go to thepetecalendorshow.com.

[00:28:04] Again, thank you so much for listening and don't break anything while I'm gone.