Over two million people tuned in to see if an 81-year-old man would fall on his face at Thursday night’s press conference. Instead, they received a deep-dive lecture on foreign policy. That’s more than the TV audience for the Oscars. Now, Democrats are finally pushing back against Trump’s fascist blueprint, Project 2025, with their own 100-day plan for 2025, most of which can only be passed if Democrats win control of both chambers of Congress. Still, Biden voicing these solutions while the world scrutinizes his every step and gaffe promotes a culture of change we desperately need to rebuild our democracy. Much of Biden’s plan can also be implemented on the state level, where Democrats have increasingly expanded their power, thanks to grassroots efforts.

These next four weeks, as we head into the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, will be the last window of opportunity to replace Biden. Expect a continued bloodbath in the press as centrist Democrats, allegedly paid off by megadonors, continue their sabotage of Biden’s campaign and pro-labor agenda to rebuild the middle class. As Minnesota House candidate Will Stencil wrote on Twitter: “What makes this so depressing is that if you stop doing theater criticism on the strength of his voice or whatever, this is a clip of a US president strongly defending a working-class economic boom he successfully fought to create. And no one wants to hear that or seems to care.” Meanwhile, leading Black women voices, like Nikole Hannah-Jones, creator of the 1619 Project, and Stacey Abrams, continue to push back. Jones wrote on Twitter: “This is what I am hearing from so many Black Americans and especially Black women who feel 1) that their vote, decision, and concerns are being undermined by non-Black people in the Democratic Party, 2) that too many people reporting and commenting do not seem to understand the stakes, and 3) that perhaps the polling is reflecting a Democratic Party that is attacking its own candidate rather than the opposing one.” Several new polls show Biden ahead of Trump, and reports say that his press conference reassured jittery megadonors. Was the Biden panic ultimately good for Biden?

Terrell Starr of the essential Black Diplomats Podcast & Substack joins Gaslit Nation, days after returning home from Ukraine, to help us make sense of this sh*tshow and where we go from here. Questions from Gaslit Nation listeners subscribed at the Democracy Defender level and higher are shared on the show, along with comments and questions in the chat of this special live-taping. Stay tuned for more live-taping announcements soon! And see everyone at Gaslit Nation’s phonebank with Indivisible this Thursday, July 18th at 7 PM, hot off the heels of the MAGA cult rally in Wisconsin! RSVP here to join us: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/628701/

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Show Notes:

The Cult Age: Interview with Cult Expert Dr. Janja Lalich https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/4/13/cults-dr-janja-lalich

Sahil Kapur, Senior National Political Reporter, for NBC News: “In Detroit, Biden pitches his 100-day plan for 2025: Restore Roe v. Wade. Pass the John Lewis voting rights bill and Freedom To Vote Act. Eliminate medical debt. Raise minimum wage. Pass the PRO Act. Ban assault weapons. "Keep leading the world" on climate change & clean energy.” https://x.com/sahilkapur/status/1811912368944799946

Will Stancil on Twitter: “What makes this so depressing is that if you stop doing theater criticism on the strength of his voice or whatever, this is a clip of a US president strongly defending a working-class economic boom he successfully fought to create. And no one wants to hear that or seems to care.” https://x.com/whstancil/status/1811552005678072008

Nikole Hannah-Jones on Twitter: “This is what I am hearing from so many Black Americans and especially Black women who feel 1) That their vote, decision and concerns are being undermined by non-Black people in the Democratic Party 2) That too many people reporting and commenting do not seem to understand the stakes. 3) That perhaps the polling is reflecting a Democratic Party that is attacking its own candidate rather than the opposing one.” https://x.com/nhannahjones/status/1811737786099335524

Jake Sherman of Punch Bowl News: “NEW -- A source tells me a group of NY donors have committed $2M to HMP, the House Dem super PAC, to help the Dems who came out early against/criticizing Biden -- Angie Craig, Marie Glusenkamp Perez, Jared Golden and Pat Ryan Donors include @novogratz , Nancy and Andrew Jarecki, Gideon and Zoe Stein and 30+ other donors.” https://x.com/JakeSherman/status/1811484709953683770