We've never backed a Democrat for president. But Trump must be defeated.

[brooklynite]

Washington Post

George T. Conway III
Reed Galen
Steve Schmidt
John Weaver
Rick Wilson

This November, Americans will cast their most consequential votes since Abraham Lincoln’s reelection in 1864. We confront a constellation of crises: a public health emergency not seen in a century, an economic collapse set to rival the Great Depression, and a world where American leadership is absent and dangers rise in the vacuum.

Today, the United States is beset with a president who was unprepared for the burden of the presidency and who has made plain his deficits in leadership, management, intelligence and morality.

When we founded the Lincoln Project, we did so with a clear mission: to defeat President Trump in November. Publicly supporting a Democratic nominee for president is a first for all of us. We are in extraordinary times, and we have chosen to put country over party — and former vice president Joe Biden is the candidate who we believe will do the same.

Biden is now the presumptive Democratic nominee and he has our support. Biden has the experience, the attributes and the character to defeat Trump this fall. Unlike Trump, for whom the presidency is just one more opportunity to perfect his narcissism and self-aggrandizement, Biden sees public service as an opportunity to do right by the American people and a privilege to do so.

[MyOwnPeace]

1. We'll take EVERY vote we can get!

Go, Joe!

[llmart]

4. +1

Exactly what I was going to post.

We'll take any vote we can get and then some. I don't want Biden to just win. I want him to beat the Dump from here to eternity.

[highplainsdem]

2. I'm unfamiliar with Galen, but the other four authors are among my favorite NeverTrumpers.

I'm glad they're on our side, and I think they'll help sway a lot of Republicans to vote for Biden.

[Qutzupalotl]

3. Biden will not need on-the-job training.

No, indeed.

[c_junk]

20. True indeed...

Have to note though that one of the many differences between Biden and tRump, is that Biden will learn new things when he has too. tRump's inner demons occupy him so thoroughly he can't.

[cstanleytech]

26. He also will not need a nanny to watch out for him nor will he likely be facing any prison time

unlike Trump.

[IronLionZion]

5. This group has some brutal ads attacking Trump

so it's good to have them on our side

[Ilsa]

38. Rick Wilson knows how to throw down

with the best of them. I'm glad he's on our side these days.

[lunasun]

6. Even these republicans know he is total wack

[octoberlib]

7. They're not only running ads against Trump,

they’re also going after RepublicanCongresspeople and Senators who are up for re-election. They’ve run ads against a bunch of Senators like Tillis(NC) and McSally(AZ).

[klook]

55. I'm glad to hear that.

I’ve been concerned that the Never-Trumpers mainly want Trump out so they can save the Rethug party for Jeb or Mitt or some other faux moderate at a later date.

So if they’re willing to get elbows-deep in this election to turn the Senate blue and help hold the House, that’s encouraging indeed.

I’ve been reading Rick Wilson’s book Everything Trump Touches Dies, and it’s clear that he is a fighter who’ll go all the way to the mat for his candidate. Good guy to have on our side in this all-important election.

[Stuart G]

8. Every single time the word "Biden" is mentioned, most will remember..." Trump is a "crook."

..Trump has already lost the 2020 election in my opinion. Trump has lied too much....and everyone knows it. Did Trump try to get "dirt" on Biden's son? And then lie about it???


....Trump will lose all 50 states to Joe Biden.. Trump the liar..vs Joe Biden "leader"

[Lock him up.]

14. And "wattabout" jar-jar-vanKKKa... (BTW)

They can't use that (or if they try... hit them back with bigger ads)

(BTW) where's the ghoul? In jail yet?

[liberalla]

24. The LIAR vs. the LEADER !

I like it! Right now on regular nbc tv, drump is giving all this info and I'm thinking to myself, don't even listen cuz nothin' is true!

[dhill926]

9. these guys might also want to jump on the...

anti-republican bandwagon as well. The orange asshole has been enabled every step of the way by McConnell and the rest of them...

[handmade34]

35. they are on it...

[dhill926]

37. excellent...

[Buns_of_Fire]

10. I wonder what George and KellyAnne talk about over dinner. nt

[Sloumeau]

17. They probably talk about the same things James Carville...

and Mary Matalin talk about.

[Codeine]

44. They're rich grifters.

This is all just play-acting.

[DFW]

11. Didn't Schmidt endorse Hillary in 2016?

Or did he just sit that one out?

[former9thward]

21. He was acting as a commentator so he did not formally back anyone.

Republican strategist Steve Schmidt said early Wednesday that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton could win more than 400 Electoral College votes on Nov. 8, adding that "the panic is beginning" among Republicans.

"I think she's trending over 400," Schmidt said during an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

Schmidt also predicted that Democrats will take control of the Senate and are close to taking the House of Representatives.

https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/301746-republican-strategist-clinton-could-top-400-electoral

ALEX WITT, MSNBC: So giving your vast experience, advising Republican campaigns, were you to be advising Donald Trump, what would you say? You've got to do this, this weekend. Is there anything?

STEVE SCHMIDT: Well, look. I think when you look at this -- when you look at where the race is right now, Hillary Clinton will be elected the 45th president of the United States. And so now it's time, particularly because of the rhetoric from Donald Trump, about the rigged election, about his assaults on the process by which we choose the leaders.

I think they need to spend some serious time preparing a concession speech. And being focused on initiating in a dignified manner the peaceful transition of power which takes place on January 20th. The process commences when the losing candidate picks up the phone, calls the winning candidate. The first person who addresses Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night is Madam President-Elect that matters is Donald Trump. And he's indicated that he has no intention of conceding this election in a normal manner. And it's very dangerous for American democracy.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/11/05/steve_schmidt_time_for_trump_campaign_to_prepare_a_dignified_concession_speech.html

[DFW]

23. Got it

Too bad he wasn't better at predicting things!

[sdfernando]

58. Was this before or after

Comey laid his stink-bomb?

[crickets]

12. Well. Alrighty then.

It's getting kinda real for trumpy now, isn't it?

Hee.

[qwlauren35]

13. Chicken Little here.

I don't know how Trump will try to steal the election, but I know he's going to try.

My biggest fear is "National Emergency, election indefinitely postponed".

My second biggest fear is election tampering.

Only if his approval ratings drop to 30% will I have hope that we "cannot lose".

[Lock him up.]

16. National Emergency will not work...

The House can "treathen" to cut funding in retaliation and he won't go there (coward).

Election tampering: They tried that in 2018. Didn't work out well enough: Turnout too big.

[Beartracks]

32. Treathen?

============

[bucolic_frolic]

15. Partisans surrendering their partisanship, country over party

Where were you guys in past presidential elections? Party over country. Definition of a Republican.

[FakeNoose]

18. Make sure the Bernie-Bros see this

They did us a lot of damage in 2016. We can't let it happen again.

If the disaffected GOP voters cannot bring themselves to pull the lever for a Democrat, we can only hope that they decide to stay home and not vote at all. PLEASE!

[Cha]

19. KR!

[Ellen Forradalom]

22. Welcome to the BIG TENT, Lincoln Project

Everyone from Noam Chomsky to Joe Walsh says TRUMP OUT.

[Fritz Walter]

25. Talk's cheap!

What we really need now is the financial backing needed to overwhelm the PACs and other dark money that is piling up to support Covid Donnie and his blind supporters in the House and especially the Senate.

The election returns must be in such overwhelming numbers that his/their complaints about voter fraud are laughed off the planet, once and for all.
In the meantime, let us stay focused. Eyes on the prize.

[Chemisse]

27. Talk helps. Public statements like this give other Republicans "permission" to cross over.

The more respected Republicans who say this, the more Trump's GOP support will crumble.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

29. Please clue in. They have raised funds to produce & broadcast HARD HITTING ADS. Great ads. . . . nt

[MFGsunny]

31. This! n/t

[Upthevibe]

39. You're absolutely right.....They are paying for ads against him

and they are throwing their support behind the challengers of McConnell, Graham, etc.....

[jimlup]

28. What took them so long?

just say'n

[Bernardo de La Paz]

30. Just say'n you should check your facts before posting

They waited to endorse Biden until the big Democratic endorsements (Sanders, Warren) came in, which is fair. Now that has happened they are explicitly endorsing Biden, since he is the presumptive Democratic nominee. Sounds like you wanted them to interfere in the Democratic primary by endorsing one candidate or another before Democrats settled it among themselves. I do not agree with that desire.

But they have always opposed tRump.

They formally organized the PAC mid-December 2019. They formed it to specifically de-elect tRump. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2019/12/17/anti-trump-lincoln-project-super-pac/2672990001/

In the op-ed, they announced the founding of the Lincoln Project, a super PAC that "will be dedicated to defeating President Trump and Trumpism at the ballot box

The participants are never-Trumpers who have been opposing him in 2016 since before the election and resisting him ever since he was elected.

[jimlup]

33. Definitely not trying to antagonize but ...

"Never Trumpers", while correct are still quite late to the game. Just think, they backed the Bush II presidency. That they backed that and the Republican congressional crap that we've endured pretty much my whole life means that yes, "Never Trumpers", even if they came across in 2016, are late to the game.

[JI7]

42. They aren't claiming to be Democrats or liberals . Why do you have a problem with Republicans not

wanting to support Trump and being some of the best when it comes to going after him ?

[jimlup]

46. I don't

I just said it is pretty late to the party.

Why do you have such a problem with me not liking or respecting Republicans?

[JI7]

47. I have a problem with anyone who has a problem with those who want to rid of Trump

[jimlup]

49. Well then you have a problem with me

because the enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend.

Trump is indeed my enemy and I'm willing to make temporary alliances to get rid of his monstrosity.

But this brings up a more general question in my own mind as I think about the ramifications of this. It seems to me that many on this site have MORE TROUBLE WITH THE LEFT WING OF OUR OWN PARTY than with the "Never Trumper" faction. This worries me.

Anyway, never mind. I can see that my open discussion style doesn't really work well with some here. So whatever, I really just want to have some friends that share some common values but I'm not worried about a causal comment that I don't like Never Trumpers because well, honestly, I don't.

Unless we can now agree to disagree I will have no choice but to block you. I'm hoping I don't have to do that.

[JI7]

50. the so called left wing that people have a problem with are those who

assist republicans in staying in office by mostly attacking Democrats .

They hide behind label of claiming to be left wing but they are mostly similar to most thing wingers.

[jimlup]

53. I consider myself as a member of the left wing of our party

and I disagree completely. You paint the left with too wide a brush.

Bye forever!

[Beartracks]

34. Yes to defeating Trump "and Trumpism."

Trumpism's gotta be purged. The cult-like devotion and/or cowering fear exhibited by so many Republicans is anathema to democracy. (Well, that AND a whole lot of typical Republican policies and priorities, but ya gotta start somewhere.)

========

[JI7]

41. They didn't take long. They have always opposed Trump

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

36. IVE been telling the conservatives I know - you dont have to stop being a

conservative to believe in the checks and balances of a 2 party system and to vote for a Dem once in a while for pragmatic reasons.

We can return to our regularly scheduled programming later.

[Upthevibe]

40. Thank you for this post...

I've seen that they're being very pro-active to get this lunatic out....

[Demovictory9]

43. k&r

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

45. As previously mentioned by wiser ones...

Politics makes strange bedfellows.

[usaf-vet]

48. COUNTRY FIRST! Every American needs to believe this and follow this in November 2020

Maybe someday the Country will recover enough so that every American can vote for their candidate.

BUT NOT NOW, It needs to be COUNTRY FIRST!!

[Javaman]

51. I'll assume that's the pejorative "we" and him and his crone like wife. nt

[eleny]

52. Still waiting their apologies for laying the foundation of the current iteration of their R Party

[calimary]

54. Excellent read. Don't trust their "awakening" longterm but we'll take 'em for now.

Whatever gets the White House and Senate back for Democrats is fine with me! WHATEVER gets trump out of power is fine with me.

[Joinfortmill]

56. Congratulations! Maybe you'll look at Dems differently going forward.

[cheezmaka]

57. They know for themselves that "Joe" is the man for the job...

Everything is falling apart right now and the republicans are letting it happen. He is the "real" deal maker that can help bring this Nation back together....not Don the Con!

[BobTheSubgenius]

59. I read what the writer(s) said about Biden,

and I had to swallow hard. I don't know what their back story is, but, at least in this instance, it's country ahead of party by miles.