Joe Biden is unlikely to step aside from the US Presidential Election.
There are calls for him to stand down after he stumbled answering questions and didn't finish sentences in the debate with Donald Trump.
Many were calling it Biden's chance to prove his physical and mental fitness for another Presidential term.
Canterbury University Political Science and International Relations professor Alex Tan says it would be messy for a new presidential candidate to step in.
"There are others that could, but I'm not sure any of them would want to go into a situation like that."
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
You're listening to the Weekend collective podcast from News Talks'd
be well.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The United States, you could say, has hit a new
low as Joe Biden and Donald Trump had their first
presidential debate and on Fridays described as a two geriatrics
squaring off the rest of the world, and fifty one
million viewers tuned in and watched with our jaws hitting
the floor a little bit. Anyway, democracies, once shining city
on the Hills, hit a new low. Throughout the night.
(00:31):
They reached for ridiculous claims and insults, even arguing about
their golf handicap. I think at one stage, anyway, it
was recorded that Trump made more than thirty false claims
during the debate, but that got lost a little bit
because people just looked at Joe and thought he didn't
put on his best show, did he? And it got
a lot of people asking who should he be replaced
before the election and to discuss more, I'm joined by
(00:54):
Professor of Political Science and International Actions at the University
of Canterbury. It's Alex tan Good.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Afternoon, Hello Tim. How are you. I'm all right.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I'm still recovering. You watched the US debate on Friday night,
What was your what were your initial and ongoing reactions.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
That these two candidates are too old, Yeah, and that
it's too bad that we didn't see the best of
any of them. To be honest, Biden was just not
there and softball answer softball questions were not really answered convincingly,
(01:35):
and it's very difficult to understand what he was saying
as well. I think he was, you know, very incoherent. Trump,
on the other hand, continue to spew his lives and
never readdress the questions that were being asked as well.
So so yeah, somebody said, it's just you know, essentially
the old man versus the con man.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
So yeah. So the reactions from how would you describe?
I mean, the Republicans probably delighted with it, I mentioned,
but no direction from the Democrats. Well, they'll be I
don't know what they'll be doing. Maybe a lot of
frenzied meetings just deciding whether they shouldn't or not.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, there's I've been hearing quite reading quite a lot
as well. For example, the New York Times have been
talking about Biden, you know, should probably just step aside.
And then these are very senior editors of New York times,
saying that you know, maybe his time is up, but
(02:36):
it's you know, it's it will be very messy if
you do that. First of all. Secondly, you also need
to have Biden agree that he needs to step off
from this. And you know Biden's mantras, even from the
first campaign in twenty twenty is you know, I'm sure
many of many of us have heard about this. He
(02:58):
always says that, you know, you know when you when
you're down. You know, the mark of a person is
when you get hit and you get hit down, is
how you stand back up. And that's always been him,
you know, that's all his ideas, So unlikely that he
I don't think he will step away from that position.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Well, well, on that theme, I watched on the news
last night. It showed him appear the next day at
a rally and he had plenty of vega. I couldn't. Yeah,
were you surprised because he he looked what I saw
looked impressive and I was like, where was that guy
used today?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Well, you know he was. There's claims that he was not.
He was. He was having a little bit of cold
or not feeling very well during the debate. But the
problem with that second day thing supposed to the first
day for the debate. Thing is that the debate was
being watched by fifty million people and the rally is
only being watched by a handful of people. So, you know,
(03:58):
and when you go to a rally like that, who
are you talking to? You're absolutely talking to the people
who are already in you or a camp, right and
the people who are watching. You know, there are many
millions and millions of people who are watching who are uncommitted,
And that's the one that you need to convince to
vote for you, because you know that that's go to
(04:19):
determined on who who becomes president.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
If there is a chance that Biden might step aside,
and who knows, it's still got a favorite of water
to flow on the little bridge. Who could it possibly be?
Speaker 3 (04:33):
There?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Is there a short list of names who could amount
a credible campaign? Or I mean, people keep on mentioning
Michelle Obama, you don't want to do it, but your
country needs you.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
No, I don't think Michelle Obama wants to do it.
I think she's been asked before about that as well.
I mean, it's very it's a very tough, tough position
to be helicoptered in or passion parachuted in in the
middle of a of a race like that. So you know,
there are some names popping up. Of course, obviously the
(05:06):
Vice President Kamala Harris, and then you can talk about
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is a likely candidate. There
are others that could, but I'm not sure any of
them would want to go in such a situation like that,
(05:28):
because you have to, we have to remind ourselves. You know,
these type of American presidential elections and elections in general
is an issue of fundraising. And you know, the money
that is committed to Joe doesn't necessarily move to the
next person that does. A big question mark.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Is that money still committed to Joe? Any any fund
deserving a say on that?
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Do you think, Well, we don't know yet. We don't
know yet. But the money that he has, he already has,
but whether future funding will be coming through with that performance,
it could be quite difficult for him to raise money
because if you're if you're, if you're you know, somebody
with billions of dollars there, you know, would you continue
(06:13):
to bet on a bet on someone who you think
might not actually have a chance to win anymore.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
What about saying interrol in this because there's been a
they've they've taken a lot of hate because Trump basically
stood up and just started lying and didn't stop till
he finished made more than thirty fast times. Do you
think the saying in should have had some sort of
screen fact checker rolling underneath.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Yeah, well, I mean that's the thing about this, this situation, right,
I don't, we don't. We certainly do not know whether
that was something negotiated between the two sides, right, because
this debate was not under the rulebrick of the debate
by the Debate Commission, Right, and we all we also
have to remember that this is quite a strange debate
(07:00):
because both of them have not been officially been nominated
by their party yet. The convention is still you know,
amongst uh you know this, it's coming up for the
Republicans and then followed by the followed by the Democrats.
So it's it's a weird situation. Right. So, so maybe
these two guys negotiated what happened in the agreement on
(07:22):
how the conduct of the debate would be number one,
But number two, the problem is also that we are
also seeing the situation where in the media seems to
be enabling you know, these things to happen, right, I mean,
you're giving Trump a stage wherein you know he's going
to do that. Yeah, right, so you know he's going
(07:43):
to do that. And in any of the questions asked
about January sixth, he just skirted it away. You know,
what's that thing about age two? You know, and and bliged.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Nancy Pelosi for turning down a just to deploy the
national God.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
That's right, that's right, that's right. It doesn't make sense.
And and yes, you would, we would have that, CNN
would have fact checked him, right, But then again, I
mean the question really there is is more like because
Biden's performance was not good, Yeah, the other guy who
(08:21):
the other guy who tells a lie but can tell
it quite coherently, kind of like feels like he's doing well.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Somebody I was chatting with a friend said to me
last night that he's chatting to people in the States
and he said that we in New Zealand and maybe
elsewhere outside of the States don't really understand what the
US voters priorities are. They don't really care about global
security all they care about is jobs, jobs, jobs.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Well, that's true, as they say, there's no votes in
foreign policy and foreign affairs. You know, everything in politics
is really quite local, and it's about jobs, it's about economy,
it's about the cost of living. It's the same like
what we have here, right, high interest rates of the
United States. Consumers are facing jobs that are really comparatively speaking,
(09:09):
you know, uh, not good quality jobs that you know,
the president and anyone is talking about job creation, job creation.
There's a lot of jobs created, but the quality of
those jobs are not necessarily as good as the ones
that are lost, so to speak.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, what do you think the reaction to being outside
of the States, and let's say specifically with like the
European Union and NIGHTI partners, So would would you You'd
love to say in the ticks that were flying between
you liv onderline.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
And yeah, I'm sure they're Yeah, they're all worried. They're
all very worried because the likelihood of Trump two is
is bigger now, right, and so you know, just think
of the situation in Ukraine. I mean, can you imagine
how Zelenski, the Ukrainian president is, you know, is feeling
(10:01):
right now after that performance of the debate, right right, so,
and then with Trump quite isolationist in his policy, you know,
certainly worried. It's certainly worried. It worries the Europeans for sure,
It worries NATO for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Yeah, for sure. Oh well, Hey, thanks so much for
your time, Alex. We'll look forward to Chatty some time.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Glory.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to News
Talks It'd be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend collective podcast from News Talks'd
be well.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
The United States, you could say, has hit a new
low as Joe Biden and Donald Trump had their first
presidential debate and on Fridays described as a two geriatrics
squaring off the rest of the world, and fifty one
million viewers tuned in and watched with our jaws hitting
the floor a little bit. Anyway, democracies, once shining city
on the Hills, hit a new low. Throughout the night.
(00:31):
They reached for ridiculous claims and insults, even arguing about
their golf handicap. I think at one stage, anyway, it
was recorded that Trump made more than thirty false claims
during the debate, but that got lost a little bit
because people just looked at Joe and thought he didn't
put on his best show, did he? And it got
a lot of people asking who should he be replaced
before the election and to discuss more, I'm joined by
(00:54):
Professor of Political Science and International Actions at the University
of Canterbury. It's Alex tan Good.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Afternoon, Hello Tim. How are you. I'm all right.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I'm still recovering. You watched the US debate on Friday night,
What was your what were your initial and ongoing reactions.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
That these two candidates are too old, Yeah, and that
it's too bad that we didn't see the best of
any of them. To be honest, Biden was just not
there and softball answer softball questions were not really answered convincingly,
(01:35):
and it's very difficult to understand what he was saying
as well. I think he was, you know, very incoherent. Trump,
on the other hand, continue to spew his lives and
never readdress the questions that were being asked as well.
So so yeah, somebody said, it's just you know, essentially
the old man versus the con man.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
So yeah. So the reactions from how would you describe?
I mean, the Republicans probably delighted with it, I mentioned,
but no direction from the Democrats. Well, they'll be I
don't know what they'll be doing. Maybe a lot of
frenzied meetings just deciding whether they shouldn't or not.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, there's I've been hearing quite reading quite a lot
as well. For example, the New York Times have been
talking about Biden, you know, should probably just step aside.
And then these are very senior editors of New York times,
saying that you know, maybe his time is up, but
(02:36):
it's you know, it's it will be very messy if
you do that. First of all. Secondly, you also need
to have Biden agree that he needs to step off
from this. And you know Biden's mantras, even from the
first campaign in twenty twenty is you know, I'm sure
many of many of us have heard about this. He
(02:58):
always says that, you know, you know when you when
you're down. You know, the mark of a person is
when you get hit and you get hit down, is
how you stand back up. And that's always been him,
you know, that's all his ideas, So unlikely that he
I don't think he will step away from that position.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Well, well, on that theme, I watched on the news
last night. It showed him appear the next day at
a rally and he had plenty of vega. I couldn't. Yeah,
were you surprised because he he looked what I saw
looked impressive and I was like, where was that guy
used today?
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Well, you know he was. There's claims that he was not.
He was. He was having a little bit of cold
or not feeling very well during the debate. But the
problem with that second day thing supposed to the first
day for the debate. Thing is that the debate was
being watched by fifty million people and the rally is
only being watched by a handful of people. So, you know,
(03:58):
and when you go to a rally like that, who
are you talking to? You're absolutely talking to the people
who are already in you or a camp, right and
the people who are watching. You know, there are many
millions and millions of people who are watching who are uncommitted,
And that's the one that you need to convince to
vote for you, because you know that that's go to
(04:19):
determined on who who becomes president.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
If there is a chance that Biden might step aside,
and who knows, it's still got a favorite of water
to flow on the little bridge. Who could it possibly be?
Speaker 3 (04:33):
There?
Speaker 2 (04:34):
Is there a short list of names who could amount
a credible campaign? Or I mean, people keep on mentioning
Michelle Obama, you don't want to do it, but your
country needs you.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
No, I don't think Michelle Obama wants to do it.
I think she's been asked before about that as well.
I mean, it's very it's a very tough, tough position
to be helicoptered in or passion parachuted in in the
middle of a of a race like that. So you know,
there are some names popping up. Of course, obviously the
(05:06):
Vice President Kamala Harris, and then you can talk about
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is a likely candidate. There
are others that could, but I'm not sure any of
them would want to go in such a situation like that,
(05:28):
because you have to, we have to remind ourselves. You know,
these type of American presidential elections and elections in general
is an issue of fundraising. And you know, the money
that is committed to Joe doesn't necessarily move to the
next person that does. A big question mark.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Is that money still committed to Joe? Any any fund
deserving a say on that?
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Do you think, Well, we don't know yet. We don't
know yet. But the money that he has, he already has,
but whether future funding will be coming through with that performance,
it could be quite difficult for him to raise money
because if you're if you're, if you're you know, somebody
with billions of dollars there, you know, would you continue
(06:13):
to bet on a bet on someone who you think
might not actually have a chance to win anymore.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
What about saying interrol in this because there's been a
they've they've taken a lot of hate because Trump basically
stood up and just started lying and didn't stop till
he finished made more than thirty fast times. Do you
think the saying in should have had some sort of
screen fact checker rolling underneath.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Yeah, well, I mean that's the thing about this, this situation, right,
I don't, we don't. We certainly do not know whether
that was something negotiated between the two sides, right, because
this debate was not under the rulebrick of the debate
by the Debate Commission, Right, and we all we also
have to remember that this is quite a strange debate
(07:00):
because both of them have not been officially been nominated
by their party yet. The convention is still you know,
amongst uh you know this, it's coming up for the
Republicans and then followed by the followed by the Democrats.
So it's it's a weird situation. Right. So, so maybe
these two guys negotiated what happened in the agreement on
(07:22):
how the conduct of the debate would be number one,
But number two, the problem is also that we are
also seeing the situation where in the media seems to
be enabling you know, these things to happen, right, I mean,
you're giving Trump a stage wherein you know he's going
to do that. Yeah, right, so you know he's going
(07:43):
to do that. And in any of the questions asked
about January sixth, he just skirted it away. You know,
what's that thing about age two? You know, and and bliged.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Nancy Pelosi for turning down a just to deploy the
national God.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
That's right, that's right, that's right. It doesn't make sense.
And and yes, you would, we would have that, CNN
would have fact checked him, right, But then again, I
mean the question really there is is more like because
Biden's performance was not good, Yeah, the other guy who
(08:21):
the other guy who tells a lie but can tell
it quite coherently, kind of like feels like he's doing well.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Somebody I was chatting with a friend said to me
last night that he's chatting to people in the States
and he said that we in New Zealand and maybe
elsewhere outside of the States don't really understand what the
US voters priorities are. They don't really care about global
security all they care about is jobs, jobs, jobs.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Well, that's true, as they say, there's no votes in
foreign policy and foreign affairs. You know, everything in politics
is really quite local, and it's about jobs, it's about economy,
it's about the cost of living. It's the same like
what we have here, right, high interest rates of the
United States. Consumers are facing jobs that are really comparatively speaking,
(09:09):
you know, uh, not good quality jobs that you know,
the president and anyone is talking about job creation, job creation.
There's a lot of jobs created, but the quality of
those jobs are not necessarily as good as the ones
that are lost, so to speak.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah, what do you think the reaction to being outside
of the States, and let's say specifically with like the
European Union and NIGHTI partners, So would would you You'd
love to say in the ticks that were flying between
you liv onderline.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
And yeah, I'm sure they're Yeah, they're all worried. They're
all very worried because the likelihood of Trump two is
is bigger now, right, and so you know, just think
of the situation in Ukraine. I mean, can you imagine
how Zelenski, the Ukrainian president is, you know, is feeling
(10:01):
right now after that performance of the debate, right right, so,
and then with Trump quite isolationist in his policy, you know,
certainly worried. It's certainly worried. It worries the Europeans for sure,
It worries NATO for sure.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Yeah, for sure. Oh well, Hey, thanks so much for
your time, Alex. We'll look forward to Chatty some time.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Glory.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Enjoy the rest of your day.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to News
Talks It'd be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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