Thread by @dcpetterson

GOPhascists are revealing their strategy and their ignorant fears.

They're trying to take out Joe Biden because he's an old white guy. They think makes him the most viable candidate. They don't realize where the true strength and enthusiasm lies in the Democratic Party.

1/10

Yes, Joe is ahead now in the opinion poll rankings among Democratic candidates--but this is like ten months before Iowa. At this point, those polls are meaningless, and reflect nothing more than name recognition.

No one in the lead this early winds up with the nomination.

2/10

It's almost certain someone else would take the mantle in the normal course of events--someone younger and almost certainly female or a POC (or both). But right-wingers haven't learned to take anyone seriously anyone other than old white men, even after Obama and Hillary.

3/10

Of course, the rightwing stealth smear machine is oiling its gears and preparing for whoever is to come. The ease with which they succeed in sinking Biden's nascent candidacy (assuming they do succeed) will be a harbinger of future attempts.

4/10

Biden isn't my first choice. I'm not going to wade into the controversy of how to weigh the sexual politics of "invading personal space" against saving Western democracy. He's not the one I want in the White House, and I don't need to defend physically demonstrative warmth.

5/10

I'm also a big believer in thoroughly vetting candidates, and revealing their weaknesses early to prepare for the inevitable fascist-led smears.

But I caution Democratic voters against falling prey to letting the smear factories take out your lesser-preferred candidates.

6/10

Biden was the author of the Violence Against Women Act, which is why this particular attack is being used against him--to rob him of one of his greatest strengths in the Me Too era, the one thing that could have made him acceptable to Dem voters even as an old white male.

7/10

Warning:

That's how they'll come at EVERY ONE of the Democratic presidential candidates--not just the ones you don't prefer, but also the ones you do. They'll find that candidate's strength, and twist it into a negative litmus test no candidate could pass.

8/10

Vet your sources as rigorously as you vet the candidates you don't like so much. Don't be pulled into the cycle of helping to destroy everyone so we're left only with the candidate perceived as least-bad. Stick to principles, but strike back against false memes.

9/10

Above all, keep your eyes on the far horizon. We're in a struggle to save democracy against fascism.

This is, without question, America's last chance.

ALL candidates are flawed.

But nothing you value will survive if Republicans win in November of 2020.

10/10