Tyler Pager

Mm hmm. And part of the reason this story has been so complicated for Democrats is because Biden's performances were uneven and complicated. Sometimes Democrats said he did quite well. They point to the State of the Unions in 2023 and 2024. Right. Where they were impressed by his performance.

And others said in key moments, particularly as it related to national security matters, they saw him really turned on and engaged. And I think that's part of the challenge for Democrats is disentangling certain moments of Biden's presidency from the vast majority of others, particularly in the latter half of his term, where there were moments of great concern that are now just coming to light.

And others said in key moments, particularly as it related to national security matters, they saw him really turned on and engaged. And I think that's part of the challenge for Democrats is disentangling certain moments of Biden's presidency from the vast majority of others, particularly in the latter half of his term, where there were moments of great concern that are now just coming to light.

Maybe. He didn't quite go all the way. He took a baby step. And, you know, right now, with the benefit of hindsight, I think most people would agree that that's the case. And said maybe it would have been a good idea if Biden hadn't stayed in the race for so long and they had a primary. We saw Chris Murphy, the very ambitious senator from Connecticut.

Maybe. He didn't quite go all the way. He took a baby step. And, you know, right now, with the benefit of hindsight, I think most people would agree that that's the case. And said maybe it would have been a good idea if Biden hadn't stayed in the race for so long and they had a primary. We saw Chris Murphy, the very ambitious senator from Connecticut.

Obviously, in retrospect, the president should have gotten out of the race earlier.

Obviously, in retrospect, the president should have gotten out of the race earlier.

Who made a personal vouching for Biden's mental fitness as late as, what, like February or March of last year.

Who made a personal vouching for Biden's mental fitness as late as, what, like February or March of last year.

Say that it was obvious that he suffered some sort of decline in his acuity.

Say that it was obvious that he suffered some sort of decline in his acuity.

We've seen Ro Khanna, who was an ambitious Biden surrogate who would go anywhere in like four or five days before Biden dropped out, vouch for him.

We've seen Ro Khanna, who was an ambitious Biden surrogate who would go anywhere in like four or five days before Biden dropped out, vouch for him.

Saying that people like him who campaigned for Biden were wrong to do so,

Saying that people like him who campaigned for Biden were wrong to do so,

I think it also comes at this larger reckoning with transparency and health around elected officials. Many of the most senior elected officials in our country are quite old.

I think it also comes at this larger reckoning with transparency and health around elected officials. Many of the most senior elected officials in our country are quite old.

And so I think as the public reckons with what that means for the country's leadership, and especially as Democrats are without a clear leader, we're entering into this period where Democrats are going to start jockeying to run for president. It's already sort of spilled out into the open.

And so I think as the public reckons with what that means for the country's leadership, and especially as Democrats are without a clear leader, we're entering into this period where Democrats are going to start jockeying to run for president. It's already sort of spilled out into the open.

And I think they feel that there is a certain reckoning that needs to happen over the public statements, as Reid and Lisa just outlined, that they made over the last several years about what they thought about Joe Biden's ability to lead the country and what they have since learned about it.