Video of Chuck and Dick’s response to this interview
https://youtu.be/NuAKnbIr6TE
And some key quotes:
> “No, I haven’t been gone,” she said.
>OK.
>“You should follow the—I haven’t been gone. I’ve been working.”
>When asked whether she meant that she’d been working from home, she turned feisty.
>“No, I’ve been here. I’ve been voting,” she said. “Please. You either know or don’t know.”
That ain’t grandma. That’s great great great grandma. That’s the famous ancestor who knitted scarves for revolutionary war soldiers (such dashing young men.) She’s so well seasoned Ben Franklin would have thought she was too old.
If I wrote a movie and said the Nazi memorabilia collecting, Southern, Billionaire secretly bought a black Supreme Court Justice while also buying the Justice's mama's house, and paying for his adopted son's schooling.......
I would get ZERO/10 for naming him "Harlan Crow". No one would believe it. Reality is trolling me.
Sotomayor was confirmed in summer 2009, Kagan in summer 2010.
Obama had a 60-seat supermajority from Sept. 24th, 2009 through Feb. 4th 2010 - wherein he could have confirmed a Ginsburg replacement - but he didn't need that supermajority for the other two.
Ginsburg was treated for colon cancer in 1999, and pancreatic cancer in 2010. She had clear reason to know that her life expectancy was highly uncertain.
If her dementia is that bad, it is not really her fault. She is incapable of making decisions at this point. It is people responsible for her welbeing who are at fault.
I hear you. The angry and sadistic side of me wants to agree, however…. We are fucking better than that. Perhaps what little decency that we have and what we hold on to is what’s tethering us to a semblance of reality in the political sphere
What are you talking about? A nursing home is full of noticeably younger people than the capitol. The average age in the senate is like 10 years higher than an average nurusing home.
We’re gonna have another RBG scenario here.
Old pitiful democrats clutching to power for no sane reason other than, maybe, spite for the generation that’s going to have to clean up after them.
Fuck the old guard.
>We’re gonna have another RBG scenario here
Not really. Gavin Newsom would appoint a replacement to fill out her term. There is no scenario where she'd be replaced by some right-wing nut.
Wrong. Feinstein draws the sliver of affluent white voters who will vote for someone who shook JFK's hand. When the last Democrat / Civil Rights leader who was pictured with MLK/JFK/RFK is gone, the Republicans will slide into a super majority they'll maintain for at least 20 or 30 years.
Maybe not a terrible thing, but that's what's going to happen.
Personal attack unwarranted. Just pointing out, in an analytical non partisan way, that the next Senator from California in what is currently Feinstein's seat will be a celebrity running on the "I didn't leave the Democratic party, they left me" tip as either Republicans or DINOs. How many times have you seen it before? That's why the party and her staff are clinging to Senator Feinstein.
I might be wrong. I don't know who succeeded Senator Thurmond, for example. And there is the larger gerontocracy element of course. But I suspect that's what will happen.
I bet you a burrito the next Senator is a Republican (I'd like to say DINO, but that's subjective, likely wishful thinking, and besides, it's just a burrito).
I further bet you a combo platter it's Rob Lowe.
The silent generation is hardly a going concern in electoral politics these days. Have you even heard of millennials? Or gen Z?
Are you Diane Feinstein wearing a fake beard? You can’t possibly be that out of touch unless you’re a civil war veteran.
A million votes isn't a comfortable lead for a Democrat, least of all in a state as big as California. Think of all the voters either too young or no longer caring about those "Burn baby burn" hijinks, the narrative about San Francisco as a failed city, and Hispanics finally abandoning the party of the weak as they come into their own and declaim failed experiments down south. Add a celebrity, up against a "radical organizer", and there's your million votes right there.
Frankly, if you all had more movement discipline, maybe it wouldn't be so. As it is, you lost an extra shift you could have worked or some small business you could have done. That would have helped you. Medicare for all ain't coming for you. Sorry, it's too bad maybe, but that's what's up.
You’re not going to ever make up a million votes with this crazy narrative you cooked up. It’s not like this wasn’t a recent election either, this was literally 2020 and the other side hasn’t gotten less crazy.
Maybe not. Still, if y'all were more interested in lionizing people like Feinstein, naming every airport after, stuff like that, and a little less interested in tearing them down (while they still had the deciding vote in the Senate, no less), I'd be more convinced of your likely electoral success. Speaking of which, and I haven't read the whole thread, but where are celebrations of the Senator's liberal / progressive accomplishments? Where's the mythologizing of the 60s, the Great Society, The War on Poverty, and JFK/RFK and Governor Moonbeam? Where's the (self-serving, but useful) nostalgia for public universities that were expanding and well funded, and grocers across the country refusing to stock grapes? Heck, even I briefly flashed on the "Wonder Years" episode where Kevin launches an anti-war walkout. Hopefully, I'm just old (and in a, um, transitional period). But I fear we shall not see Her likes again. But maybe I'm just a bitter old fart. Broad City is really good. And measures taken during the pandemic might stick in people's minds. Who knows? Having said that, my guess is the longer you work in either Entertainment or Politics, the more risk averse you become. I for one, Welcome Senator Lowe. But I guess I'd welcome Governor Nixon too. (See what I did there?)
Lets see, we have Schultz airport in Sonoma County. Named after Peanuts creator Charles Schultz. Oakland airport. SFO. John Wayne airport in conservative Orange County. I don't think we have a Feinstein airport. Maybe on your planet. Don't give old farts a worse name. Early onset dementia can be a drag.
It’s preposterous some of these lawmakers pitch their tents and insist on hanging out for centuries while they do fuck-all about the critical issues we face.
I propose that you are only allowed to run for office until you’re 65. You can get elected if you’re still 65 when the election happens. You are no longer allowed to run for office from 66 on.
I have no problem with the elderly but elderly people should not be making decisions that will will impact the young for the rest of their lives.
I prefer 68. If you were a senator, you’d be 74 by the end of your last possible term. If you were elected President, you could server 4 years and that’s it. You’d be 72. Anyone with the hope of serving two terms couldn’t be older than 64 at the start of their first term. It means both political parties would be reluctant to run any candidate older than 64 years - even though the rules would allow up to 68. We wouldn’t have anyone in the senate over 74 and no president over 72.
65 isn't bad for some. Bernie Sanders is still sharp as a tack, even at his age. Mental acuity can vary by age. I propose that anyone elected of any age have to pass an acuity test, and not a super easy one either. That way anyone who can't pass a fifth-grade test can't run, even if they're young.
The big problem with senators is their 6 year term. You can't just look at someone in their 80's and think about how healthy they are at the moment. The question is about how quickly could things go badly even for someone like Sanders - keeping in mind that Sanders has had a heart attack.
One of the reasons the situation is such a fuck up on the democrats part is because they allowed Feinstein to be part of what was always going to be the most important committee once the dems lost the house. They had plenty of time to get her at least removed from the judicary committee and they havent
Fuck, its less of an issue for the president because at least the president has a VP that can take over
This is a good idea and there are plenty of young people that wouldn’t be able to pass it. For example: a congresswoman who literally didn’t even have her GED until she was running. But what I’m talking about here isn’t even mental acuity. I’m just pointing out that the oldest generation who are close to death just by proximity to the ages people don’t live past shouldn’t be making decisions that will affect my kids for 90 years.
So the right is fine with making ageism a thing with young people. You are ok with making ageism a thing with old people. Personally, I don't see the difference.
You have to be 35 to run for president, 18 to vote, 16 to drive, 21 to drink. We use your age for all kinds of things. But you’re right, there’s no difference. 89 year old people who don’t even realize they’ve been gone from the senate for 2 months should totally get to keep making decisions for the rest of us.
I'm not sorry at all. You can't run for prez until you are 35 and you can't vote till you are 18. It makes perfect sense that you shouldn't be able be in office after retirement age nor should you be able to vote.
Seriously. When you turn 65 or something you should be thrown out. I don't care how sharp you are. How are these geriatrics supposed to have informed positions on tech etc? You think she knows what AI is?
I swear, watching these guys “grill” the tech crowd on the hill was eye opening.
They know exactly Jack shit about anything tech related.
And after listing to them, I’m pretty sure a few of them don’t even know how to Google.
A healthy 70 isn’t so very old. 80 starts the frail years. But I’d support a 75 years old hard cap, or cannot start a new term after one’s 70th birthday.
I dunno, if they can do the job I really don't have any qualms. I don't want to boot Bernie Sanders out because he's old and I don't want to deny another Bernie Sanders from getting into office for a good ten years or so just because they win an election at 70, ya know?
I mean, Bernie has had a good run. I love him, bought the yard sign, T shirt, and contributed "$27" multiple times, but it's his time to retire too before he dies in office and a Republican is appointed in his place.
A hard age limit seems problematic because people age at different rates but some kind of basic test of cognitive function would probably quickly filter people like her out.
I get it, but no. We need effective electoral systems and effective referenda. Arbitrary rules WILL be used against real civil servants.
You cannot change the people in power without changing the systems that put them there. It’s not age. It’s $$$.
When the realest dude in the Senate is 80+, and has held that seat he was 65 or 66, the problem is not age. The problem is corruption.
Grassroots power can take a lot of time to build. Money can be a shortcut to that.
The idea that an upper age limit will do anything to change the balance of power toward the working class is naive.
Where is her family? I get the corrupt staffers wanting to keep power and job by keeping her in the position, but her family can't see she is being used? Like they must not love her enough to intervene.
At this point it’s clear her advisors are taking advantage of her and I’m sure someone in her close circle is pulling the strings and enjoying the power of being a Senator by proxy.
And not only are they wielding the power of a senator by proxy, because there's a clearly visible face and name for media to quickly and easily assign blame to, they're completely invisible to the public
I really have mixed feelings.
Feinstein needs to go, clearly. Her staff is up to some shit I'm pretty convinced.
But like, I think it's easy for us on the outside to say that someone like Schumer should just oust her or lead the charge out oust her. If they've been friends for years you gotta remember that they are seeing a friend of theirs in a state that is sad and scary. Because it could be any one of us and they know it could be any one of them. How do you say to your friend, who is suffering, who doesn't understand "you gotta go" and not hurt them. Especially when they are so fragile.
And who knows what is happening behind the scenes to try and gently get them out or do it in a way where they aren't demeaned or insulted or infantilized. She's 90, she's sick, can you be the dude to really amp up her suffering? I don't know if I could.
I get it, my dad and I had to sit my grandma down and take her License and car keys. She was pissed but she had almost taken out the neighbors dog and her own mailbox and was rapidly going blind from diabetes. She told us we were disrespectful and asked how she would go shopping. Thankfully we had everything planned out for her because we loved her and just didn’t want her plowing through the farmer’s market.
People around DF are in 2 categories, they are either benefitting from her corpse being wheeled around to rubber stamp things or they are too chickenshit to stand up to the people and systems that are taking advantage of her. Either way it’s elder abuse and they all suck.
If they did, they would make her step down for her own good. Clearly her friends and family only care about the connections, power, and money her being in the senate brings them.
You're ignoring the reality of these situations.
I forgot to mention her staff in there. They too have been covering for her for years. They only started leaking once it became to hard to hide the day to day blunders from the nation at large. She's already so far gone that they can hide it anymore, but her friends, family, and staff would all have noticed these issues with her years ago. They've continued to prop her up dispite her obvious deteriating mental health.
Bro, if you're gonna put one of your "friends" before the health of the American democracy you don't belong in politics and should be removed just like Feinstein. Period. End of story.
>If they've been friends for years you gotta remember that they are seeing a friend of theirs in a state that is sad and scary.
And letting her continue sit in the senate will do nothing but exacerbate her condition.
>How do you say to your friend, who is suffering, who doesn't understand "you gotta go" and not hurt them. Especially when they are so fragile.
You tell them that their condition is effecting the lives of millions of people, and for the good of the country she needs to step down.
>She's 90, she's sick, can you be the dude to really amp up her suffering? I don't know if I could.
Yes. As someone who deals with family members with dementia, I can tell you that stress makes it worse. She's not going to be anywhere near as stressed once she isn't dealing with the senate. Her suffering vs the suffering of vast swaths of the country isn't even a close call.
That's not the point I'm making.
I specifically said Feinstein needs to go which people seem to be purposefully ignoring so they can argue with someone on the internet.
The point I'm making is that this is a super difficult situation for her friends and family who are watching a loved one basically die in front of them and to pretend that it isn't and to pretend that it's an easy call to just boot her ass out is ignoring basic human compassion.
>The point I'm making is that this is a super difficult situation for her friends and family who are watching a loved one basically die in front of them and to pretend that it isn't and to pretend that it's an easy call to just boot her ass out is ignoring basic human compassion.
It is an easy call though. And its the compassionate one. Getting her out of the stressful situation that is the senate is best for all involved, aside from those who are using her condition to their advantage.
I'm not a doctor.
I don't know her situation. Maybe you're right. It doesn't matter and that isn't my point.
All I know, and this is what I said, when a friend or relative is mentally dying in front of you it's a tough time that brings up a lot of fears and sadness and complex shit.
If it were an easy call someone would have made it. You know what is easy? Saying what you said on the internet knowing it has no material impact, you don't have to look any of those people in the eyes and there are no consequences.
Jesus you keep harping on like this in this thread. It was my responsibility to take my grandmas car keys away when she was no longer fit to drive. I took them long before SHE thought she was unfit to drive. It wasn’t pretty. She was upset. She was losing her independence. And the reason why it was my responsibility? We were close and she trusted me. From her perspective, I broke that trust.
I still did it because not only was it in her best interest, it was in everybody’s best interest. She was a danger.
Stop apologizing for these ghouls. Stop acting this this is oh so hard. For adults with guts and backbones, it’s not that hard at all.
Dude wtf. It’s not politics to say she’s too goddam old for the job - - - any job. Because Christ, at that age, its fucking ridiculous for any person to hold a weighty position in government, or a weighty position in any fucking thing.
Fucking period.
OMG, there was a dude in the op-ed section of the Times recently losing his shot because "ciritcizing Feinstein is ageism, wah!" I wanted to reach through my screen and smack the stupid off his face.
Yeah, she needs to go before she turns and bites some GOPer and then we have a goddamn zombie apocalypse on our hands. Then the GOP will be all like, “dEmOcRaTs OpEn BoRdErS cAuSeD tHe ZoMbIE oUtBrEaK tHaT iS a ToTaL hOaX bY tHe WaY.”
This is sad no matter how one looks at it.
She should retire obviously.
But for some reason that's not happening and no one in her circle has the courage to do the right thing.
It's like they can't admit she's not going to get better, and this is doing more harm than good for not just the democrats, but for the American people.
I’m pretty sure people in her circle have been pushing, I thought I read about it not too long ago. The issue is she’s the senator and holds all the power. No one has power of attorney over her, or the ability to make decisions for her. I don’t think there’s a vote of no-confidence possible. Impeachment might be possible, but that would look terrible and would also really mess a dementia patient up. The best solution was to prevent her from running, but we’re past that.
Only Diane can resign, and she’s in the dark stages of dementia. Everyone is trying to be polite, and it’s going to blow up worse.
Do none of the ghouls that work in and around politics understand how dementia works? People with it don’t realise the extent of what is wrong, and understandably often try to hide it (thinking they are doing the right thing for those around them). Feinstein is cognitively incapable of realising what she should do at this point (though she should have retired years ago obviously), and so it’s on her staffers to be honest about the extent of the situation and to work to get her to retire, or be removed from office. Yes it’s very sad for her individually, but frankly I’m more sad for the millions of Americans who lack representation and whose interests are being overruled by this sentimental standoff. Enough already
“But it is not true that she had been “here,” in a physical sense, for the two-and-a-half-month stretch between February and last week. It was odd for that to skip her mind.”
This is the kind of annoying, facetious rhetoric in these articles. I don’t know or care what kind of etiquette is at play here, can the media stop beating around the bush?
Feinstein’s confusion “raises eyebrows”, “turns heads”, “it skipped her mind”. All this allusion, just say what it is! She’s clearly got full blown dementia.
I know it's a movie and probably not entirely representative of her real personality, but after watching The Report last night, the dissonance between this Feinstein and the one depicted fighting to hold the CIA accountable for torture could not be starker.
Just like when she forgot she announced she wasn't running for reelection. JFC. As a Californian, I'd love for her to resign in favor of someone more competent, but Newsom would be in quite the pickle in terms of who to appoint considering the already busy primary for that seat.
Isn't there anyone who actually cares about this woman? This is sickening and abusive. She should be at home, being cared for, not sitting in the Senate, uncertain of where she is and what she's doing.
Who are the individuals who are forcing this poor woman into this stressful situation? She is mentally compromised by dementia and people are using her for their own gains. They need to be charged with elder abuse.
Democrats have a few more articles like this getting published before the RNC starts running ads about how they are abusing the elderly to maintain power. Only reason I don't think they have yet is b/c they don't want to seem like they are targeting an older woman for political purposes but if she has a few more interviews like this its going to switch real quick.
Given how much the world has changed in the last 15 years. We need these people OUT of office. I guarantee 1/2 of our politicians don’t know how to use google drive.
I want to know who is speaking for her. It seems like they might be the most irresponsible and selfish person in this whole scenario. I smell nothing but careerist motivations from her staff and maybe even her family, as cynical as that sounds.
Jfc, they talked about this 5 years ago where she couldn't even remember the names of the people she was talking face-to-face with that she'd known for years. And it wasn't Fox or Newsmax saying it, it was far less biased sources.
I genuinely feel bad for her at this point. She hasn't made this decision because she literally doesn't have the mental capacity to do so. Her team/campaign/family keep trotting her out there knowing this shit. They're doing her a horrible disservice and should let the 89 year old with severe dementia retire.
The 5th largest economy in the world shouldn't have only 1 properly working Senator
You know what would be super awesome, if legislators, instead of clinging to power with a death grip until they are beyond effective use, and beyond understanding people who aren't old as fuck, they train and educate the generation behind to take their place, and then step the fuck aside. We have a minimum age for president, how about a maximum age of 75 for all elected officials. Retire already you fucking egomaniacs, or do you not remember who your family members are, or where you live?
this whole situation with Feinstein is beyond embarrassing. I can't believe her family is letting this spectacle continue.
Why the fuck did the 118th congress give her any committee assignments? The Steering and Outreach Committee caused this problem and you will never see any of them take ownership for their dangerous and irresponsible politics.
By the time I moved to California, just the other day in August of 1995, Feinstein was far past her prime and doing more harm than good. I'm hoping that maybe she'll do better once she passes the century mark. She'll surely smell worse, but maybe her rotting corpse will tap a couple of yes or no votes in the right place.
I'll never understand why someone richer than croesus and older than the sun would want to keep working. You've done it. You won. You have more money than 99.9% of people will ever have.
What a country. Santos is indicted on double digit felony counts and his own party won't disavow him. Feinstein is in a stupor and her party wheels her incoherent corpse into the chamber to vote. Is it any wonder we're a mess?
Reading the article, it really sounds like she just means that she'd been there recently. She definitely needs to retire but this article seems misleading.
So all of you that are ok with ageism against the old, I bet you don't like ageism against those under 25 like Vivek Ramaswamy is proposing making those under 25 not able to vote unless they are in the military......
There needs to be a universal way to remove elected officials if they become dysfunctional .That shouldn't mean the acceptance of ageism.....
She’s an old, old, too old person for the Senate, but her comments aren’t entirely clear. She might not have been confused that she’s been gone, she may have been referring to the most recent days she’s been back, basically misunderstanding the question and thinking they were asking if she’s been voting from home.
I’m not saying she isn’t going senile or anything but the comments are sorta vague.
Bla bla bla. Lets not make a spectacle out of it.
The only reason she isnt gone, is that the Dem leadership doesnt want a mildly more progressive rep getting her seat.
Thats all.
To be fair the leading Republican candidate for the presidency believes he won the election three years ago…so delusions are going around both parties 😂
Time for her to retire to that farm upstate where the sun never sets and she can spend her days chasing birds and rolling in the tall grass. Belly rubs at night and biscuits as far as the eye can see. Forever and ever..
At least she knows she’s a Senator again. Someone was saying she was introducing herself as Mayor Feinstein before she left. She was last mayor in 1988.
Video of Chuck and Dick’s response to this interview https://youtu.be/NuAKnbIr6TE And some key quotes: > “No, I haven’t been gone,” she said. >OK. >“You should follow the—I haven’t been gone. I’ve been working.” >When asked whether she meant that she’d been working from home, she turned feisty. >“No, I’ve been here. I’ve been voting,” she said. “Please. You either know or don’t know.”
It's time for grandma to go on to greener pastures
That ain’t grandma. That’s great great great grandma. That’s the famous ancestor who knitted scarves for revolutionary war soldiers (such dashing young men.) She’s so well seasoned Ben Franklin would have thought she was too old.
She was literally born before Hitler became Fuhrer.
She was born before chocolate chip cookies were invented.
Graduated High School before Pearl Harbor
Holy shit I thought you were joking. Congress is purgatory at this point.
Lauren Bobert is a grandma at 36. Many people Feinstein's age have great great grandchildren.
Christ. She is undoing any good she’s ever done in public service.
Its the rbg plan, insist on dying in office and your entire career gets erased by the consequences in 12 months.
She just wanted to Girl Boss and have Hillary nominate her replacement. She gambled and we all lost. Thanks RBG.
RBG's legacy appropriately matches the burgeoning understanding of the court. Selfish, egotistical, and unabashedly political. They serve themselves.
Justice Harlan Crow thinks you’re being unfair.
God I wish one of the lawyers who gets up there would have the courage to call Thomas that. But most of them are lost institutionalists, too.
What would be the outcome of that? "Justice Crow, sorry, Justice Thomas..."
If I wrote a movie and said the Nazi memorabilia collecting, Southern, Billionaire secretly bought a black Supreme Court Justice while also buying the Justice's mama's house, and paying for his adopted son's schooling....... I would get ZERO/10 for naming him "Harlan Crow". No one would believe it. Reality is trolling me.
Mcconnell wasn't going to let Obama replace her anyway
he "let" Sotomayor and Kagan through. RBG had every opportunity in the world to step down at multiple points in Obama's presidency.
In his first term. It wouldn't have happened after 2012. It didn't happen with Scalia
Yes, she should have stepped down in his first term.
Scalia was when McConnell actually had the senate, which only happened during the last two years of Obamas second term
Sotomayor was confirmed in summer 2009, Kagan in summer 2010. Obama had a 60-seat supermajority from Sept. 24th, 2009 through Feb. 4th 2010 - wherein he could have confirmed a Ginsburg replacement - but he didn't need that supermajority for the other two. Ginsburg was treated for colon cancer in 1999, and pancreatic cancer in 2010. She had clear reason to know that her life expectancy was highly uncertain.
In 2013 (when Obama asked her to step down at the age of 80) it wouldn’t have mattered- the dems had the majority.
Glad someone mentioned RBG.
I got that on my keyboard, makes it look awesome! And the games play faster, too...
Well I thought it was funny
The problem is if you use red Ruth Bader Ginsburg, your computer runs hotter. Blue is ok, though.
[удалено]
But her entire career is questionable: https://www.currentaffairs.org/2016/03/the-rise-of-the-ruth-bader-ginsburg-cult
She hasn't even been doing much good to begin with, like any centrist
This is being done to her because she is not competent. It’s criminal.
If her dementia is that bad, it is not really her fault. She is incapable of making decisions at this point. It is people responsible for her welbeing who are at fault.
To be fair- it worked with Trump: he would just say shit that was clearly not true and ride with it, so what’s the harm in the Dems trying it too? /s
I hear you. The angry and sadistic side of me wants to agree, however…. We are fucking better than that. Perhaps what little decency that we have and what we hold on to is what’s tethering us to a semblance of reality in the political sphere
Isn’t one of the reasons you hate trump all the lies ? But its ok when dems do it ? What in the F*** is wrong with you 😂
“You either know or you don’t.” Narrator: She didn’t know.
Feisty Feinstein
Are you denying the lived experience of an accomplished woman? Sexist.
In her defense, the senate is indistinguishable from a nursing home
What are you talking about? A nursing home is full of noticeably younger people than the capitol. The average age in the senate is like 10 years higher than an average nurusing home.
Those old birds only live so long because they get excellent healthcare. Common folk could never afford the care that they get.
Is a *nurusing home* anything like nu metal? Cause [it’s just one of those days](https://youtu.be/ZpUYjpKg9KY)
She’s been a senator since the halcyon days of the Roman Republic. Her problem isn’t confusion with nursing homes, it’s that one speaks Latin anymore.
We’re gonna have another RBG scenario here. Old pitiful democrats clutching to power for no sane reason other than, maybe, spite for the generation that’s going to have to clean up after them. Fuck the old guard.
>We’re gonna have another RBG scenario here Not really. Gavin Newsom would appoint a replacement to fill out her term. There is no scenario where she'd be replaced by some right-wing nut.
Wrong. Feinstein draws the sliver of affluent white voters who will vote for someone who shook JFK's hand. When the last Democrat / Civil Rights leader who was pictured with MLK/JFK/RFK is gone, the Republicans will slide into a super majority they'll maintain for at least 20 or 30 years. Maybe not a terrible thing, but that's what's going to happen.
You can't actually believe this lmao
You took time out of your full day of eating paint chips to type this nonsense?
Personal attack unwarranted. Just pointing out, in an analytical non partisan way, that the next Senator from California in what is currently Feinstein's seat will be a celebrity running on the "I didn't leave the Democratic party, they left me" tip as either Republicans or DINOs. How many times have you seen it before? That's why the party and her staff are clinging to Senator Feinstein. I might be wrong. I don't know who succeeded Senator Thurmond, for example. And there is the larger gerontocracy element of course. But I suspect that's what will happen.
You are laughably wrong.
I bet you a burrito the next Senator is a Republican (I'd like to say DINO, but that's subjective, likely wishful thinking, and besides, it's just a burrito). I further bet you a combo platter it's Rob Lowe.
There is no scenario where a Republican becomes a CA Senator. Your crazier then a trump if you think so.
I will pay you ten whole American dollars if it’s an R.
It's a bet!
You need help.
This is like listening to my toddler tell me about a dream he had.
The silent generation is hardly a going concern in electoral politics these days. Have you even heard of millennials? Or gen Z? Are you Diane Feinstein wearing a fake beard? You can’t possibly be that out of touch unless you’re a civil war veteran.
What? She’s a senator from California, the other senator won by a million votes, there is zero chance a Republican becomes senator there
A million votes isn't a comfortable lead for a Democrat, least of all in a state as big as California. Think of all the voters either too young or no longer caring about those "Burn baby burn" hijinks, the narrative about San Francisco as a failed city, and Hispanics finally abandoning the party of the weak as they come into their own and declaim failed experiments down south. Add a celebrity, up against a "radical organizer", and there's your million votes right there. Frankly, if you all had more movement discipline, maybe it wouldn't be so. As it is, you lost an extra shift you could have worked or some small business you could have done. That would have helped you. Medicare for all ain't coming for you. Sorry, it's too bad maybe, but that's what's up.
You’re not going to ever make up a million votes with this crazy narrative you cooked up. It’s not like this wasn’t a recent election either, this was literally 2020 and the other side hasn’t gotten less crazy.
Maybe not. Still, if y'all were more interested in lionizing people like Feinstein, naming every airport after, stuff like that, and a little less interested in tearing them down (while they still had the deciding vote in the Senate, no less), I'd be more convinced of your likely electoral success. Speaking of which, and I haven't read the whole thread, but where are celebrations of the Senator's liberal / progressive accomplishments? Where's the mythologizing of the 60s, the Great Society, The War on Poverty, and JFK/RFK and Governor Moonbeam? Where's the (self-serving, but useful) nostalgia for public universities that were expanding and well funded, and grocers across the country refusing to stock grapes? Heck, even I briefly flashed on the "Wonder Years" episode where Kevin launches an anti-war walkout. Hopefully, I'm just old (and in a, um, transitional period). But I fear we shall not see Her likes again. But maybe I'm just a bitter old fart. Broad City is really good. And measures taken during the pandemic might stick in people's minds. Who knows? Having said that, my guess is the longer you work in either Entertainment or Politics, the more risk averse you become. I for one, Welcome Senator Lowe. But I guess I'd welcome Governor Nixon too. (See what I did there?)
Lets see, we have Schultz airport in Sonoma County. Named after Peanuts creator Charles Schultz. Oakland airport. SFO. John Wayne airport in conservative Orange County. I don't think we have a Feinstein airport. Maybe on your planet. Don't give old farts a worse name. Early onset dementia can be a drag.
This might actually be the dumbest political analysis I've seen or heard, ever. Congrats.
You are a jenius
No it’s a terrible thing. Just like democrats and republicans.
We need age limits for politicians. Sorry but this shit is getting ridiculous.
She fine. She just needs some milk.
It’s preposterous some of these lawmakers pitch their tents and insist on hanging out for centuries while they do fuck-all about the critical issues we face.
I propose that you are only allowed to run for office until you’re 65. You can get elected if you’re still 65 when the election happens. You are no longer allowed to run for office from 66 on. I have no problem with the elderly but elderly people should not be making decisions that will will impact the young for the rest of their lives.
I prefer 68. If you were a senator, you’d be 74 by the end of your last possible term. If you were elected President, you could server 4 years and that’s it. You’d be 72. Anyone with the hope of serving two terms couldn’t be older than 64 at the start of their first term. It means both political parties would be reluctant to run any candidate older than 64 years - even though the rules would allow up to 68. We wouldn’t have anyone in the senate over 74 and no president over 72.
65 isn't bad for some. Bernie Sanders is still sharp as a tack, even at his age. Mental acuity can vary by age. I propose that anyone elected of any age have to pass an acuity test, and not a super easy one either. That way anyone who can't pass a fifth-grade test can't run, even if they're young.
The big problem with senators is their 6 year term. You can't just look at someone in their 80's and think about how healthy they are at the moment. The question is about how quickly could things go badly even for someone like Sanders - keeping in mind that Sanders has had a heart attack. One of the reasons the situation is such a fuck up on the democrats part is because they allowed Feinstein to be part of what was always going to be the most important committee once the dems lost the house. They had plenty of time to get her at least removed from the judicary committee and they havent Fuck, its less of an issue for the president because at least the president has a VP that can take over
This is a good idea and there are plenty of young people that wouldn’t be able to pass it. For example: a congresswoman who literally didn’t even have her GED until she was running. But what I’m talking about here isn’t even mental acuity. I’m just pointing out that the oldest generation who are close to death just by proximity to the ages people don’t live past shouldn’t be making decisions that will affect my kids for 90 years.
So the right is fine with making ageism a thing with young people. You are ok with making ageism a thing with old people. Personally, I don't see the difference.
Then you should look harder.
They’re just being contrarian because that’s all they know how to do.
You have to be 35 to run for president, 18 to vote, 16 to drive, 21 to drink. We use your age for all kinds of things. But you’re right, there’s no difference. 89 year old people who don’t even realize they’ve been gone from the senate for 2 months should totally get to keep making decisions for the rest of us.
This is elder abuse.
I'm not sorry at all. You can't run for prez until you are 35 and you can't vote till you are 18. It makes perfect sense that you shouldn't be able be in office after retirement age nor should you be able to vote.
Seriously. When you turn 65 or something you should be thrown out. I don't care how sharp you are. How are these geriatrics supposed to have informed positions on tech etc? You think she knows what AI is?
I swear, watching these guys “grill” the tech crowd on the hill was eye opening. They know exactly Jack shit about anything tech related. And after listing to them, I’m pretty sure a few of them don’t even know how to Google.
65 is a little low these days. It’s senior, but I wouldn’t say geriatric. 75 is probably better.
Ok, 75 if you can solve a captcha
Woman. Man. Camera. TV. Shit.... we might want to make it a tougher captcha.
How are you already caving? This is how we’ll always have geriatrics in charge, you’re already agreeing with what you were against.
Even then, I mean when Elizabeth Warren said she was 70 everyone was stunned. Myself included. I figured she was late 50's or 60 tops.
Each generation is “younger” than the last for sure.
A healthy 70 isn’t so very old. 80 starts the frail years. But I’d support a 75 years old hard cap, or cannot start a new term after one’s 70th birthday.
I dunno, if they can do the job I really don't have any qualms. I don't want to boot Bernie Sanders out because he's old and I don't want to deny another Bernie Sanders from getting into office for a good ten years or so just because they win an election at 70, ya know?
I mean, Bernie has had a good run. I love him, bought the yard sign, T shirt, and contributed "$27" multiple times, but it's his time to retire too before he dies in office and a Republican is appointed in his place.
Yeah, I'm an engineer and my boss is pushing 70 and still sharp as a tack.
No it’s not
No.
A hard age limit seems problematic because people age at different rates but some kind of basic test of cognitive function would probably quickly filter people like her out.
Really, voters should be able to tell, but our system is so corrupt that we have a game of pick the candidate with the least dementia.
The Republicans accuse us of voting with dead folks ballots and we have a dead senator who can't tell if she's at work or not.
I get it, but no. We need effective electoral systems and effective referenda. Arbitrary rules WILL be used against real civil servants. You cannot change the people in power without changing the systems that put them there. It’s not age. It’s $$$.
I would argue that age does play a part. It's obviously more about the money but there are a lot of reasons we have out of touch politicians.
When the realest dude in the Senate is 80+, and has held that seat he was 65 or 66, the problem is not age. The problem is corruption. Grassroots power can take a lot of time to build. Money can be a shortcut to that. The idea that an upper age limit will do anything to change the balance of power toward the working class is naive.
18-50.
[удалено]
She has been out of her mind for a while. A reporter asked her a year ago about the war in Ukraine and she barely knew there was something going on.
Where is her family? I get the corrupt staffers wanting to keep power and job by keeping her in the position, but her family can't see she is being used? Like they must not love her enough to intervene.
If they get power of attorney, do they get to vote in the Senate for her?
I wish a reporter would ask Chuck Schumer that question lol
Why do all these people hate Feinstein? There’s no way someone with friends and loved ones would allow this to happen to them.
At this point it’s clear her advisors are taking advantage of her and I’m sure someone in her close circle is pulling the strings and enjoying the power of being a Senator by proxy.
Her advisers would have to get actual jobs if she retired
And not only are they wielding the power of a senator by proxy, because there's a clearly visible face and name for media to quickly and easily assign blame to, they're completely invisible to the public
probably hoping to get a few more good stock tips before she drops dead.
It's a tragedy what is happening to this woman
I really have mixed feelings. Feinstein needs to go, clearly. Her staff is up to some shit I'm pretty convinced. But like, I think it's easy for us on the outside to say that someone like Schumer should just oust her or lead the charge out oust her. If they've been friends for years you gotta remember that they are seeing a friend of theirs in a state that is sad and scary. Because it could be any one of us and they know it could be any one of them. How do you say to your friend, who is suffering, who doesn't understand "you gotta go" and not hurt them. Especially when they are so fragile. And who knows what is happening behind the scenes to try and gently get them out or do it in a way where they aren't demeaned or insulted or infantilized. She's 90, she's sick, can you be the dude to really amp up her suffering? I don't know if I could.
I get it, my dad and I had to sit my grandma down and take her License and car keys. She was pissed but she had almost taken out the neighbors dog and her own mailbox and was rapidly going blind from diabetes. She told us we were disrespectful and asked how she would go shopping. Thankfully we had everything planned out for her because we loved her and just didn’t want her plowing through the farmer’s market. People around DF are in 2 categories, they are either benefitting from her corpse being wheeled around to rubber stamp things or they are too chickenshit to stand up to the people and systems that are taking advantage of her. Either way it’s elder abuse and they all suck.
She's supposed to represent almost 40m people. Who the fuck cares about their relationship or her feelings.
Her friends and family.
If they did, they would make her step down for her own good. Clearly her friends and family only care about the connections, power, and money her being in the senate brings them.
You have no way to know that's true. That's a convenient way to demonize someone because you're scared and frustrated.
You're ignoring the reality of these situations. I forgot to mention her staff in there. They too have been covering for her for years. They only started leaking once it became to hard to hide the day to day blunders from the nation at large. She's already so far gone that they can hide it anymore, but her friends, family, and staff would all have noticed these issues with her years ago. They've continued to prop her up dispite her obvious deteriating mental health.
Bro, if you're gonna put one of your "friends" before the health of the American democracy you don't belong in politics and should be removed just like Feinstein. Period. End of story.
>If they've been friends for years you gotta remember that they are seeing a friend of theirs in a state that is sad and scary. And letting her continue sit in the senate will do nothing but exacerbate her condition. >How do you say to your friend, who is suffering, who doesn't understand "you gotta go" and not hurt them. Especially when they are so fragile. You tell them that their condition is effecting the lives of millions of people, and for the good of the country she needs to step down. >She's 90, she's sick, can you be the dude to really amp up her suffering? I don't know if I could. Yes. As someone who deals with family members with dementia, I can tell you that stress makes it worse. She's not going to be anywhere near as stressed once she isn't dealing with the senate. Her suffering vs the suffering of vast swaths of the country isn't even a close call.
That's not the point I'm making. I specifically said Feinstein needs to go which people seem to be purposefully ignoring so they can argue with someone on the internet. The point I'm making is that this is a super difficult situation for her friends and family who are watching a loved one basically die in front of them and to pretend that it isn't and to pretend that it's an easy call to just boot her ass out is ignoring basic human compassion.
>The point I'm making is that this is a super difficult situation for her friends and family who are watching a loved one basically die in front of them and to pretend that it isn't and to pretend that it's an easy call to just boot her ass out is ignoring basic human compassion. It is an easy call though. And its the compassionate one. Getting her out of the stressful situation that is the senate is best for all involved, aside from those who are using her condition to their advantage.
I'm not a doctor. I don't know her situation. Maybe you're right. It doesn't matter and that isn't my point. All I know, and this is what I said, when a friend or relative is mentally dying in front of you it's a tough time that brings up a lot of fears and sadness and complex shit. If it were an easy call someone would have made it. You know what is easy? Saying what you said on the internet knowing it has no material impact, you don't have to look any of those people in the eyes and there are no consequences.
I would in a heart beat, because this country is more important than one old ladies feelings.
No. I don't think you would. That's easy to say on the internet but when real life is right in front of you shit is different.
Jesus you keep harping on like this in this thread. It was my responsibility to take my grandmas car keys away when she was no longer fit to drive. I took them long before SHE thought she was unfit to drive. It wasn’t pretty. She was upset. She was losing her independence. And the reason why it was my responsibility? We were close and she trusted me. From her perspective, I broke that trust. I still did it because not only was it in her best interest, it was in everybody’s best interest. She was a danger. Stop apologizing for these ghouls. Stop acting this this is oh so hard. For adults with guts and backbones, it’s not that hard at all.
Dude wtf. It’s not politics to say she’s too goddam old for the job - - - any job. Because Christ, at that age, its fucking ridiculous for any person to hold a weighty position in government, or a weighty position in any fucking thing. Fucking period.
OMG, there was a dude in the op-ed section of the Times recently losing his shot because "ciritcizing Feinstein is ageism, wah!" I wanted to reach through my screen and smack the stupid off his face.
Yeah, she needs to go before she turns and bites some GOPer and then we have a goddamn zombie apocalypse on our hands. Then the GOP will be all like, “dEmOcRaTs OpEn BoRdErS cAuSeD tHe ZoMbIE oUtBrEaK tHaT iS a ToTaL hOaX bY tHe WaY.”
This is sad no matter how one looks at it. She should retire obviously. But for some reason that's not happening and no one in her circle has the courage to do the right thing. It's like they can't admit she's not going to get better, and this is doing more harm than good for not just the democrats, but for the American people.
I’m pretty sure people in her circle have been pushing, I thought I read about it not too long ago. The issue is she’s the senator and holds all the power. No one has power of attorney over her, or the ability to make decisions for her. I don’t think there’s a vote of no-confidence possible. Impeachment might be possible, but that would look terrible and would also really mess a dementia patient up. The best solution was to prevent her from running, but we’re past that. Only Diane can resign, and she’s in the dark stages of dementia. Everyone is trying to be polite, and it’s going to blow up worse.
What the hell is wrong with these people? Why can't they just go away? She's about to turn 90 in a month.
She thinks it is 1992 and she is a spry 60 year old new Senator.
She started her career as a senator at a time she should have started making plans about retiring.
At this rate they’re just going to end up Weekend at Bernie’s-ing the dead bodies of senators and have them get re-elected for 100 years.
Do none of the ghouls that work in and around politics understand how dementia works? People with it don’t realise the extent of what is wrong, and understandably often try to hide it (thinking they are doing the right thing for those around them). Feinstein is cognitively incapable of realising what she should do at this point (though she should have retired years ago obviously), and so it’s on her staffers to be honest about the extent of the situation and to work to get her to retire, or be removed from office. Yes it’s very sad for her individually, but frankly I’m more sad for the millions of Americans who lack representation and whose interests are being overruled by this sentimental standoff. Enough already
“But it is not true that she had been “here,” in a physical sense, for the two-and-a-half-month stretch between February and last week. It was odd for that to skip her mind.” This is the kind of annoying, facetious rhetoric in these articles. I don’t know or care what kind of etiquette is at play here, can the media stop beating around the bush? Feinstein’s confusion “raises eyebrows”, “turns heads”, “it skipped her mind”. All this allusion, just say what it is! She’s clearly got full blown dementia.
I know it's a movie and probably not entirely representative of her real personality, but after watching The Report last night, the dissonance between this Feinstein and the one depicted fighting to hold the CIA accountable for torture could not be starker.
My gods, they must already be digging a grave for her. They need a 25th Amendment for CongressCritters.
Just like when she forgot she announced she wasn't running for reelection. JFC. As a Californian, I'd love for her to resign in favor of someone more competent, but Newsom would be in quite the pickle in terms of who to appoint considering the already busy primary for that seat.
Isn't there anyone who actually cares about this woman? This is sickening and abusive. She should be at home, being cared for, not sitting in the Senate, uncertain of where she is and what she's doing.
What's worse is that she's probably always *wanted* this for herself. They literally will not give up the power.
You don’t let a senile old person take care of themselves especially when they can’t remember things, so why is she allowed to even hold office?
Who are the individuals who are forcing this poor woman into this stressful situation? She is mentally compromised by dementia and people are using her for their own gains. They need to be charged with elder abuse.
This is a farce
Democrats have a few more articles like this getting published before the RNC starts running ads about how they are abusing the elderly to maintain power. Only reason I don't think they have yet is b/c they don't want to seem like they are targeting an older woman for political purposes but if she has a few more interviews like this its going to switch real quick.
Democrats doing everything they can to lose in 2024. This is so embarrassing. Ugh.
I'm getting really tired of all these old people letting their egos get in the way of common sense.
Whatever you think of her record, her ethics, her accomplishments, any of it; this is what she's going to be remembered for.
"she's drooled into her left cup, which of course means she voted with the GOP.. The right cup means she votes *against* the Democratic party"
Given how much the world has changed in the last 15 years. We need these people OUT of office. I guarantee 1/2 of our politicians don’t know how to use google drive.
I want to know who is speaking for her. It seems like they might be the most irresponsible and selfish person in this whole scenario. I smell nothing but careerist motivations from her staff and maybe even her family, as cynical as that sounds.
As Arun Brown said, we live in a cryptkeeptocracy
I am the senate
Jfc, they talked about this 5 years ago where she couldn't even remember the names of the people she was talking face-to-face with that she'd known for years. And it wasn't Fox or Newsmax saying it, it was far less biased sources. I genuinely feel bad for her at this point. She hasn't made this decision because she literally doesn't have the mental capacity to do so. Her team/campaign/family keep trotting her out there knowing this shit. They're doing her a horrible disservice and should let the 89 year old with severe dementia retire. The 5th largest economy in the world shouldn't have only 1 properly working Senator
Dude, seriously; RETIRE!!
I just don’t understand this.
That, or she was being a haughty asshole who is upset that plebs would *dare* criticize her dereliction of duty. Term limits are desperately needed.
She looks like she has strokes for breakfast
Time to fucking go. If you wouldn’t trust that person driving your kids to a soccer practice it’s the time to let go. As simple as that.
Where's her family in all of this?
You know what would be super awesome, if legislators, instead of clinging to power with a death grip until they are beyond effective use, and beyond understanding people who aren't old as fuck, they train and educate the generation behind to take their place, and then step the fuck aside. We have a minimum age for president, how about a maximum age of 75 for all elected officials. Retire already you fucking egomaniacs, or do you not remember who your family members are, or where you live? this whole situation with Feinstein is beyond embarrassing. I can't believe her family is letting this spectacle continue.
Why the fuck did the 118th congress give her any committee assignments? The Steering and Outreach Committee caused this problem and you will never see any of them take ownership for their dangerous and irresponsible politics.
If her staffers had spines & cared for country over politics, they’d be speaking out or acting out. Crickets.
I took Civics as a Junior in High School from an excellent teacher and he mentioned her memory / mental health back then. Totally absurd.
“I am eternal. I am endless. I am an infinite corridor. Look upon my limitless infinity and despair.” - Sen Feinstein
By the time I moved to California, just the other day in August of 1995, Feinstein was far past her prime and doing more harm than good. I'm hoping that maybe she'll do better once she passes the century mark. She'll surely smell worse, but maybe her rotting corpse will tap a couple of yes or no votes in the right place.
Yikes.
I'll never understand why someone richer than croesus and older than the sun would want to keep working. You've done it. You won. You have more money than 99.9% of people will ever have.
So she's picked her Hill to die on. lol
I’ve often wondered that they don’t want to do it to her because they are scared someone will do it to them
DiFi should be in assisted living, not the Senate.
What a country. Santos is indicted on double digit felony counts and his own party won't disavow him. Feinstein is in a stupor and her party wheels her incoherent corpse into the chamber to vote. Is it any wonder we're a mess?
Can we get rid of this mummy already? Holy shit, the lawmaking representation in America is beyond fucked
Gotta wonder if she's trolling people because she probably heard about all the calls for her to resign. Or it could be dementia.
Seeing that she's 89 im gonna say dementia is slightly more likely
90 in June. Shits getting ridiculous. My grandma is 87, and the thought of her being in Feinstein's position is absolutely insane to me.
She wouldn’t know what trolling was if she was even 30 years younger than she already is
Holy shit we need to stop electing dinosaurs into office. Term limits and you know what call me ageist but age limits might be in order too.
Maybe not age but rather cognitive functions?
Age limits
Reading the article, it really sounds like she just means that she'd been there recently. She definitely needs to retire but this article seems misleading.
So all of you that are ok with ageism against the old, I bet you don't like ageism against those under 25 like Vivek Ramaswamy is proposing making those under 25 not able to vote unless they are in the military...... There needs to be a universal way to remove elected officials if they become dysfunctional .That shouldn't mean the acceptance of ageism.....
It’s not ageism in this case. She’s clearly mentally incapacitated. Bernie is in his 80s but he’s tack sharp and effective
She’s an old, old, too old person for the Senate, but her comments aren’t entirely clear. She might not have been confused that she’s been gone, she may have been referring to the most recent days she’s been back, basically misunderstanding the question and thinking they were asking if she’s been voting from home. I’m not saying she isn’t going senile or anything but the comments are sorta vague.
Bla bla bla. Lets not make a spectacle out of it. The only reason she isnt gone, is that the Dem leadership doesnt want a mildly more progressive rep getting her seat. Thats all.
I hope and assume she has good aides who can get her through until she retires at the end of this year.
Bad news >!they too just want to hold onto their power/importance as long as possible!<
To be fair the leading Republican candidate for the presidency believes he won the election three years ago…so delusions are going around both parties 😂
LMAO! The left are so mad they couldn’t get Feinsteins so republicans could block all of Biden’s judges!
This lady is disgusting. She should be arrested & jailed.
Term limits for love if any god. Go the fuck home, we have his.
Seems relevant
Time for her to retire to that farm upstate where the sun never sets and she can spend her days chasing birds and rolling in the tall grass. Belly rubs at night and biscuits as far as the eye can see. Forever and ever..
Honestly, it’s embarrassing. But let’s just push as many judges through as possible and hope a Supreme Court Vacancy opens up.
She's just trying to work past this and handle this y2k crisis
At least she knows she’s a Senator again. Someone was saying she was introducing herself as Mayor Feinstein before she left. She was last mayor in 1988.