President Joseph Robinette Biden (the only president whose middle name is the sur name of a Miami legal Judicial legend - see below for more) will exit the race by this time next week.
Political trivia- name the last sitting president who chose not to run for reelection.
So now that Biden out is a nearly foregone conclusion, what is the path forward? Biden cannot assign his delegates to his Vice President. He must release them, which means we will have an open convention. So our next political trivia is when was the last open convention in the US? Who won?
Who are your picks to be the democratic presidential nominee? We think the strongest choice is Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. The Governors of Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, Colorado and California are also in the running. And what about Senator Corey Booker of NJ? We haven’t heard much about him lately.
For a political junkie like Rumpole, this is going to be loads of fun.
And while the presidency is within the grasp of you know who, he is not there yet.
Don’t believe us? Just ask Thomas Dewey or Al Gore. Not to mention Richard Mulhouse Nixon in 1960.
REGJb Trivia answer. We had a county court Judge named Meek Robinette who spoke with a very thick southern drawl. He was not, to be kind, the sharpest knife in the drawer, so he was relegated to bond hearing duty twice a day where he said iconically “Unless ah state otherwhaise ah find probahable chause…” Let’s just say there was a gulf as wide as the Mississippi River between him and Judge Ed Cowart. But what a name! Meek as a first name is just so old school southern cool. And if you read about Judge Robinette you will learn that as a young man he was a U of M star athlete. Share your Meek Robinette stories with us and on X #MeekRobinette.
OMG I was such a big Meek Robinette fan. He was all that made the REGJB charming when I first arrived. And that accent!! And he had a kinda hot clerk who followed him around everywhere built like a brick s house if you get my drift, I wish we had video of him saying unless ah say otherwhaise…it was the best Jerry. The best.
ReplyDeleteJohnson
ReplyDeleteJudge Robinette belonged to my synagogue when I was growing up. He was the first to contribute to our Oneg Shabbat snacks after Friday evening services. His favorite were the raspberry rugulah. He always told us his “best case of the week” story which would make Cantor Greenstein just laugh so hard that his singing voice was just a bit raw on Saturday morning.
ReplyDeleteJust a good man that Meek was.
I believe this Judge Meek was a distant relative of Congresswoman Carrie Meek?
ReplyDeleteA step brother?
Did I get that right?
Joe Manchin as the democratic nominee. Yeah, that's a good one. Stay of the srooms.
ReplyDeleteHe began every session with, "This . . . is a bawwnnd hearing. You will have a chance to state your case . . . but not today." Then the blanket probable cause findings. The two clerks I remember were a younger guy named Jimmy with an Elvis hairstyle, and an older gray-haired lady. Long before the days of first appearance by video, the assortment of defendants, and the odor in the courtroom, was always remarkable. Everything from sleeping on the sidewalk to first degree murder.
ReplyDeleteHow could you possibly suggest Joe Manchin. He could never piss away as much taxpayer money as a true Democrat. By the way, why not absolve all Democrats of paying any taxes if they earn kless than $400,000 per year with a special tax credit bonus to any of them who do not work, with a double bonus for anyone who has not worked for at least five years.
ReplyDeleteHe is a dusarrr Rump and everyone needs to admit it
ReplyDeleteRump add Hillbilly Elegy to your reading list.
ReplyDeleteNo chance it will be Manchin, though he probably would beat Trump he is barely a Democrat and is not going to be voted for by the Democratic delegates. I'd put odds at 70 percent Harris, 10 percent Biden, 20 percent someone else.
ReplyDeleteManchin? No! He isn’t even a Democrat any more; he is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. He is a corrupt asshole who I would never trust and I am a moderate Democrat.
ReplyDeletelyndon johnson
ReplyDelete"I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your president."
ReplyDeleteLBJ
Except he lifted most of that from William Tecumseh Sherman who said:
"I will not accept if nominated and will not serve if elected," in 1884.
And then said "I hereby state, and mean all that I say, that I never have been and never will be a candidate for President; that if nominated by either party, I should peremptorily decline; and even if unanimously elected I should decline to serve," in 1897.
Aaargh.
ReplyDeleteRumpole, my prior comment ADDED 13 years to Sherman's 1884 declination. I meant to SUBTRACT 13 years to the note the first time he declined. Sigh. Felled by arithmetic and inattention.
The central point remains: Johnson was the last sitting president to decline to run and he did so by lifting language used twice by WTS.
Mo Udall had an even pithier take on the old saying: After getting bashed in the 1976 campaign, when asked if he'd run in 1984 he said: "If nominated, I shall run to Mexico. If elected, I shall fight extradition."
IF you are right and President Biden steps aside, one wonders if his withdrawal will be as articulate as these refusals.
Very good tennis player in his time.I loved hearing the MEEKER say your motion is DEEEEEENNNNIIIIIDDDDD . as long as it was not my motion. A real Justice Building character for sure.
ReplyDeleteWho cares about the name that loses to DJT?
ReplyDeletePrediction “win at all cost”
ReplyDeleteIf Joe Biden doesn't have the cognitive function to run for re-election, then he certainly doesn't have the cognitive function to remain as Commander-In-Chief," Vance posted. "How can any Dem pushing him to drop out of the presidential race, argue in good faith that he should stay on as POTUS?"
ReplyDeleteBiden aint going anywhere.
Judge Meek loved Kenny W. He was your guy if you were in front of this legendary jurist. It’s crazy. Back then, every Friday - it would be Kenny W taking Judge Meek, Judge Marshall Ader and Judge Murray Meyerson to lunch at La Casita de Manana. Grilled chicken breasts with a bit of Dijon mustard, fried plantains and white rice. Nothing fancy. But lots of great gossip and Meek was quite the yenta. He loved to hear everything about the new “Lady Judges.” Kenny always had the scoop from his ASA sources about everything Adele Segall Faske and, of course, the inimitable Judge Ellen Morphonios. Lots going on in that building back then. No one knew that one day, they would all be LEGENDS.
ReplyDeleteDid Shumie call the Meek or did Meek call the Shumie ? How about a nice pic and memorial to one of the REGJB’s funded of probable cause ? Hang it in the bond hearings courrroom. Have a Meek day when every judge says “unless ah say otherwhaise ah find prah bable chause”.
ReplyDeleteA legend
I know a fellow political geek when I see one Kuntz. Nice to have ya on board.
ReplyDeleteHere is the 100 million question. If Biden drops out what happens to the 100 million in his campaign account? The law says he has to do something with it and cannot give it to another candidate other than 2000. He can give it to a PAC. Some democratic election lawyers say since Harris’s name is on the ticket she can get it. Others are not so sure. If Biden accepts the no,inaction and then withdraw ps Harris will get it for sure.
ReplyDeleteInteresting conundrum.
July 19, 2024@9:27 AM, are you sure you’re not confusing Judge Meek (the Meek One) Robinette with Judge Steve
ReplyDelete( Little Stevie) Robinson??
Robinette= WASP
Robinson = Seriously Jewish
Robinette = Just to the right of Attila the Hun, once knew someone who knew someone Jewish.
Robinson=Liberal, leftist, actually IS Jewish.
Might want to reconsider who you’re referring to.
Just Saying
Yea, I was googling Meek yesterday and saw his funeral was at an episcopal church, thought that was rather odd for a Jew.
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