President Joe Biden’s debate performance has been disappointing. But Democrats need to calm down, take a deep breath, and figure out what’s important. Biden is the same man before Thursday’s debacle: solid policy but short on style.
The president has never been a crafty debater, and a lifelong stutter has saddled him with a halting speaking style that makes it easy for him to repeat sentences and phrases. Age has also taken its toll – as Biden himself admits. But there is evidence of many who have done heavy lifting day in and day out in one of the most difficult jobs in the world and logging campaign miles and events at an impressive level.
America has a serious choice before it. Will they be harassed by a conniving carnival barker? Or will they look beyond those who speak the truth and reality, even in whispers?
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who twice supported Bernie Sanders for president, told me that politics has become too celebrity-centric, and he is right.
“We want someone who is an entertainer,” Ellison said. “But at the end of the day, all I want from the president is that he tries to create an economy that can grow, he protects my rights, and, if we disagree, we can have a conversation.”
Let’s face it. Biden has never been the best or the smartest speaker, and Thursday’s performance was terrible. Why? We may not know why. Interestingly, after the debate, Biden went to a rally at Waffle House where he appeared energetic and his voice seemed normal.
Can other Democrats replace Biden? Yes, it works. But the reality is that the process of switching candidates on this last date – the convention is nine weeks away – excruciating and filled with logistical landmines. A fight between the top contenders that stretches in the summer can be a far bigger disaster than one bad debate. Trump and his supporters will rejoice.
Vice President Kamala Harris is one of the most likely candidates to replace Biden. Harris has grown stronger in office but remains a controversial figure in the party. If Biden resigns and releases his delegation, Harris will not have an automatic claim.
And, any effort to bypass Harris, the first Black woman to fill the role in a party that has struggled to retain Black voters, will likely divide Democrats. Any contender, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, will face the most daunting task: unifying a party that is deeply damaged in late August, fighting the most prominent figure in Republican politics, and managing only Biden. has actually pulled off – a victory over Trump. And complete it all in about 10 weeks.
On Friday, Biden was back at it, attending a daytime campaign event in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he called out Joe Biden in his State of the Union address. “I know what millions of Americans know. When you get knocked down, you get back up!” Biden addressed the crowd, his voice strong and at full volume.
Then, head to the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center in New York to commemorate the beginning of the LGBTQ movement, before an afternoon campaign reception. That, Ellison said, is the mark of a leader.
“So you have a slightly more difficult problem than before,” Ellison said. “Biden knows what it means to work hard. That’s called grit. Tenacity. Commitment.”
Until Biden’s debate performance can be seen as an indication of his continued ability to withstand and excel in the rigors of his office, there needs to be an honest and open conversation about his abilities. The upcoming events should provide some clarity as the race only gets stronger from here.
Even after the convention, after the nominations, there is a plan to withdraw if something happens that the DNC might call an “emergency.” In that case, Democratic Party Chairman Jaime Harrison, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, as head of the Democratic Governors Association, will vote. It would avoid the chaos of an open convention and months of jockeying by the candidates, but it would give them less time to campaign against rivals who have shown they will stop as hard as it takes to win.
Democrats are in this predicament because Trump is a threat to democracy itself. Had it not been for the danger of Trump’s second term, Biden might have been satisfied with just four years. Instead, he, like all of us, has witnessed Trump rise and unite his party. Regardless of his criminal convictions, his role in the January 6 uprising, the theft of secret documents, or his multiple trials, the cultists stand behind him.
On Friday, while appearing on Fox News, Walz said, “I think we can learn from the Republicans. The Republicans are not going to abandon President Trump through impeachment, through anything.
But the whole “whatever” thing should matter a lot to Democrats, non-MAGA Republicans (yes, they still exist), and anyone who doesn’t know about the country under the thumb of this small, vengeful man who openly talks about retribution and have. the potential to reshape this country in its own image.
There are no easy decisions and many difficult conversations. But before Democrats abandon Biden, they must consider that a replacement — however talented — will not have the trust and relationships that Biden has built over decades. It is non-transferable, and important.