I am already hearing people saying that the Democrats who want to replace Biden should be taken at face value when they say that they are doing this "for the country." I can see that. I'll bet some of them are. It is not a crazy argument to look at this and say "the country must be led by someone else."
But there is something deeply worrisome in terms of precedent to say "we have an elaborate but understandable and long-established method of consulting the American people about who they want to have as president, but we don't like how that worked out this time, so let's scrap it and do something else."
What could possibly go wrong with that in the next election, or the one after that?
As readers have pointed out at my place, in fact they actively derailed that system in the primary election. Some state Democratic Parties refused to hold primaries, or to admit other candidates (notably RFK, who wanted to run as a Democrat just as a Kennedy would usually do). This was precisely to prevent Biden being weakened electorally by second thoughts among voters.
ReplyDeleteNow that this democratic and popular process has been prevented from happening, they want to replace him by a non-democratic method involving elite decisions in back rooms.
I wouldn't give any benefit to anybody who's fine with Biden staying in office but being replaced on the ballot.
ReplyDeleteThey have sown the wind.
ReplyDeleteI think the only way out of their current conundrum is for Biden to step down before the convention, leaving Kamala as the incumbent president and nominee. That's what the voters voted for. Anything else would not be Democratic. I didn't vote for her, but Democratic voters did.
Our internal family debate has a group of cynics who think that Kamala can be bought off in some way. I'm perhaps more cynical. I don't think any politician, ever, would give up the VP position at this point. It's as if they're playing a strategy game, and she ends up with position and all the money. Oh wait, she does...
I have a very, very dark sense of humor, so I admit, if she and Joe were to bow out, it would be very entertaining to witness the metaphorical knife fight among Democratic politicians chasing the jump ball of the presidency (purposely mixing metaphors.) 40 days, GO!
Just think of how many negative stories would be aired about in-party rivals! It would be a lesson for future generations.
At its core, the issue is fitness. Is he fit to make decisions that may impact the world? At this point, a reasonable person could see that there are questions about that fitness. Do we have a remedy? It appears that the likely best remedy is the election, as he is the democratic nominee at present. He could withdraw, but I suspect he lacks the insight to see the need. We are embarking on dangerous times, with a president who appears unfit for office over the next 6 months or so.
ReplyDeleteTom....
ReplyDelete"He could withdraw, but I suspect he lacks the insight to see the need. We are embarking on dangerous times, with a President who appears unfit for office over the next 6 months or so."
IMNSHO, it's been several *years* since our President has been competent to hold his office.
That he lacks the insight, or altruism, to step down...is part and parcel of the problem.
Dangerous times indeed.
At Morty - I agree about the lack of altruism or insight into what the country needs versus what he needs, but have to at least acknowledge that he is not unusual in this, just worse than most in DC.
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