These are worrisome times for those of us who have nightmares about a revengeful, reckless Donald Trump returning to the White House in 2025. Yes, it could happen despite a growing stack of indictments (two down, two or more to go, including the big one for sedition in Washington) and Trump’s increasingly bizarre behavior.
Incredibly, Trump’s following in his party has increased since April. Logic still suggests that age or his legal troubles will eventually overwhelm him, forcing him to quit the race, but that has not happened yet. And it might never happen.
That is why Democrats need to rethink their 2024 strategy. They need to take some risks. They need to accept that a majority of voters do not think an 80-year-old, regardless of his accomplishments, should run for president. They need to calculate the risks of Biden becoming seriously ill or incapacitated between now and election day and being forced to quit in the middle of the election, a scenario that would create chaos. That risk is material. There has to be a Democratic actuary out there. Her help is needed—now.
In an ideal world, it would be the “Big guy” himself who gathers a small group of the party’s top leaders and lets them know he has changed his mind about running in 2024. By doing so, much of the risk of Biden not running can be avoided. Those risks include the party being hijacked by a candidate too-far-left to get elected or a candidate susceptible to Trump’s gift of destruction by ridicule, lies, racism, and misogyny. Put another way, resurrecting Hillary Clinton or choosing Elizabeth Warren will not work.
The party needs to create a checklist to select a candidate who can withstand Trump, exude ethics and honesty, and credibly continue the policies that have made Biden’s presidency one of accomplishment. The list would be aspirational. It likely will be all but impossible to find a candidate able to check every box. The list would not be “non-negotiables,” but ideals.
What should the Democrats be looking for? The candidate must be young, but also must be experienced and savvy enough to address the challenges of today. This means a candidate with extensive military or foreign policy experience. Similarly, a grasp of artificial intelligence would be a plus since regulating AI will be a top agenda item for the next five years. And the party needs a candidate who is personally committed to racial and economic justice, ideally as evidenced in the candidate’s own background and experiences.
In summary, the list would include being right on issues important to voters, having the experience and temperament to handle the issues likely to be encountered as president, having expertise in the emerging challenge of AI, and having a dedication and background to relate to—and be relatable to—most Americans.
That may seem like a simple list, but it would exclude many alternatives to Joe Biden that come to mind. Thinking about Michelle Obama as the candidate? Does not meet the criteria. How about Gavin Newsom? I am not sure. Maybe. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.? Do you have to ask?
Who should top Democrats be thinking about? Until they develop their criteria, nobody. To avoid a mistake, the party needs to know what it needs before starting to consider names. Once the list is completed, party leadership should be open to considering lesser known candidates. Two examples would be Maryland Governor Wes Moore and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Ideally, if the Democrats, under the leadership of President Biden, decide to rejuvenate the party by finding a candidate who checks as many of the boxes as possible, the defeat of Diet Coke swigging Trump, who will be 78 years old on election day, could be easy.
Imagine the Democratic party rallying behind a ticket that embraced its commitment to diversity, democracy, progress, and national unity. It is likely that such a strong ticket would dissuade the “No Labels” movement from running a candidate and unintentionally helping Trump. Pre-empting No Labels by itself is a reason for the party to consider taking the risk of moving on from Biden.
Joe Biden deserves America’s thanks for defeating Trump in 2024, leading us out of the pandemic, and making progress on social justice. He has repaired out alliances in Europe and elsewhere, established America as the leader of efforts to support Ukraine in its war against Russia, helped to prevent a recession, and stood up for basic civil rights, including the rights to abortion and to vote.
A decision to pass the proverbial baton to a new generation would cap Biden’s career and make him a national hero. Let’s hope that happens.
J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant writing on politics, government, and other subjects.
Reed Fawell 3 says
I agree with much of this analysis. But I see two remarkably similar opposite sides of one coin. Another words, I sense that one could flip this article as written upside down to reflect the GOP’s view of the Democrats simply by substituting the names Trump and Republicans with the names Biden and Democrats.
Why? Unfortunately, each side, to an alarming degree and extent today, views the other side of America as a cabal of crooks, ignoramuses and existential enemies. And far too many of us, particularly our leaders, are driving hard to deepen and widen the divide between us. And too many of us are taking the bait. It’s as if there’s blood in the water amongst sharks.
Hence these highly polarized views and opinions now encompass an ever expanding range of American institutions and peoples – the FBI, the DOJ, the Supreme Court, the Congress, the federal bureaucracy, the public education establishment from K to the Ivies. And now too it engulfs ever more kinds and slices of “races and classes” in America, whether they be urban, suburban or rural, white, black, Hispanic, Asian, and now too ever-expanding and newly defined sexes and identities. Indeed, novel polarized divisions seem to multiply daily among us in America. We seem caught in era of raging hysterics and nervous breakdowns.
And we’re going on these tantrums and rants at one other as the very time we are the most prosperous nation and people in world history by far. Why is this? What is driving all this tangled and snarling at one another. Where will it lead? And what will emerge out of the growing chaos?
Or is this typical in history? How so, and why? And if so, why is it so surprising to us? Have we in America been on a vacation from history for the past 50 years, thanks to the America. And so now have we lost the ability to find answers to these questions and right ourselves? Where might we look now? A good place to start might be Peter Brown’s Journey of the Mind, a life in history, just published.
John Dean says
Good comment–I thought the same thing. Of course, I focus on the Democrats for the sake of our democracy.
Thanks for reading the piece and for your substantive comment.
David Taylor says
“Of course, I focus on the Democrats for the sake of our Democracy” Beyond hilarious. Your bias prevents you from understanding the absurdity of that statement.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Why is Mr. Dean’s statement “beyond hilarious”? Or “absurd”? It is the Republican Party candidates that are/want to
take freedoms away from individuals. They call themselves the “freedom Party”. Now that is hilarious!
As they take personal freedoms away, they ask voters to worship at the feet of Trump and DeSantis.
This is not a democracy. It is authoritarianism.
I’m glad he and all smart Americans show their bias everyday against these demagogues.
The RepublicanParty is in the sewer and reeks to high heaven.
Dave Taylor says
Here is what we have learned about the Democrat party. They don’t beleieve in the 1st Amendment, 2nd Amendment and, as we saw yesterday, the 14th Amendment. They lied about Covid, endorsed lockdowns, censor social media, shuttered the economy, and beleive in the folly of “green energy” by using the power of government to force us to use an unrelaible source of power. They deny the rights of parents a say in their child’s education. They want to force us into a top down, government controlled economy by suppressing the free market.
Methinks you don’t understand authoritarianism, democracy, or freedom. We are not a democracy, we are a democratic republic. The key difference between a democracy and a republic lies in the limits placed on government by the law, our Constitution. The Democrats have no use for the Constitution and would prefer a “pure democracy”, where they could impose their fascist tendencies on the rest of us.
John Fischer says
Have a look at the governor of Kentucky, Mr. Dean.
John Dean says
Thank you for the suggestion. I will. From what I’ve read to date, he is worth a look.
Anne C Stalfort says
As a life-long democrat, I reject this idea. So your solution to not wanting Joe to run is to totally disrespect our very capable Vice President and every other Democratic officeholder who happens to be female. That’s a winning strategy when the most reliable block of Democratic voters is Black women? I’m sticking with Joe.
Henry F Noyes says
Bullcrap!
Paul Rybon says
I think Mr. Dean is worrying too much. The press and Bidens DNC handlers have handed us voters a beneficent Granddad with endless programs for the foreseeable future. That’s all most folks really care about. The Hunter Biden scandals should run off him like water.
The only mistakes that the DNC is making is not taking extreme care of him like they did with FDR. Heck, most citizens didn’t know or care about the invalid stuff. The other mistake that is being made by the DNC is exasperating the criticisms of VP Harris.If she can read a script they can make her into whatever they want her to be. In other words, making her the fall guy for an incoherent policy is wrong. So, the Press should mute the giggles, clean up her speech gaffes etc.
There’s really not enough time to find and mold another Democratic candidate for POTUS. The current program of destroying Republican candidates and bolstering their own should be enough to guarantee a solid victory in the Presidrntial race and both houses of congress.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Best posting ever:
“HR: Let me get this straight. You were fired? you refused to leave, called all your friends to come vandalize the
work place, then you stole a ton of classified sensitive s**t on the way out of the office, you got caught & are
now re-applying for the job?”
Most criminals try to lay low. GOP criminals run for office. And there are delusional people voting for them, LOL.
Mickey Terrone says
Hello John. Happy 4th! You wrote “In an ideal world, it would be the “Big guy” himself who gathers a small group of the party’s top leaders and lets them know he has changed his mind about running in 2024.
We both know that this isn’t an ideal world. We know that Joe Biden is determined to defeat Trump and Trumpism and he’ll do everything possible to make that happen. If he steps away, it will be because he feels he cannot manage it physically. If not, we can be certain he feels up to the task.
As a lifelong Democrat, there is little that frustrates me more than our “Big Tent’s” unwillingness to unite, even in the face of an opposition party that seems inalterably opposed to individual liberty and equal rights for all Americans. I’d suggest that there is no perfect candidate. Replacing Biden will simply create more questions, more doubt and further dissention that will only encourage the “No Labels” to find that perfect candidate who doesn’t exist. I think Gavin Newsome will be a great president some day. I think we foolishly dismiss Kamala Harris because she is a female of color. Others will also have their time. But 2023-24 remains Biden’s time unless he says otherwise.
Democrats who fail to unite under the standard bearer are giving away the store (and the country) to an evil tyrant, a autocratic demagogue and his millions of deluded followers who have lost their basic trust in the American way of life and liberty in the cloud of Trump’s racism and bigotry. Our responsibility as Democrats is to ensure we vote in the best interests of average Americans and thus ensure we drag millions of the deluded “bypassed” Republican voters along and represent their best socioeconomic interests as well.
On this July 4th weekend, it is imperative that American patriots understand that regardless of the smoke and mirrors, we must absolutely determine to vote and win this election. Clearly, the opposition is demonstrating how they will try to control the majority of Americans using the Supreme Court to ensure their disingenuous evangelicalism maintains their racism and bigotry. Covering up for Trump’s treasonous national security failures, his gross attempt to overturn our 2020 election (along with the many Republican co-conspirators), his horrendous lies, dishonor, greed and despicable demagoguery require every true American to rise up and crush his 2024 campaign.
That Trump has dragged so many elected Republicans down to his depths of dishonor further emphasizes the need for Democrats to unite to fend off this overt challenge to the basic tenets of our American heritage. Imagine the gall of a charlatan demanding the loyalty (and money) from people more devoted to him than to this country and our constitution. Trump continues to undermine our intelligence community, our FBI, our state and federal courts as if he is victimized. That so many Americans fail to see reality is our burden to work to overcome.
There is no perfect Democratic candidate to oppose Trump. Even if someone “checked all the boxes”, there will still be doubts and as we know, rallying independent-minded Democrats equates with herding cats. We need to “dance with who brung us”, and we need to dance long and hard and we need to contribute and we need to speak out. The lines are drawn. Maybe the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg is a fitting metaphor for 2023-24. The alternative to a Democratic victory is America’s 1st class ticket to autocracy and national socialism.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Amen. We’ll stated, thank you!