I was surprised at how quickly some Democrats have called for Biden to end his reelection campaign. I was more surprised to watch George Stephanopoulos’ interview with Joe Biden where Biden reiterated his intention not to quit — and not to take a cognitive test that could end the debate and guarantee four more years of Trump.
The answer to “Should he stay or should he go” is more complicated than watching Biden’s debate and declaring him out. There is a lot more to being president than winning a debate. But it is also fair to ask, “Is Biden able to serve as president for four more years?”
Unfortunately, the Democrats do not have time to weigh relevant considerations and make a decision based on “the facts.” And even more unfortunately, Biden himself seems to be part of the problem. Biden is adamant about remaining in the race but has yet to convince party leaders that the June 27 debate-and the Stephanopoulos interview—were flukes.
Most Democrats respect Joe Biden. Even those who thought he was too old in 2020 admit that he has proven pessimistic predictions wrong. And most Democrats and plenty of Independents will be forever grateful for the role Biden played in ending the reign of Trump.
Today, President Biden is playing a role opposite to the one he played in 2020. Instead of being the candidate who appealed to enough voters (white working-class voters in key states) to win, he is the candidate too many voters are rejecting because he “looks and acts old.”
Biden has a problem that nothing can fix—his age. Regardless of his performance over the next four months, he will remain “too old” for too many voters. And unless Trump suffers a melt-down similar to Biden’s on June 27, he will ironically be deemed “fit for the job” on the basis of his not looking as old as Joe Biden.
Democratic leaders must act quickly to build a consensus around Joe Biden or around a new ticket. Every day that the debate goes on, voters are talking about whether Biden will quit the race, or even resign the presidency, instead of focusing on Trump’s dangerous agenda (despite Trump’s disingenuous protests, it is “Project 2025”), his involvement in the January 6, 2021, insurrection, and his moral turpitude.
If Democrats conclude replacing Biden on the ticket will create too big a schism in the party, they should stick with Biden. They also need to examine the alternatives. Are Democrats ready to embrace Kamala Harris for president? Or should the party, as several leading Democrats suggest, hold a mini-primary season that could produce an entirely new team?
The road forward for Democrats is not an easy one. Their opponent — our opponent — is a snake who will take advantage of every opportunity to undermine the Democrats that the Democrats offer.
Trump recently called President Biden “a piece of cr*p,” and is developing nicknames for Harris. Ironically, he will challenge the legality of a Democratic nominee using campaign funds raised for the Biden-Harris ticket if Harris is not on the ticket. And it will get worse from there.
So, Democrats, quit talking and start deciding. We need a ticket in which we can believe. And the only way we will be able to believe in that ticket is if you, the leaders of the Democratic party, believe in it.
J.E. Dean is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. He writes on politics, government, and, too infrequently, other subjects.
Wilson Dean says
JE Dean is correct in warning us that time is of the essence. Ideally, President Biden would have indicated at the beginning of the primary season that he would not run again, allowing a spirited debate among the many outstanding Democrats who would have stepped forward to become the candidate. It would also have provided time for “hurt feelings” from the primaries to heal, so that all participants fully supported the Democratic nominee.
That, of course, did not happen. I am a strong supporter of President Biden, both for the enormous legislation he has managed to move through Congress to the benefit of the country and for his strong personal character. Unfortunately, I feel his truly horrific performance in the debate left an indelible negative impression on too many swing voters for him to win the November election.
At this point, it will probably be up to President Biden to make the decision, which he needs to do within the next week. As one who does not want Trump as President under any circumstance, I feel the odds are better to defeat Trump if we are supporting a younger, dynamic candidate than making excuses for a faltering Joe Biden.
John Dean says
Thanks for reading the piece. As you know, I agree with you. Democrats need to do everything they can to pull together and defeat Trump.
Brian Wroten says
Democrats are soooo weak-willed. At the first sign of trouble the entire party has a hysterical meltdown and wants to abandon a proven leader who has beaten Donald Trump before, is out-fundraising DJT, and has an extensive record of economic and political accomplishments in just 4 years that no other candidate has. There is not a scintilla of evidence that demonstrates replacing Biden would guarantee a win for Democrats in November. According to an Emerson poll that came out yesterday all other candidates (Whitmer, Newsome, Buttigieg…) are down 6-10 points from where Biden is vs. Trump. Replacing Biden at this stage in the election is uncharted territory, highly volatile, and highly undemocratic for the 18 million that voted for Biden in the primary. America would benefit as a whole if Democrats could get their *^%$ together and stop panicking over one bad debate performance which won’t determine of the outcome of an election in any case.
Barbara Denton says
You have no bench. You are getting what you deserve. When 51 security experts lie and say Hunter Biden’s laptop is Russian disinformation and state governments run the election illegally in violation of their own laws you reap what you sew.
Actually he called Camilla a piece of crap. In reality he went lite on her. He did not write the FEC rules. The current campaign war chest must be spent on either a Biden campaign or a Harris campaign.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Just. Stop.
Eric Ploeg says
“The Clock is Ticking for Democrats and for Democracy”? C’mon man, Americans don’t even know who’s running our country. That’s not democracy. Who’s behind the curtain? Obama? Susan Rice? John Podesta? Some DNC committee? The Easter Bunny? Who’s on call in case of emergency? “Save democracy”…sure is a great campaign slogan except it seems a bit hypocritical don’t you think? No one knows the truth and that’s not good. God Save the Queen!
Elizabeth Ferguson says
The issue is not age. The issue is competence.
Mickey Terrone says
The clock truly is ticking for democracy more than ever before. Nearly half the country is freely and mindlessly following a dictator, deluded into believing he will make America better. We all well know America isn’t perfect, nor is the practice of our democratic republican government.
Yet Democrats seem to be demanding that unless everything is immediately and fully functionally perfectly. The party needs to find that perfect person who checks all the boxes, to lead. Republicans don’t care if their candidate shoots someone on 5th Avenue or is found guilty of assaulting a woman – so long as the woman isn’t their sister or daughter or mother. One is reminded by the the snow white attendance at the Republican National Convention that their party is dominated by its focus on white male control. White Republican women are ornaments who have smilingly acceded to white male control, whether its against their reproductive rights or their role in the home in society.
Too many Americans of both parties seem oblivious to the immediate proximity of turning this faux religious ultraconservative nationalistic Republican sham of patriotism into the end of our democratic republic. Once this illusion of flag waving patriotism takes root under a fascist president and fascist courts, no congressional activity will be able to slow, much less stop this train toward oppression. Or ever get it back.
The poorer, bypassed white base of the Republican Party believes Trump will protect whites by deporting immigrants of color and depriving blacks of their voting rights (as they have been partially successful in doing already). They don’t seem to care or understand that his tax gifts to the wealthiest 1% forces them to pay the tab for national defense. They don’t seems to care that Trump will end Social Security or many of the national programs they rely upon monthly to survive.
Just as “Big Tent” Democrats diffuse our political power by failing to accept that we can’t be all things to all people at this moment, we could become guilty in 2024, of failing to unite to wipe Trump and Trumpism off the map with one massive vote. Our common sense is being tested by those who believe Joe Biden must be replaced. They think there is some perfect candidate who will emerge to unite the party. They think the economy isn’t strong enough because of inflation. They think Biden is too old and needs cognitive tests.
They don’t sense the danger that we need to vote for Biden to save democracy. They need to grasp that Biden has a host of great people working in his support and would be there if he falters. The alternative is Trump, fascism and the abandonment of everything Americans have fought, bled and died to preserve. Do they think about the type of people Trump would appoint?
Democrats had better come to their senses. If there are Republicans remaining who appreciate the value of our democratic republic, they have the power and responsibility to vote Trump out along with his lap dogs in both houses of congress.
Biden is old. Russia and China are supporting Trump because he’s happy to trade away American’s democratic republican traditions for his personal power and benefit. The 2024 election is not about the economy, stupid. Its not about the usual issues. Its about saving our democratic republic. Nothing less.