The Biden presidency is over. But politics waits for nobody and the machinery is already in motion to try and replace him on the 2024 ticket.
“I’m very worried,” said one Democratic lawmaker, adding that his constituents are not enamored of Trump but were upset by Biden’s performance. “I’m on my knees praying it’s not too late to replace him. This was so avoidable,” the lawmaker said.
Easier said than done. To avoid a bloody, knives-out, slugfest at the convention, Joe Biden is going to have to graciously withdraw. And Biden, known in his younger days as a pugnacious politician, will resist calls for him to exit the race.
Past statements clearly show that he still believes he can govern the country. Exiting now would be a humiliation few would endure unless they absolutely had to, and Biden probably doesn't think he's reached that point yet.
"It was an unspinnably bad performance." wrote the National Review editors.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who might be president by Monday (Lord, deliver us), tried her best to spin the unspinnable.
“Yes, there was a slow start but a strong finish,” said Harris. “Listen, people can debate on style points, but ultimately, this election and who is the president of the United States has to be about substance, and the contrast is clear,” she said on CNN.
Other Democrats were far more realistic. And brutal.
“Joe Biden had one thing he had to do tonight and he didn’t do it,” former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) said on MSNBC. “He had one thing he had to accomplish, and that was reassure America that he was up to the job at his age. And he failed at that.”
If Biden were to withdraw before the Democrats’ national nominating convention in August—which remains a remote possibility—it would raise the prospect of an open convention, in which delegates would be free to abandon commitments made to Biden during the primary elections and to back a new nominee. If he were to withdraw after the convention, a special meeting of the Democratic National Committee would decide the party’s presidential ticket, according to the DNC’s rules.
Waiting for the convention might have been possible in a simpler, gentler time. Democrats know they need to act now, as a disaster for Biden could become a catastrophe for the Democratic Party. Down-ballot candidates would be washed away in the tsunami.
So we might expect a high-level delegation of Democrats — retired and active, old wise heads — to trudge up the steps of the White House sometime in the next few days and confront Biden with the grim fact that he's lost the confidence of the Democratic Party and should step down as party leader.
They will likely give him the option of staying on till the end of his term. But Biden, a proud man, would rather resign and give vice president Harris a leg up in the race to replace him than endure the humiliation of being a lame duck for six months.
Biden may not have a choice in the matter. His mega-donors are panicking along with Democratic politicians and raising the money he would need to be competitive with Trump might not be possible.
Mark Buell, a prominent donor for Mr. Biden and the Democratic Party, said after the debate that the president had to strongly consider whether he is the best person to be the nominee. “Do we have time to put somebody else in there?” Mr. Buell said.
He added that he was not yet calling for Mr. Biden to withdraw but that “Democratic leadership has a responsibility to go to the White House and clearly show what America’s thinking, because democracy is at stake here and we’re all nervous.”
“Biden is about to face a crescendo of calls to step aside,” said a veteran Democratic strategist who has been one of Biden's strongest supporters. “Joe had a deep well of affection among Democrats. It has run dry.”
“Parties exist to win,” this Democrat continued. “The man on the stage with Trump cannot win. The fear of Trump stifled criticism of Biden. Now that same fear is going to fuel calls for him to step down.”
I doubt whether Democrats will stand for much of a delay. Perhaps the first post-debate polls will help convince the president of the hopelessness of his position. The flash polls after the debate were absolutely gruesome. CNN had Trump by a 2-1 margin.
If it were a question of overcoming a gaffe, there wouldn't be any question of Biden continuing in the race. But Biden's performance showed he simply wasn't up to the job. And that will prove to be fatal for him.
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