'We're close to the end': Biden world braces for the possibility that the president steps aside
'We're close to the end': Biden world braces for the possibility that the president steps aside

'We're close to the end': Biden world braces for the possibility that the president steps aside

Plan would be simple. Resign from the Presidency for health and personal reasons. This would immediately promote Harris to the Presidency, who could inherit the campaign cash and pledged delegates, and begin to sharply campaign on continuing the Biden legacy and attacking Trump with every skill at her disposal.
Wouldn't be perfect, but it'd avoid a big, chaotic, inter-party fight with no prep time, and would preserve the sense of incumbency. Harris could even pick an actual progressive as her running mate, maybe a Katie Porter, and help shore up some support on that flank as she fights for the moderates.
Not a great nor necessary plan.
There's no way for Harris to appoint and get confirmed a replacement vice president, and it would be impossible anyway because replacing the vacant VP slot requires a majority of both the House and Senate.
Becoming President in this case is by the Constitution. It's the law, it's how our government works.
Becoming the nominee is internal political party, legally private non-governmental business.
What does work, whether or not one wants Harris as the new nominee, is this:
Biden drops out as the Democratic nominee for President, while remaining in office as President saying he must put all his energy and attention into governing these remaining months.
Then,
IF the party wants Harris. Harris aggressively campaigns to be President ELSE
Harris states she has to put all her energy and attention into helping Biden govern so will not accept a nomination.
Open convention occurs, but likely with a lot of prior discussion and alignment towards one or two best candidate.
Face saving all around
That happens if Biden slips and falls in the bath tube, too. Its not an argument for keeping him at the top of the ticket.
Dems control the Senate. For the House, would just need a couple repubs to flip. Otherwise it would have to be left vacant I suppose. Mike Johnson being next in line does not worry me.
Correct, Harris would not automatically become the dem nominee. However, assuming Biden's chosen delegates are loyal to him, I think it's reasonable to guess they would honor his chosen successor and voluntarily vote according to his wishes.
A convention is a possibility, and I'm not completely against it. It complicates matters severely though, and not for very significant gain since citizens can't really vote again in such a short timeframe.
Most people really don't like Harris though. Keeping Biden is the better option at this point... The Dems have just royally fucked everyone by playing this "emperor's new clothes" game with Bidens dementia.
Yeah, she's far from perfect. But, it's better than a big, chaotic, unprecedented free-for-all. Everyone was expecting 4 more years of this administration anyway.
Tbh, I think that Harris is a big ol nothingburger of a candidate. Fox news got conservatives to hate her easy enough for the crime of being a [black, woman] Democrat, but that doesn't mean anything to independents. Harris is disappointing to more libertarian minded and further left folks (like me) because she was kind of a stupidly aggressive DA, but I don't think that really bothers independents either. Harris herself had a middling debate performance in 2020, but still managed to beat the pants off Biden, who appeared DOA on the 2020 primary stage. She's never espoused any especially strong policy positions that I know of, either, besides being another authoritarian centrist.
All of this kind of wraps up into a very boring, plain vanilla candidate, which could well work to the democrats' advantage in this election cycle. Here's my opinion: Harris has several key advantages over Biden.
I really wish the democrats had had the foresight to prepare for this moment by picking a much better VP, or having an open and honest primary, but we're here now and there's nothing we can do about the past. Imo, Harris is the best chance we've got of keeping the fascists out for the next four years.
If Biden could prove the debate was a one off he would have done so. His continued lack luster perform after the debate shows what the road to November looks like with him. Dems lose. Because most people who would vote blue will do so anyway. It's the 1 in 100 on the margins that will decide this thing. If Biden nominee = Trump 2nd presidency = all of the terror that comes with it, then who gives a flying fuck if Kamala right now polls even with Biden.
Most people don't like Biden. More than don't like Harris. There was some early idea that Harris was uniquely disliked that people keep propagating for some reason. She's not a superstar, she lost the primary for a reason, but she's not some especially toxic politician. At least not for anyone who would say "keeping Biden is better".
I've counted and I can guarantee there are at least two dozen Americans that aren't Harris or Biden.
We can shore Biden up with a good Neuralink for the short term. Offload more and more functions to ChatGPT, but trained on someone articulate like Snoop Dogg.
With Biden’s political experience and Snoop’s ability to complete a sentence, we could keep this administration going. Let him google stuff too, in real time. Then he’s got an excuse for zoning out.
Most people really don't like Biden either.
I could see a video getting leaked of Jill Biden slapping Joe around saying he ruined her life cause of the debate
Not my fave plan but it’ll do. Shit, I’m voting D no matter what. I will always vote against the republican traitor filth.
Not my fave plan but it’ll do. Shit, I’m voting R no matter what. I will always vote against the democrat traitor filth.
Who would be Harris’ VP pick?
She'd probably pick a straight white guy to try to defuse some bigotry concerns, but in my fantasies she picks Katie Porter.
She can’t beat Trump.
I don't think we need someone popular to beat Trump. Just someone that can run a strong campaign.
Trumps fans may love him, but he is not himself a broadly popular figure in any other circles.
Trump is not a good candidate, everyone the dems run is just horrible
So lie to voters more and say it is for health and personal reasons when he's been saying he's fine this whole time? What a final FU that's be and what a way to energize your base with another big lie. He should admit that he was wrong and has decided to step aside cause he thinks it's best for the voters and best for the party and best for the country. PERIOD. Nothing else needs to be said.
I don't think voters would blame a politician for trying to portray strength in their campaign. Sensible ones anyway.