Democrats Problem With Joe Biden

By Jeff Charles 

The Debate Heard Around the World

It has been over two weeks since the presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump and the fallout is still front and center on the national stage.

At the heart of the issue is Biden’s abysmal performance in the debate. His age and cognitive decline were both on full display as he struggled to make his points and counter his opponent’s barbs. At times, he seemed to wander off mid-sentence and devolve into incoherent ramblings.

Even when the president was on point, he displayed weakness. His voice sounded rough and there was an evident lack of energy on his part.

On the other hand, Trump was a slightly subdued version of his Trumpy self. He savaged Biden on a slew of issues and even took a shot at the president when he gave a mumbled response to one of the questions beginning his response by saying,

I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either.

The debate itself covered a wide range of pressing issues, showcasing their contrasting perspectives and policy positions. Biden highlighted his administration’s achievements when it comes to creating jobs and stabilizing the economy. “We created 15,000 new jobs. We brought on – in a position where we have 800,000 new manufacturing jobs,” Biden boasted.

The president slammed his opponent, blaming him for the economic and public health wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had an economy that was in freefall. The pandemic was so badly handled, many people were dying. All he said was, ‘It’s not that serious. Just inject a little bleach in your arm. It’d be alright,’” Biden said, referencing the false claim that Trump wanted people to inject bleach into their bodies to combat the effect of the coronavirus.

Trump hammered Biden on a series of issues while defending his record. “We had the greatest economy in the history of our country. We had never done so well. Every – everybody was amazed by it,” the former president said.

Trump attacked Biden, claiming that he lied about the jobs his administration created. “The only jobs he created are for illegal immigrants and bounceback jobs; they’re bounced back from the COVID,” Trump said.

The former president also went after one of Biden’s most glaring weak spots: The border crisis. “We had the safest border in the history of our country. The border – all he had to do was leave it. All he had to do was leave it,” Trump said, also noting that “We have the largest number of terrorists coming into our country right now.”

Five Alarm Fire Among Democrats

The fallout from the debate has been dogging the Biden campaign since five seconds after it concluded. So far, at least 18 Democratic politicians have publicly called for the president to drop out of the race. Several high-profile Democratic donors have done the same and even threatened to withhold funding from the party until this happens. Even left-leaning media outlets have floated the idea of replacing Biden if he refuses to leave the race.

To make matters worse, polls released after the debate were quite problematic for the president. A recent Decision Desk HQ survey showed Trump leading Biden by a significant margin in several key swing states.

Other members of the chattering class have speculated about who might replace Biden on the campaign trail if he drops out or is forced out. At the top of the list are Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

However, there are still others, like Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) who are still backing the President. During an appearance on NBC’s “Today Show,” he said he is “all in” on the president.

I’m ridin with Biden no matter which direction he goes, no matter what method he takes. I’m with Joe Biden.

The fact that we are still discussing Biden’s debate performance and cognitive issues shows that the hubbub over the matter is not going to die down anytime soon, if ever. Democrats are in a quandary of their own making. They were the ones who, along with their friends in the media, chose to pretend Biden’s age wasn’t an issue instead of pressuring him to drop out much earlier. These people attempted to cover up something that anyone with eyes, ears, and a brain could easily see: President Joe Biden is too old to serve as president.

Democrats Options 

Now, they are stuck with their deeply flawed candidate. Each day that passes makes it even less likely that they will be able to replace him – especially if they plan to do so against his will. A Washington Post report explored this issue in a recent report:

A final decision needs to be made quickly to meet state ballot deadlines and avoid potential legal challenges by Republicans.

The report noted that if the president decided to drop out now, before he is officially the party’s nominee, “replacing him on the ballot would be relatively straightforward.” The Democratic Party’s national convention is scheduled for August, which means they have some time – but not much.

However, even if Democrats manage to get Biden to bow out, they will be faced with another problem: finding another candidate. This would entail coming up with a process to select the party’s new standard-bearer. There would certainly be several candidates who would throw their hats into the ring, Harris and Newsom included. Governors from Michigan Gretchen Whitmer, Maryland Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro, and Kentucky Andy Beshear have also been floated as potential replacements. Some have suggested a “mini primary” to select the new leader. This would all have to be done before the convention, which is not far off.

Harris, being a black woman, would certainly enjoy an edge in this matchup. But even then, it is not guaranteed given her dismal approval ratings and perceived incompetence. Replacing her with say, Gavin Newsome would be difficult, if not impossible for some parts of the Democratic coalition to accept. An open primary at the Democratic Convention could devolve into outright chaos.  

After selecting the new candidate, the Democrats will have to figure out how to appeal to the voting public with only a few more months left in the election season. This won’t be an easy feat given that the party does not exactly have much in the way of popular leaders that could assure voters that they are the right person for the job. While Trump certainly has his issues, he is a known quantity, and the country did not blow up during his first term in office.

The ongoing repercussions of Biden’s disastrous debate performance have left the Democratic Party scrambling for solutions. With calls for him to drop out of the race growing louder and polls showing Trump leading in key swing states, the party must confront the reality of their flawed candidate.

Whether through his own decision or pressure from within, the question of replacing Biden looms large. But with limited time and a lack of popular leaders, Democrats face the daunting task of finding a new standard-bearer who can resonate with voters. Needless to say, Democrats have their work cut out for them. 

The July Surprise

It is also worth mentioning that the attempted assassination of Trump has further complicated matters for Democrats. The infamous “October Surprise” that seems to arise every Presidential election occurred in July. It only took minutes for photos showing him bloodied but defiant to begin circulating on social media. While nobody wants to be shot, it is undeniable that the gunman granted Trump an incredible amount of political capital. If the former president plays his cards right, then he will have even more of an advantage over his opponent. As the greatest showman in modern American politics, there can be no doubt that he will use this in his favor.

Of course, it is also true that the shooting has distracted from Biden’s troubles — at least for the moment. Right now, nobody is talking about his debate performance or his apparent cognitive decline. However, this won’t last forever, especially because the president will have to continue making public appearances. The road ahead will not be easy for Biden’s campaign, and the writing may already be on the wall.