Joe Biden: 2024 Democratic Nominee or One Term Has-Been?

Written by David E. Smith

In the wake of Thursday’s Presidential Debate between Donald J. Trump and Joe Biden, pundits on both side of the political spectrum agreed that President Biden’s mental acuity, weak voice and stammering and halting answers were alarming. Makes one wonder just who is behind the curtain in the White House making decisions.

Prior to this debate, there may have been some whispers in the wind about replacing Biden as the pro-abortion Democratic nominee, but those whispers are now being spoken loudly by political strategists and analysts on cable TV and news talk radio. Even the left-leaning Politico reported their concerns about Biden’s performance:

He stammered. He stumbled. And, with fewer than five months to November, he played straight into Democrats’ worst fears — that he’s fumbling away this election to Donald Trump.

So much for the White House’s defense of Biden’s health and abilities. They knew how quickly his health had deteriorated, but they refused to be honest about it with the American people. Responding to Biden’s debate debacle, Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-Taylorville) released the following statement:

“I have been warning the public about Joe Biden’s severe cognitive decline, but sadly the ‘press’ chose to help Biden cover up his situation rather than inform the public. After the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, I said that Biden’s inability to function would cause chaos and danger for America and our allies. Joe Biden should resign, and Kamala Harris and JB Pritzker should explain why they lied and misled the public when they insisted that Joe Biden is up for this job.”

She is correct, of course. While Biden’s campaign staff wants us to believe that the president was suffering from a cold, no one is buying that line. Anyone who watched the split screen debate realizes that he not up to the job and would likely not complete a second four-year term.

Congressman Darin LaHood (R-Peoria) responded by saying:

Joe Biden’s performance at last night’s debate made clear that he is not capable of serving another term in office.

From the border crisis, to inflation, and weak leadership on the global stage, the Biden presidency is a failure.

Not matter how hard Governor Pritzker and Biden’s allies try to spin last night’s debate, the American people saw a deep contrast of vision for the future of our country. President Trump is the only candidate who can restore a prosperous America.

Joe McGraw, Republican candidate for the 17th Congressional District, posted this response on his Facebook campaign page:

Joe Biden’s struggles last night are further proof he is not up for the task of leading this country. Meanwhile on policy, all he offered was more of the same. We’ve seen the disastrous effects of this approach already— the destruction of the American Dream, higher prices, more crime, chaos at the southern border. While Eric Sorensen still backs this failed agenda, Illinoisans do not and are ready for a change.

Jerry Evans, Republican candidate for the 11th Congressional District, responded saying:

After last night’s debate, we are further reminded that we need new leadership in Washington D. C. The American people are suffering from out-of-control inflation, an open southern border, and career politicians in Congress that can’t seem to get anything done.

James Marter, Republican candidate for the 14th Congressional district, summed it up this way:

Joe Biden’s SEVERE cognitive decline was on full display as was the media fake news willingness to cover it up.

The Nomination Process

The Democratic National Convention is just around the corner (August 19-22), and replacing an incumbent nominee with someone new would be like trying to change the menu at a restaurant right before the lunch rush. It’s a recipe for chaos and confusion. Replacing the top-of-the-ballot candidate at this stage of the game will be complicated and complex, to put it bluntly.

Although the idea of replacing Biden might sound like a fait accompli to some, the reality is that it’s a long shot. Even the Associated Press published an article pointing out how difficult it would be to replace him now, saying:

Every state has already held its presidential primary. Democratic rules mandate that the delegates Biden won remain bound to support him at the party’s upcoming national convention unless he tells them he’s leaving the race.

Biden indicated that he had no plans to do that, telling supporters in Atlanta shortly after he left the debate stage, “Let’s keep going.” Biden campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt was even clearer, saying Friday: “Of course he’s not dropping out.”

What about Vice President Kamala Harris? The AP continues, reporting:

If Biden opts to abandon his reelection campaign, [Kamala] Harris would likely join other top Democratic candidates looking to replace him. But that would probably create a scenario where she and others end up lobbying individual state delegations at the convention for their support.

That hasn’t happened for Democrats since 1960, when John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson jockeyed for votes during that year’s Democratic convention in Los Angeles.

In the end, only time will tell if the calls for Biden to step aside will grow louder or fade away. I suspect that the concerns of the American public will only become more pronounced, and that this will cause schisms within the ranks of the Democratic Party. We are already seeing some circling the wagons in defense of their incumbent, while others are scrambling to find a new nominee.

In a column published on Friday, the left-wing editorial board at the New York Times praised Biden’s tenure, but then qualified their accolades by calling for him to step aside:

But the greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election.

Retirement would make it easier for Democrats to replace Biden with a new nominee. But as of this writing, Joe, Jill and dozens of Democrat officials are adamantly opposed to this option. Therefore, replacing him would require mutiny. Of this latter option, Front Page Magazine points out that the timing is far too late:

The Democrats had plenty of time to edge Biden out. Despite all the talk, no one seriously tried to do it.

Now they’re stuck.

For now, the campaigning must go on. Joe Biden is the apparent nominee for the Democrats. But stay tuned! More drama, chaos, hand-wringing and panic attacks are on the horizon for the remainder of this election cycle.