Politics aside, it’s understandable that some now view President Joe Biden as a “broken man,” walking alone in a deep valley of depression, confusion and anger. One day he is declaring that he is the Democratic nominee for president and won’t be getting out of the race. The very next day, he steps aside.
There have been multiple stories alluding to his resentment and even anger at Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and former President Barack Obama for being the instruments of his political demise. As Politico just reported, Biden views Pelosi “as ruthless for ushering him out the door.”
One day we may actually learn what was really said to or about Biden in private to force him out of the race. In the meantime, we have Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. For the first time in the modern party primary era, a candidate was installed in that position without winning primaries.
Prior to that installation, a number of Democrats were on record as saying they would have preferred an open convention with Harris as one of the leading candidates. That did not happen. And in the process, over 14 million primary votes for Biden were thrown into a dumpster.
Naturally, the Harris campaign and those supporting her are saying that it was “Biden-Harris” in the primary. But only those deep in the tank for the vice president buy that.
Most of the liberal mainstream media seemed just fine with the installation of Harris as the candidate. Just as most seem just fine with her ignoring their questions and their profession.
Just out of curiosity, I wonder what their reaction might be if Republican power brokers got together behind closed doors, decided they didn’t like the polling trend of former President Donald Trump; convinced him to drop out of the race; elevated Sen. JD Vance to the top spot; and brought in former Gov. Nikki Haley as his running mate? I can hear the screams now that it would be “illegal,” “unconstitutional” and “un-American.”
Of course, that is not going to happen. The main reason being — at least in my opinion — because after the Democratic convention and after the campaign truly starts after Labor Day, Trump is going to slowly but continually pull ahead of Harris.
First, because as more Americans start to pay attention to the campaign, they will realize they were better off during the Trump administration. And secondly, because, as a friend of mine once said of a person he did not like, “A little bit of her goes a long way.”
Meaning in this case, the more people see of Harris — including her ducking the press and refusing to do unscripted press conferences — the less they will be drawn to her and her campaign. That is precisely what happened to Harris during the 2020 Democratic primary campaign, when she was the first candidate to drop out of the race.
This is already the most surreal presidential election of our lifetimes. I wrote several times in this space over the last two years that I never believed Biden would be the nominee, and I was proven right. I also honestly believe Trump will pull away from Harris come September and October.
So, what then? How would the Democrats and the Harris campaign react to that?
Is anything off the table in this weird election cycle? I don’t think so. At some point, might it become politically expedient to the Democrats to elevate Harris to the presidency for the remainder of the campaign?
To be sure, there are serious and growing questions about Biden’s perceived cognitive issues and decline. Is he honestly capable of fulfilling his duties? If not, who is now running the country?
Might the Democrats invoke the 25th Amendment to remove him from office before the election? There is an argument to be made that such a move should at least be considered for the welfare of the country.
Another growing possibility is that Biden simply walks away from the job. He must feel like he was hit by a freight train with all of his Democratic “friends” stabbing him in the back.
What happens if next week at the Democratic convention, Biden simply walks up to the podium, looks into the camera and declares: “I’ve had it. I’m done. I am resigning from my office and going back to Delaware.”
During this off-the-wall bizarre election cycle, I believe anything is not only possible, but likely.
Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official. Follow him @DouglasMac18827.