Joe Biden’s Stumbles Overshadow StrengthsJoe Biden’s Stumbles Overshadow Strengths Despite his strong record, President Joe Biden has faced criticism for verbal missteps and self-sabotage. While his gaffes may be seen as harmless, they have often undermined his substantive speeches and rhetoric. Critics argue that his declining performance as a candidate raises concerns about his effectiveness in other roles, such as foreign and domestic policy. Proposal for a New Candidate Some within the Democratic Party have called for a change in candidates, believing that Biden’s age and declining abilities make him unfit for the presidency. They propose a “goldwatchclub” concept, where Biden would transition into a ceremonial role, enabling the party to rally behind a younger candidate. Counterarguments Opponents of this proposal cite the logistical challenges of changing nominees so close to the election, as well as historical evidence that incumbent presidents have usually won re-election. Alternative Solution As an alternative, the author suggests that Vice President Kamala Harris retire, creating a scenario where Biden could choose a younger Gen Xer as his running mate. This move would allow Biden to revive his promise of bridging to the future and could energize the party around a new generation of leaders. Conclusion The author concludes that Joe Biden’s A-game is overshadowed by his propensity for gaffes and self-destructive behavior. They believe that a change in candidates is necessary to prevent the Democrats from losing the election to Donald Trump. However, if Biden is determined to remain in the race, they propose a scenario where he would select a younger running mate to ensure a generational transition.
Joe Biden has an A-game. Unfortunately, he doesn’t always play the whole game.
As we have seen, small missteps with a name or word have often overshadowed the substantive riffs and rhetoric that have also defined his career. Swapping Trump for Harris and Putin for Zelensky at his NATO summit press conference are just recent examples.
Who can forget his performance at the 2019 Iowa State Fair?
Candidate Biden wrapped up his long-awaited 15 minutes on the Des Moines Register’s Political Soap Box stage. He hit the ground running with a nice riff on what Democrats stand for. It was bracing and exciting. He made it easy to think, “This could be the guy.” But then, in a closing climax, came this: “Everybody knows who Donald Trump is. Even his supporters know who he is. We need to let them know who we are. We choose unity over division. We choose science over fiction. We choose truth over fact.”
Guess what made the news?
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I haven’t been a regular visitor to Daily Kos in years, but I’ve been checking in more often the last few weeks. I remember this as a community dedicated to getting Democrats elected, so I was curious to see what the reaction was like here after last month’s debate.
Full disclosure. I was in the cheering section months ago when people like Ezra Klein and Bill Maher suggested Biden pass the baton. I was one of the people who grumbled lightly about how the Dems had screwed up the primary process. I recently signed the petition at passthetorchbiden.com. I’m promoting a concept I call #goldwatchclub, which I advocate as a friendly and constructive approach to managing the path forward.
My purpose is to present a case for selecting a new presidential candidate. Then, expecting it to be found unconvincing here, I will propose an alternative way to unseat the Democratic Party.
Get on.
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In political science school, I was taught that a president has three jobs: conduct foreign policy, conduct domestic policy, and run for president. Measured separately, Biden’s performance as a candidate is noticeably faltering. His rejection of the traditional Super Bowl interview foretold problems that can no longer be hidden. The worry isn’t just the word-twisting gaffes we learned to anticipate long ago. It’s the emerging pattern of disastrous self-ownership.
Some people prefer not to notice it.
I understand.
Because I care so much more about a president’s performance in the other two jobs, re-electing this president is the obvious choice if the only choice I like is Biden or Trump. As I said, and as most here will probably agree, Biden on a bad day is better than the King of the Birthers on any day.
But wouldn’t this apply to every potential Democratic candidate?
And isn’t it also true that if the President has so consistently failed in his role as a presidential candidate, it is entirely fair to ask whether he is also underperforming in other roles?
Biden keeps saying he wants to “get the job done.” Is there anything that makes it impossible for him to spell out exactly what that job entails — all the tasks and goals, all the things he plans to do — so others can know how to get started?
The point of doing the job we want done for the country is that it gets done, not that it gets done by some individual. What is the merit of assigning that job to someone whose performance is sure to continue to decline before our eyes? Why invite the added risk of that dependency?
Consider this insightful observation from Anthony Scaramucci:
The Democrats are at their best when they are bold and they go for younger candidates. Barack Obama at 47, a young candidate running against a veteran, beat the veteran. Bill Clinton, the Boomer Generation running against the Greatest Generation… He beat the veteran. And so the young people in the Democratic Party are doing better. Seventy-five percent of people say the president is too old to do this now. I think he’s done a great job, but you have to wonder what he’s thinking now. Because Charles de Gaulle once said, “There are graveyards full of men who once thought they were indispensable.” He could pass the baton to a younger leader… a he or a she… and they could beat the pants off Donald Trump. But if it’s Joe Biden, I’ll work for Joe Biden.
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I have been promoting the #goldwatchclub concept because I firmly believe that the party needs a new candidate to rally the country behind its agenda and ensure that Trump does not seize power again. The reasoning is as follows:
Democrats could wise up and make the most of this opportunity. President Biden needs to be involved to turn the tide, and he needs to come on board in a ceremonial way. Then the Democrats could turn their mini-primary, or whatever process the DNC comes up with, into a massive money bomb. And save the country from authoritarian capture.
There are numerous counterarguments: for example, given America’s balkanized electoral context, changing the nominee at this late date poses daunting logistical challenges. Moreover, political historian Alan Lichtman insists that plans to drop Biden “could not be more misguided,” warning that no party has ever won by dropping an incumbent president for a new nominee.
Joe Biden has made it clear that he will not step aside. His loyalists are no less stubborn. So I offer the following proposal to those who prefer a more orthodox solution to the party’s crisis.
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Remember, no president who was reelected and changed vice presidents has ever lost. That list includes Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
In light of that historically successful option, consider this scenario: Kamala Harris would retire gracefully. The Boomer would be replaced by a Gen Xer, allowing Biden to revive his 2020 promise to build a bridge to the future. In doing so, he would also have to reaffirm his commitment to selecting a woman vice president in 2020. The resulting shortlist would include Gretchen Whitmer, a popular governor from a critical state, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, a vanguard of the administration’s infrastructure policy.
Ultimately, make it clear that this campaign is not about four more years for Biden, but about raising a new generation of leaders ready to continue the transformative work of America’s Infrastructure Decade.
If Joe Biden still has an A-game, this could be his clutch play. Dark Brandon picks the next president and gets her started.
