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Yes, I would vote for Biden’s second term in a heartbeat. And perhaps 60 million other Americans would too. But whether it was because of Biden’s sad performance in the debate itself or the clamor in the media since then, how many millions are hesitating to follow a lead like mine and perhaps yours?
I posed the notion seen in the meme above last week here, and there are several complicating factors that have arisen since. First, Biden has tested positive for Covid now. Did that contribute to his debate debacle, or perhaps the primary cause of it? He’d never say so. But we can. He’s been pretty much on top of his game since then, despite his wavering health. Will he be the “old Joe” we know when he’s back to full health?
And how many will be paying enough attention to see his incremental resurrection?
The problem will remain perception. And we now know that Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer went to see Biden in Delaware to show him some polling data.
Maybe reality is inching towards my idea last week. The most powerful solution to the heart-wrenching problem of age finally catching up to President Biden is to flip the ticket with Kamala Harris vying to be our first female president.
This wouldn’t be putting Joe out to pasture as a failsafe; it is recognizing both his epic legacy and his waning human form. Imagine if they switch places on the ticket but keep Biden largely handling foreign policy - with the caveat that Harris obviously can deny aid to Israel if offensive strikes on non-military targets in Gaza don't end.
If this was a decision announced between the GOP and Democratic conventions, it could unify the party before Chicago.
It's the best of both worlds!
Think about it. The forceful, youthful voice of Kamala Harris hitting all the campaign stops and bringing her AG/attack dog mentality to harpooning Trump's simplistic and wild lies. She’d bring a massive flood of new and wishy washy voters into the Dem ranks among people of color, young voters, women, and more liberal Dems and independents.
The elephant in the room on all this, of course, is how would Biden, perhaps in early August, announce all this:
Knowing Joe and his casual, every-man style, it might be something as simple as this:
“Folks, I know that there’s a chance that Kamala Harris might be the first woman president, perhaps only a few years from now. And I’m thinking that it would be more gratifying taking this job on a January 20th like most of us do, rather than taking the oath on a plane or wherever. So when you vote for us this November, it will be Kamala on the top of the ticket, not me. Let’s give her the chance to take the Oval Office by a landslide victory, not as a sad necessity.”
Imagine how the convention would proceed, with universal support of the ticket and acknowledging the bravery it would take for Biden to accept it. The Democratic platform announced there would reflect both candidates, presenting a unified reason for voting for Democrats up and down the ballot.
Harris would position herself as an extension of the Biden presidency in some senses, but with a more progressive twist in both policy and rhetoric. She can legitimately lay claim to some achievements, but with Biden still there doesn’t have to focus on that. They will be an ongoing team.
Harris could add Biden campaign speechwriters to her camp, and together with her own, spend all her time down the home stretch making the case against the Trump/Project 2025 threat. That would be quite a shift from the media covering Biden by only listening for and reporting on every stutter rather than the substance delivered.
Better still: wouldn't this force a new presidential debate? And you know Trump couldn't allow it because he's chicken. When he declines, people will know Trump is too chicken to face Kamala because the thought of being upstaged by a Black woman is his biggest nightmare.
And here are a couple of deep-in-the-weeds factors. The Biden campaign already has a full nation of infrastructure in place, so flipping the ticket in terms of grassroots and the Democratic Party GOV machine will be easy as can be. Also, Biden has assembled a massive war chest of campaign funding, but FEC rules state that that cash couldn’t be applied to a different candidate. Or could it, being that she’s already on the ticket?
Confirming a Harris/Biden ticket might be essential, because the risks now are even more grave with Trump naming JD Vance as his VP choice. As someone who was a former Trump hater, Vance flipped to full MAGA because of billionaire campaign money for his Senate race less than two years ago. That, and instant fealty to #DonaldDuce of course.…
Vance doesn’t admire Donald. My guess is he’s hoping that impeachment-wise, the third time will be the charm. Then he’ll pull a Putin and remain in power the rest of his life, thanks to the Supreme Court.
But we’re not going to let that happen, particularly if the Harris/Biden ticket hits the ground running. And with diligent protection of voting rights and honorable execution of the voting process, the blue wave may just be beginning.
Picture this: a more hopeful reality where there is a collective sigh heard around the planet as #RepubloFascism dies hard. Along with #DonaldDuce, many of the most infamous GOP cowards will see their careers go down the drain as well, still clinging to Trump’s lead coattails through election night.
And perhaps those who remain in Congress could see indictments for Seditious Conspiracy, Biden should can sympathy appointment AG Garland and install an actual liberal who values his or her own oath of office enough to prosecute those who just piss on it. We could see a whole lot of #14thAmendmentSolutions in the coming years as a mass of MAGAs find themselves unable to hold future office.
Some may hesitate on this provocative notion, thinking that Harris hasn’t been established enough within Dem politics to take the top of the ticket. Others may point to her pigment and say not quite yet.
Would a Warren/Biden ticket be your preference, with Harris taking over that AG spot? Since we’re speculating, if it’s a woman’s time to be on the top of the ticket, who else would you pick? Gretchen Whitmer? Stacey Abrams?
Wouldn’t it be fun to think of Donald Trump turning to other hobbies beyond golf and politics. He could even be inspired in a twisted way by former President Carter…
You’ll find more memes like these at the Facebook page of my diminutive organization, Optimizing Democracy in America.
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