Say Something Real
By Michelle Bryant
Michelle Bryant
A cursory look, at the calls for President Joe Biden to drop out of the race for the November Presidential election, reminds me of an old saying….”there’s a dead cat on the line”. As some Democrats’ hand-wringing over Biden’s viability for victory has escalated, one thing is becoming crystal clear: this is about more than Joe. As more party leaders seek to apply pressure for Biden’s exit, few have publicly said who would be the natural replacement on the ticket. Vice President Kamala Harris…..cue the crickets.
Since his poor debate performance, Biden has been fending off members of his party. With key democratic funders threatening to withhold dollars, convenient leaks of “private” conversations, and open letters calling for him to step aside, the possibility of a “suspension” of the Biden/Harris campaign is growing. Like most things though, timing is everything. This is the point that requires us to pay close attention.
If Biden decides to drop out of the race, there are a few things that we need to understand. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) does have procedures that allow for the party to address a situation that involves a nominee who is incapacitated or who voluntarily decides to step aside. If Biden were to voluntarily exit the race before the nomination process takes place, virtually ahead of the August 2024 DNC Convention, the more than 3,900 pledged delegates would meet, as scheduled. Anyone that wanted to run for President, on the Democratic ticket could do so because no one can automatically be anointed or given the nomination.
A successful candidate would need to garner the majority of the roughly 4,000 pledged delegates, to win the party’s nomination. If no candidate won a majority of the delegates, then the more than 700 super delegates would be allowed to vote in the process. This group comprises democratic lawmakers and leaders.
Should Biden exit the race after the nomination process, the DNC chair, Democratic congressional leaders, and leaders in the Democratic Governors Association would meet to recommend a replacement. The full DNC would then vote on the candidate. There are a few other nuances to the process, but this is generally how things would unfold.
To avoid rejecting Harris outright as a replacement for Biden, and potentially alienating a swath of Black, AAPI, or even female voters, the goal appears to be to force Biden out before the nomination takes place. Again, how often have we heard Harris’ name suggested by those, publicly or privately, nudging or pushing for Biden’s ouster? We have seen a list of names trotted out that include Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, California Governor Gavin Newsome, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Even if Biden stayed in the race, Harris would be set up for the natural heir apparent in 2028. Those working against her, need to get rid of her now.
One final point to ponder, all of the money raised by the Biden/Harris campaign couldn’t easily be accessed by any candidate other than Harris. She would either need to be at the top of the ticket or the VP on the ticket. Her name is the only other name that appears on the campaign’s registration documents. Any decision to ditch Harris, should Biden be successfully forced out of the race, will create its own set of problems. Watch, and pay attention closely.