The noose is tightening around US President Joe Biden, whose days as a candidate in November’s election seem increasingly numbered, even as he continues to hang on a week after a disastrous debate.
Yesterday, the New York Times reported that President Biden had told an “ally” that he was considering dropping out of the race, reigniting the rumor mill. Then, shortly after, members of his team insisted that he was in the race to stay, denying the newspaper’s claims.
“These are signs that the ship is cracking (…) and that panic is not contained on board,” notes political scientist and researcher at the Raoul-Dandurand Chair, Rafaël Jacob, regarding the leaks that are multiplying in the Biden clan.
But one thing is certain: the president has “only a few days” to plug the holes and make people forget his defeat in last week’s debate, where he appeared confused on several occasions.
Unlikely
Moreover, a meeting took place last night at the White House with about twenty Democratic governors, while party heavyweights, such as Nancy Pelosi, have begun to publicly question its future in recent days.
And the latest polls also tend to crystallize that he is no longer the man for the job among the population.
If nothing is impossible in politics, Rafael Jacob believes that it is becoming increasingly unlikely that Joe Biden will be able to beat Donald Trump next November.
According to him, Joe Biden and his team have only a few days to turn things around and secure his place on the ballot. Just as he must act quickly if he wants to give up his place.
But if the leaks continue within the president’s circle, “it will completely consume his campaign” and loosen more and more tongues among his party’s elected officials.
“The Democratic Party is stuck with a short list of bad options,” Jacob said.
Choosing Kamala Harris
The founder of the Observatory on the United States, Charles-Philippe David, reluctantly believes that the best-case scenario would be for Joe Biden to resign immediately not only as a candidate, but as president, to make way for his running mate and vice-president, Kamala Harris.
Charles-Philippe David
Photo COURTESY
“That’s what he should do (…) but a voluntary departure has never happened in the history of the United States,” he said.
For Mr. David, this is the only way to give Mr.me Harris, who could thus retain the funding and votes acquired during the primaries, in addition to avoiding a Democratic convention that would descend “into total chaos.”
