Big hat tip to @jbouie.bsky.social for treating uncertainties as uncertain, with both downside and upside potential, rather than what many pundits are doing: imagine a positive scenario and act as if things will smoothly go that way if only people try it.
Doesn't seem like a high bar. And yet...
Biden's age is just a stand-in for whatever criticism would be lobbed against another Dem. Making them younger would only shift the issue. I was just thinking earlier today how Dems ran a veteran in 2004 while war was the main issue, and the GOP successfully smeared him *for winning war medals*.
Speaking as an ignorant Brit - how about some kind of super-ticket that promotes more than just P/VP and brings in the likes of M. Obama, Buttigeig or whatever to ramp up campaigning!
I would vote Biden-Harris-Obama-Buttigieg-DiCaprio!
Lol, I just thought about the chances our Labour party being this organised and realised that's the reason why not.
Idiotic post from me. Leaving it up for posterity, screw it! 🤪
While I agree that Biden is (by far) the best option (by far), and Harris is the second. What I don't know is by what process Biden's delegates transfer to Harris. I don't think he simply commands it and it is so, but I may be wrong.
A candidate who won delegates has the option to "release" them to back a different nominee. The candidate can do so while endorsing another candidate or not.
But nominating conventions have been formalities for so many years, if they were going to do this, they'd likely have agreement in advance.
But is it enforceable, or do we count on the delegates to abide their candidate's choice out of loyalty? If these releases are negotiated, delegates can expect some benefit from honoring them, at least indirectly. Not sure that holds if Biden's retiring from politics.
Good question. I don't know all the details of Democratic Party bylaws, or precisely which of these nominating practices are norms vs. written standards.
If Biden chooses to step down (I don't know if he will, but if), then we'll find out way more about Dem Party convention rules.
Nor I, although I could see a lot of the "realistic alternatives" saying not to nominate them simply because they see a loss coming that would be a death sentence to any political future.
i think the process is that party officials and related elites would collectively mobilize and informally make sure everyone's lined up behind her, or else they will fail to do so and we likely have disaster. not something i'd want to rely on either way
it’s unbelievable to me that anyone is taking the idea seriously (not jbouie who is giving it the criticism it deserves)
it’s not even an idea, it’s a fantasy
Parent Trap-ass hijinks
swapping out the presidential candidate at the 11th hour… lol sure
I've talked myself into thinking Biden should step aside for Harris. She's more likely to win than him and it would do the party and the country good. But it's got to be Biden doing it and everyone has to agree no fighting, we're just going with Harris.
Except the part about Harris being more likely to win is, at this point, evidence-free speculation and the idea that everyone would agree to no fighting over who gets to be one of the most powerful people on the planet seems, frankly, a bit delusional.
What??? No they didn't. I truly do not understand how you're drawing this conclusion. Declining to challenge an incumbent president is a long standing tradition. A brokered convention would be absolutely unprecedented, even with a strong endorsement from Biden.
The idea that there would be absolute compliance in an entirely new and chaotic situation feels like a pretty fundamental misunderstanding of human nature.
I still think Biden will win. And I don't think she's THAT much more likely to win. But everything feels so baked in, everyone's so bored that I don't think there's much room or energy for Biden to improve. Harris would really throw a wrench in the works and maybe pick up a few odd votes.
