Diego Sacchi discussed these issues in his column on international news on the radio program El Círculo Rojo, which is broadcast every Thursday from 10 p.m. to midnight on Radio Con Vos.
What would happen if Joe Biden drops out as the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate? Who and how could replace him in the electoral race against Donald Trump?
These questions are becoming more and more frequent. On Thursday, Biden again made mistakes that cast doubt on his lucidity. During a speech at the NATO summit in Washington, he introduced the Ukrainian president in the following way: “And now I want to give the floor to the president of Ukraine, who has both courage and determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin,” which caused murmurs among those present in the room.
🇺🇸 | NOW: Biden at post-NATO conference: “And now I want to hand it over to the president of Ukraine… ladies and gentlemen, President Putin.” pic.twitter.com/9yPVw1FAMH
— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) July 11, 2024
Hours later, during a press conference, a journalist asked about Vice President Kamala Harris. In response, Biden confused his vice president, Harris, with his rival and former president Donald Trump, when he declared: “I would not have chosen Vice President Trump to be vice president if she was not capable of being president.”
Why the candidacy is in doubt
Added to these recent mistakes is the fact that in the first debate between candidates, Biden was seen to be lost at many moments and with gaps when it came to expressing ideas. This is in addition to the videos at public events in which the president is clearly seen to be lost.
A poll recently published by the New York Times found that 74% of American voters believe that Biden, 81, is “too old” to govern.
The Times magazine was the first to dedicate a harsh cover to the issue, then The Economist went further and directly put a walkway with the presidential logo, in addition to several editorials in important newspapers asking him to step aside.
Most importantly, within the Democratic Party, more and more voices are calling for him to withdraw as a candidate.
And if Biden steps down, who replaces him?
The choice of candidate is in the hands of the Democratic Party convention. Among the names that are most in the mix are several women. The current vice president, Kamala Harris; the governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, who was the victim of an attempted kidnapping by far-right militias in the United States.
Michigan is a swing state and having the governor as a candidate would increase the chances of winning the 15 electoral delegates from that state that are key to reaching the White House.
But the preferred name of a section of the Democratic elite is Michelle Obama. According to polls, the wife of former President Barack Obama is the only one who beats Trump. According to Reuters, 50% of voters would support Michelle Obama, while 39% would support Donald Trump.
That a debate is taking place just months before the election about whether one of the leading candidates should withdraw is an indication of the deeper crisis of the American political system.
For a sector of the political and business elite, the possible return of Donald Trump to the White House represents a headache, in a world in turmoil and a polarized country, which has recently seen sectors of the youth take to the streets.
Source: www.laizquierdadiario.com
