The Case For Dropping Joe Biden And Kamala Harris – If you’re President of the United States and you are currently as popular as a man facing 91 criminal charges, including endangering the national security of the country, the chances are you’re not doing very well.
President Joe Biden’s polling figures across the board are not redeeming compliments. Two-thirds of Democrats think he is too old; two-thirds of Americans think he is unfit for the presidency. Vice President Kamala Harris’ figures are even worse, marking her as one of the United States’ least approved VPs at this point in a term.
The two are likely to face off against Donald Trump next year. The former president leads his Republican rivals by around 30 points in the Republican primary polls, meaning a 2020 rematch is on the cards – one which is unlikely to please a lot of Americans in search of a fresh candidate.
One-Term Joe Biden
In 2019, the Biden campaign leaked a story to Politico that Biden was “signaling to aides that he would serve only a single term.” In addition, “four people who regularly talk to Biden” believed it was “virtually inconceivable that he will run for reelection in 2024.”
One could argue that Americans somewhat voted for Biden on a single-term basis – few can confidently say that they expected him to be running for a second term at the age of 80, soon to be 81. Biden even called himself a “transition candidate” to provide what could be seen as for his vice presidential pick to get what amounts to on-the-job training for an all-but-guaranteed 2024 victory.
However, Harris has not performed well in the eyes of American voters. She’s disapproved more than she’s approved by a near 15-point difference, and she’s even less popular than Biden when compared to the four times indicted Trump.
Why Both Should Step Aside
If Biden was to step down, Harris would be the number one contender for the Democratic Party. After all, she has experience in the White House, even if the public perception of her isn’t great.
If both step down, however, then it offers a new opportunity for a fresh-faced Democrat to enter the fight against Trump in what is now his third successive election campaign. Granted, Biden’s idea of a transition candidate may have meant that his running mate was the natural successor, but his role was not just to guide a newbie through national politics.
Instead, it was to stop Trump. It’s why 2020, despite COVID-19 restrictions, was the single largest voter turnout for a presidential election. The public arguably didn’t care about who was going to run in 2024 at the time, they just wanted to make sure Donald Trump didn’t lead them into it.
History books often agree more than the voters of the day. What is currently a polarized America may look back fondly on a Biden-Harris ticket that prevented persistent hostility over such differing views.
That said, if they don’t, then Biden and Harris will be deemed responsible for whatever comes next.
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
