Biden finally shows true leadership in passing the torch
The president put the public above his own interests – and the Democrats get a second shot to win the White House
JOSEPH Robinette Biden Junior, the 46th president of the United States, stepped out of the 2024 election so the Democratic Party could try to ensure in the four short months between now and November that Donald Trump doesn’t become the 47th. And in a shambolic, dangerous political era in which Trump, shrouded in a haze of faux patriotism and strength, has vaulted anarchy, venom and gibberish onto the global stage, Biden’s act of selflessness and grit is welcome – and, in its own way, epic.
It also opens the door to the creation of a Democratic ticket that could inject new life and energy into a campaign that has lost momentum and enthusiasm to Republicans in the weeks since Biden’s disastrous debate performance and an assassination attempt on Trump upended expectations about the race. The odds, polls, political and financial machinations and an endorsement from the president favour Vice-President Kamala Harris to assume Biden’s mantle.
If it is Harris, her savvy and strategic selection of a running mate will be crucial. She could tilt towards any number of viable and capable Democrats. Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania comes to mind. So do Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona. If Harris fancies something dramatic and seismic, amid complaints about national partisan divides, she could do the unexpected and select former Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming as her running mate. Imagine that: A former prosecutor and the principled Republican leader of Congress’ Jan 6 hearings taking on Trump, a twice-impeached convicted felon and sexual predator who is untethered by a sense of public duty or rationality.
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