CPresident Joe Biden, 81, is facing growing calls to resign after what was widely viewed as a disastrous debate performance. Biden typically balks at criticism about his age, but the immediate crisis he faces is too dire to ignore. But all is not yet lost for Biden. The path forward will not be easy, but there is still time to clear up misunderstandings by mounting a compelling explanation based on his track record of turning failure into proven resilience.
Here are three possible ways Biden could recover from his disastrous debate defeat and regain his footing:
Biden may carry on with business as usual.
Unfortunately, this seems to be the default option for many Democratic Party leaders, from Gavin Newsom to John Fetterman to Kamala Harris. It's sad to see trusted people take unbelievable positions and endorse Biden in the immediate aftermath of Thursday's debate. Newsom made the ridiculous claim that “I'm so proud of our president,” while Fetterman denounced Biden critics as “vultures” and advised them to “calm down.”
Many Democrats seem afraid of incurring the wrath of Biden, who is notoriously sensitive about his age. Of course, Biden supporters might point out that the debate was just one night and that Biden's three and a half years of accomplishments matter more, but the American public cannot and will not simply ignore such a historically terrible debate performance.
The Trumpian denial of reality among these “business as usual” types leans toward political malice: By relying on what they perceive as the safest answer, these Democrats are actually doing great damage to their cause and risking their own credibility.
Biden may embark on a journey to prove his ability to govern in front of voters across the country.
Instead of avoiding the issue or hiding behind a protective White House staff, Biden can address it head on with a proactive and forceful demonstration of his ability to govern. As speculation rages about whether Biden should step down, the only way Biden can silence his critics is to demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is still at the top of his game and that the debate disaster was a temporary exception, not the rule. But time is of the essence here.
As painful as it may be, Biden should admit that the debate didn't go well and be honest about why. Age aside, what was the cause? Did he have a bad reaction to cold medicine? Did an overly stressed debate prep team overcoach him? Was he overwhelmed with confusing facts and figures instead of encouraged to be himself?
Already, Biden appears to be addressing the issue head-on. At a rally in North Carolina on Friday, Biden said: Dealt with He spoke more self-aware than ever before about his poor performance in the debates and the issue of his age.
“I know I’m not a young man. It goes without saying… I know. I know, guys, that I don’t walk as easily as I used to. I don’t talk as smoothly as I used to. I can’t argue as well as I used to. But I know what I have to do. do “I know,” the president told the cheering crowd, “I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done. I know I can get knocked down and get back up.”
But to regain credibility in the eyes of the public, Biden urgently needs to engage in genuine, unscripted and responsive exchanges with independent media and outside key opinion leaders, rather than merely gala pep rallies in front of friendly, respectful audiences.
Biden was interviewed for a Time magazine cover story in early June, a rare in-person interview with the president. It has long been discussed that Biden has given fewer media interviews than his predecessors. This isolation has never served Biden well, but now it is especially important for him to reach out to major donors, political allies, and other influential people across civil society to restore his standing and attract journalists again.
Biden now has a golden opportunity to shore up his credibility in the eyes of the American people and should not jump to conclusions prematurely, as voices ranging from former President Barack Obama's campaign chairman David Plouffe to lifelong Republicans have pointed out. Mark CubanAlready a key member of the Democratic Party Big names like former President Barack Obama building Clinton is here For now, he has issued statements of support to outdo Biden, but the American people will be the final judge, and there are signs that Biden's supporters are far less critical than the media commentary class. Surprisingly, a 1% increase After the debate.
Biden could bring about the change that many are calling for.
The Biden that many Americans saw in the debates is not the Biden that I saw. [Sonnenfeld] I've known the president for 50 years. In fact, I spoke briefly with him at a fundraiser in Greenwich last month, and I didn't sense anything was wrong. As someone who has known Biden for many years and admired his fine work as president, it pains me to say this, but after the disaster of the debates, the onus is on Biden to prove his fitness to govern in the eyes of the nation. If he fails to do this, he should step aside before the American people vote for him in November. Many prominent voices from New York to Washington are saying so. Times To the Editorial Board AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron I have been calling out.
Despite anxious cries from major donors, activists and others, the path to replacing Biden is riddled with obstacles. First, and most obviously, there is no evidence that Biden wants to leave office, no matter what anyone says.
It may well take some persuasion from party officials — the Clintons, Obama, Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Jim Clyburn and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — to get Biden to even remotely consider stepping down. But that seems highly unlikely.
Even if Biden voluntarily stepped aside, released his pledged delegates and held an open convention, such a rushed nominating process would likely have been divisive and would have been even worse for the party. It's also worth noting that Vice President Kamala Harris has a much lower approval rating than Biden, and there is no clear front-runner.
While rising stars like Jeffries and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer seem like attractive options and could make a cohesive dream team, they have their flaws, and it's unprecedented for a first-time presidential candidate to build a serious campaign platform so late in the campaign. But if Biden can't conclusively prove he's fit to be president, those obstacles may be the lesser of two evils.
Biden must now be given every opportunity to recover from this controversy and demonstrate his worth as a leader – and only then should he step down.
