WAfter what was widely seen as a disastrous debate performance, President Joe Biden, 81, faces a growing chorus of calls for him to step aside. Biden typically recoils from any criticism related to his age, but the urgent crisis he faces has become too pressing to ignore. However, not all is lost for Biden. The path forward is not easy, but there is still time for him to set the record straight, with compelling explanations that build on his track record of turning failures into demonstrated resilience.
Here are three possible paths for Biden to overcome his catastrophic debate performance and save his position.
Biden could operate as if everything were normal
Unfortunately, this appears to have become the default option for many Democratic leaders, from Gavin Newsom and John Fetterman to Kamala Harris. It was sad to see credible people taking an incredible stand and supporting Biden so soon after Thursday’s debate. Newsom ridiculously claimed“I’m very proud of the president,” while Fetterman criticized Biden’s critics like “vultures” and advised them to “relax”.
Many Democrats likely fear incurring the wrath of Biden, who is notoriously prickly about his age. And, sure, these Biden supporters can point out that the debate only lasted one night and that Biden’s three and a half years of accomplishments should matter more – but the American people cannot and will not simply ignore a historically poor debate performance. . .
The Trumpian denial of reality among these “business as usual” types leans towards political negligence. By not adopting what they consider to be the safest responses, these Democrats are actually doing their own cause a huge disservice and risk destroying their own credibility.
Biden could hit the road and prove his fitness to govern in front of voters across America
Instead of avoiding the problem, or hiding behind layers of overly protective White House staff, Biden can address it head-on with a proactive and forceful demonstration of his own fitness to govern. While there is speculation about whether Biden should resign, there is no better way for Biden to silence critics than to show beyond a shadow of a doubt that he remains at the top of his game and that the debate catastrophe was a one-time aberration, not the norm. But time is of the essence here.
As painful as it is, Biden should own up to a weak debate and openly admit why it happened. Age aside, what caused this? It was him having a bad reaction to cold medicines? Did an over-eager debate prep team beat you to it? Was he overwhelmed with obscure facts and figures instead of being encouraged to be himself?
Biden already appears to be tackling the issue head-on. At a rally in North Carolina on Friday, Biden addressed his poor debate performance, as well as the issue of his age with more self-consciousness than ever before.
“I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious… I know. Guys, I know I’m not as easy as I used to be. I don’t speak as well as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to. But I know what I to do you know,” the president said to an enthusiastic crowd. “I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job. I know how to do things. I know that when you get knocked down, you get back up.”
But to restore his credibility in the eyes of the public, Biden must not only host pep rallies with friendly, reverent audiences, but urgently engage in genuine, impromptu, responsive exchanges with independent media and news leaders. external opinion.
Biden spoke to TIME for a cover story published in early June, but it’s rare to get such direct access to this particular president. It has long been a topic of discussion as Biden gives fewer media interviews than his predecessors. This isolation has never served Biden well; But now, it is especially vital that he contact key donors, political allies and other civil society influencers to reestablish his position and re-engage journalists.
Biden now has every opportunity to strengthen his credibility in the eyes of the American public, and there should be no premature rush to judgment – a point made by several voices, from former Obama campaign coach David Plouffe for lifelong republican Marcos Cubano. Now, the main Democratic Party heavyweights like former presidents Barack Obama and account Clinton came with statements of support intended to help Biden get over himself for now – but the final judge will be the American people. And there are signs that people will be much less critical than the media commentator class with Biden surprisingly increased by 1% after the debate.
Biden could make the change many are asking for
The Biden that many Americans saw during the debate is not Biden I [Sonnenfeld] we have known for five decades. In fact, I spoke briefly with the President last month at a fundraiser in Greenwich and had no idea anything was wrong. Having known Biden for so long and having admired his great presidency, it pains me to say this, but after the debate disaster, it is now up to Biden to prove his fitness to govern in the eyes of the public. If he fails in this task, he must step aside before the choice is made for him by the American people at the polls in November, as many prominent voices from the new York Times editorial board for AMC Theaters CEO Adam Aron they asked.
Despite the anxious clamor from major donors, operatives and others, the path to replacing Biden at the polls is fraught with difficulties. First, and most obviously, there is no evidence that Biden is eager to step aside, regardless of what anyone says about him.
For Biden to even remotely consider voluntarily resigning could well be up to senior party leaders such as the Clintons, Obama, Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Jim Clyburn and Minority Leader Chamber, Hakeem Jeffries, try to convince him. And even then, it seems highly unlikely.
Even if Biden voluntarily stepped aside and released his pledged delegates to an open convention; the nomination process in such a rushed race could prove so divisive that the party could be left worse off. It’s also worth pointing out that there is no clear leader, with Vice President Kamala Harris trailing Trump in the race. much worse research than Biden.
While rising stars like Jeffries or Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer seem like attractive choices and could be a unifying dream team, they also present their own drawbacks, and it would be unprecedented for a rookie presidential candidate to build a full-fledged team. . campaign infrastructure so late in the game. But these obstacles could prove to be the lesser of evils if Biden fails to prove once and for all that he is still fit to be president.
Biden should now have every opportunity to recover from the debate and show that he is fit to govern. If he doesn’t, only then will it be time to walk away.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
