↓
 
Home » So, what’s next for Joe Biden?

So, what’s next for Joe Biden?

The New Neo Posted on by

Certainly not an indictment over the classified papers. But is he going to be pushed out of running in 2024?

I’ve long said that although the Democrats would dearly love to be rid of the Biden albatross as it becomes more clear that it would be increasingly difficult for him to win the election (otherwise they’d just as soon he stay in there), three things stand in the way of his removal: Joe Biden himself, who won’t go quietly; what method to use to accomplish their goal; and who will run in his place. Kamala Harris would of course be the natural substitute, just as Hubert Humphrey was the candidate in 1968 after LBJ surprised as all (how I remember that speech of his) by saying he would not run again. But Harris is another albatross, so the other problem is how to get rid of her without offending too many needed groups such as women and black voters.

Of course, if Joe is doing poorly enough, the powers that be (Obama and the rest?) may think she’s a better bet.

I don’t know whether they’ve figured out the solutions to these knotty problems, but it starts to look like it, although it’s still not crystal clear. I doubt the Hur report would have been issued in its current form if they had no plans. But I don’t pretend to know what those plans are, or how solidified they are. One thing I strongly suspect is that they wouldn’t take Joe out until Trump is undoubtedly the nominee.

Today they’ve been engaged in defending Joe, including in his awful appearance last night. That tells me that they’re probably not planning to remove him any time soon, at any rate.

And some Republicans are calling for Biden to step down. Why? Kamala would be just as bad, and then the Democrats would replace him with someone more likely to win in 2024.

As for who might end up the nominee if it’s not Joe, we have for example Whitmer of Michigan, whose name has been bandied about for some time. I don’t see her as having national appeal – she has a somewhat Cruella vibe, I think. But she probably could deliver Michigan, which is very important. How about Newsom? But they already have California without him; the question is his national appeal, which I also find iffy. Of course, everyone seems to think that Michelle Obama would be a shoe-in if she ran, but would she run? I’m not at all sure about that and have long thought “no.”

Trump will have to remain nimble and flexible in his campaign, because we may not know his opponent’s name till this summer. Not only that, but there is also the question of whether Trump’s trials will go forward, and on what schedule.

What a year.

Comments

So, what’s next for Joe Biden? — 79 Comments

  1. Of course, everyone seems to think that Michelle Obama would be a shoe-in if she ran, but would she run? I’m not at all sure about that and have long thought “no.”

    –neo

    Granted, Michelle Obama does not want to be President. Repeat. Michelle Obama does not want to be President.

    We know that. Can we move on?

    I don’t want to pay taxes and get my teeth cleaned however many times a year. Yet I do.

    If the choice for Democrats is losing to Trump or winning with Michelle, what are they going to do? Including Michelle.

    Biden is a drooling, absentee Prez who is only wheeled out for occasional appearances. If Michelle spends most of her time on Martha’s Vineyard enjoying the ocean view and her jet-setting friends, would anyone care as long as the Bad Orange Man and the deplorable Americans he represents are beaten bloody to the cobblestones never to threaten their Betters again?

    Could Michelle find a way to live with the sad annoying humiliation of being President and saving the nation from a fascist dictatorship, while living as one of the most privileged people in human history?

    Tough choice.

  2. Yes, last night I said Biden had confused Sisi with Lopez Obrador. It was worse; he seemed to think Mexico was on the southern border of Gaza. Leftist media are really beclowning themselves trying to defend this.

  3. huxley:

    It depends what is meant by “doesn’t want.” Obviously, if we’re talking about relatively mild reluctance, she would ultimately be inclined to acquiesce and take one for the team. My gut feeling is that it’s much deeper than that with Michelle, and that she adamantly refuses to run. But time will tell.

  4. neo:

    I’m not talking about mild reluctance.

    When the stakes are high enough, humans, including Democrats, can do things they are mightily reluctant to do.

    Seriously, do you see Michelle Obama as so fearful or damaged she couldn’t put up with being a figurehead president for four years?

    She doesn’t even have to be president for your years. She could resign a year later. Maybe less. Even bow out saying she had saved America from fascism and let, say, Gavin Newsom take over

    Really, her job would just be to win the election.

  5. for him nothing, for us more humiliation more petty tyranny against the people, most of the gripes we had against George 111, in this light we can see how Xi eagerly slavers over Taiwan how other actors send their operatives against us. and apparently the possums reward mayorkas for his act of dereliction of duty

  6. A radio host in Los Angeles that I listen to from time to time said that Michelle Obama frequents some of the same restaurants and bars in the Palm Springs area that he does. It seems she and her friends talk about anything except politics. IOW, she’s living the good life, and why would she want to do otherwise?

  7. Seems like we should all prepare for 4 years of President Kamala Harris. Surely she’ll be the bestest president ever! Her awkward, deer-in-the-headlights, sing songy style punctuated by nervous laughter while in front of cameras will doubtless bring new levels of respect from our allies and fear from our enemies. Think about the amazing success she has achieved with our border, discovering the “root causes” of the massive waves of illegal immigation we’ve endured for the past 3 years!

    Good times.

  8. huxley:

    Of course I’m obviously not saying it’s an impossibility that she might run despite even a strong reluctance. My gut feeling is that she will not, however, and that her dislike for taking on the role is strong. I don’t know where you got the idea I was saying she is damaged and/or fearful and that’s the reason. I think she likes her life as is and thinks other Democrats could beat Trump.

    I also think – as I’ve already stated several times- that if she was going to rescue the party by running, she would have done it in 2020, when they had to rely on a very shaky Joe Biden.

    But as I’ve also said, time will tell.

  10. It was obvious to me when Dopey Joe canceled the nearly completed Keystone Pipeline on his first day in office that we had an Anti-American POTUS.
    But I did not realize that he was evil until he drew down the National Petroleum Storage Reserve while OKing the import of Venezuelan oil.

    One can be demented AND be evil. Biden is both, has been corrupt for decades as the Hur report shows, and the evil far precedes the dementia.

    He has deliberately broken America’s back, and it will take decades, if ever, to recover. Not while we have such a large Democratic voter population living on DC largess. Go easy on Joe, he is elderly and demented, my ass. He is a grade A traitor and should be hung from a high tree. Iran, China, Russia are not standing around just sucking their thumbs! Joe has proven there is much ruin in a nation.

  13. IMO Michelle Obama has exactly two things going for her. I mean personally, without including Barack Hussein’s political capital the value of which I cannot assess.

    Trump, or if lightening strikes another GOP candidate, could offset one of her advantages by choosing Tim Scott; or the other by choosing someone like Kristi Noem. Although no one I can think of checks both of the boxes, either of those two has the additional advantage of possessing actual qualifications, and a public record.

    While I have no doubt that Newsom would covet the power, I should think that even his considerable ego would pause at the difficulty of campaigning nationally on his record in California. Nor can I imagine that Harris is so delusional that she doubts that she would be eviscerated in a national campaign. I will be surprised if the two of them don’t seek refuge in California.

    I suspect that the Democrats expected to coast on the abortion issue; but the border and Bidenomics have made that strategy problematic. Their main chance, and as we know they are adept at the routine, will be massive electoral corruption.

  14. Would she who was “For the first time in my adult life…really proud of my country…’ stoop low enough to grace the Oval Office with her presence?

    Her hubby could well be a Marxist ideologue (I think even HE is a puppet), but SHE is a “Michelle First” ideologue through & through. I don’t see even beating the BadOrangeMan being enough carrot for her to take the stick of the Presidency of a country that she views with disdain.

    Could I be wrong? Of course…But I think there are others the Ds view as more run-able/win-able. And I’m going to say it…black women aren’t on that list. Not any more.

  15. Oldflyer:
    I think Ben Carson would be a better choice, but in your scenario Winsome Sears, the Lt Gov of VA checks both boxes.
    I don’t like the idea of taking republicans from incumbent positions where they are needed, Senate, House, Governorship etc, but a jv post like Lt is fine.

  16. I find it absurd that VP Harris is held in such low disdain by Dems who support an elderly, demented, useless C-in-C. Harris is of sound though Leftist warped mind. She may have learned a few governmental minutiae in the past few years as VP.

  17. The entire Democrat party without exception has backed Joe Biden to the full, they ALL OWN the results of that support. So it doesn’t matter who they run, it’s Joe Biden’s record and the Democrat party’s full support for it that they have to defend. At 75, I cannot recall a more disastrous prospect facing a political party in an presidential election year.

    The only possibilities that I can see able to keep Trump from once again occupying the Oval Office are
    him unable to continue either through disability or death, another rigged election or terrorist attacks so widespread and severe that martial law is declared. Resulting in the canceling of the Nov. election for the ‘duration’ of the national ’emergency’. An emergency for which the Democrats would be entirely responsible.

  18. DisGuested, the admirable Winsome Sears was not born in the USA and cannot be VP or President.

  19. Cicero,

    Go easy on Joe. He’s not making any of these decisions. He’s a puppet and Obama is pulling the strings. Whoever takes over will also be Obama’s puppet which is why I think Kamala fits the bill.

  20. I heard some of the WH lawyer defending Biden today. As I mentioned earlier, he is channeling Goebbels.
    The would have to get rid of Harris first. I don’t imagine she would go quietly. But MO is more Black, so there is that.
    What mess. The next 9 months will be all too interesting.

  22. physicsguy really seems to say the Obama “fundamental transformation” of the USA has already occurred.

  23. So maybe Doug Emhoff will be running the country for a while.

    Can he really be worse than Joe Biden?

  26. I think almost all of the deadlines for filing in the Democratic primaries is past now- if Biden dropped out tomorrow, there are only Marianne Williamson and Dean Phillips ready to contest the primaries on the Democrat side. If they toss Biden, they will let him hoover up the vast majority of delegates, thus allowing the convention to replace him.

  27. You want more crime higher prices the end to your car your stove your air conditioner by all means vote michelle or whoever dont dare complain after

    If israel is forced to nuke iran in order to save itself

    The regime has offered nothing but misery and defeat on all fronts

  28. As far as Biden is concerned, the appearance of chaos might be an indication that there are factions fighting for control within the Administration. Palace intrigues, in other words. Jill Biden loves the power, then there’s the Obama cliques – I notice a few of those have moved on, so maybe they’re on the wane now. But the absence of a coherent plan, a certain choreography of public appearances and similarity of messaging is telling.

    Of course this could also just be a gambit to keep the Trump campaign off balance, by providing too many options for him to attack effectively.

    The only thing that seems obvious to me is that Joe is definitely not the one running things. There’s no mastery here, no skillful manipulation.

  29. Neo wonders how the Democratic Party could get rid of Biden this late in the game. Just have Hillary invite him to take a walk in Fort Marcy park. Problem solved.

  30. My gut feeling is that she will not, however, and that her dislike for taking on the role is strong. I don’t know where you got the idea I was saying she is damaged and/or fearful and that’s the reason.

    neo:

    I’m trying to understand your position that Michelle would dislike being president, therefore she wouldn’t run — without categorically claiming it would be an impossibility.

    If the stakes are as high as Dems claim, to me it’s like an adult not running into a burning building to save a child. Sure, no adult wants to run into a burning building, but if the life of a child is at stake, the only reasons I can imagine is that such an adult is fearful or damaged.

    If the stakes are high enough… The stakes are damn high for both sides.

    Would any participant here refuse to run for president, if they had a good shot to save America from Joe Biden in 2024? Even if we really didn’t want to do it and it would derail whatever good life we had set up?

  31. My thought is that the speech last night was designed to prepare the exit for FJB as a secondary object. The real reason the report dropped yesterday imo is that Obama wanted to wash out Carlson’s interview with Putin.

  35. I’m just waiting for the Dems to bring back Cuomo or Clinton and get one of them to run. Not that it would work, but I think they’re dumb enough to try, and I’d love to watch.

  37. After last night I don’t think JoJo goes without a fight. The cleanest solution is he dies in his sleep. Harris becomes first female POTUS. No worse than pudding head anyway and automatic donkey party nominee.

  38. huxley v. neo re Michelle:

    I have pretty much agreed with neo that MO doesn’t want it, she much prefers to continue her current life of ease and luxury. Against that is the perception, well-grounded IME, that the Dems have few if any other attractive options and in their typical BAMN fashion will somehow bribe/coerce her into running.

    I think for now they will punt at least until the convention, see Yancey Ward’s comment above. If they don’t think Kam is a viable option, and that is the basis of the Michelle O speculation, it behooves them to keep Biden going as long as possible. If they can’t maintain the farce that long, then, well things will get really interesting …

  39. As long as we’re all making wild speculations here’s mine: the Dems contrive some kind of national crisis/emergency and simultaneously push out Joe in favor of Kam. Of course we all will have to rally ’round the beleaguered new POTUS, it would be insurrectionist to pounce on trivial shortcomings like incoherency and vapidity. A variation would be to use the 25th Amendment to make her “acting” President, might give them more options later.

  40. What to do about Joe is really a sticky problem. I suspect that there’s a vague expectation to decide on a candidate at the convention, which is risky but there just aren’t many options here. I doubt Biden can run (whatever he thinks) but if he’s pushed to resign then the party is stuck with a president Harris and she might expect to run. It’s easier to push aside VP Harris than president Harris. Perhaps Biden will step down gracefully after the convention giving Harris a stub presidency while someone chosen at the convention runs. The Dem convention is going to be the most interesting in several decades.

  44. Ronald Reagan had been a governor and a big shot in the, iirc, Screen Actors Guild (?). Was he elected because he’d been a governor or because he was Ronald Reagan? Or Ronald Reagan who’d been a governor?
    Maybe some figure from outside of politics, somebody who’d never been thought of in political terms by most people but having or being painted with all the necessary qualities.

  45. Disguested suggested Dr Ben Carson as a better choice for the GOP VP. I agree that he would fill at least two boxes. Skin color, obviously. But, he could also credibly rebut the ‘abortion on demand’ campaign. Although, I am not sure that any of the minds of the true Abortion Cult members could be changed.
    Dr Carson is a wonderful human being, and clearly a highly intelligent and accomplished one. My issue is that he may not be temperamentally suited for the political pig sty.

    I expect that he will campaign for Pro Life candidates because he has extensive experience with, and is a passionate advocate for, yet to be born humans.

  46. huxley:

    I already wrote, in one of my responses to you, that I believe she thinks there are other Democrats who could beat Trump.

    And your hypothetical has the same answer: in no realistic world would there not be better people to run against Biden than me.

    I suppose if Michelle became convinced that she was the only person on earth who could beat Trump she might reluctantly run. But I doubt she believes that. However, that’s why I continue to add that time will tell.

  47. “Perhaps Biden will step down gracefully”

    If Biden has ever done anything gracefully in his life it’s news to me.

  48. I got my signals crossed. I thought Biden was going to address the nation tonight and possibly bow out. I didn’t realize that the ridiculous press conference yesterday was the “televised address.” So Joe survives for another day.

    The timing of the report’s release is strange in that it coincides with Tucker Carlson’s show with Putin, but was the Hur report supposed to bury the Putin interview, or was the Putin interview supposed to bury the Hur report, or was it all a coincidence? Perhaps the idea was that two big stories in the news would mean that neither would have the politically-minded public’s full attention. Whatever the intent was, Biden really messed things up — but will people remember any of this in a month?

  49. I’m not sure where all this wishcasting for Michelle Obama’s candidacy comes from. HRC had been a Senator before she ran for President the first time, and a Secretary of State before she ran the second time. MO has never even run for an elective office, though she’s had plenty of chances: she simply isn’t interested in politics.

    Maybe the wishcasters are hoping for Michelle Obama’s run because they think she will be easy to beat? That’s the only explanation that seems to make sense.

  50. I think Michelle’s ‘take it or leave it’ attitude about being First Lady is an act. It’s the ultimate ‘cool’ to project that attitude.
    IMO, she’s loves the limelight, a Hollywood wannabe. She loves being on the cover of magazines as the most beautiful or admired woman in America.
    As to the presidency . . . she would be a seminal figure in American history if she ran and won. She would have a chance to finish the fundamental trashing, er, transforming job her husband started. And she would heroically be the anti-Trump.
    I hope like hell your gut is right, Neo, and I’m wrong about her inner state.

  51. State often it won’t be Sundowner or Harris. No reason on the planet at their convention they anoint someone.
    The Marxists are not going tothrow inches towel, they never do. Their existence could be at stake.

  53. I think the Michelle talk is nonsense. If she’s not fully committed to serving as president, if she doesn’t have the desire to put herself out there every day and a vision for how she would run the government and lead the nation, then there is no way she would beat Trump. America is not going to come close to electing a last minute replacement candidate who is only running in order to be a figurehead while other people actually run the show. What’s the point of replacing Biden with a younger candidate if the younger candidate is even less engaged and less in charge than he is?

    Another thing: I don’t see why some people think that the PLAN is for Biden to wait and wait and wait and then step down at or even after the convention. How does it help the dems to let the country slip further and further into the abyss, only to attempt to salvage their electoral hopes through some kind of bizarre eleventh-hour improvisation whereby a behind-the-scenes cabal pulls out a new, untested candidate as if from a magician’s hat? It would look desperate, chaotic, and highly undemocratic (little “d”). If the PLAN were for Biden to bow out, either Kamala would be the announced successor already or we would be in the middle of a contested primary season. Now, it may TURN OUT that Biden needs to step down, but it certainly won’t be because that was the plan all along.

  54. Well, as of this morning it certainly looks like the Ds and the MSM are going to circle the wagons and fight to keep Joe in place.

    Late afternoon presser yesterday, WH spokesman said, “the report included “gratuitous and inappropriate criticisms of the president.”. And there are reports the WH is going to blame Garland for letting the report out.

    Megyn Kelly and her guest go through the list of MSM spins on Biden’s Thrusday night debacle and the report:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGgx8xYZTME

    There’s also a late statement by the WH about how Trump forgets and slurs his words all the time.

    Good news for Trump if they are planning on keeping Joe on.

  55. I think the GOP should press the issue about removing Biden and keep emphasizing how long and how far back he had classified documents. Make the Democrats defend him.
    If Kamala was President, she would be more exposed to the LIVs. The Democrats would be caught in their own trap of not supporting or supporting the ” first incumbent woman of color for President.”

  56. The added ” bonus”, in a sad way, is the more the GOP demands Biden be removed from office, the angrier Biden will get. He does not handle anger well in public. That is when he goes off script.

  57. If Biden is removed now, then Harris becomes President. That makes it more difficult for the Dems to run a more viable candidate in her place. After all, it would be ” racist” to try to remove her from the party nominee if she is already the incumbent President.

  58. The emphasis of the GOP should be 60/40 Biden to forgetful to be President now if he is to senile to be prosecuted for the documents / he should be prosecuted.
    Make them defend him.
    Make him go on public verbal rampages due to his anger.
    Quit worrying about who will replace him.
    By replacing him, Kamala becomes the likely nominee.

  60. Just think though, if MO was convinced to run and then defeated DJT, it would mean two members of the same family will have been rewarded Nobel Peace Prizes for doing absolutely nothing! How cool would that be??!!

  62. If Harris goes first then Blinken can step in. If the Republican party continues to focus on abortion the game is lost in all states! WITH can’t they get that through their thick heads? If they focus on abortion Michelle will be there with bells on for President and every female and every black person in America will vote for her. WITH can’t the R understand abortion is a killer all right that debate has led to much of the destruction of the US. You don’t believe in abortion don’t have one. If the R party is too too too stupid to understand that a 14 week compromise could work they don’t deserve to be in office.

  63. @ M Williams

    Michelle Obama already has the limelight. She can go on any television show she likes and get applause. She doesn’t need the presidency and its headaches to get attention. She’s already been in the White House, and while she loves attention, she knows that constant attention has its price.
    ________

    @ Scrape

    I doubt there’s a specific hard and fast plan to take out Biden at the convention or later. Rather, those who don’t think Biden can go the distance are waiting for the moment when he falters or proves himself to be vulnerable, or takes himself out of the race, and then they will make their move.
    ________

    @ Kate

    After Biden leaves the White House, Garland isn’t AG and, if Biden is even still alive, the statute of limitations may have come into effect. I like Hawley, but he’s showboating.

  64. A dark (um) horse for Trump’s VP: Condoleezza Rice. Both boxes check, plus she grew up in the Jim Crow South. Lots of international experience. Pro 2A.
    Con: She’s a Bushie and we are done with neo-cons.

    Still, if she had to step into being president, she wouldn’t carry the concern that Kamala would.

  65. After Harris, the next person would be the Speaker of the House, then the President pro tempore of the Senate. Blinken doesn’t come into it until after those.

  66. Good point, Abraxas. So they wouldn’t indict and wait to prosecute after he leaves office? It would be left to a Trump AG to make that call, then, in 2025.

  67. Republicans should be repeating, constantly, that Biden should go, because of senility and policy.
    Biden bad on illegal immigration, and he’s senile.
    Biden bad on inflation, and he’s senile.
    Biden bad on Free Speech, and he’s senile.
    Biden bad in supporting corrupt Ukraine oligarchs stealing aid, like Hamas stole aid, and he’s senile.

    Too much “news” is mere near term speculation, like who else if Biden is booted. Fun & easy, but less effective at getting change. We need more effective Reps.

  70. In reading the 25th Amendment, if Biden is impeached, dies, or resigns then Harris becomes president (section 1).

    That creates a vacancy in the VP spot. The new president then nominates a replacement and a majority vote in both houses confirms the nomination. (Section 2) Would the Ds be able to get a more favorable person in the chain of command should something happen to Harris? Or at least someone who is well liked that the convention could then replace Harris as the candidate?

    Section 3 would permit Biden to voluntarily step out of the office and Harris becomes ACTING President. Biden then regains control when he declares in writing that he is able to be president. This section has been used when presidents go to the hospital.

    Section 4 lets the VP and the Cabinet declare that the Pres is unable to continue and the VP becomes ACTING president. Biden would be able to rebut this allegation and the question goes to Congress. The decision has to be by 2/3 vote of both houses. And, do you think that both sections would get the 2/3 votes? So, Harris would still be the Acting President. And, Biden would still have a path to regain control. So, this section provides a path for the temporary removal of the president but it does not permit a permanent removal. The vice president can only be the acting president.

    If Harris was acting president, what problems will arise because of the conflict between Biden’s staff and her staff (which apparently has a turnover problem)? Or would the people who are controlling Biden’s puppet strings still be in charge?

    I think that the Rs should not be calling for the resignation of Biden, but let Harris and the cabinet try to take him out of control and then let the Congress fight it out.

    Anyone agree?

  71. NPR this morning drew a parallel between the FBI treatment of the Hillary Clinton email scandal and the DoJ Special Counsel treatment of the Joe Biden classified docs scandal… see, they were both terrible because they made snotty remarks about leading Democrats!! OMG!

    Dear NPR Host Scott Simon, yes, but there is another coincidence between them. Hint: does “Two-tiered justice system” connect any dots for you?

    Or this little puzzler… which of these three is fundamentally different with respect to classified information:
    1. Secretary of State
    2. Vice President
    3. President

    Think hard, Scott!

  73. Liz, the Dems have themselves quite a problem one way or another. You’re right, perhaps we should just let them fight it out. Biden won’t go willingly.

  74. @ Scrape > “Now, it may TURN OUT that Biden needs to step down, but it certainly won’t be because that was the plan all along.”

    Depends on how many plans there are.
    I’m in the camp that believes there is more than one faction in the Democrat Party fighting over the control of Biden Inc.

  75. This has become “palace conspiracy” as I said before this is how it should be viewed. The powers that be have certain priorities:

    1) Stay in power
    2) Have a “face” to hide behind
    3) Have a “face” that is under your control
    4) Stay in power

    These people live in a bubble ( is almost a necessity) they are not monolithic or 12′ tall.

  76. Would you buy a used car from that man?
    Salad dressing?

    …It’s just the latest charade in a long, long chain of destructive charades, which has become the DEFINITION of the Democratic Party….
    – – – – – – – – –
    As noted by physicsguy (@ 8:27 am), this should be rather interesting, perhaps even entertaining…
    “Spooked Dems push for makeup, lighting fixes for Biden’s age as prez rails against Merrick Garland”—
    https://nypost.com/2024/02/10/news/merrick-garland-the-villain-in-special-counsel-memory-scandal-report/
    (…Seems that the Post must have stolen this one from the Bee….)

  77. the Bee uses time travel, not the bee is the real one, well as close as one can discern,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HTML tags allowed in your comment: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

↑