2024 Democrat Presidential Candidates

[Citysnaps]

I find it hard to believe there is no Backup Plan. Maybe they just can't say it publicly, but they have to have someone in mind, ie. Newsom.

Democrats have no Biden backup plan for 2024, despite age concerns

The Democratic Party has no Plan B if President Joe Biden decided for any reason to halt his 2024 re-election campaign, and a sudden need to replace him as its standard-bearer would spark a messy intraparty battle. Despite weak poll numbers and questions, including from some Democrats, about...

news.yahoo.com

I definitely think it's Newsom, but that will never be acknowledged publicly at this point in time. Apparently he and Biden talk frequently. And that he's met China's Xi twice (in China and recently at APEC) to me says a lot.

If Biden stays healthy and wins the 2024 election, you can bet Newsom will be running in 2028. And he'll have a great head start.

I'm looking forward to seeing how he handles desantis and Hannity during tonight's debate.

 

[GermanSuplex]

I find it hard to believe there is no Backup Plan. Maybe they just can't say it publicly, but they have to have someone in mind, ie. Newsom.

Democrats have no Biden backup plan for 2024, despite age concerns

The Democratic Party has no Plan B if President Joe Biden decided for any reason to halt his 2024 re-election campaign, and a sudden need to replace him as its standard-bearer would spark a messy intraparty battle. Despite weak poll numbers and questions, including from some Democrats, about...

news.yahoo.com

We had no backup plan in 2020 either - may the best one win.

I think it would be good to not have an heir apparent. These things also happen organically anyways. It explains why Biden had such a dire beginning to his campaign and ended up winning the election by a good clip. It’s why republicans had tons of people lined up to take on Hillary (think Rubio and Scott Walker) and the guy many people said had the lowest chance of even winning a single primary race ended up winning the whole thing.

I’d be more concerned if there weren’t democrats to choose from. I think we have plenty.

Republicans do too, but none of them are running. Chris Sununu and Larry Hogan, for instance.

 

[Roller]

We had no backup plan in 2020 either - may the best one win.

I think it would be good to not have an heir apparent. These things also happen organically anyways. It explains why Biden had such a dire beginning to his campaign and ended up winning the election by a good clip. It’s why republicans had tons of people lined up to take on Hillary (think Rubio and Scott Walker) and the guy many people said had the lowest chance of even winning a single primary race ended up winning the whole thing.

I’d be more concerned if there weren’t democrats to choose from. I think we have plenty.

Republicans do too, but none of them are running. Chris Sununu and Larry Hogan, for instance.

Biden wasn't young by any means in 2020, but he conducted himself well and presented as the elder statesman with many decades of legislative experience and cross-party cooperation. But he's now 81. Although it's remarkable how he copes with the demands of the presidency, including world travel, his speech and gait are slower.

Like most people his age, Biden is at risk for a medical event that could incapacitate him during the campaign. So while there may not be a formal backup plan, surely Democrat politicians and strategists are gaming various scenarios in their head and are discussing them behind the scenes. A strong VP who was already identified as the heir apparent could step in, but Harris doesn't fit that bill IMO. Unfortunately, it's not going to look good if a white male is seen to push her aside, so how it plays out would partly depend on timing and on her response.

Assuming nothing serious happens to Biden, I expect him to run against whoever is the Republican nominee, which will still probably be Trump. I like to think Biden will win again based on his administration's record and the electorate's stance on key issues like reproductive rights. However, there are certainly no guarantees, and, given the stakes, I wish we had different choices on both sides.

 

[Citysnaps]

I like to think Biden will win again based on his administration's record and the electorate's stance on key issues like reproductive rights. However, there are certainly no guarantees, and, given the stakes, I wish we had different choices on both sides.

My thoughts as well. We're rolling the dice.

Unfortunately, good options (a well thought out Plan B), should Biden suffer an adverse medical event, quickly narrow as time marches on.

Many people say, eh... don't worry about it, things will work out. To that I say one just needs to go back to the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

Shit happens. And can happen again.

 

[Roller]

My thoughts as well. We're rolling the dice.

Unfortunately, good options (a well thought out Plan B), should Biden suffer an adverse medical event, quickly narrow as time marches on.

Many people say, eh... don't worry about it, things will work out. To that I say one just needs to go back to the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

Shit happens. And can happen again.

I think it's potentially worse than the outcome in 2016, though that turned out bad enough. I'm thinking of the rise of other authoritarian regimes that are democratic in name only, like the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We've already seen that our institutions were weak bulwarks against Trump illegally holding on to power in 2020, and I have little faith they'll hold the next time.

 

[Citysnaps]

I think it's potentially worse than the outcome in 2016, though that turned out bad enough. I'm thinking of the rise of other authoritarian regimes that are democratic in name only, like the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We've already seen that our institutions were weak bulwarks against Trump illegally holding on to power in 2020, and I have little faith they'll hold the next time.

trump was the warm sunlight that caused below-the-ground seeds of hate to sprout and grow. And here we are today.


As an aside... A friend of mine's father (Seymour Lipset) was a professor and scholar at both George Mason and Stanford Universities. As a sociologist and political scientist, among other areas of interest, he researched and wrote about totalitarian uprisings over the 20th century and their causes, and that they're often cyclical in how they come about. Though he passed away in 2006, I'm sure he would have written many papers and books about the rise of trump/trumpism and the resulting consequences.

 

[Roller]

trump was the warm sunlight that caused below-the-ground seeds of hate to sprout and grow. And here we are today.


As an aside... A friend of mine's father (Seymour Lipset) was a professor and scholar at both George Mason and Stanford Universities. As a sociologist and political scientist, among other areas of interest, he researched and wrote about totalitarian uprisings over the 20th century and their causes, and that they're often cyclical in how they come about. Though he passed away in 2006, I'm sure he would have written many papers and books about the rise of trump/trumpism and the resulting consequences.

For sure. Trump is like COVID - they both have spawned a great deal of research and writing.

 

[Yoused]

SCANDAL!!!1!​

 

[Alli]

 

[Alli]

And if you have no issues with The Rolling Stones being out on tour right now, then just shut up about age.

 

[Roller]

And if you have no issues with The Rolling Stones being out on tour right now, then just shut up about age.

Apart from the ticket prices, I have no problem with the Stones touring. But as much as I wish them good health (or as close as possible to it, given their current state), an untoward event wouldn't put the country and the world in jeopardy. Not so with Joe Biden. In "normal" times, I wouldn't be so concerned, but he's probably going to face someone who will end our democracy and worse if elected. Imagine a dystopian future where you somehow run afoul of the people in power. Suddenly you have problems with the IRS, or the DOJ comes after you. Even if those don't pan out, you have to deal with the stress and cost of fighting back. And I have little confidence the judiciary will hold fast, as heartened as I am by recent rulings.

I like Biden. He's a genuinely caring person who wants to do the right thing for the country, and his administration has accomplished much. But even though he functions amazingly well for his age, he's at greater risk than younger folks, all other things being equal. I'll unhesitatingly vote for him if he's the nominee while keeping my fingers crossed that he wins and that his health holds out through a second term. But I'd prefer we had a younger candidate who would be a shoo-in running against Trump.

 

[Alli]

Apart from the ticket prices, I have no problem with the Stones touring. But as much as I wish them good health (or as close as possible to it, given their current state), an untoward event wouldn't put the country and the world in jeopardy. Not so with Joe Biden.

This is why there is a vice president. Granted, there are a number of people who dislike her, it’s not like a Spiro Agnew situation.

 

[Citysnaps]

This is why there is a vice president. Granted, there are a number of people who dislike her, it’s not like a Spiro Agnew situation.

The time period I'm most concerned about is between the first primary and the election. From what I understand (correct me if I'm wrong), if Biden were to have an adverse medical event and couldn't run for president, Harris would then be elevated to become the Democratic presidential candidate (assuming other Democratic challengers don't get any traction). While I believe she's a fine person and could rise to becoming a good president, I don't think she would stand a chance against trump or desantis in the general election.

That's a scary situation.

 

[Alli]

While I believe she's a fine person and could rise to becoming a good president, I don't think she would stand a chance against trump or desantis in the general election.

I agree with you there. But why are we focusing on hypotheticals? TFG could also suffer a massive coronary during the same time period.

 

[Herdfan]

We had no backup plan in 2020 either - may the best one win.

No, but there were like 10 candidates at the beginning all fighting it out. So there was a backup plan of sorts. Had Biden had an issue before the convention, he would have simply been replaced.

Not as easy this time around because of Harris. After 4 years as VP can the party simply say, "Sorry, no one likes you so you can't run". The optics would be horrible.

 

[Citysnaps]

I agree with you there. But why are we focusing on hypotheticals? TFG could also suffer a massive coronary during the same time period.

I remember watching the 2016 ABC News election night returns, anchored by George Stephanopoulos. Sometime after 10pm he broke into regular programming, ashen, with all the color drained from his face and having difficulty speaking, announcing the election was being called for trump.

To answer your question, it's because shit happens, as it did above. And can very easily happen again. I'd prefer that anything and everything be done to maximize the odds of that not occurring. Should trump (or even desantis) win, the United States and democracy would be in peril, far greater than it was in 2016.

 

[Roller]

I agree with you there. But why are we focusing on hypotheticals? TFG could also suffer a massive coronary during the same time period.

I think it's always wise to consider hypotheticals and plan for contingencies, especially when the stakes are this critical.

On the Democratic side, Biden's risk of a stroke is considered high because of his age, even if he has no other risk factors like hypertension. (I'm using stroke because it's harder to guess his risk of MI.) If that were to happen between now and when he starts his second term, the best response for the party and country would depend on multiple political considerations, which I'm sure are being discussed, albeit not so much in the open. While I suspect Harris would do better as President than many people give her credit for, that's not the same as her strength as a candidate, which isn't great, IMO.

Trump's risk of stroke is almost certainly higher than Biden's: he's obese and likely has other risk factors as well. But despite Trump's presumptive nomination, the Republican race is so messy, it's hard to predict what would happen if Trump suffered a catastrophic medical event. And it's not as if the alternatives are wonderful. I don't think DeSantis has much of a chance because he's a horrible candidate, and Haley will have a lot to overcome if she's not seen as sufficiently MAGA.

 

[Yoused]

Of course, if Joe the President were to be 25thed in the fall, like October, that would really be uncharted territory. The demise of the sitting President might generate a sympathetic public response, especially if a-hole calls him a "loser", and would probably have people looking askance at a-hole, since he is not that much younger. If a-hole is not the candidate, what would transpire is anyone's guess.

 

[Herdfan]

Of course, if Joe the President were to be 25thed in the fall, like October, that would really be uncharted territory.

That is going WAY down the hypothetical rabbit hole.

And keep in mind, even if they were to 25th him (which I do not think would ever happen), he would still be the nominee.

And a lot of states have deadlines for ballot printing so replacing him on the ballot at that late date would be near impossible. I guess he would remain a candidate with Harris as VP, then she would be elevated at the swearing in. Talk about a mess that would make FL 2000 look tame.

 

[GermanSuplex]

But I'd prefer we had a younger candidate who would be a shoo-in running against Trump.

I don’t think there is such a thing. Republicans support Trump - either wholeheartedly or reluctantly, but it’s going to be close. I’m not sure it would be all that different if it were Jeffries or Newsom - the right would manufacture something and it would stick - perhaps inexperience (remember, it doesn’t have to be true or make any logical sense) - and then democrats would bite their nails wondering if we should have went with an experienced known quantity (aka an old dude, aka Biden).