It was but four or five weeks ago. Though the noise started months before that.
What I am referring to were all of the howls in the face of President Biden’s growing infirmity and shrinking poll numbers to the effect that it was all so much never-mind as the time had passed to change-out the top of the ticket and the logistics of doing so were virtually impossible.
Plenty of people, both prominent types and average Joes, were singing such music. Reference was made to the 14 million Democratic primary voters who had pulled Biden’s lever (as if they had any real choice; no, Dean Phillips doesn’t count) and to the imminent nature of the Chicago convention, now underway.
Well, three weeks after Biden’s late-June debate freeze, and following three weeks of escalating pressure, Biden bowed to the inevitable. Within days (hours!), Kamala Harris was anointed as the presumptive, de facto nominee. We’ll have to wait for November to assess whether the no-competition handoff to Harris was the optimal move. I’ll stand behind my commentary at the time that some mini-primary or abbreviated series of forums among a few contenders would have been a preferred course.
In any event, here we are. No matter what the fall campaign holds for Harris, Democrats are in immensely better shape than was the case with Biden holding onto the top slot. As only James Carville can put it, attending the Democratic National Convention had it been for the purpose of renominating Biden would have been tantamount to “sitting Shiva.”
All of this was accomplished in short order and rather seamlessly, at least as far as the public sees. Those who claimed it couldn’t be done or that the clock had run out have been proved wrong.
Two quick post-scripts to this:
First, the history books will hold more than a few White House aides and Democratic Party honchos, some cheerleading journalists as well, to account for what was essentially a coverup as to the President’s declining capacity. Loyalty to the top guy is not a crime. But in this case at least, it was wrong and a disservice to the country.
Second, if you want to play a game of what-if’s, imagine that Biden had at that first debate performed weakly, but not embarrassingly. Imagine that pundits had assigned him a passing grade of C-plus instead of a failing grade of F. He would then have continued on to the nomination. But imagine then that the faceplant had occurred at the second debate in September. At that point, it is effectively too late. Those who had hidden the fall on his frailty would have had their way. Democrats would have been boxed in and Trump would have romped. If there was to be such an epic fail, Democrats should thanks that it took place at the end of June.
