Joe Biden had a terrible performance at the first presidential debate. Some have tried to spin as not being the dumpster fire it truly was claiming that he made some good points and got better as the debate progressed, and that if you look the transcript he did pretty well. But with debates, optics are pretty much all that counts to the viewers deciding which candidate they will vote for. And the optics for Joe were bad, very bad. He looked like a feeble old man struggling to get out a coherent thought while Trump was essentially given a platform to spew his lies uncontested while looking polished and proud of himself. Biden tried to make up for it with an interview with George Stephanopoulos the week after, but that did little assuage concerns about whether he is fit to run for a second term.
As former president Barack Obama says, bad debate nights happen. But that doesn’t mean it can be dismissed and that Biden and the Democrats should go on with business as usual. Trump remains ahead in the polls, and that pathetic debate performance could possibly have shifted enough voters to his side (especially in swing states) to keep him in the lead if the Democrats do not take actions to sway voters back.
One of the absolute first things they need to do is decide who their presidential candidate is and rally the troops around that person. A lot of people are calling for Joe Biden to step down, and I agree with that. And while the optics of replacing the candidate at this stage in the game are not great, I believe they could pass it off rather seamlessly. Biden is not a popular candidate, and there are many concerns about his age (for good reason, as demonstrated in the debate). So let him do the right thing and admit that it is time to pass the torch. The Democratic Party has plenty of stars that could step in and re-energize the campaign (Gretchen Witmer, Cory Booker, Peter Buttigieg, Gavin Newson, Michelle Obama, etc., etc.). People don’t want Biden, so select a replacement from a healthy (and younger) set of alternatives.
But everything that we hear at this point suggests that the Democrats are sticking with Biden. And if that’s the case, then rally the troops around him. Biden does well in a controlled environment and with a teleprompter aiding him. So keep him there. And get as many of the Democratic stars standing with him and/or lobbying for him in full public view. Biden actually has quite a good record during his time in office, but many people don’t realize that because the Democrats are terrible at messaging (while the Republicans are quite adept at spin). It’s time to take a crash course in getting the message out and proving that while Biden may not be much of a debater anymore he is still a decent president and much better selection than Trump.
In addition, Biden needs a much more active vice-presidential running mate. While Kamala Harris may have done some good things during her tenure, she remains mostly out of sight, and the Republicans have done a very good job of spinning her as unfit for the role of president. So at this point, Kamala needs to step up on the stage and reassure people that she is the right choice as second-in-command, or step aside for a better candidate. Again, the optics of changing at this point are not great, but the Democrats can pull it off with the right person. If their ticket consists of a “sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” and a strong vice-presidential candidate that could take over if needed (a co-president if you will), that might be enough to reassure voters going to the polls.
It sure doesn’t help that members of the Democratic party, among others, are publicly calling for Biden to step down. I don’t disagree with their arguments, but this very public dissent is helping to foster the doubt in the minds of voters. So the Democrats need to come together and have a serious talk with Biden and Harris to figure out how to proceed. Some donors are withholding money as well, and this could get much worse if people continue to lose faith in the Biden/Harris ticket. So the Dems either need to rally around the current candidates or present a viable option to silence the division caused by the many voices casting doubt on the current situation.
The poor debate performance definitely proved a major setback for the Democrats, but it need not be the nail in the coffin for the party’s hopes of holding on to the White House with the 2024 election. Considering the amount of power that the Supreme Court just handed to the executive office as well as Trump’s threats of retribution if he gets back in power, it is essential that the Democrats rally the troops and provide a ticket that people feel confident in voting for in the upcoming election. Whether that is Biden or another choice, they must present a united front along with a presidential and vice-presidential option that inspires confidence. And whoever runs, the Democrats must also make it clear to the people of this country that the upcoming election is not their candidate vs. Trump, it is Democracy vs. Dictatorship.