US President Joe Biden flips through his notes during the presidential debate in Atlanta. He was diagnosed with COVID on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 Austin Steele/CNN
It is an interview that may make or mar his presidential campaign amid the fallout of his disastrous performance in last Thursday’s debate. The all-important question now is: What will he do?
Last week, Biden went into the presidential debate against former President Donald Trump amid concerns that he was too old to be president and battling cognitive decline.
The 81-year-old confirmed those concerns and even worsened his standing among his fellow Democrats who had been in denial for months about his physical and mental capacity to run for a second term in office.
The US president slurred his speech and lost his train of thoughts multiple times in an embarrassing display that sent panic through the spines of Democrats across the country who are wary of a Trump second term.
Former US President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden spar at the debate (Photo: Will Lanzoni/CNN)
With the party’s top priority being winning the November 5 presidential election and stopping the former president, members are seriously questioning whether Biden is the best candidate to be put forward for the task.
As of Thursday, July 4, 2024, at least two Democratic Members of Congress had publicly called on Biden to step down for a younger candidate with better prospects of beating Trump.
However, the US president and his allies have resisted those calls so far, arguing that the debate was just a “bad night”.
Despite Biden’s current refusal to drop out of the race, voters believe his party has a better shot at the White House without him at the top of the ticket.
According to a post-debate CNN poll, three-quarters of US voters say the Democratic Party stands a better chance of winning with a different candidate.
Former President Donald Trump, left, and President Joe Biden take part in the CNN presidential debate on Thursday, June 27. Will Lanzoni/CNN
In a matchup between the presumptive major-party nominees, the CNN poll shows voters nationwide favour Trump over Biden by 6 points, 49% to 43%, further complicating the incumbent president’s headache.
The poll also finds Vice President Kamala Harris within striking distance of Trump in a hypothetical matchup: 47% of registered voters support Trump, 45% Harris, a result within the margin of error that suggests there is no clear leader under such a scenario.
US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris
Harris’ slightly stronger showing against Trump rests at least in part on broader support from women (50% of female voters back Harris over Trump vs. 44% for Biden against Trump) and independents (43% Harris vs. 34% Biden).
These numbers take us to candidates who may replace Biden if he decides to quit the race.
If Biden decides it is time to step to down, one of these seven Democrats may be his replacement: Vice President Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
Harris would be the most obvious choice to replace him. Serving in the country’s second-highest office has given her some amount of executive governing experience.
Vice President Kamala Harris
However, Newsom also has a good shot at the top spot as one of the most vocal governors in the US. The California governor, who leads one of the largest economies in the world, is a fierce public defender of Biden.
Also, Whitmer’s easy reelection victory in 2022, which brought with it Democratic majorities in the state House and Senate, makes her a top choice. She called Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon on Friday to make clear she was not responsible for her name being floated as a possible replacement and is willing to help Biden with the campaign.
Additionally, Buttigieg, the first openly gay Cabinet secretary; Shapiro, the moderate governor regarded as a future of the party; Pritzker, the host governor of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago; and Beshear, who won statewide as a Democrat twice in a state that hasn’t voted for a Democrat in a presidential election since the 1990s, also have bright chances, according to US media reports.
On Wednesday, USA Today reported that a growing number of major Democratic donors and activists were uneasy at the prospect of Biden seeking reelection, especially as new post-debate poll numbers begin trickling in indicating voter displeasure with his candidacy.
US President Joe Biden
They said they were not given satisfactory answers as to what caused the poor debate performance.
Biden’s interview with “Good Morning America” and “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos on ABC News on Friday may well be an attempt by the president to give satisfactory answers to those questions.
A first look will air on the Friday, July 5, edition of “World News Tonight with David Muir.”
Then on Friday night, ABC will air “ABC News Special: One on One With President Biden” at 8 p.m. ET (1 a.m. Nigerian time Saturday morning).
No doubt, the upcoming interview is a crucial moment in Biden’s campaign.
While the US president has dug in so far, it may be an avenue for him to shock Democrats and the entire country by announcing that he is stepping down for a different candidate.
If Biden decides to withdraw from the race, the interview could be used to explain his decision and to try to rally support for the Democratic party.
Governor Newsom of California is Eko Hot Blog’s choice to lead the Democrats to the November 5 general election.
California Governor Gavin Newsom
At 56, he is not only young and charismatic, but he is also not new to sparring with prominent Republicans nationally. This quality means he will quickly settle into the race within the short time remaining until the all-important election.
He would be able to run on a record as a two-term governor of one of the largest economies in the world and tout many accomplishments during his tenure for the left in the solidly blue state.
On the other hand, Eko Hot Blog‘s choice for Vice President is Whitmer. She rose to prominence in 2018, boosted by the slogan “Fix the Damn Roads,” which put a pragmatic focus on repairing the state’s infrastructure.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
Since then, she has become a rising liberal star in the Democratic Party. She has been able to notch key victories, including the repeal of the state’s decades-old abortion ban and a “right-to-work” law to prop up unions.
Whitmer’s representation of the US Midwest in the race will also be an added advantage electorally.
We believe the ‘youth’ of Newsom and Whitmer and enthusiasm for their candidacies are strong enough to propel Democrats to victory in November.
Overall, the upcoming interview is a crucial moment for Biden, and it will be interesting to see what he decides to do.
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