The stubborn old man that is Biden recently declared that only divine intervention would cause him to withdraw from the presidential race. Let us implore Heaven to intervene quickly.
If Biden remains a candidate, he will probably lose. He is trying to “capitalize” on his accomplishments – not insignificant – of the last four years. But that says nothing about the next four, given his declining abilities.
All eyes are on Vice President Kamala Harris. But her chances of winning against Trump and his far-right Republican Party are also slim. In recent polling, Biden and Harris have a similarly narrow advantage over him.
She has been criticized for her ineffectiveness in championing White House policies. Her stormy relationship with her staff, marked by several departures, raises questions about her leadership style. Washington Post spoke with staff members about the toxic climate that reigned in his office. It recalls the case of our resigning Governor General Julie Payette.
What is a vice president for?
Historically, the vice presidency’s only real role is to replace the president if he dies or becomes incapacitated. It can also cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate. Harris has voted 33 times to break it.
Otherwise, to borrow General de Gaulle’s phrase, his role was mostly to “inaugurate chrysanthemums.” But over the years, vice presidents have become intermediaries between the president and Congress to resolve delicate political situations. That’s what seasoned politicians like Biden and Pence, when they were vice presidents, did—or tried to do—for Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
The problem with Kamala Harris, the former district attorney and attorney general of California, is her relative inexperience in Washington. She attended high school in Montreal while her mother taught at McGill, and served only two years in the Senate before being chosen by Biden as his running mate. As both the first woman and the first “non-white” vice president, her gender and race made her Biden’s ideal choice as a running mate.
But, strangely, Democrats are not making the gains they expected among blacks and Hispanics, voters that the “Californian of color” Harris was supposed to consolidate for Biden.
Critics have criticized Harris for her sometimes confusing remarks and her gaffes, which are not as numerous or strange as Biden’s. He recently called Harris “my Vice President Trump.”
What if it was Michelle Obama?
Among Democrats, and especially donors, Michelle Obama’s name continues to crop up as more and more of them panic over the lack of enthusiasm for Joe Biden’s campaign.
The former first lady has indicated that she has no intention of entering the race. Her communications director, Crystal Carson, stresses that she will not run for president: “Mme Obama endorses the re-election campaign of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
What a shame for the party, for the United States… and for the entire planet!
She would still easily defeat far-right candidate Donald Trump, according to a Reuters/IPSOS poll conducted between 1er and July 2. The poll found that 50% of voters would vote for Michelle Obama, compared to just 39% for Donald Trump. Other potential Democratic candidates, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, would receive fewer votes than Trump.
Michelle Obama could name her husband White House chief of staff without requiring Senate confirmation. And she could also ask Kamala Harris to remain her vice president. A winning combination, don’t you think?