From the moment during Thursday night’s debate when Joe Biden was shown to be the very impacted figure the press insisted was a fraudulent representation, speculation erupted across the media landscape and within the Democratic Party as to who would replace President Silveralert on the ticket. We have covered what those machinations would involve, but looking just ahead there is one specific challenge on this matter facing the party leadership.

That would be the occupant of Number One Observatory Circle.

It is rather telling that while there was an instant eruption of theorizing as to who could step into the Oval Office, there was a list drawn up instead of an automatic guess. The sign of trouble facing Democrats is that Vice President Kamala Harris — while certainly included in the plotting — is not regarded as the default choice. 

Just minutes into the debate, panic began to set in for the party — and the complicit press — that Biden had been exposed as a faulty figure. Instantly, names were bandied as to who could be inserted, with Gavin Newsom's name trending on social media about 30 minutes into the event. This is an obvious sign that the K-Hive does not exert the appropriate level of power and influence for Kamala to be seen as the de facto choice to move up. Look at the fact they had her reaching out with this cringe-inducing segment for the BET Awards, appealing to the voting block that should be secured already.

Kamala panders at BET awards and the reviews are not positive.

Black Americans are embarrassed by Kamala.pic.twitter.com/v0WZsVEObg

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) July 1, 2024

The reasons for this are rather evident. Until recently, Harris was polling below Biden, so as far as moving the needle electorally, she is a challenge, and her infamous skill at delivering word salad is enough that she could reopen the Sweet Tomatoes restaurant chain. Yet, as it is sound plotting to look beyond the VP for a savior, what are the ramifications within the party, and specifically with the voters?

Say, for example, Newsom comes in and draws with him his own pick for a running mate — how will the black voters and the women respond to such a move? The attempt to bolster the party for November could become a handicap if too many stay home. But this could also be the case if Harris is retained and remains in the subjugated role, could it not? This would be a signal that Harris does not have the heft to lead the party, and that too could become a distancing factor with some of their base.

This has become a trap of the Democrats’ own making. They sold Kamala by her identity politics — the first POC female VP! — not her political accomplishments, and now they have to tacitly admit to her being a diversity hire who does not have the skill to lead the ticket. This becomes an even more precarious position given the current state of the electorate.

Recent polling shows Donald Trump has been making even more inroads with black voters. The fact that the Democrats already are simply looking to shore up that constituency is problematic for the party, but to then make key moves around their touted Vice President may compound things on that front. The message being sent is not the type to lead to positive results.

The only other option is to have Harris fronting the ticket. That appears to be something the Democrats are deeply hesitant to enact.