Unless you’ve been living in a cave in the middle of Afghanistan, you probably know that the Democrats are in a heap of trouble. There isn’t much that can be said about their political prospects over the next few years that hasn’t already been said about CNN+. Much of the attention is on the upcoming congressional elections, in which Democrats are expected to get the Will Smith treatment from the Republican Party. But we all know what time it is after November passes. It will be time for the 2024 presidential campaign, and Democrats are not likely to have found a viable candidate by then.
Yes, I know President Joe Biden continues to insist he will run for a second term. But if you believe this for even a second, I’ve got some prime beachfront property in Oklahoma to sell you at a steal of a price. The fact of the matter is that Biden is going to ride off into the sunset, when it comes time for the presidential election. But the question is: Who will replace him on the ballot?
CNN political commentator Van Jones chimed in on this question on Friday during an appearance on “Erin Burnett OutFront,” noting that President Biden has no viable successor to carry his worn-out mantle. During the conversation, Burnett said:
“President Biden, we’re learning, is frustrated because he feels there are powers in his own party that are essentially saying don’t you even think about running again. He’s apparently frustrated that they’re trying to run him out of office is the feeling and get him to not run for re-election. Now, to be honest, Van, many Americans did assume he was going to be a one-term president, and that’s what he wanted to do, but that was an assumption. how bad is the situation for the Democratic Party, though?”
Jones replied, acknowledging the precarious situation in which Democrats find themselves. He said:
“Look, right now, it feels like a lose-lose situation. You know, Joe Biden is a beloved human being, but he’s also up in years, so there is a fear. Hey, listen, don’t forget, when Obama went into office, he looked like a young Tiger Woods. In the beginning, he left looking like Morgan Freeman. I mean, that job will tear you up. That is a tough job. So the idea of can this guy do the full eight years, that’s the question. I think some people aren’t confident. At the same time, there is no heir apparent. There is no likely successor.”
Burnett responded, saying Democrats would likely run with Vice President Kamala Harris. “Sure, Kamala Harris, her numbers are not as strong, his numbers are not as strong, nobody’s numbers are as strong, so a free-forall in the last year of his presidency now feels like a lose-lose,” Jones said.
Van Jones’ assessment is spot on.
Black Hillary is not going to cut it as a presidential contender in 2024, and everyone knows it. Moreover, even if Biden were to prove me wrong and seek office again, Jones’ point remains: There is no viable Democrat for 2024. The president has so thoroughly fouled things up during his stint in the White House that voters would rather lay face down on burning coals than to pull the lever for him again, even if it means staying home and eating a ham sandwich on Election Day.
Right now, the Democrats’ stable of presidential potentials is looking rather bare, and it will be interesting to see who they wind up choosing. While there are certainly plenty of candidates who would love to run, there don’t seem to be any that would have a chance of winning. At this point, the Republicans could run a platypus in a red tie and win the White House.
Of course, there is the remote possibility that I might be wrong. Perhaps there is an unknown superstar waiting in the wings whom nobody has heard about that could take the nation by storm. Maybe there is someone with a surplus of charisma who knows how to say all the right things. It’s happened before, hasn’t it? Remember that black dude with the silver tongue and the “hope and change” message who came onto the scene, dashed Hillary Clinton’s political aspirations, and captivated the nation?
It could happen again. But it’s not likely. Right now, it seems the Democrats’ fate is set in stone for the next two major elections. The question is: What will Republicans do once they have full power of the federal government again?
