Possibilities and Difficulties
Biden's performance has raised alarm bells in the Democratic Party. With a hoarse voice, constant stuttering and confusing sentences, the president left a picture that was the opposite of the one his rival displayed in the first presidential debate. Since then, several Democrats have expressed concern and suggested — anonymously — that Biden should drop out of the race. Doggett, 77, was the first to speak out.
Democrats have until the national convention to select a candidate. At the event, which will take place from August 19 to 22, the party will formally introduce and announce who will run against Trump in the November election. Analysts with UOL The conversation made clear that it is “virtually impossible” for Democrats to replace Biden — if they choose to do so — without the president himself dropping out of the race, something he has sworn multiple times he will not do.
Biden's withdrawal would be a possible solution, but it is unlikely. A Democrat could withdraw from the re-election race and remain in office until the end of his term, but that would be a highly unusual situation: in US history, this has only happened once, in 1968, with then-President (and also a Democrat) Lyndon Johnson. In the event of withdrawal, it would open a dispute within the party, with neither Biden nor anyone else able to name a successor.
The party is now experiencing the “snooker” experience, according to one expert. On the one hand, removing Biden from the race would further tarnish his image, reinforcing Republicans’ thesis that the president is incapable of governing the United States for another four years. On the other hand, with less than two months until the Democratic convention and just over four months until the election, “any candidate now would be at a huge disadvantage compared to Trump,” he told the newspaper. UOL Adriano Cerqueira, Professor of International Relations at Ibmec-BH.
*With information from Rami Ayoub, Agence France-Presse
