Biden or Burden

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In November 2022 in my blog called “Mr President” when the red wave at the mid-terms failed to materialise I suggested politely, that this was the moment to start the succession planning process to find a Democrat from a younger generation to run for President in 2024, fearing neither Trump ( who is now the Republican nominee) or any other right-wing culture warrior, Christian nationalist, climate deniers, conspiracy theorists, election deniers and misogynists dressed in suits. We are all thankful that Joe stepped up in 2020 and saved the American electorate and the world from a Trump second term and if that were his only legacy, I would have still had him carved into Mount Rushmore. However, the failure of the Democratic party to replace Biden could be the biggest mistake in recent American political history. This is not because Biden is a fool, it is simply because he is past his physical and mental best. Biden over the last 3 years has had some significant wins and legislative achievements. He appointed the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, signed a $1 trillion infrastructure Bill, signed the Chips Act to support the reshoring and manufacturing of advanced chips, signed the Inflation Reduction Act supporting the green energy transition, reducing prescription drugs costs for families, totalling  $500 million. His administration has created almost 15 million new jobs and unemployment is down to 3.5% and not to forget student debt relief. On the international front, he has reestablished the US as a dependable partner with his democratic allies and has shown steadfast support for Ukraine, despite the games that Republicans in the House are playing. The latter in the face, when asked, Trump said he would undermine Article 5 of the NATO Treaty on the basis that if NATO allies did not pay their full share and Russia did invade that country, “No, I would not protect you, in fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You got to pay. You got to pay your bills.” More recently, Trump’s silence over the murder of Alexey Navalny is at best shameful and at worst giving Putin a nod and a wink. This is the maniac, narcissist, closet fascist, and empty head that 10’s millions of Americans will be voting for in November 2024. This is also the very same man who gave unfunded tax cuts to the rich adding $8.0 trillion to US debt, taking it to $28 trillion and who tried to overturn a free and fair election. Biden over his term will add £6.0 trillion to the debt, bringing it to £34 trillion, including the exceptional £1.9 trillion spent on COVID relief.

To any logically thinking American voting for Biden should be a “no-brainer,” irrespective of his perceived mental frailty and recent gaffes because, the alternative is not worth thinking about and I speak as a UK citizen. The likes of Marjorie Taylor Green and others in the “Freedom from a Brain Caucus” and brown nose Senators such as Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, JD Vance, and Lindsay Graham will be weaponising Biden’s age and mental capacity because literally, they have nothing to offer the American people. Tim Scott an African American Republican Senator who is shamelessly grovelling to be Trump’s running mate is suffering from political dementia in that, he has forgotten Trump’s embrace of White Nationalism exhibited by the phrase “there are good people on both sides” referring to the murder of Heather Heyer in Charlottesville. Scott has forgotten Trump’s attempt to undermine American democracy, his cosying up to Putin as a trainee authoritarian, found guilty of sexual assault and fraud, to mention a few. Scott should at the very least be an embarrassment to all African Americans and to Martin Luther King’s legacy. Republicans recently killed off a bi-partisan immigration bill just to convince the electorate that Biden was soft on the border issue. So, for any Republican even to contemplate giving Biden a pre-election win on a critical issue of concern, would be tantamount to a hanging offence.

The problem is that many Americans both Republicans and Democrats believe Biden is too old for the vigour of a second term. The difference between Trump and Biden is that Trump’s gaffes are delivered with the crazed conviction of the Joker as portrayed by the late Heath Ledger, though not as remotely intelligent. On the other hand, when Biden makes a gaffe, he looks like an old grandad who should be given a pipe, sat on a rocking chair, and put on the veranda. Biden’s frailty is quite frankly obvious and pulling out of the traditional pre-Super Bowl interview feeds that narrative, irrespective of what White House staff are saying. On the simple metric of age, Trump wins.

So, what is the solution for the Democrats? None I am afraid, other than the hope that special counsel Jack Smith can get Trump banged up for fomenting an insurrection. The problem with that is Nicky Haley, former US Ambassador to the UN under Trump, in polls beats Biden by double digits. The complete failure of Democrats to engage in serious succession planning leaves them “between a rock and a dark place.”

Finally, even if Biden did step aside no one comes to mind other than Gavin Newsom and quite frankly, he is still trying to sort out California and that is not going well. If the Democrats lose the presidential race in November, they have only themselves to blame but it will be the American people and its US allies that will suffer the consequences, the scale of which is yet to be, fully understood. The last bit of advice to Democrats, is to get your election finger out and remember what former President Obama said, is that politics is a contact sport, so please start throwing a few left hooks because” when they go low, we go high” is not an option.

Suneil Sharma

21^st February 2024