American politics are experiencing more activity than they have in a long time. While the political earthquake caused by President Biden's debate performance continues, his campaign's unequivocal statement of "I am absolutely not withdrawing" indicates his resistance to calls to withdraw from the race in the coming days. Details reported in the press suggest that Biden's family and close circle recommend that he continue in the race. This group, attempting to dismiss the debate performance as a mere mishap, argues that Biden has overcome past challenges and will overcome this one to defeat Trump. However, this time, the problem Biden must overcome is not external challenges but rather his own health issues, making it unlikely he can convince voters from this point onward.
TO DROP OUT OR NOT TO DROP OUT
On Wednesday, President Biden and Vice President Harris met with 24 Democratic governors. Following the meeting, three governors present at the press conference declared their support for Biden, attempting to maintain intra-party unity. Governors from Minnesota, Maryland, and New York stated they had honestly expressed their concerns to Biden and pledged their support as long as he remains in the race. This statement indicated that as long as Biden insists on staying in the race, the hands of party elites are tied. The equation now depends on the delegate support Biden has garnered so far and campaign donations, creating a situation where his withdrawal would hinge on his own decision. While pulling the plug on election campaigns depends on cutting donations, there are no alternative candidates to support other than Biden. Thus, there is no other option but to convince Biden to withdraw.
Thus far, few sitting politicians have called for Biden to withdraw from the race. Only two members of the House of Representatives have made such a call, while about ten senators, representatives, and governors have expressed "concerns." Additionally, four former officeholders have also called for withdrawal. These numbers may increase in the coming days, but for now, Biden's decision to continue is influencing party heavyweights. Reports indicate Biden will address concerns more frequently in the coming days. He will try to overshadow the debate with a strong performance, but this may only be a waste of time in terms of finding a new candidate for the party.
CAN ANOTHER CANDIDATE SUCCEED?
On the other hand, some argue that even if Democrats field a new candidate, they will not be able to defeat Trump. It may be possible for Vice President Harris to formulate a formula around her candidacy to unite the party, but the likelihood of her success against Trump is less than Biden's, which will increase opposition to this scenario. If Biden makes a decision to withdraw, the chances of a duo composed of the candidates receiving the most votes at the party conference will increase, but Harris' exclusion in this scenario may cause problems within the party. If Biden insists on being a candidate, it will be difficult for the electorate to be convinced. However, if he withdraws from candidacy, it will not be easy for Democrats to convince the voters with a new candidate.
