Leadership Crisis in America: The Election Is Already Over

The election is as good as over: Joe Biden should withdraw his candidacy. The debate about an alternate candidate has already begun, but who will take the risk of almost surely losing to Donald Trump?

Joe Biden will withdraw, there’s no question. He overestimated himself, believing he could run for president once again despite his age and his missteps. But there was no one to challenge him. It’s a disgrace for the Democrats, who can list many selfish and stubborn people among their ranks, but no better candidate.

The question is whether Biden’s wife Jill or some confidant will tell Biden that it is over. They could ask Barack Obama to find the right words to bring the president to his senses. But Biden himself may now know it’s inevitable and will pull the ripcord himself. He can remain president, but only until inauguration day next Jan. 20.

He Would Have Had a Chance

Trump is a pathological liar. Surprisingly, neither of the two moderators in the televised debate between Trump and Biden thought to skewer Trump’s outlandish claims. Equally, no Republican is likely to wonder whether this venerable party shouldn’t also withdraw its candidate, a man who poses a real threat to democracy if he is reelected.

Even if the Democrats still hold a majority in the Senate after Nov. 5, that is unlikely to tame Trump. He has zero respect for institutions. Trump doesn’t fear the Supreme Court, as he has turned it conservative enough that it can’t hurt him. However, America must fear an unleashed Trump.

Barring a miracle, the election is already over. A strong Biden would have had a real chance. He beat Trump once. America’s economy and reputation grew under his leadership. It’s a tragedy, but one that shows Biden’s mental capacity is waning.

Does Newsom Have the Reagan Factor?

The Democrats must find a replacement as soon as possible. Kamala Harris would have been the ideal solution if she had made a name for herself during the past four years. But she hasn’t, and so, people have ruled her out. It needs to be someone from the pool of governors who have the burden of lacking any national reach and familiarity. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer suffer from this crucial disadvantage.

It probably comes down to Newsom. He governs the large state of California and has certain name recognition, while Whitmer leads the smaller state of Michigan and would be unknown outside her state.

Newsom could run a brilliant election campaign in the coming months. After all, many things are possible in the U.S. that are unthinkable elsewhere. Newsom, fairly young at 54, was a successful businessman before he went into politics. The last Californian governor to become president was Ronald Reagan.

He Could Challenge Trump in Terms of Age

Newsom could finally take on candidate Trump’s age at 78 but would need a consensus of Democrats who are currently dissolving into multiple jealous egos.

Finding an alternative to Biden won’t happen as quickly as it needs to. First, the party needs to carefully scrutinize Newsom’s background to avoid anything that could weaken his candidacy. Newsom suffers from dyslexia, for example, which is a writing and reading disability that the Trump camp will no doubt exploit.

The Democrats’ coronation convention begins Aug. 19. Perhaps this frayed, disparate party will manage to wait until then because it cannot agree on a candidate (male or female). Let’s hope not.

When the U.S. elects a president, the world watches tensely. America still has tremendous influence on every continent, including Europe. We may not be blessed with a brilliant government, but a President Trump would be fatal for France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Baltic States and Poland, and above all, for Ukraine.

Joe Biden Is an Honest Man

Biden may well be the last U.S. president that both Eastern and Western Europe could rely on. He was shaped by the Cold War and an interventionist America with all its strengths and weaknesses. He is the ultimate American patriot and knowledgeable foreign policy expert. We will mourn his passing.

Because he is an honest man, Biden will soon size up the situation and give up. He could say, “My age is taking its toll, so I will make way for a younger candidate. I will fully support him as president in the election campaign.”

And this younger candidate should definitely step up to the plate as soon as possible and do the utmost to achieve a miracle and prevent Trump from becoming president.