Washington Merry-Go-Round

IMMEDIATE RELEASE 28 June 2024
WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND
Today’s Events in Historical Perspective
America’s Longest-Running Column Founded 1932
If not him, who?
By Douglas Cohn and Eleanor Clift
WASHINGTON — The sad reality revealed in the first presidential debate of 2024 to stunned viewers, foreign and domestic, is that President Joseph R. Biden Jr. has been overtaken by the unforgiving vicissitudes of age. Neither his accomplishments nor his admirers can now save his reelection campaign, and as a man who is primarily a patriot, he must accede to a reality and duty to place country over ambition and graciously step aside and let the upcoming Democratic Convention select another nominee.
Not since John F. Kennedy was nominated in 1960 has the choice of a nominee been decided by an open convention, but that is what Democrats face today. Fortunately, the party has a deep bench. It is said that every senator, representative, and governor is a presidential wannabe, not to mention a few business executives, actors, and a variety of other public figures.
This opens the door for a dark horse candidate such as occurred in 1844 when James K. Polk became the Democratic nominee on the ninth ballot or in 1852 when Franklin Pierce, the quintessential dark horse, was nominated by Democrats after 49 grueling ballots.
In short, almost anyone could rise to the top, but far more likely the nod will come to a known or semi-known politician.
The most obvious choice would be Vice President Kamala Harris, 59. Popularity polls say otherwise.
Next is California Governor Gavin Newsom, who clearly wants to find his way to the front of the line, but California is already solidly in the Democratic bloc, and Newsom carries baggage.
The governors of Illinois (J.B. Pritzker) and Pennsylvania (Josh Shapiro) are also on any list that mentions future presidential aspirants, as is Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, but they lack the electrifying power necessary to inspire the electorate.
This brings us to two very viable prospects: Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
In a highly polarized nation, some states matter more than others, and Michigan, home of the auto industry, could decide the presidential election. When the popular Whitmer, 52, won reelection in 2022 by an even larger margin than before, bringing in on her coattails a Democratic House and Senate, Michigan was declared solidly blue.
But not for long. The state’s EV industry is under assault from cheaper Chinese-made electric vehicles, and the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, tells autoworkers they could lose their jobs.
Then there is the war in Gaza, and the backlash against President Biden’s staunch support for Israel. Michigan has the largest Muslim and Palestinian population in the country, and their disaffection has made Michigan a battleground state that could go either way in November.
Whitmer prioritized infrastructure with her winning slogan, “Fix the Damn Roads,” and as governor, she has kept her word, pushing through non-partisan projects that improve the lives of her constituents and create good paying jobs.
In her State of the State address last year, she stressed universal pre-K, investment in renewable energy, repeal of a now defunct 1931 abortion ban, and stricter gun laws.
She has stood up against right-wing extremists in her state, and in 2020 was the target of a militia-inspired kidnapping plot by the Wolverine Watchmen that was foiled by the FBI. She called the plotters “sick and depraved men,” and called out former President Trump’s failure to explicitly condemn far right groups and their conspiracy theories around Covid vaccinations.
Whereas Whitmer is relatively well known, Governor Beshear is not. A two-time Democratic governor in deep red Kentucky, he is a Democratic moderate and would be this year’s ultimate dark horse. At 46, he is Kennedyesque with a young family. He brings to the table an interesting combination of bipartisanship while adhering to most Democratic positions, stances that resulted in several of his vetoes being overridden by Kentucky’s Republican-dominated legislature.
In the end, the delegates to the Democratic Convention undoubtedly will separate into factions before they coalesce around a nominee, and money will play a factor as money always does and as it most certainly is with President Biden who can only be hearing those fatal words: No more dough for Joe.
          See Eleanor Clift’s latest book Selecting a President, and Douglas Cohn’s latest books The President’s First Year: The Only School for Presidents Is the Presidency and World War 4: Nine Scenarios (endorsed by seven flag officers).
          Twitter:  @douglas_cohn
          © 2024 U.S. News Syndicate, Inc.
          Distributed by U.S. News Syndicate, Inc.
END WASHINGTON MERRY-GO-ROUND