To channel Tyra Banks for a moment — we were all rooting for you, Joe Biden, how dare you!
Although it was the Democrats who pushed to host the first presidential debate this early in the year, they are likely regretting their hasty decision in the wake of the debate’s disappointing outcome on June 27. Although Donald Trump was as obnoxious and untruthful as we all could’ve predicted, Biden’s performance came as a real shock, as the current POTUS mumbled, stumbled, and fumbled his way through his responses, displaying all the speed and acuity of the sloth from Zootopia.
Biden’s impression of Lisa Simpson crossed with Mr. Burns was so worrisome, in fact, that the conversation has now pivoted almost entirely from “how can Donald Trump still run for president after facing 34 felony convictions?” to “Do we actually think Joe Biden can beat him?” So the question getting asked in every house in the country (likely including the White House) is: is it too late for Biden to be replaced as presidential candidate?
Can Joe Biden still be replaced as the Democrats’ presidential candidate?
In a word, yes. Joe Biden can technically still be replaced as the Democratic Party’s candidate to run against Donald Trump. However, it’s not exactly as simple as it sounds because the only person who can take Biden out of the race is the man himself.
Democrats have already unanimously voted for Biden to represent them in the election — although he only needed the pledges of 1,976 delegates to become the presidential candidate, Biden came away with 3,894 delegates in the primaries. The party itself has already had its say and now can’t take it back. As per party rules, delegates who support a candidate in the primaries are bound to said candidate on the first ballot at the convention, which typically results in a nominee. That means those near 4,000 delegates are legally obliged to vote for Biden.
Therefore, the only way for Biden to exit the race at this stage is if he personally elects to drop out. There is some debate over whether his senior and most trusted advisors and allies, including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer, could talk him into it, but the fact of the matter is that he is the president, the leader of the party, and the delegated candidate so it’s entirely up to him.
After the debate, Biden waved away any concerns about his health, claiming that his soft-spoken performance was merely due a “sore throat” and defended how well he came off in the debate, emphasizing the importance of the veracity of his answers if not the volume. “I think we did well,” he told the press (via Forbes). “It’s hard to debate a liar. The New York Times pointed out he [Trump] lied 26 times.”
It certainly sounds like Biden isn’t going anywhere, then. Still, as The Financial Times notes, as a famous family man, it’s possible that the “stubborn” Biden could be talked around by his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, so it seems like the issue is an entirely personal one at this point rather than a political one.
Who could replace Joe Biden as presidential candidate if he drops out?
If, for whatever reason, Biden did decide to make the groundbreaking move to pull out then a new candidate would be found at the Democratic National Convention in August. If Biden withdrew, his delegates would officially become “uncommitted” so would be able to vote for a new candidate. Although his VP Kamala Harris would be the obvious first choice for Biden’s replacement, it should be noted that she was never actually on the ballot in the primaries.
Other potential counter-candidates include California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, although it should be noted that all four have previously ruled out running against Biden. On the other hand, Sen. Bernie Sanders has said he is contemplating a presidential bid, but then he is one year older than Biden.
All in all, it is theoretically possible for Biden to be replaced as Trump’s rival in the election, but the window of opportunity is closing fast.
