The first presidential debate is done and the aftermath has not been good for the incumbent, Joe Biden.

Some Democrat politicians and operatives reportedly texted CNN commentators with hopes that Mr Biden, 81, would step aside. Some floated the possibility of going to the White House and publicly stating concerns about him remaining as candidate.

But if Mr Biden were to drop out, it would be a free-for-all. There is no official mechanism for him or anyone else in the party to choose his successor, meaning Democrats would be left with an open (Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago from August 19-22.

  • girlfreddy@lemmy.caOP
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    5 months ago

    I’d go for Bernie myself.

    I mean just imagine that! In a year of some of the worst and craziest ‘first-time-evers’ Sanders could be the DNC’s candidate.

    • mysticpickle@lemmy.ca
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      5 months ago

      This is a fella with unquestionable principles. I love the guy.

      But we really need someone like you know, younger or were gonna run into the same cryptkeeper problems very soon.

      • girlfreddy@lemmy.caOP
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        5 months ago

        I think at this point he has a lot going for him, ie: he’s recognizable, he’s popular with a large segment of Americans, he can play the game well (as seen when he graciously accepted the DNC’s bs in 2015), he’s kind, he’s rarely (if ever) been known to publically lie, he’s smarter than at least half of Congress and the House of Reps, etc etc.

        • tamal3@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          I hear you buddy, but I think that chance was squashed by the DNC last time around. He was old when he ran, and he’s 8 years older than that now. Besides, “the South won’t vote socialist” is still just as true now as then.

          I wish it weren’t so!

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          You can’t simultaneously argue that Biden is too old to be president and that we should have someone even older instead.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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              5 months ago

              Good luck convincing all the people who have spent months saying that Biden is too old to be president to accept someone even older.

          • girlfreddy@lemmy.caOP
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            5 months ago

            I never argued Biden was too old.

            But if I had I would have argued that of any candidate in that age group, Bernie could defy the odds as far as ageism goes.

      • Drag it thru daGarden@midwest.social
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        5 months ago

        I think it’s Bernie’s competency that’s appealing. Sure he’s older, but he’s in touch with reality and has never stopped fighting for tangible as well as progressive ideals.

      • Once again, we agree.

        Why always with the old white men, when we have prominent politicians like Yang, Buttigieg, Klobuchar? And as for Bernie, if you want a firebrand who’s going to alienate moderates, why not AOC? Well, she’s too young to run, but she’s not the only truly liberal option. Warren is old enough, progressive enough, and a woman. But, no, Bernie Bros gotta Bro.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          I’m honestly trying to think of who they could run this late and I’m coming up short. Gavin Newsom is terrible idea in my opinion. Like you said, AOC is too young. Kamala Harris? People hate her.

          • ironhydroxide@sh.itjust.works
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            5 months ago

            The age specifics might be important. AOC turns 35 in October, before she’d take office if elected. And therefore might actually be eligible.

              • citrusface@lemmy.world
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                5 months ago

                There’s no battle to be had. You can be elected at 34 and you have to be 35 to serve. As long as you are 35 before inauguration, you are good. There is nothing to challenge. It’s cut and dry.

                  • citrusface@lemmy.world
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                    5 months ago

                    In this case - it is.

                    Article II, Section 1, Clause 5:

                    No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

                    There is NOTHING that prevents anyone from campaigning or running for president that is younger than 35. You have to be 35 to serve as president. There is no ambiguity.

          • Agreed, and agreed.

            Why not Klobuchar? She’s got some national recognition from the 2019/20 cycle, politics are acceptable to moderates, progressive (enough), and she’d eat Trump for lunch in debates and on social media. Plus, she’s from the Midwest, and might pick up some folks for regional loyalty, and could play against the “slick New Yorker” which might still work.

            The bases are going to vote party lines. I think undecideds and wavering moderates are the pick-up points, and I think Klobuchar could do that.

            I like Yang’s politics, but he’s got a popularity problem, and Buttigieg - Trump would just harp on his sexual orientation, and I’m not confident enough that America’s ready yet to vote for a gay president. Hell, we can’t even get a woman into office.

            IMO Klobuchar’s the safest bet against Trump.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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              5 months ago

              Klobuchar is definitely a good idea. Although I’m not convinced that replacing Biden this late in the game is going to save the presidency either. I don’t know what should be done.

            • njm1314@lemmy.world
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              5 months ago

              Trump won’t agree to a debate with a new candidate. I doubt that there be another debate at all as is.

              • For sure. But there will be a lot of indirect debate on social media, because Trump can’t keep his burger-hole shut, and Klobuchar’s free to murder him (metaphorically) on public platforms. Even if he only posts to TruthSocial, everything he says gets parroted on X and Facebook, and that’s still where the most eyeballs are.

                And old school public media picks this stuff up and repeats it - that’s mostly what they’ve been reduced to -but it still reaches a lot of eyes and ears.

                And: Trump refusing another debate, she could just hammer on his cowardice, over and over. That’d be a win.

                Klobuchar is tough. If nothing else, I’d love to see that fight. Only slightly less than I’d love to see an AOC v Trump fight; that’d be like watching a skinny junkie enter the MMA ring against Holly Holm. It’d be hilarious. But AOC is too young, and Trump will be either dead or in a home by the time she’s old enough to run. I just hope Bernie is still active enough by then to support her. I don’t know that she could get elected - she’s too polarizing - but it would be a marvelous spectacle.

                Anyway, I prefer Yang’s politics, and I’d be thrilled to see Buttigieg in the White House, but I stand by Klobuchar as the best bet.

                • dogslayeggs@lemmy.world
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                  5 months ago

                  AOC turns 35 before the election, so she’s eligible. She might be “too young” to vote for but not too young to run.