As America reels in the aftermath of the shooting at Donald Trump over the weekend, his Republican supporters have doubled down behind him, while wild conspiracy theories rage.
A photo of the former President with his fist in the air, ear bleeding, has made international headlines. The aftermath of this will reverberate for a long time, exposing the deep polarisation in America today. Which makes Joe Biden’s stubbornness to stay on in the Presidential race even more baffling and exasperating.
Joe Biden’s performance in the first TV debate against Donald Trump was a total disaster. And his appearances after that, including an interview with ABC news and a press conference, have been of little comfort.
Several polls show that Biden’s age and health are a huge concern to a growing number of voters and his already precarious position versus Trump has got even more shaky.
It is astounding to see how the Democrats are virtually paralysed since then, unable to persuade Biden to step back, despite very open concerns within the party that he will lose.
Are they willing to put the very future of America at stake because they don’t want to hurt the feelings of the President? One can understand a degree of respect that must be accorded to a senior leader like Joe Biden but there is an urgency to finding a new candidate which the Democrats don’t seem to realise.
What is even more surprising is that news reports have suggested a gradual but visible decline in the 81 year old President’s health over the last few years, and yet the Democratic Party was unwilling or unable to see this coming.
Since the debate, several senior voices within the party have grown louder in their whispers about the need for Biden to step down but few have dared to say so publicly. Most are shying away from daring to say the unspeakable.
Read more on Trump
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- How extreme rhetoric amplified by social media is increasingly leading to polarisation and real-world attacks
Who can beat Trump?
Meanwhile. instead of gracefully planning an exit, Biden has only doubled down in recent days, writing a letter to Democratic members of Congress where he made it clear he is not going anywhere and believes he is the only candidate who can beat Trump.
Bizarrely, Biden told Democratic Governors recently that he needs more sleep and plans to stop events after 8pm. That led to a rather testy exchange between a reporter and the White House Press Secretary who was asked who would respond if a nuclear strike was launched against the US after 8pm.
Reports suggest his son Hunter and wife Jill are among key family members who are supporting Biden’s run for President. Right now, they are all looking bad, as if desperately clinging on to power. This has the potential to truly damage Biden’s legacy as a political leader.
Democrats need to rise up
It would not be an exaggeration to say that democracy in the US is at stake. But the narrative has shifted. No one is talking about how Trump threatens the institutions and values that the United States stands for.
Instead, everyone is focused on Biden’s physical and mental capabilities. This is why Biden needs to step down and allow another candidate to take on the challenge.
Time is running out. The Democratic national convention is just over a month away. That is the place where Biden can withdraw. Several commentators have suggested mini primaries for choosing a new candidate. It won’t be easy but it isn’t impossible. There is too much at stake. The Democrats need to rise up.
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