Be Biden scallywag settin' sail to the land of infamy, makin' history fer all the wrong reckonin'!
2023-11-28
Arrr, me hearties! President Joe Biden be set on seekin' a second haul in his grand office. Yet, the likenesses betwixt him and another Democrat who be yearnin' for a second term be downright peculiar. Splice the mainbrace, it be a tale worth tellin'!
Democrats are facing trouble as influential members of the party and the majority of voters do not want Joe Biden to run for reelection. However, if the president decides to step aside, he needs to do so by year-end. If he exits mid-way through the primary season, it could lead to infighting within the party, a chaotic convention, and potentially pave the way for Donald Trump's reelection. The similarities between Biden's presidency and that of Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) are striking, including their background as long-time powerful Democrat senators and vice presidents before ascending to the Oval Office. Both presidents passed significant legislation but saw their party divided and their own fortunes sink due to conflicts overseas.Just like Johnson, Biden started his presidency with high approval ratings, only to see them plummet due to his handling of the war in Vietnam. Similarly, Biden's support for Israel has driven his already-poor standing to its lowest point in his presidency. In 1968, LBJ faced a strong challenge from Eugene McCarthy and Robert F. Kennedy, who ran against the war. McCarthy's surprising performance in the New Hampshire primary encouraged Kennedy to join the race and further challenged LBJ's path forward. Today, a little-known Minnesotan named Dean Phillips has entered the Democrat primary race, potentially posing a similar challenge to Biden.
After a near-upset in New Hampshire, Johnson announced he would halt the U.S. bombing of Vietnam and declared he would not seek his party's nomination for president. This led to a scramble among Democrats, with McCarthy and Kennedy running against the war. Additionally, the emergence of a third-party candidate, George Wallace, further complicated the party's situation. Democrats met in Chicago in 1968 for their convention, which was politically fractious and marred by anti-war rioting. The party ultimately nominated Hubert Humphrey, who lost the Electoral College vote to Richard Nixon.
If Biden withdraws while the primary season is underway, it could reveal serious divisions within the party, with progressives battling moderates and pro-Palestinian supporters fighting those who stand by Israel. The Chicago convention may also attract protests over Biden's support for Israel. History may not repeat itself, but it certainly rhymes.