Staff Reports
President Joe Biden has rolled out the red carpet for Vice President Kamala Harris, declaring that he won’t seek reelection and happily endorsing her as the Democratic party’s chosen one. Biden, in what seemed more like a scripted farewell than a political decision, insisted this was in the “best interest of my party and the country.” How noble. One can only wonder if he’s been consulting a Magic 8-Ball.
The announcement has sent shockwaves through the Democratic National Convention, which is gearing up to take place in Chicago next month. It’s like preparing for a wedding when the bride suddenly decides to elope. Biden, in a moment that feels like pulling the rug out from under the feet of his party, attempted to soothe anxious party members by endorsing Harris, claiming that picking her as his vice president was the “best decision” ever. Perhaps he should have thought about that before deciding to take an early retirement from the presidential race.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, who had largely aligned himself with Biden, took the opportunity to glorify Biden’s political past without so much as a nod to Harris. It seems Pritzker was more keen on mentioning the “dignity” that Biden supposedly restored to the Oval Office. Someone might want to remind him of how often that dignity was questioned as the nation faced crises from the administration’s hapless handling of various issues.
On the other end of the political spectrum, Kathy Salvi, chair of the Illinois Republican Party, seized the moment to declare Biden’s announcement to be the “culmination of years of lies” from the Democrats, pinpointing that while they are busy in their own tangled web of denial about Biden’s abilities, Republicans are gathering strength behind Donald Trump, advocating for “freedom, prosperity, and safety.” If there was ever a time for a bold declaration, this would be it. It’s clear who’s leading the charge, and it’s not Joe Biden.
Washington Examiner: Illinois political leaders react to Biden dropping out of race ahead of DNC https://t.co/J7jD9wWTGm
— Ian Hansen 🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@IanHansenFeed) July 22, 2024
Adding fuel to the fire, Illinois U.S. Rep. Mary Miller didn’t pull her punches against Harris, accusing her of aiding and abetting Biden’s cognitive decline cover-up—an assertion that has been echoed from various corners of the conservative arena. Miller made it clear that the American people deserve to know who’s really wearing the pants in this administration now that the truth about Biden’s capacities is out in the open. It beckons the question: how much longer will the Democrats dance around the notion that someone other than the president is truly in control?
As the Democrats shuffle into Chicago for their grand convention, they’re in for a reality check. Who would have thought that what should have been a smoothly orchestrated party show could quickly turn into a free-for-all? The anticipation is palpable as voters watch to see if Harris can convince the party to back her in a bid to crown her as their queen. The stakes are high, and one thing is for sure: the political drama coming out of the Democrats these days could rival that of a prime time soap opera.
