Staff Reports
The Democratic Party appears to be experiencing an identity crisis that even their best therapists might not be able to resolve following President Joe Biden’s unexpected decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. Suddenly, their grand patriarch took a step back, leading to a predictable mix of applause and outrage among party members. As if an internal debate among the op-ed writers of the New York Times had spilled out onto the Congressional floor, reactions varied widely, proving once again that the Democrats can’t even agree on how to feel about their own president.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in an apparent fit of Thanksgiving-level gratitude, celebrated Biden’s exit with an over-the-top admission of love and praise. She claimed he was a “patriotic American” and that his legacy would echo through the halls of history. One could almost hear the sound of crickets as she attempted to convince the skeptics that her party’s aging leader was the beacon of American promise. Meanwhile, Chuck Schumer seemed to hedge his bets, lauding Biden’s decision and referring to him as a “true patriot” while simultaneously eyeing the next ticket he might ride to political power.
Democrats divided over Biden’s historic campaign dropout https://t.co/gPpOWZLFHB
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 22, 2024
Not everyone, however, fell in line with the party line. New York’s own Sen. John Fetterman, whose own political journey has seen ups and downs worthy of a soap opera, expressed disdain for those deemed responsible for pushing Biden out. It seems the senator believed that sacrificing a supposedly “honorable man” for a fellow Democrat with a criminal record is a fair trade, if ironic. Fetterman’s discontent is a reminder that the Democrat elephant is not merely in the room; it’s tripping over itself while trying to figure out who will be its next standard-bearer.
The post-Biden world has the Democrats scrambling to gather support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. Rep. Jasmine Crockett expressed her outrage on social media, venting her frustration over a leadership vacuum caused by her party’s own ineptitude. It appears panic might be setting in as she bemoaned the difficulty of competing with a “34-time convicted Felon” in the upcoming elections. Ironically, it’s comforting to see Democrats realize there’s more than one way to lose an election.
Republicans wasted no time jumping on Biden’s exit, thrumming the old “not fit for office” drum, which they’ve played since his inauguration. Rep. Elise Stefanik hit back, asserting that if Biden was unfit to run, then he was unfit to serve. It’s almost comical how the Democrats seem to have become their own worst enemy, stepping all over their own toes while fawning over a leadership contender before officially backing her. Even Donald Trump, always the master of the mic drop, claimed Biden was never fit for the presidency in the first place, and social media hasn’t let that comment go unnoticed.
Amidst the chaos, Democrats had a plan to renominate Biden, presumably as an act of goodwill, until protests emerged demanding they rethink their strategy. All signs indicate that the Democrats could be in for a bumpy ride this election season, leaving many to wonder if this was more about Biden’s ego or the party’s longstanding internal issues. As they grapple with their slogans, lost legacies, and questionable heroes, one thing is for certain: the Democrats continue to deliver more plot twists than the latest Netflix thriller.
