Staff Reports
Vice President Kamala Harris recently emerged from a political disaster that will likely haunt her long past the current election cycle. As the dust settles from the Democrats’ stunning loss to President-elect Donald Trump, the finger-pointing among party members has reached a new level of absurdity. The situation hit a peak during a recent episode of CNN’s “State of the Union,” where Jamal Simmons, a former communications director for Harris, suggested the wild notion that Joe Biden should just resign and hand over the presidency to Harris—if only to create some fleeting historical moment.
Simmons mused that Biden could take a page from the classic “time to go” playbook and resign within the next 30 days, effectively making Kamala the first woman to hold the presidency. This notion was met with audible gasps and laughter from the other panelists, as if Simmons had just suggested they reenact “House of Cards” for real. The idea of Biden being a “transitional figure” might sound noble on paper, but it had the tone of desperation that Democrats often revert to when their backs are against the wall.
Among the array of suggestions laid out by Simmons was an expectation that Biden’s resignation would save him the embarrassment of certifying Harris’s own defeat in the upcoming months. Essentially, it would spare him from the tangled web of January 6-related awkwardness and provide a glimmer of drama for a party that seems to be running out of ideas faster than they can create new memes. One would think that a former aide would have better advice for a sitting president than to dive headfirst into a theatrical spectacle, but the Democrats seem to be thriving on chaos these days.
Perhaps Simmons believed this proposal would allow Democrats to reshape their narrative, something akin to taking a miserable defeat that stings like a bad hangover and trying to sell it as a “chance for growth.” Meanwhile, Democrats are reportedly buzzing about possible Supreme Court reforms and calls for Justices to retire—ideas that could shake up the judicial landscape. Simmons even suggested that by resigning, Biden could help open the door for future women to run for president without the burden of historical firsts anchoring them down. This idea has the gravity of a feather caught in a hurricane.
Kamala’s Former Comms Director Has Quite the Demand for Biden to Help the VP Become First Female POTUS
https://t.co/Z8byLgJuNA— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 11, 2024
Despite the heavy skepticism and laughter this suggestion drew, Simmons was resolute. Even as other Democrats, including former Harris staffers, rejected the idea outright (with notable commentary from Symone Sanders, who called out the unseriousness of the suggestion), Simmons glued himself to the narrative he’d woven. It was a startling glimpse into a party that often seems torn between ambition and reality, especially after a campaign that left massive cracks in their facade.
If nothing else, Simmons’ proposals served to highlight the desperation that has taken root among Democratic ranks post-election. A party facing existential threats could do little but toss around far-fetched ideas for media airtime. The traditional roles of Democratic leaders seem less like statesmen navigating the future of a nation and more like puppets on a political stage. Whatever happens in the next few weeks, one thing is certain—Biden isn’t likely to be stepping aside for Harris anytime soon, even if she might need a hand to pick up the pieces of a staggering loss. After all, who would want to take ownership of the ship post-crash when you can simply enjoy the view from the lifeboat?
