Biden and his Countdown

For Americans, the big question at the moment is what to do about Joe Biden. At 81, going on 82, Biden has proven to be a capable, though perhaps not brilliant, president, but also one of those veterans who reject what seems apparent to others. Politically, experts say, the United States is in uncharted waters.

So much so that some think it is a system crisis. After all, the country is approaching an election where one candidate appears physically and mentally limited by his age and the other defined by his lack of ethics, authoritarian tendencies, and ambition for power.

The bigger problem, however, is Biden. If for no other reason, because despite a discouraging performance in the debate on June 27, he seems adamant about staying in the race while there is a growing chorus in his Democratic Party for him to step down, and an increasingly negative opinion about his capability.

According to the specialized press, Biden rejects any possibility of retiring, backed by First Lady Jill Biden, whom some Republican sectors are beginning to present as a new version of Lady Macbeth, and his son Hunter. But outside Biden’s ‘protective bubble,’ an increasing number of Democrats are praying, and no doubt also planning, an earthlier intervention.

So much so that they are promoting a campaign for everyone, from former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton to congressional leaders, to ask Biden to abandon his candidacy. But it is easier said than done. According to the online publication Axios, "Biden and his Democratic critics share a common passion: the intensity, certainty, and irreversibility of their positions. Both plan fierce public and private campaigns to see who yields."

For Democrats, the fear is that skepticism surrounding Biden will turn into a political problem that affects Democratic candidates in general. For Biden and his family, it is largely a matter of personal dignity and pride, of the legacy Biden will leave after more than half a century of political career.

The fact is that neither Biden nor his Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, are the most appreciated candidates and that most Americans would have preferred ‘others.’ But both dominated the internal processes of their respective parties. The problem is that while there are strong questions about Trump’s morality and political inclinations, in the immediate future, there are equally or greater questions about Biden's capability, with consequences for his party.

But with less than 45 days to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the situation is becoming increasingly complicated, and some say this week will be decisive for the president’s ambitions. In the words of Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, these next few days are the time Biden must persuade Democrats that he can beat Trump. A countdown that is running out.

By: JOSÉ CARREÑO FIGUERAS
JOSE.CARRENO@ELHERALDODEMEXICO.COM
@CARRENOJOSE