With the November 5th election just over two weeks away, here's an interesting thought experiment.
In most views, the election is still a horse race.too closeto call. But Vice President Kamala Harris quickly took over the presidency from Joe Biden, and although she had a great start,October wasn't particularly kind to her.. donald trump ClosedThere is an electoral divide and some believe he is actually in the lead.
No matter who wins, we have to ask: Was President Biden the better candidate and the better choice, despite suffering from age and the effects of being 81 years old? Suppose further that something tragic happens. June 27th debateThere was no meeting with President Trump, and Mr. Biden was firing on all cylinders that night. Would Biden have been forced to retreat? And whether Harris loses or wins, some may wonder if Biden would still have been the better candidate.
Bob Woodward's new bookwar,” may not be advantageous in expressing Biden's strengths and weaknesses. However, this book adds weight to this thought experiment. Woodward paints a very positive picture Biden's leadership and governing ability Although mistakes were made, the most notable being the disastrous evacuation from Kabul.
Mr. Woodward also reportedthat Biden's apparent decline was physical, not mental. This was partly due to past medical conditions that facilitated the effects of age on the body. There was also the tension of a high position. The president has refused to limit his overworked schedule, despite justified criticism that he has been on near-permanent vacation in Delaware and Camp David.
Kamala Harris' role in Woodward's account of events was less important than Biden's national security teamthey were his band of brothers and sisters. And Mr. Woodward did not focus on domestic politics.
Whether it's television or social media, politics today is visual, with a constant stream of posts downloaded by millions of subscribers every day. To be fair, Trump is an entertainer, a showman, and a salesman. He may be overweight and wear excessively long ties while sticking to his closely coiffed hair, but he avoids it. And Trump, like the Energizer Bunny, infinite durability.
physical comparisonThe conflict between the two presidents could not be more shocking. That should work in Mr. Trump's favor, and goes some way to explaining his widespread public support. He's also an interesting guy — love him or hate him, Trump is never boring. The size of the audience at the rally confirms this.
Harris is a generation removed from both presidents. As President Vladimir Putin slyly observed, she has the following characteristics: “Contagious” laughter And a very energetic and positive attitude. It's refreshing and a sharp contrast to President Trump's dark, dystopian worldview.
If Biden were still the nominee, he would have to overcome these physical and visual disparities with Trump. To do so, Biden will need to run an aggressive campaign that portrays Trump as a convicted felon unfit for public office. For some reason, the Harris campaign has downplayed this conviction, three other pending cases, and Trump's major character flaws.
Like Democratic Party leaders, the public may have decided that Mr. Biden is too old to serve in office. Had he been re-elected, Mr. Biden would have been 86 years old at the end of his second term. Given his age, it's not impossible that Biden could suffer serious health problems.
Trump is only three years younger than Biden. As his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), understands, he is not immune to the vagaries of his health.
But Biden is not a candidate. And with the death of the Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar,Mr. Biden has been given the opportunity to help reach a Middle East peace agreement. That will be Biden's legacy. I hope he pursues that opportunity.
As I've written before, Americans may not know the winner right away, given the potential for contested races and recounts. However, at some point when the 47th president is chosen, people may wonder if Harris or Trump was the best choice.
In retrospect, America probably would have been better off had 46th President Joe Biden won a second term.
Dr. Harlan Ullmanis a senior advisor to the Atlantic Council and the primary author of the “Shock and Awe” military doctrine. His 12th book, The Fifth Horseman and the New MAD: How Massive Attacks of Disruption Became the Pooming Existential Danger to a Divided Nation and the World at General, is available on Amazon.
