Victor Davis Hanson // National Review
For most of early 2019, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden — the declared custodian of liberalism who would continue the Obama glory years — seemed unstoppable.
He led all other rivals for months. Biden seemed above the fray. Many Democrats saw the pre-debate and pre-election race for the nomination as more of a Biden coronation than a contest.
In the summer and fall debates of 2019, Biden was occasionally confused about dates, places, names, and facts. In public appearances, he often seemed grouchy or dazed.
Biden was once faulted for being too handsy in his interactions with women; now he was being criticized for losing his temper and insulting people during campaign stops.
Biden dived in the polls.
Discussion (2)
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We saw peak Biden on March 3. I suspect the DNC has research (not ordinary polling, research) telling them they cannot win the national electon in November. Biden is up there to hold the base of black voters and the big ethnic machines, with the goal of holding the House in 2020. If the Democrats do that, they have Trump where they want him. They likely hold the House for four years and even if they lose it 2022 because of reapportionment and redistricting, Trump goes into his lame duck phase the same way ballplayers move into their nomadic phase as they get into their 30's. No president has not burned out in their second term. Not Obama, Bush or Clinton. Not the beloved Reagan or the beloved Eisenhower. Not even the great Washington. Franklin D. Roosevelt survived beyond eight years only because of the ominous world situation, and people were pretty burned out him during his last years. If normalcy had returned in 1940, a Republican would have been elected. Reagan once offered that a president ought to be elected to one six year term. In principle I agree and think a lot people would if the issue was presented properly. The only problen with the idea is how to fit the six year presidential term into our election cycle with senators also serving for six year terms.
Professor Hanson, I have a hypothetical question for you. I'd appreciate your thoughts on the possibilities of my hypothetical becoming a reality. Is it possible that Biden enters the Democratic convention is a clear winner in terms of delegates, but the NDC steps in and makes whatever moves are necessary for shelving the Biden and Sanders results in favor of Gov. Cuomo getting the nomination by acclamation or a 1968 Chicago convention? Thanks for your consideration.