In a logical, sane world, we would all be clamoring for BOTH Biden and Trump to withdraw as candidates for the presidency. Biden's aging is accelerating and we are learning more and more about observations by politicians and friends about his decline (not into dementia or anything... just a decline in focus and energy) over the past couple years. Trump is a convicted felon and exhibits an assortment of deranged declarations that we just can't accept as "normal." And he is 78.
Both parties have many potential candidates for the job, but none of them are willing to be open about the clear fact that we have two poor choices for the most important position in the world.
My guess is that non-politicians (the vast majority of the country) would be fine with both of them shaking hands, dropping out, and freeing their delegates to vote as they wish at their respective nomination conventions. I honestly don't know who would be the preferred candidate for either group, though you can be sure that the Republicans would choose someone we might term Trump Lite, while Dems would pick someone with few quarrels with Biden.
The culture war issues would remain and the media would go nuts and the nation might continue slowly (so slowly!) working toward a more perfect union. The Supreme Court would continue to dig itself into a deep hole of irrelevance to go with the general lack of trust they now enjoy. Our gerrymandered Congress would continue to be split, with neither party having much of an advantage.
So, two new candidates would hardly "fix" our fractured country.
But we could move past what is now a battle between two old, tired men, with almost no discussion about what their administrations might do to advance any agendas, improve the social fabric, make practical decisions that most Americans could support... How can we have those discussions when it's just about two cults of personality?
Don't get me wrong. They are not equal. The Republicans have surrendered all moral or ethical authority to lead the nation, but Democrats are in danger of doing the same on some level if they refuse to see reality and make a change.
Yes, the national media must step up and call the Liar a liar. They must point out that he is deranged. The media is fine pointing out every flubbed line or weak moment of one candidate but seem to calmly accept Trump calling for military tribunals and locking up political rivals.
If it ends up being Biden vs. Trump, I am quite willing to go down with the ship, so to speak. There is no real choice for me based on that contest.
But is there anyone who seriously will argue that Mr. Biden will still be capable of leading a complex and divided nation in two years (and forget about four!).
I have gone back and forth on this for over a week, though I should have been at this point long ago. I have eyes and ears and a somewhat diminished brain (heck, I will be 74 in one week). It's been clear for some time that we need two new candidates.
I am not naive. The odds that Trump would drop out are prohibitively against. And it is possible that the Republicans have now devolved completely, to the point where it's just Trump.
But that is not a valid reason for the Democrats to follow the same course. Bowing to reality is not surrendering. It's common sense.
Trump may win (shame on America!) but my plea is for the Democrats to fight with a candidate we can all agree will be able to stay up past 8 p.m.
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