The media frenzy is unreal right now. Suddenly, headlines are popping up everywhere, questioning whether the Democrats made a mistake by sidelining President Joe Biden. It’s almost funny how fast the narrative flipped. When Kamala Harris swooped in to claim the 2024 nomination, it was celebrated by the same media outlets that had been questioning her relevance for *years*. Sure, Harris has struggled with an authenticity problem, but at least she wasn’t at risk of blanking out on stage. I mean, odds are if you asked her the date, she’d probably get it right.
Here’s the kicker, though—after months of cheering her on, the press (and, let’s be real, the Democrats) is suddenly feeling regretful. Some are even saying they should have stuck with Biden despite his very public health struggles. You can almost hear the gears turning: *Was Harris really the safer bet, or would they have been better off keeping ol’ Joe on the ticket?*
To be fair, it wasn’t like Biden’s campaign prospects were looking great either. His age and cognitive issues have been a running theme, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and the party decided it was time to switch gears. Back then, Harris seemed like the better option—at least in theory. But, as many conservatives warned, she was bound to hit a wall with voters. And now that her campaign is running on fumes, the uncomfortable question is making the rounds: *Would Biden have been the better bet, even with all his baggage?*
This sudden bout of second-guessing has been triggered by Bob Woodward’s latest book, *War*. Woodward, of course, paints Biden as an impressive behind-the-scenes leader despite the Kabul fiasco and the optics of spending half his presidency in Delaware or Camp David. He even goes so far as to say Biden’s decline is purely physical, not mental—convenient, right? But let’s be real: Woodward’s always had a soft spot for Democratic leadership, so anyone taking his word at face value might need to take off the rose-colored glasses.
Regardless of Woodward’s spin, Biden’s mental state has been hard to ignore. But here’s the kicker—some are wondering if Biden could have rallied just enough in the final stretch to win over key battleground states. Sure, he’s not exactly the most dynamic campaigner these days, but his brand of old-school politics plays better in the so-called “blue wall” than Harris’ does. Would that have made a difference? Maybe. Maybe not. But it’s not a wild question to ask at this point.
The only reason anyone is even entertaining these thoughts is because Harris’ campaign is floundering. Momentum is everything in politics, and with Trump riding a wave right now, the Democrats are looking increasingly nervous. And the timing couldn’t be worse—two weeks out from the finish line, and they’re stumbling at the worst possible moment.
Ultimately, the Democrats might just be stuck with the reality that both options—Biden and Harris—were deeply flawed.
Every time Americans go to the grocery store and try to go out to eat, they are reminded of that.
