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Why Joe Biden’s “Garage Gate” can also be an opportunity for the Democrats

Why Joe Biden’s “Garage Gate” can also be an opportunity for the Democrats

Joe Biden is on the upswing when secret documents suddenly flutter in his way. Although “Garage-Gate” is not a scandal, it is a good opportunity to consider whether the 80-year-old is really the right person for a second term.

You have to think of US Presidents as seeking men. George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton – they are all frantically fleeing their properties and offices, somewhere there might still be a CIA leaflet about the nuclear arsenals of rogue states lying around. Or flattering letters from dubious dictators. As seen recently with Donald Trump and Joe Biden, top White House officials apparently tend to take secret working papers home with them.

Love letters from Kim Jong Un

That may be understandable sometimes, who gets nice letters from Kim Jong Un like Donald Trump? But unfortunately it is forbidden to stow them away in your own basement. All correspondence of the state leadership belongs to the state and ends up in the official archive. Anyone who doesn’t comply gets a visit from the FBI like the ex-US President or from a special investigator like the incumbent.

Joe Biden had state papers stored in the garage next to his 1967 Corvette. Unlike his predecessor, however, he released the documents quickly and without grumbling. Also, their number was not nearly as high as with Trump in Florida. But these are only formalities. Like Trump, Biden now has a serious credibility problem for parts of the public and the conservative opposition. A special investigator is supposed to provide clarity, but that should be a painful process.

As cynical as that may sound, “Garage Gate” could come at just the right time for some of his Democratic party friends. Because Biden, long a rather unloved president, is on the up: the economy, oil prices, inflation, many key data that are important for the Americans look good, some are surprised to find that the old man in the White House may not be so bad president. But unfortunately he is also: old.

Trump and Biden were and are the elders

Trump and Biden were the oldest newcomers to the post when they took office. The Republican was 70 and the Democrat even 78 years old. Should Biden run again in 2024, he would even be 82 years old. In any case, he has long appeared jittery and confused during performances and speeches, his gait is stiff. Is someone like that fit enough for one of the most demanding jobs in the world? There is hardly anyone who could say yes without hesitation. Except for himself, of course. And that’s the Democrats’ big dilemma.

Because political custom provides that an incumbent US President may run for a second term without internal opponents. At least if he or she wants to. And Joe Biden seems to want it very much. While his Republican competitor is yet to be determined, the polls show that Biden would lose to just about any contender. Except against Donald Trump, whose star has plummeted dramatically in recent weeks. His most likely opponent is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: half his age and strengthened with the tailwind of his re-election.

The ruling party is therefore faced with the question: where to go with grandpa? Not being nominated for the next presidential election would be tantamount to regicide and therefore out of the question. But with the incumbent as a candidate, things will be difficult in two years’ time. Seen in this way, “Garage-Gate” would be a welcome opportunity for a change of course. The find of documents is not scandalous enough to damage Biden’s reputation, but serious enough to suggest that the old man should perhaps go into well-deserved retirement. Nobody is suggesting a possible successor, but of course there are potential contenders. Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Democratic faction leader Hakeem Jeffries would then still have enough time to fight each other warmly.

Source: Stern

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