If Joe Biden gives up his candidacy for president, will he also give up his office as head of state? Some are already calling for this. There is some evidence to support this, but the risk is great.
Will the withdrawal be followed by resignation? It took three weeks for the undisputed number one candidate of the US Democrats to become an overripe head of state with no future. Joe Biden is out of the race for the White House and not a few of his own supporters are relieved that he is giving up. The debate about age and fitness alone was too heavy a burden on the current election campaign. Candidate Biden may be history, but President Biden is still 81 years old, stiff-hipped and confused.
Joe Biden is also expected to step down as US President
Just a few hours after the Democrat announced his withdrawal, Donald Trump spoke out: Biden is “not fit to run for president, and he is certainly not fit to hold the office,” said the Republican presidential candidate. His party colleague Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives, jumped to his side and openly called on the president to resign.
So now this discussion is also out there: Biden’s complete withdrawal. Should he please leave altogether instead of staying in the White House until the official handover of power on January 20, 2025. The idea, as hasty as it may seem, will probably quickly gain momentum – and not just among political opponents.
The somewhat dubious and conservative “New York Post” even reports that some Democrats wanted to oust Biden from the White House – with the help of a constitutional amendment that allows government members to be declared “unfit for office” in order to get rid of him in this way.
When the power of the office expires
The presidency will probably not end so abruptly, but a quick end is at least part of the logic of US politics: If the most powerful man in the country is willing to give up power and influence, why should he (or at some point she) wait? The moment he no longer wants or can continue, the power of the office expires. Wouldn’t it then be consistent to throw in the towel immediately, instead of sitting out the last few months half unable to act, half unwilling to act?
Americans know this scenario as the “lame duck”. Heads of state whose term of office is ending and who cannot be re-elected become lame ducks. Joe Binden has now found himself in this situation, and he still has almost nine months left as head of state. Valuable time in which political Washington is now paralyzed and waiting for the end of the legislative period. Time that Kamala Harris could use to her advantage.
Kamala Harris: with incumbency bonus in the election
The plan that some are likely to forge goes like this: Joe Biden announces his resignation as US President. In this case, the office and dignity will automatically pass to Kamala Harris. The 59-year-old would govern the country until the election, which in this case would mainly mean managing the house that Biden has put in order. Although there are still some urgent projects to be done, including reform of the Supreme Court and permanent support for Ukraine, this also gives Harris the opportunity to distinguish herself as a leader and score points in the election campaign. With this incumbency bonus, she will run for election on November 5. And win.
But it is just as possible that Harris will screw up. Organizing majorities in politically divided Washington is an extremely laborious task, even for Joe Biden, the oldest hand in the business. For someone like Kamala Harris, who has not been particularly successful as vice president, the job could quickly become mission impossible. Then a bonus would turn into a penalty in November.
The genie is out of the bottle
These are all just thought experiments. Kamala Harris is not yet the official presidential candidate of the Democrats, even if she already enjoys sufficient support within the party. The Democrats are still busy keeping their own show together. But the idea of finally putting the lame duck in the White House out to rest, is now out of the bottle. The past 23 days have shown how quickly such thoughts can have consequences.
Sources: “”, DPA, AFP, “”, “”
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
