Every choice comes with a consequence. Once you make a choice, you must accept responsibility. You cannot escape the consequences of your choices, whether you like them or not.”
Roy T. Bennett
The Democratic Party is fast approaching its own Rubicon, or point of no return. While Trump has been anointed by his Party, Democrats and swing voters are increasingly concerned Biden’s campaign is doomed, and could result in a Red Wave, losing not only the presidency in a landslide but also both the House and Senate.
Despite presidents Obama and Clinton, House and Senate leaders, a rapidly growing number of Democratic candidates, Major Democratic donors, and a few advisors to the president urging Biden to gracefully end his reelection bid, he seems determined to continue his campaign in the face of polls in both swing and normally Blue states showing him and other Democratic candidates losing ground to Donald Trump and Republicans.
The President should take well-deserved credit for and pride in his Administration’s accomplishments and those of his many years in Congress and end his campaign, urging his successor to continue and build on the work of the past four years. Whether he immediately endorses Kamala Harris or leaves it to the Convention to decide on its nominees would be his decision.
If he remains defiantly-determined to try reenergizing his campaign and continuing his quest for a second term, Democratic Convention delegates will need to make a critical, and possibly gut-wrenching decision, one with far-reaching and consequences for their Party and the Country.
Section 7(d) of the Delegate Selection Rules for the 2024 Democratic Convention reads; “A majority vote of all Convention delegates eligible to vote on the ballot in question shall be required to nominate the presidential candidate.” Thus, simple majority of 1,990 of the 3,979 pledged delegates would guarantee a first ballot nomination.
Section 13(J), however, states; “Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.”
Should a sufficient number of delegates, concerned about Biden’s age and cognitive health, significant events which have occurred since their state’s primary, an increasing prospect of a Republican sweep, protecting fundamental liberties, and democratic values, decide in “good conscience” to either cast their first ballot vote for someone other than Biden or simply abstain, it could deny the president 1,990 votes, enabling the convention to nominate one of a number of younger, highly-intelligent, and politically astute and experienced Democrats to be their nominee, greatly enhancing Democratic chances in November.
The choice will be theirs … as will the unintended consequences of their decisions!
