President Biden’s lieutenants want to write off his dismal debate performance on Thursday as one bad night and are calling on Democrats to buck up and fight. But many in the party (and more in the world of commentary) think Biden should drop out and open the way for a new nominee, lest the president’s weakness open the door wide to the disastrous return of Donald Trump.
Neither view fully grasps the depth of the mess Democrats, and the country, are in. Biden defenders underestimate the potential long-term damage of the president’s debate performance, which was designed to show that the 81-year-old was up to the job and did just the opposite. But those who’d like to hurtle full speed ahead to an open convention vastly underestimate how hard it will be to pull off.
E.J. Dionne is on X: @EJDionne
Read the full opinion at The Washington Post.
