God love ya, Joe.

I know, I know. Nobody wants to hear any more of my whinging about President Biden, a man I respect a great deal. So I will (mostly) move beyond my call for Biden to step down and, instead, move on to the “what if?” game. What if, Monday morning, President Biden delivers an Oval Office message essentially saying the following:

“In 2020, I promised to be a bridge from a presidency that threatened our democracy to one that restores it. Today, I thank each and every American for crossing that bridge with me. After last week’s debate, I did a lot of soul searching. I asked myself, ‘Do I still have what it takes?’ Friends, the soul is willing, but after consulting with my family and advisors, I have decided to step aside so that the next great generation of American leaders can take their seat behind this magnificent Resolute desk.

“And so, today I announce that I will not be a candidate for the Presidency of the United States. I am releasing my delegates and pledging my support to this extraordinary woman, Vice President Kamala Harris.”

Imagine how extraordinary that moment would be, a president voluntarily giving up power to make way for the next generation. It would be the ultimate capstone to a fantastic career, the final act of service from a man to the country he loves so much.

“You got this, kid.”

I don’t know the exact mechanism for selecting a nominee in this scenario, but I’m confident that if the Democratic Party throws their weight behind a Harris candidacy, it would happen.

It makes sense. Kamala Harris is already next in the line of succession. She’s served four year in the White House. She’s young, smart, energetic. She’s ready.

The next step: Harris selects Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer as her running mate. Whitmer is a young, centrist Democrat from a swing state who recently won a second term and has been resolute in her opposition to the Trump agenda and to standing up for women’s rights.

At that point, the entire narrative of the race switches from “two old guys” to “one old guy and whichever sycophantic running mate he chooses to parrot his lies” against “two strong women campaigning on youth, vitality, and one of the most important issues facing Democratic women this year – reproductive rights.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

In a race like this one, I don’t think you’re trying to persuade swing voters so much as drive turn-out. A young, female ticket featuring a woman who could become our nation’s first female, first African-American, and first South Asian president would be an incredible driver for Democratic voters, especially compared with the horror show of Donald Trump.

Polls currently show Trump beating Harris in a head-to-head contest by around three points, which is roughly in line with polls showing Trump beating just about every other Democratic candidate. In fact, there are currently no Democrats - including Biden - to whom he is losing. But the election is in four months, and a lot can be done to strengthen her numbers between now and then. With Biden, Obama, and the Clintons campaigning for her. With history on the line. I think she could pull it off.

There is no perfect candidate. I’ve had some problems with Kamala Harris just as I’ve had problems with every single politician I’ve ever encountered. I’m not looking for perfection. I’m looking for competence, energy, and the ability to shut down the MAGA movement. I believe a Harris/Whitmer ticket could do just that. I wish I had the same confidence about a second Biden/Harris ticket.

The pressure on President Biden must be enormous right now, both from those who want him to stay and those who want him to go. Plus, I guess he’s also got to worry about running the country. Whatevs.

It’s a lot. I don’t envy him. Whatever decision he and the Democratic Party arrive at, I will accept and support. If he’s the nominee, so be it. I’m just scared that we’re allowing ourselves to become in another Ruth Bader Ginsberg situation, in which an obviously fading, but excellent, person chooses their own interests over the interests of the country. I know, don’t talk shit about RBG, but facts are facts. The same facts are currently biting Biden right in the malarkey.

I just think a rocking chair on a porch somewhere in Delaware must sound pretty good right now. For him, but also for us. There’s too much at stake to allow the weight of the world to continue to rest on the shoulders of an 81-year-old man we are assured is “dependably engaged” from 10am – 4pm. While I, too, am only capable of working those hours, I need a president who can stay in the office until at least 6. I need a presidency in which I’m not worried about “which Biden” we’re going to get.

And again, that is Biden today. That is not Joe Biden two or three years from now. Ok, I’ve said my piece. I’ve offered what I think is a great solution: two young and energetic women turning the entire narrative of the election on its head and proving that Democrats really do have the best interests of the nation at heart. God love ya, Joe Biden. It’s time to go home.