Business Insider just published a report identifying seven possible individuals who could replace President Joe Biden in the 2024 general election.
The outlet also notes some of the pros and cons of each candidate.
This most recent speculation about Biden's replacement has been ignited by Special Counsel Robert Hur's report. Hur found that Biden "willfully retained and disclosed classified information after his vice presidency when he was a private citizen."
Yet, Hur chose not to charge Biden, because, in the special counsel's opinion, a jury would be unlikely to find Biden guilty given that he is "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." It is this line, in particular, that has set off the latest Biden replacement talk.
The seven candidates whom Business Insider says are most likely to replace Biden are: Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D), Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).
You, the reader, may notice that there is a big name missing from this list, namely, Michelle Obama.
One of the most popular theories right now is that the former first lady will be the one who will, at some point, replace Biden. Obama has claimed that she has no interest in doing so, but this has not stopped the rumors.
Business Insider did not explain why it chose not to put Obama on its list. Surely, she is a more likely candidate than many of the names on the outlet's list, such as Cooper, Moore, Klobuchar, and Booker.
Regardless, we'll focus on the candidates that the outlet did include.
Many would consider Newsom to be near the top of the list of candidates to replace Biden. Business Insider reports:
California is often used as a foil by national Republicans to contrast with the conservative policies of states like Florida and Texas. But Newsom has been outspoken in not only promoting the Golden State, but touting Democratic policy stances and legislative wins – and he’s not afraid to take his arguments straight to the Republican Party.
Newsom, for his part, has insisted that he will not run for the presidency in 2024. Instead, he says that he will focus on getting Biden reelected. His biggest problem is that California is not exactly thriving under his leadership.
Whitmer is another individual who frequently is mentioned in Biden replacement talks. Business Insider reports:
In a potential field without Biden, Whitmer’s Midwestern background, strong alliance with organised labour, and moderate appeal could make her a strong contender. But she would also be a new face in a contest that will likely feature Trump on the Republican side.
The last big name we'll look at is Harris. Her biggest problem, of course, is that Americans do not like her. This has been demonstrated in poll after poll.
This all helps to highlight one of the likely reasons why Biden has yet to be replaced - the Democrats simply do not have a whole lot of strong national candidates.
