Recently, Bernard-Henri Lévy, a well-known French public intellectual, was interviewed about his documentary “Slava Ukraini” and made a statement that resonated with me. He explained why he dodged rockets in Ukraine to bring back the cruelty of the Russian invasion; he had a feeling that the world he wants to leave for his children and grandchildren might collapse. I share this exact same fear.
Therefore, my articles have become more focused on three things: ensuring that Israel does not become an autocracy like Viktor Orban’s Hungary, that Ukraine does not fall to Vladimir Putin, and that Donald Trump never occupies the White House again. If any of these three things were to happen, the world that we know could completely collapse.
Israel, the only functional democracy in the Middle East, upheld by law, would fall. The European Union, the world’s largest multi-ethnic free market center, and defender of human rights would be subject to Putin’s control. Finally, the United States would never be the same again if Donald Trump were pardoned and returned to the White House, allowing him to continue his assault on our democratic institutions. It’s through this lens that I want to discuss Biden and Harris’s announcement that they are running for re-election in 2024.
Biden’s capacity to finish his term and successfully navigate another one is critical to the three scenarios mentioned above; thus, Biden must win. It’s critical to note that this election will likely not be a repeat of 2020 for Democrats. This time, the Vice President of the United States will make all the difference.
While it’s widely accepted that people vote for the president and not the vice president, this will change. Should Biden win, he’ll be 86 at the close of a second term, and the risk of his health failing is not insignificant. As such, voters would need to vote for his vice president as much as for him, if not more, than in any other American election.
According to the most recent FiveThirtyEight analysis, 51.9% of Americans do not approve of Harris’s job performance, and only 40% approve of Presidency. Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing to complain about as Biden has done well, but Biden’s running mate would be far more consequential for voters in this election than any other because of his age and the possibility of him not completing a second term in office.
Joe Biden would be my candidate regardless of his age so long as he was physically and mentally able, given his political skills, foreign policy experience, and his genuine desire to unify the nation. However, many Americans may disagree with me; therefore, Biden needs to convince them all that Kamala Harris is the best choice to succeed him if he is unable to complete his term.
At the same time, Harris must demonstrate her abilities more forcefully to people. One way to show what she could do is to put Harris in charge of ensuring that AI’s transition in America works towards strengthening communities and the middle class. That’s a broad topic that could take her throughout the country.
I’m terrified of heading into the 2024 election with a Democratic ticket that does not give moderate Republicans and independents who want any alternative to Trump a reason to vote. If the Democrats fail to do so, then there is a chance that Trump could win again with a more moderate Republican woman like Nikki Haley proposing herself as his running mate.
In conclusion, the Vice Presidency is going to matter in an election that is going to matter. I don’t want Biden to win this election with a narrow majority. Instead, I want a landslide rejection of Trumpism and division, a signal to the world that there are a lot more center-right and center-left Americans who are eager to collaborate towards a shared future for their country than there are haters and dividers.
