I distinctly remember Joe Biden in 2019 all but promising to serve just one term. Given his deteriorating health even then, it was a wonder how he got through to the finish in 2020. I expected that was that, but in 2022, he started making noises for re-election.

What changed? For one, I think Jill Biden really likes living in the White House.

Two, Kamala Harris, aka VP Giggles, is even worse than we know. Think about it, the people in charge who see both Biden and Harris everyday up close, still would favor Dementia Joe rather than risk a President Harris. Scary!

And three, Team Biden was buoyed by Trump’s 2022 polling and how Democrats held up in the mid-terms.

But now, I think catastrophe is staring the Dems in the face and there are no good options. Sure, they might get a bump in the polls if the rigged NYC trial goes as expected and convicts Trump for a crime that doesn’t exist. But it won’t last long.

If they dump Joe, they have to nominate Harris. They can’t stand the humiliation of admitting Joe is a vegetable and then turn around and say the Queen of DEI was also a mistake, by picking some random white liberal.

Michelle Obama is their long-shot prayer, but it’s anything for certain she would even have a chance. She polls behind Trump now. To squeeze her in ahead of Harris would still be extremely messy and embarrassing. Worse, she would have to run in the teeth of Biden’s lousy economy. And she has said all along she has no interest in running. Given the situation, I tend to believe her.

Anyway, I think Trump accepted the debate terms with Biden so quickly because he wants to lock in Biden as the nominee. Under the rules, the give-and-take will be highly limited to protect Biden, alongside his friendly network hosts. Trump is essentially the boxer who is “holding up” his opponent for the early rounds, just to arrange a massive knockout in the end.

I don’t relish the mistreatment of any elderly person, even one as corrupt and dishonest as Joe Biden. But he represents a political movement that for decades now has cared only about hanging on to power and nothing for the safety and continued prosperity of our nation.

If we come to November 5^th, with him still the nominee, exposed for all the voters to see -- brain-dead and the chosen standard bearer of an utterly failed political party -- real democracy might begin anew. Where voters in even the bluest hamlets and big cities start to pay attention and reject leaders who deliver awful results. From crooked suburban mayors to Marxist governors.

That’s a bit to hope for, but I think of the old saying (Not from Churchill, but Abba Eban)  “Men and nations behave wisely when they have exhausted all other resources.” These days nobody looks more exhausted than Joe Biden.

Frank Friday is an attorney in Louisville, KY.

Image: Andrea Widburg