Former first lady Michelle Obama is being summoned — once again — to run for president following the first presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Thursday night’s debate drew many reactions, mainly to President Biden’s onstage performance and the falsehoods that Trump endorsed to the American people.
But what’s giving many Democratic operatives pause is Biden’s performance. His verbal slips and stammers, incomplete sentences, and faint voice made it hard to comprehend his talking points and rebuttals against Trump. Now, there’s talk of replacing the 81-year-old as the Democratic nominee.
Some people name-dropped Michelle Obama as a viable candidate on social media, despite Obama’s firm and resolute position to steer clear of any political office following the end of her husband’s presidential tenure.
Michelle Obama’s political vitality has been examined at length by Democrats and Republicans over the years, given her favorability. However, she has made it clear in several interviews that she doesn’t want to run for president or play a larger role in politics. In March, her office made a statement supporting Biden’s re-election effort while, again, expressing her disinterest in bidding for the Oval Office.
Many people criticized the calls for Obama to become president, noting her previous sentiments and denouncing notions that she could play the nation’s savior.
As for Biden, some political pundits have expressed “panic” over how the president fared during the debate.
Others, however, remained steadfast in their support of Biden and rallied those who would back him to look at his in-office accomplishments.
Biden’s performance at the debate and in recent polls have raised questions among Democrats on what it would take to pitch and successfully establish someone else as the Democratic nominee.
Though the process hasn’t been considered in decades, a new nominee could theoretically be chosen at the Democratic National Convention in August if delegates decide to vote against Biden and launch an open nominating process, according to Politico.
If Biden decided to step aside, he could encourage the support of another candidate.
Potential alternatives who are reported to have a shot include Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
However, even if someone else won the nomination at the convention, there’s still the process of selecting a vice presidential candidate to take into account, which could prove to be an unpredictable procedure that needs time and strategy.
According to Forbes, if Biden won the nomination but couldn’t run in the November general election, the Democratic Pary chair would have to consult Congress and the Democratic Governors Association to recommend a new nominee to the Democratic National Committee.
