FRANCE 24 spoke to David Ignatius, a columnist for the Washington Post. In September of last year, he wrote an opinion piece entitled "President Biden should not run again in 2024". The 81-year-old Biden's performance in last week's presidential debate against Donald Trump, described as the worst by a candidate in recent history, is now triggering panic and talk of finding a replacement – including among his own Democratic Party loyalists. "The evidence was there in front of everyone, nearly a year ago," Ignatius said. "People are finally, with a sudden, stark realisation, understanding that it's true".
Ignatius noted that "there are many options in the Democratic Party" who are ready to run against Donald Trump.
But Vice President Kamala Harris "is one of the weaker options", he warned, advocating for a "wide open campaign".
Given the current situation, "if you had to bet today, you'd say Donald Trump will be the next president of the United States," Ignatius said. He added: "I personally shudder to think what that means."
