Democrats are struggling with the consequences of their decision to reorder the party’s presidential nomination calendar next year. The truth is, their worries are mainly symptoms of the fact that the party is on its way to renominating a president who hasn’t been popular for the last two years.
But the controversy over the schedule is also an example of a misstep by President Joe Biden and the White House. As with most presidential mistakes, the direct impact is small, but small hits to the president’s reputation can add up over time.
The drama is over a decision by Biden and the Democratic National Committee to change the calendar of presidential primaries. Instead of beginning with the Iowa caucuses, followed by the New Hampshire primary, as has been the case for decades, Biden — and therefore the DNC — want South Carolina to kick off primary season. The problem is New Hampshire state Democrats are refusing to give up their first-in-the-nation slot and are threatening to defy the DNC, scheduling their primary for January to stay in front of South Carolina’s early February date. If the DNC and New Hampshire can’t strike a deal, Democrats will officially boycott New Hampshire and Biden won’t appear on the ballot there. That means Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Marianne Williamson, the two fringe candidates who are running against Biden for the nomination could end up winning.
