The Democrats can still beat Donald Trump. The question is whether they have the will to win. A terrible fatalism has descended on the party following the assassination attempt on Trump, but the choice of Ohio senator JD Vance as running mate ought to give them renewed hope of victory. The Trump-Vance ticket is pro-authoritarian, pro-insurrection, anti-women and pro-Putin. This toxic combination ought to excite a broad coalition against the Republicans in November. Will the Democrats have the courage to seize the moment?
First, Joe Biden should drop out of the race. He continues to slide away as a credible candidate for re-election. The US president has good-ish days and bad days, like everybody’s grandparents. This is not a reassuring trajectory for an 81-year-old. Interviewed on Monday night by NBC’s Lester Holt, a waxen Biden looked closer to meeting his maker than Trump, 78, who entered the Republican convention hall in triumph with a bandaged ear. Yet, even at this late stage, I wouldn’t completely write off his chances.
