Staff Reports
President Joe Biden sure knows how to keep the political pot boiling. After officially announcing that he would not accept the Democratic Party’s nomination for president on Sunday, the calls for him to resign began pouring in faster than a New York minute. It’s pretty clear: if Biden isn’t fit to seek reelection, many Republicans believe he definitely isn’t fit to occupy the Oval Office. That’s a sentiment that speaks to a lack of confidence in our current commander-in-chief.
The spectacle unfolded after Biden made his announcement on social media, promptly choosing Vice President Kamala Harris as his chosen successor for the Democratic ticket. Within moments, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson took to X, pointing out the logical disconnect—if Biden can’t run for re-election, what exactly qualifies him to stay in power? His opinion? Resignation is the only reasonable response, and the sooner the better; he expressed a fervent wish that November 5 couldn’t come soon enough.
At this unprecedented juncture in American history, we must be clear about what just happened. The Democrat Party forced the Democrat nominee off the ballot, just over 100 days before the election.
Having invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe…— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) July 21, 2024
Ohio Senator J.D. Vance wasn’t far behind with his own reasoning. He suggested a resignation was only fitting. In his view, not seeking reelection would imply that Biden himself agrees with those who claim he lacks the mental capacity necessary for the job. It raises the question of how a president can possibly lead the country if he’s not confident enough to lead a simple campaign. There seems to be no room for diplomatic nicety here.
Alongside Vance, other Senate Republicans chimed in to echo the same sentiment. Missouri’s Josh Hawley made it abundantly clear: if Biden can’t manage a campaign, he surely can’t manage the country. Meanwhile, Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville joined the fray, reminding everyone that the media and “deep state” narratives have long suggested all along that Biden should never have been President to begin with. Tuberville’s enthusiasm for firing up his colleagues about Biden’s mental fitness indicates that the party sees this as a unifying issue.
Not just the senators—it seems that the ranks of House Representatives are getting in on the action too. South Carolina’s Nancy Mace offered a particularly spicy take, suggesting that if Biden lacks the cognitive chops to campaign, he definitely lacks them to serve out the rest of his term. Even more fiery was Colorado’s Lauren Boebert, who emphatically asserted that if Biden’s not running, he ought to quit right then and there. As an additional note, several prominent representatives from various states joined the chorus, seemingly racing to be the loudest voice for Biden’s resignation.
The reactions from Republican legislators underscore a larger narrative: the Biden administration continues to flounder, and with every misstep, the calls for accountability grow louder. This dramatic political development suggests that the Republican Party is not just sniffing blood in the water—it’s actively campaigning for the Biden administration’s exit. After all, if a leader isn’t willing to get into the ring for a rematch, one has to wonder what’s holding them back from exiting the stage entirely.
