Thomas Friedman, esteemed columnist for the NEW YORK TIMES, suggested in a recent column that the concept of a political coalition against Donald Trump might be the way to prevent him from coming back to power in the Presidential Election of 2024.
So Friedman suggests the following possible coalition tickets of a Democrat and an anti Trump Republican:
Joe Biden–Liz Cheney
Joe Biden–Lisa Murkowski
Kamala Harris–Mitt Romney
Stacy Abrams–Liz Cheney
Any Klobuchar–Liz Cheney
Friedman makes the comparison to the present coalition government in Israel, but Israel has a Prime Minister and a parliamentary system, which is totally different than our Presidential-Congress system of separation of powers.
And if one looks at past past attempts to have a Vice President who is not part of the majority party at the time, just look at John Tyler, not a Whig, under William Henry Harrison, who then had horrible time and constant turmoil after Harrison died after one month in office in 1841.
Or even better, Andrew Johnson, NOT a Republican, running with Abraham Linoln in 1864, and succeeding him after six weeks, and the horrible relationship and disaster of Johnson as President, facing impeachment and constant vitriol, much of it incited by his own prickly personality.
There was talk in 1968, of Hubert Humphrey selecting Nelson Rockefeller; of 2004, of John Kerry selecting John McCain; of 2008, of John McCain selecting Joe Lieberman. None of those would ever have been able to work out, and elect Humphrey, Kerry, or McCain.
Also, in the run up to 2020, some thought of a John Kasich-John Hickenlooper unity ticket, as an alternative to Donald Trump, and it never got off the ground!
And really, Liz Cheney, with strong right wing views on every topic except the danger of Donald Trump, paring with Biden? That is NOT serious, and Stacy Abrams or Amy Klobuchar paring with Cheney, so two women on the ticket, really?
And Mitt Romney running with Harris, really, with his strong criticism of Biden policies, and unwillingness to even back voting rights legislation?
The only one of these pairings that sounds at all logical, but really is not so, is Biden with Lisa Murkowski, the most acceptable Republican in national office, but how would Biden convince Harris why he has to “dump” her as Vice President?
Quite frankly I don’t think Biden should run for a 2nd term. He comes across as a weak old man. Need someone younger, more charismatic.
Rustbelt Democrat, I do not like to think of Biden as a weak, old man.
But I have to admit he has major problems that need to work in his favor, in order to run for reelection and be successful!
I’m sorry, but Donny Deutsch on MSNBC nailed what I’ve noticed. Style matters.
https://www.mediaite.com/tv/donny-deutsch-pans-joe-biden-on-msnbc/
Rustbelt Democrat, I understand how you feel, but I do not think Donny Deutsch is an “expert”, and many Presidents are uninspiring in their presentation–and only a few, FDR–JFK–Reagan–Clinton–Obama are inspiring!
I am not saying at this point about the future regarding Biden and 2024—The next year will decide that, but too soon to only emphasize negative—and see my blog entry just published!
Personally, I was rooting for Elizabeth Warren. She had a lot of fire and spirit.
Thanks for mentioning her, Leia. I wonder how she would handle Manchin and Sinema? Need to be tough with them, in my opinion.