Ok this might sound crazy. Or illegal. But here goes. Cornell West Has suggested Biden might decided to not run in 2024.

[usaf-vet]

I have no idea where he got that idea; he called it an LBJ moment. But here is the link in The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/dec/15/biden-lbj-moment-cornel-west

So that got me thinking. Could this happen?
1. Biden resigns, making Kamala D. Harris the 47th President. (Making Trump's 47 hats useless).

2. She (and the DNC) names a VP to serve until the end of her term.

3. If her choice was Jamie Raskin or Gavin Newson..... or come on, DUer, help! Who else would be a great choice? Against OJ slobfather?

4. Then I know this is the craziest. But here goes: she resigns as the 47th, making Raskin or Newson the 48th

5. Then the 48th appoints a VP as a running mate.

6. No alcohol or mood-altering substances are involved in this rant.

You KNOW TRUMP and the GQP would do it without a second thought.

DESPERATE TIMES REQUIRE DESPERATE MEASURE.

Ok, I'm ready all you experts tell me how crazy I am. Are there legal ways to stop it... Constitution etc.

[CrispyQ]

1. Why does Harris resign? - nt

[dchill]

2. Right?

[Frasier Balzov]

5. To make way for someone deemed more electable by the powers that be.

Filed under idle thought experiments.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. I think Step #2 requires some investigation

The President doesn't just 'name' a VP. The VP has to be confirmed. Jerry Ford had to choose someone who would be confirmed. Senate confirmation, I think.

With no VP, who breaks ties in the Senate? Can we count on 51 votes? No. Republicans might like to isolate and work on Harris as a President without a VP. Or they might find her a window, making Mike Johnson president.

I think this OP is wacko.

[Bludogdem]

16. Majority vote

of both House and Senate.

[ZonkerHarris]

21. Majority of House and Senate, we don't have that right now. I know, Math is hard.

[brooklynite]

4. Explain the part where the Republican House approves Harris' VP choice

[Polybius]

39. They might approve Joe Manchin

That's about it.

[Think. Again.]

6. I'm not really interested in...

...whatever is going on in Cornell West's mind right now.

[PatSeg]

11. Same here

Whatever Cornell West suggests, do the opposite.

[MurrayDelph]

23. Me, either

As far as I'm concerned up, right, and off are the directions in which brother West can fuck.

[Demsrule86]

41. Cornell West is feeding at the GOP trough in Florida...

He announced his candidacy on a rightie podcast.

'Republican megadonor Harlan Crow gave a maxed-out individual campaign contribution to progressive independent candidate Cornel West. Crow, who in recent months has been under scrutiny over his longtime financial relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, has also donated to Republican candidates, including Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis.'

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/cornel-west-donation-harlan-crow-1234857237/

According to Federal Election Commission filings reviewed by NBC News, West received $3,300 from Crow in August, the maximum donation allowed by an individual to a campaign. At the time, West was running as a candidate for the Green Party, he has since switched to an independent run.



'It may seem confusing that Cornel West would endorse Ron DeSantis until you realize that West is on the board of Classic Learning Initiatives, which created the Classic Learning Test that DeSantis just approved funding for all school districts in Florida to use. https://t.co/oJv6kOWfuN'

Link to tweet

?lang=en

He also approves of De Santis's BS education program...Cornel West is a disgrace. He is running as an independent not a progressive now.

[MacKasey]

51. The name Harlan Crow sounds like a villain from a Batman movie

And we should treat him as one in real life

[Demsrule86]

66. Anyone who takes money from righties and supports DeathSantis's Florida so called Education policy

is a bad person.

[CTyankee]

65. Yep. Big waste of our time. We have more important things to think about.

Cornell West needs to find something else to do with his time and his "talent." He's wasting ours...

[Patton French]

7. How about Biden just wins, like he will.

Why all the crazy contortions? Don’t fall prey to the right talking points about our President. Jeez.

[OilemFirchen]

8. The genesis of this is Cornel West opining to The Guardian?

Who's zooming who?

[PatSeg]

9. Yeah, that sounds pretty crazy

[former9thward]

10. The scenario in the OP would never happen.

The House (Republican) has to give a majority vote to confirm. That would never happen in this scenario.

[claudette]

12. 😊 well I

really like the Raskin/Newsom fantasy

[usaf-vet]

24. Well there is a positive note. Raskin/Newsom. And I got some good answers to my crazy rant. Thanks!

Re: Kamala D. Harris, how many independent voters will not vote for a woman president?

With the women on the ticket, will the voters vote to restore Roe? Do they see Harris as a second good reason to vote Democrat?

What is the stronger pull? Harris or abortion rights.

I myself voted for Biden / Harris and I will again with no reservations if that is our ticket.

But I am pro-women's right to choose. It's a decision for her, her doctor, and her family.

[muriel_volestrangler]

50. What are you saying about Kamala Harris and abortion rights?

You seem to be saying she's opposed to them.

[mcar]

13. Please. Step away from whatever substance of which you are imbibing

[Emile]

48. My thoughts too.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

14. Appointed VP's need to be confirmed by both the Senate and the House

There is no way the GOP controlled house would confirm Newsom, Raskin, or any other big name Dem.

[TheKentuckian]

34. They won't confirm essentially anyone that isn't

MAGA.

It could be Rmoney and the answer would be NEVAH!

[Gidney N Cloyd]

15. Cornell West?

Seriously, Cornell West?

[Aristus]

18. Well, if it keeps people doom-scrolling.

It’s the latest fad industry.

[Hekate]

17. First, Cornel West thinks very highly of himself. Second, he is desperately, desperately seeking relevance.

Third — an “LBJ moment”? LBJ was worn down by the Vietnam War. His Great Society was being buried by that war (which he did not start, and for which he was being given lying advice). He didn’t “resign,” just so we are clear — he announced he was not running again. Then VP Hubert Humphrey, a good man in his own right, ran in the shadow of LBJ and was slaughtered at the polls by Nixon, as well as a slew of assassinations that year. ——— At a bare minimum, can you tell me where “Biden’s Vietnam” is?

I won’t go point by point with you — because the entire scenario laid out in your OP is whackadoodle.

Cornel West is frankly never so happy as when we have a GOP President and Congress. Then he can be a Prophet and a voice crying in the wilderness. He was bitterly, bitterly unhappy with Barack Obama.

[Basic LA]

42. Biden's Vietnam?

In this scenario, if I understand the hypothetical, Biden's Vietnam might be the rubble of Gaza & screams of innocent Palestinian civilians, and indelible Bibi bear hug. Then again, maybe not, depending how the protests grow.

[Hekate]

44. How old were you during the Vietnam War? Because it was ours, went on a very long time, ...

…was a meatgrinder of young American draftees, and caused massive protest marches and riots, and ran through 4 successive presidents.

This is not that.

As for our misadventures in the Middle East, BushCheney made a real mess of that — but no one was drafted.

[Basic LA]

45. I only meant it could be HIS Vietnam.

Wasn't equating the two otherwise. All you say is absolutely true, I know from experience. I enlisted in '63 when I turned 17. In '67, my destroyer deployed to Vietnam where we were posted at Yankee Station in the Tonkin Gulf, in North Vietnamese waters. There, we operated with Carrier battle groups in close air support, search & rescue of downed carrier pilots (our main job) & coastal gunnery operations.
After discharge I settled at the time in SanFran & became an anti-war lefty.
Again, you're totally right. But what was an enormous issue & life event for us may play out on a micro scale for today's young voters over our sponsorship of the flattening of Gaza. It wouldn't take much of that young voting block to become disaffected by what they're seeing and tip the scales to disaster, as when Humphry lost to Nixon. The protests are growing (tho we had better music back then).
Am I vastly stretching the analogy between young voters now & in 68? I hope so.

[Hekate]

63. Sorry for thinking you might be younger than me. But -- I just don't think the conditions are equivalent...

I think that the MAGA-GOP and our home-grown terrorists will do the damage.

[Basic LA]

64. Fair enough, friend. I do hope you're right.

Guess my frame of reference has me looking everywhere for 60's parallels.

[NowISeetheLight]

19. VP Harris

I think VP Harris is very competent. I do wish she had a more public profile which would make her successes more apparent to the population. It's kind of a problem a lot of VPs have experienced.

[Captain Zero]

20. Don't repeat do not repeat this

Where the radical rogue conservative lizards abide.
One Nation Under Law!

[emulatorloo]

22. First, Cornell West is full of shit. As always. Second, your "plan" is convoluted and pointless.

[muriel_volestrangler]

49. I think they gave better reasoning ("it's convoluted and useless") than was in the OP

The OP has not explained why these are "desperate times". Many people have already pointed out in the thread that a new VP (or two!) needs confirmation in both Houses of Congress, so it wouldn't happen, and there was no need to repeat that.

What does "a very good likelihood of something happening very soon because of the IA caucuses" mean? The Iowa caucuses are meangingless (thank god, after their last screw up) for Democrats. You now know how what would work? The OP doesn't work - that's been explained.

Introduce Newsom to the public? Ha. No one who isn't a complete political junkie watched the Newsom-De Santis thing (and precious few who are did - it passed without comment here, for instance).

[Takket]

25. Biden has already announced he is running. Barring a major medical event, he's in

[niyad]

26. Why??

[RockRaven]

27. The "why bother thinking about this?" meter spikes into the red when Cornell West

is mentioned.

[Basic LA]

28. That was fun! I don't know why!

[usaf-vet]

31. Maybe it's because we are not directly talking about tfg or anyone of his minions. I'm getting tired of the same clips..

Being repackaged and used multiple times in the same forum. Over multiple days. Enough!

TFG gets way too much exposure, in my opinion.

[LudwigPastorius]

29. "So that got me thinking. Could this happen?"

That depends.

How much crack are all the participants involved in this hypothetical smoking?

[Mz Pip]

30. Can't be Newsom

in that scenario. President and VP can’t be from the same state.

[tritsofme]

32. They can be from the same state, but cannot both win electoral votes from that state.

For instance, if Obama had a running mate from Illinois in 2008, he won by a big enough margin that it wouldn’t have mattered.

[usaf-vet]

36. Jamie Raskin.

[LymphocyteLover]

33. sorry, why does Kamala have to resign?

[Tommy Carcetti]

35. Why?!? nt

[Fiendish Thingy]

37. You asked, here's your answer: You're crazy

Not just for suggesting your scenario, but for listening to Cornel West in the first place.

[Polybius]

38. How would that benefit us?

Their ticket would still have to win in November, 2024. Plus, if Biden were to resign, she can't just appoint a VP. They have to be approved by the House and Senate.

[JohnSJ]

40. Fuck Cornell West. When in the hell will this bum pay the child support he owes?

https://www.thedailybeast.com/cornel-west-the-green-party-presidential-contender-admits-to-massive-tax-debt

[DFW]

43. "Cornell West says....." I guess congratulations are in order

FINALLY someone has come up with an even MORE useless thread starter than „Bernie says.“

It did take years……..

[betsuni]

47. "She (and the DNC) names a VP" LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL.

RIGGED! CONSPIRACY!

[ms liberty]

53. "Cornel West said." Everyone else has responded as well as I could. Except I must add,

[Bernardo de La Paz]

54. Crazy is not the root problem; it is blocked by US law. Your plan sinks on item 2.

You seem to think that Mike Moses Johnson would nicely ask his House majority to approve the Democratic nominee for VP. And quickly too.

If you are going to spend time concocting high-level machinations it would be best to rest them on a solid foundation of reality which includes United States law. Look it up.

Further, advocating Biden to resign is a favourite right wing talking point and has been since summer.

[PCIntern]

55. I really love posts which begin:

“I know this sounds insane…”

Yeah. You got that part right.

[gab13by13]

56. How is this right wing talking point thread allowed?

[usaf-vet]

57. Oh so you advocate censorship?

I have been a member of DU since 2008.

I'm 77 years old and a USAF veteran.

Dad and Mom were both voting Democrats.

My wife and I have both been voting Democrats in every election since we were able to vote.

Dad was a WW II US Navy disabled veteran. His dad is a WW I Army veteran.

I took HS Civics in 1963 and learned much about how our Democracy works.
But I know there are a lot of DU members who know a lot more about our government and how it functions.
My "little" crazy post drew out some of those DUers and taught me much more.
And hopefully, others learned something new as well.

And at least it wasn't a post about the orange slobfather.

Thanks to those who took the time to respectfully correct my high school knowledge that lacked some of the finer points.

I wonder what I would have learned if I posted an OP like this.
Tell me all you know about how our democracy works!
Especially about our Executive Branch and how it interacts with the other two.

[muriel_volestrangler]

58. But you claim the USA is in "desperate times", and seek to drop both the Dem Pres and VP

Can't you see how that came across as a right wing talking point?

You haven't bothered explaining your problem with Biden, and your problem with Harris seems to be "too many people won't vote for a woman", and something about abortion rights, which you seem to think are an alternative to supporting her.

[usaf-vet]

59. Do you know the word hypothetical? I said it was "crazy" thought based on story in the Guardian.

Who said I had a problem with Biden......it was a hypothetical scenario, period!

It was meant to raise a hypothetical discussion. Which, for the most part, did generate a discussion.

My problem seems to be........

This part is not hypothetical. It is a reality. I have never voted for a Republican.

I voted for Biden and Harris to defeat tfg. And if they are on the ballot in 2024, I will vote for them again.

I have not changed my voting history.

So for this "crazy" OP it is now -30-

[muriel_volestrangler]

60. You suggested he should resign, which West did not suggest

West just suggested (without good reason, apart from getting himself publicity) that Biden wouldn't run in 2024. But you're saying that should lead to him resigning well before then; and then, because you see this as "desperate times", you put forward a way to get Kamala Harris out of the way, in favour of ... anyone, it seems, but you only mention two men (at least West had the grace to suggest Whitmer on the Dem ticket).

Again, what was your point about Harris and abortion? The "but" in your earlier post makes it look like you think Harris is not for abortion rights.

[shrike3]

61. Right-wing talking points all over this place.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

62. Who cares what Cornel West thinks on any issue?

[roamer65]

68. I'm not worried. Governor Newsom would announce and win the presidency.

TBH, I don’t think VP Harris would win the nomination.

The ticket would be Newsom/Whitmer.

[jcgoldie]

69. Cornell West is a bullshit artist

Thats what this is.