During his unusual news conference on Thursday, President Joe Biden made an intriguing statement in response to a question about whether or not delegates who had promised to back him at the Democratic National Convention could do so with his approval.
Whatever they want, they’re allowed to do, Biden stated.
Nearly all of the delegates to the convention are now believed to be pledged to the president, as he pointed out that he won the Democratic primaries by an overwhelming margin. However, he tacked on this:
If tomorrow at the convention everyone abruptly says we want someone else instead of me, that’s just the democratic process at work. He added with certain that it will not happen.
According to the Democratic rules, delegates are free to vote for anybody they like, which Biden is right about. However, there is more complexity than he disclosed. For example, delegates whose votes do not support an officially recognized candidate would be recorded as “present” during the roll call vote that formally chooses the nominee. Unless he withdraws, Biden will likely continue to be the nominee and will likely be the only acknowledged contender at this time.
I spoke with Elaine Kamarck about the Democratic nomination process before Joe Biden’s press conference. Of all people, Kamarck knows the most. In addition to her work as a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and her involvement with the Democratic Party as a member of the Rules and Bylaws Committee, she has written extensively as an academic about the primary process. She walked me through the steps to replace Biden, explaining that with 3,949 delegates already committed to supporting him, the procedure would be straightforward.
What follows are snippets from a more extensive phone discussion.
Has no president ever before faced a task of this kind?
“No, it’s not unprecedented,” kamarck said. You and Jimmy Carter had an argument. An incumbent president who was widely expected to lose, prompting Sen. Edward Kennedy to deliver a check to him during the 1980 Democratic National Convention. Without a doubt, LBJ’s poor performance in the 1968 New Hampshire primary and his failure to gain the support of the anti-war movement led to his resignation, or at least that’s what he believed it was. A president has been in trouble before, thus the answer is yes. Not only that, they’ve never been into problems for this reason—especially at this stage.
Could Biden be succeeded at this point?
KAMARCK: No, we can still find someone to take his place. Party rules allow for his replacement up until the roll call at the convention, so it’s technically legal. Replacing him will be a formidable political challenge, as none of the individuals named have achieved the level of national prominence that he has, with the exception of his vice president. Additionally, their capacity to communicate with the delegates from Alabama, Maine, and Utah is severely limited. Plus, they are too busy to work on it. Time is of the essence.
(NOTE: Several state governors are well-liked and even considered for the presidency, including Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Wes Moore of Maryland, and Gavin Newsom of California.)
So you’re saying that Vice President Kamala Harris is the only one who could succeed?
KAMARCK: Absolutely. In all honesty, that isn’t in line with the regulations, but hey… consider these four thousand individuals.
First of all, every single one of them is a devoted Biden supporter. This would necessitate Biden’s withdrawal. And secondly, she must know them since she was their vice president, correct? From what I can tell, she has probably met quite a few of those 4,000 people. None of the other people named have that problem.
Although the 2028 bench is strong and bodes well for the party, no one has left their home state just yet.
Can you tell me who chooses the Democratic Party’s nominee at the National Convention?
KAMARCK: Following the primary, congressional district conventions are the main for most states to choose them. After submitting their delegates’ paperwork, they gather at a local high school or other location in their area, inviting as many people as they can think of to rally behind them. After receiving nominations, they compete for the positions of delegate. We elect everyone. Despite the widespread misinformation suggesting otherwise, this is of the utmost importance. This group consists of the social studies instructor and other union activists. These folks are either prominent figures in the pro-choice movement, county commissioners, state representatives, or something along those lines. Since they are required to seek for office, these prominent citizens are often highly politically engaged and knowledgeable.
