Why did the Democrats push Harris for President?

[The Original Happy Goat]

I think you're just assuming your conclusion. Biden dropped out before the convention. Phillips had an elector at the convention. It was entirely feasible for the Dems to go to the convention and select the only guy still around who challenged Biden and told the truth about his ability to even do the job while Harris lied about it.

Listen to that interview. Phillips said that when he ran, a majority of his party in Congress agreed that Biden was too old, was in decline, and couldn't do the job for 5 years. (You can start at 4:36). I believe him. This wasn't just on Biden and it wasn't because everyone found out too late about Biden's decline--they knew and rolled the dice.

https://www.axios.com/2024/01/20/dean-phillips-new-hampshire-biden-age

Oh, puh-lease. He had a delegate? So what? Harris didn't have any delegates. You know why? Because she was the sitting Veep who didn't challenge her own President.

You're trying to make something out of nothing here. Phillips was never an option. Period.

 

[BradStevens]

Oh, puh-lease. He had a delegate? So what? Harris didn't have any delegates. You know why? Because she was the sitting Veep who didn't challenge her own President.

You're trying to make something out of nothing here. Phillips was never an option. Period.

All I'm trying to do is point out the Dems had options had they wanted to use them.

I guess that's not true--I'm also pointing out how the Democrats love passing over and minimizing messaging that doesn't align with the party elites and candidates that are pretty smart and capable.

Re Harris--exactly how many delegates did she earn in 2020?

 

[Bowlmania]

Re Harris--exactly how many delegates did she earn in 2020?

So what. It was a completely different political landscape in 2024, and she was completing a term as Vice President.

If past performance were somehow a disqualifier, Nixon never would have gotten a look in 1968 after not only losing the presidency to Kennedy in 1960 but then losing his governor's race in '62. "You don't have Nixon to kick around anymore." Lol.

 

[The Original Happy Goat]

All I'm trying to do is point out the Dems had options had they wanted to use them.

I guess that's not true--I'm also pointing out how the Democrats love passing over and minimizing messaging that doesn't align with the party elites and candidates that are pretty smart and capable.

Re Harris--exactly how many delegates did she earn in 2020?

You're pointing out stuff that has nothing to do with the question at hand. Why did the Dems push Harris? Because they had no choice. Period.

In a fantasy world, other things could have happened long before that maybe would have changed the landscape. I actually don't believe it would have, because I believe the major players were desperate to avoid this election, because they were all smart enough to know it was a losing battle, anyway, but sure, for the sake of argument, any number of crazy things could have transpired two or three years ago, or even 12 months ago, hell. But it didn't. Biden ran. He won. When push came to shove, when he dropped out, the Dems backed Harris because there was no other option, period.

You'll recall the day Biden dropped out, I said this very thing: Harris is the only option, sucky as it is, because it's too late for anything else. I was right then, in real time, and I'm still right.

 

[BradStevens]

You're pointing out stuff that has nothing to do with the question at hand. Why did the Dems push Harris? Because they had no choice. Period.

In a fantasy world, other things could have happened long before that maybe would have changed the landscape. I actually don't believe it would have, because I believe the major players were desperate to avoid this election, because they were all smart enough to know it was a losing battle, anyway, but sure, for the sake of argument, any number of crazy things could have transpired two or three years ago, or even 12 months ago, hell. But it didn't. Biden ran. He won. When push came to shove, when he dropped out, the Dems backed Harris because there was no other option, period.

You'll recall the day Biden dropped out, I said this very thing: Harris is the only option, sucky as it is, because it's too late for anything else. I was right then, in real time, and I'm still right.

I think you’re missing the point that the Dems could have listened to Dean Phillips and acted earlier. They had a choice—come out and support Phillips or encourage others to run or force Biden out like they eventually did only earlier. See my post in McMurtys thread.