Vanity Fair contributing editors Chris Smith and Jennifer Palmieri discuss the Democratic Party's strong bench and possible scenarios if Joe Biden were to exit the race before election day. They explore potential replacement candidates, the double standard of age in politics, Biden's reelection campaign strategy, the impact of Hunter Biden's troubles, and the importance of the Vice President's role in the upcoming election.
The Democratic Party has a strong bench of talented candidates with potential for future presidential runs.
Issues like abortion and women's rights will play a significant role in Biden's campaign to appeal to target demographics like suburban women and black voters.
Deep dives
The Democratic bench for future presidential candidates is strong
The Trump years have produced a generation of talented Democratic candidates, with strong potential for future presidential runs.
Biden's re-election faces challenges, including concerns about his age
Biden, as the oldest president in American history, faces questions about his age and concerns raised by right-wing media about his mental acuity.
Some Democrats have expressed doubts about Biden and called for a primary challenger
Despite concerns from a few Democrats, the majority view is that Biden has performed well and has received a boost in approval ratings due to strong actions, like taking a stand on Social Security and his trip to Kyiv.
Issues like abortion and the Supreme Court will be part of Biden's re-election campaign
While Biden may not overtly call out the Supreme Court, issues like abortion and women's rights will play a significant role in his campaign, particularly in appealing to target demographics like suburban women and black voters.
Host Brian Stelter takes the pulse of the Democratic Party with Vanity Fair contributing editors Chris Smith and Jennifer Palmieri. They discuss the party's strong bench and possible scenarios if the president and presumptive 2024 nominee, Joe Biden, were to exit the race before election day—from a governor like JB Pritzker or Gretchen Whitmer getting in the ring to Vice President Kamala Harris moving to the top of the ticket.