There are a multitude of legal, structural, process, economic and other considerations that must very quickly be evaluated to ensure the practicality of changing horses in a way that enhances the ability for a Democratic victory in 2024. It is not as simple as Biden picking a replacement, as he does not have that power. The delegates will need to decide whom to support, and the DNC will have to develop a process to get there and that’s the messy part. James Carville advocated a series of debates amongst preselected candidates to narrow the field to a presidential and vice-presidential candidate. There are important and legitimate concerns about how this would unfold. Additionally, making such a change will inevitably result in a fair amount of chaos. Hermann Hesse wrote, “Chaos demands to be recognized and experienced before letting itself be converted into a new order.”  Sometimes chaos can bring about change and sometimes change can be a good thing. 

A very highly regarded D.C.-based politico recently shared this point of view with me, that “party politics is not Hollywood. It’s not performative; it’s coalitional. It’s about policy, and executive, legislative and foreign affairs performance. Presidents are not ‘the talent’ who can be replaced with the snap of a finger for ratings or box office.” While I believe there is some merit to this argument, we also must understand that in today’s political world form can be as or more important than substance, and I hope that those making these decisions recognize that. Trump certainly did.