(NewsReady.com) – President Joe Biden has started to make jokes about his age on the campaign trail after years of comments about his diminishing mental state. Even though he’s trying to downplay his age, people are still concerned. A former official for two Republican presidents recently raised a question about the POTUS’ candidacy.
On July 8, The Hill published an op-ed written by Douglas MacKinnon, a former speechwriter for Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. In the piece, he points to Biden’s long history of gaffes and his recent stumble and claims he knows unnamed Democrats who are nervous about the president running again.
MacKinnon went on to say the gaffes and other issues have made him wonder when Biden should drop out to still give Democrats a chance to keep the White House. He then answers his question, saying, “Immediately.”
"When is the optimal time for Biden to drop out of the race?" (@TheHillOpinion) https://t.co/LyYvNOW8H0 pic.twitter.com/DiPx2iKGfv
— The Hill (@thehill) July 9, 2023
The former White House official goes on to say the possibility of “a Democratic president dropping out of the race for reelection [isn’t] without precedent.” He mentions President Lyndon B. Johnson’s candidacy in 1968. He gave a public announcement that he wasn’t running for reelection.
Johnson, who served as John F. Kennedy’s vice president, took over after the president was murdered. He then ran and won in 1964. Though he could have run again, he chose not to. Experts believe it might have been the result of the Vietnam War and Robert F. Kennedy’s decision to run for the nomination. Ironically, RFK’s son and namesake is running against Biden now. Although RFK Jr. is not nearly as popular as his father was, it appears he is giving the current POTUS a run for his money.
There’s a big difference between Johnson and Biden that the former White House official didn’t mention. Johnson dropped out before he ever announced he was running, whereas Biden has already declared and launched his campaign. He has also not indicated to anyone that he might drop out.
Copyright 2023, NewsReady.com
