NYT and WaPo report Biden is close to stepping down

[Anonymous]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/18/nancy-pelosi-biden-close-to-dropping-out/

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/18/us/politics/biden-election-drop-out.html

Dropping out "as early as this weekend."

Where can I find a good, unbiased resource that will give me the factual information on what happens with delegates and various state ballots if this happens?

[Anonymous]

Ahhh. I think it is the right thing and I am mad they ever said he would go for a second term.

But I feel bad for him.

[Anonymous]

It will be a huge mess, and the ballots in some states may not be able to be changed. But it needs to happen.

Biden may release his delegates to Harris or he may release them generally to have an open or semi-open conference.

[jsteele]

Of equal importance, if not more so, is what will happen with the Biden/Harris campaign funds. They have something like $90 million. My understanding is that only Harris can access it if Biden drops out. If that is true, she is really the only option to replace him.

[Anonymous]

In 2016, Democrats rigged the super delegate process in their primary to stop Bernie Sanders.

In 2024, they wouldn’t allow debates. Biden won the primary.

Now Biden is being forced out before the convention. Rich donors will select a new candidate.

The party of democracy.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:It will be a huge mess, and the ballots in some states may not be able to be changed. But it needs to happen.

Biden may release his delegates to Harris or he may release them generally to have an open or semi-open conference.

I don't believe that ballots are an issue. The Democrats don't have an official candidate yet so what would be on the ballots at this point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ahhh. I think it is the right thing and I am mad they ever said he would go for a second term.

But I feel bad for him.

+1 most definitely. it's just been handled so poorly.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It will be a huge mess, and the ballots in some states may not be able to be changed. But it needs to happen.

Biden may release his delegates to Harris or he may release them generally to have an open or semi-open conference.

I don't believe that ballots are an issue. The Democrats don't have an official candidate yet so what would be on the ballots at this point?

Heritage Foundation has identified potential issues
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/heritage-working-election-legal-challenges-case-biden-pulled-from-dnc-nomination
Heritage points out that many states — including swing states such as Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin — might not allow a replacement on the ballot.

Wisconsin does not allow a candidate's name to be withdrawn from the ballot except due to death. Nevada allows changes to its ballot up until 5:00pm on the fourth Friday of June in the election year — it also allows special consideration for if nominees die or are determined to be mentally unable to proceed.

Georgia would allow Biden to withdraw up to 60 days before the election. If Biden withdraws afterward, his name would remain on the ballot but votes for him would be discarded.

[Anonymous]

Couldn't even make it to the election before getting KO'd by Trump lol. Sad!

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It will be a huge mess, and the ballots in some states may not be able to be changed. But it needs to happen.

Biden may release his delegates to Harris or he may release them generally to have an open or semi-open conference.

I don't believe that ballots are an issue. The Democrats don't have an official candidate yet so what would be on the ballots at this point?

State ballot access is definitely an issue.

Heritage foundation plans to sue to keep the Dem nominee off the ballot in as many states as possible. Not all state election laws have contingency plans in case someone withdraws after a primary.

Even if the Dem nominee ultimately ends up on ballots in all 50 states, it will require the DNC to spend many many millions on an army of lawyers. And it will be used as part of challenges to election integrity. This will end up in front of a very corrupt Supreme Court, just like in 2000.

Gen X “NextGen” Dems are walking into a minefield.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:Of equal importance, if not more so, is what will happen with the Biden/Harris campaign funds. They have something like $90 million. My understanding is that only Harris can access it if Biden drops out. If that is true, she is really the only option to replace him.

I don't know the answer to this - could she access the funds if she's in the VP slot and someone else is the presidential candidate.

I don't want this to be true, but Harris seems like an enormous risk.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:Of equal importance, if not more so, is what will happen with the Biden/Harris campaign funds. They have something like $90 million. My understanding is that only Harris can access it if Biden drops out. If that is true, she is really the only option to replace him.

I don't know the answer to this - could she access the funds if she's in the VP slot and someone else is the presidential candidate.

I don't want this to be true, but Harris seems like an enormous risk.

My understanding is no. She has to be the Presidential candidate.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It will be a huge mess, and the ballots in some states may not be able to be changed. But it needs to happen.

Biden may release his delegates to Harris or he may release them generally to have an open or semi-open conference.

I don't believe that ballots are an issue. The Democrats don't have an official candidate yet so what would be on the ballots at this point?

Heritage Foundation has identified potential issues
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/heritage-working-election-legal-challenges-case-biden-pulled-from-dnc-nomination
Heritage points out that many states — including swing states such as Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin — might not allow a replacement on the ballot.

Wisconsin does not allow a candidate's name to be withdrawn from the ballot except due to death. Nevada allows changes to its ballot up until 5:00pm on the fourth Friday of June in the election year — it also allows special consideration for if nominees die or are determined to be mentally unable to proceed.

Georgia would allow Biden to withdraw up to 60 days before the election. If Biden withdraws afterward, his name would remain on the ballot but votes for him would be discarded.

Yeah, I wouldn't bet on the Heritage Foundation being accurate about this. Again, there is no official candidate yet. Who would be on those ballots?

[Anonymous]

Watching this train wreck is soon entertaining. Can't wait for the open convention... more popcorn please!

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It will be a huge mess, and the ballots in some states may not be able to be changed. But it needs to happen.

Biden may release his delegates to Harris or he may release them generally to have an open or semi-open conference.

I don't believe that ballots are an issue. The Democrats don't have an official candidate yet so what would be on the ballots at this point?

Heritage Foundation has identified potential issues
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/heritage-working-election-legal-challenges-case-biden-pulled-from-dnc-nomination
Heritage points out that many states — including swing states such as Georgia, Nevada and Wisconsin — might not allow a replacement on the ballot.

Wisconsin does not allow a candidate's name to be withdrawn from the ballot except due to death. Nevada allows changes to its ballot up until 5:00pm on the fourth Friday of June in the election year — it also allows special consideration for if nominees die or are determined to be mentally unable to proceed.

Georgia would allow Biden to withdraw up to 60 days before the election. If Biden withdraws afterward, his name would remain on the ballot but votes for him would be discarded.

Yeah, I wouldn't bet on the Heritage Foundation being accurate about this. Again, there is no official candidate yet. Who would be on those ballots?

Couldn’t the official candidate have to be the one who won the primary in the state, though?

I’ve been leaning towards Biden staying in, just like I was leaning toward him running again, because I knew anything else that followed would be chaos. I watched the debate and was incredibly disappointed, and I blame him for a very bad night, but it will bother me now and forever that the media seems to have made this happen in their quest for a more exciting election.