I'm trying not to get too carried away over Uncle Joe bowing out of the presidential race. So I'm reminding myself the last time this happened Richard Nixon got elected.
A voluntary one termer is slightly less rare in presidential circles than one under multiple felony indictments and convictions. But the odds are that eventually over time you're going to get both. Imagine the odds of getting both at the same time!
Joe could go down in history as the perfect one term president. He managed to get us out of a pandemic and back into a strong growing economy. After the initial inflation spikes worldwide coming out of the pandemic, his administration's economic policies got inflation rates back near normal in the U.S. without a much predicted recession. He oversaw rising wages and the lowest unemployment in decades.
He signed the largest infrastructure bill since the Eisenhower administration, legislation lowering drug prices, and legislation addressing climate change. Under his watch, more Americans got healthcare coverage than ever before. More Americans started businesses than ever before.
And instead of running for re-election like anyone who had his record would, he recognizes that his age has caught up to him and it's time to pass the torch to a younger generation. That's about as selfless an act as a sitting president could commit.
All of a sudden, the presidential election that the majority of voters wished would have different and younger candidates is going to have at least one different and younger candidate. One old man is down the road.
In less than 3 days time, the new presumptive Democratic presidential candidate raised over $120 million dollars and secured enough delegates to guarantee her nomination. The only mystery now is whose name will join Kamala Harris on the signs.
It's great to see Andy getting so much press as a potential running mate. He has more experience now than George W Bush did when he ran for president. Imagine how ready he'll be after a term or two as Vice President?
Unfortunately for Beshear, Kentucky isn't a swing state or come with a massive pile of electoral college delegates. If Kentucky was Michigan, Andy would be a shoe-in.
The current governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, would be an interesting pick and make the first all female ticket from a major party. She has the added cache of already being the victim of an attempted kidnapping by MAGA faithful.
But she has said she's not leaving Michigan. So that's out. Mark Kelly of Arizona is a popular pick but do the Democrats want to risk losing that Senate seat if he steps away? Probably not.
So maybe Beshear's chances of being the VP nominee are pretty good. A Kentuckian as vice presidential candidate to a woman of Jamaican and Indian descent as presidential candidate is an interesting juxtaposition that might offer a little justice. That would be right for two former state attorneys general.
Whatever pick they make, it's a better direction than their opponents. Trump got no bump at all from the Republican convention. Worse, JD Vance's early polling shows him having a negative effect on Trump's numbers.
But still. Remember Nixon.