Is replacing President Biden as his party's nominee an attack on democracy? Hardly

[SunSeeker]

The lazy answers boil down to the idea that primaries are the way we’ve always chosen the parties’ nominees. I’ve been amazed by how many people responded to the idea of the Democratic convention choosing Biden’s replacement by saying “We’ve never done this before.” The truth is that brokered conventions were how we always did it until 1972, when the primary system was adopted. Until then, political scientists regarded democracy as the stuff that happens between political parties, not within them.

Beyond the minimal legal, constitutional, patriotic and moral constraints all parties are supposed to respect, they really have one job: winning general elections.

Given that Democrats believe — with good reason — that the Republican nominee does not care about any of those constraints, their only concern should be defeating him. If democracy for the whole country is on the ballot, nominating a winning candidate should be the party’s overriding goal.

Indeed, for all the claims that Biden’s political defenestration was the work of party elites overruling voters, the truth is that voters had been telling pollsters they didn’t think Biden should run again for years. In a sense, the party will be more responsive to the will of voters by ignoring Biden’s primary victories.

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2024-07-23/president-joe-biden-kamala-harris-democratic-party-convention-nomination-jonah-goldberg

[paleotn]

1. Yep. For much of our history, presidential primaries either didn't happen

or were relatively meaningless . Smokey back rooms decided each party’s candidate and the general was the only election that mattered. Even then, we’re technically voting for electoral college delegates who pledge to vote for our presidential choice.

In the end, the party delegates chose the party’s candidate. They’ve chosen Harris. It’s done. Everything else is Repuke hand waving. Fuck them. Go pound sand.

[honest.abe]

2. Agreed. Most of my Dem friends and relatives wished Joe had not run at all for a second term.

I know Joe was convinced he was the best candidate and probably was until aging issues caught up with him. Its unfortunate that many are hating on the good Democrats who facilitated the passing of the torch to Kamala, even though its obvious now it was the right thing to do.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Dismiss it in as few words as possible. Cons are just flooding the zone with shit. Redirect back to Project 2025. . . nt

[SunSeeker]

5. The fewest words is, "I voted for Kamala too."

As a Democratic primary voter, I voted for Kamala too when I voted for Biden. It was understood that she was his backup. And that is exactly what happened. She stepped in when he bowed out. The Democratic primary voters' wishes were thoroughly honored.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

6. Good way to frame it.. . . . nt

[ViewObsessed]

7. I trust our leaders!