“Biden Told Obama He’s Running Again” notes a recent headline from The Hill.
There’s no reason to doubt that the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania thinks he will be running again. But he won’t be. Those who really run the Democratic Party won’t let it happen. Never, ever, ever, ever. And for reasons so obvious that it would be a little untoward to actually enunciate them.
Republicans, too, are probably hopeful that their own 2016/20 nominee won’t be at the top of the GOP ticket come November 2024, but if Donald Trump decides to run, is there any way to stop him from getting to the nomination? That one is a little more murky, although were I a ramblin’ gamblin’ man, I’d bet against the Don-Don actually running. Sometimes it’s better to be kingmaker than king.
To cut to the chase:
• Almost any Republican excepting Trump would be likely to beat Biden in 2024.
• Almost any Democrat excepting Biden would be likely to beat Trump in 2024.
• If Biden and Trump are the nominees? Oh, let’s not even think about it.
DROP YOUR OWN SELF OFF AT THE EMERGENCY ROOM: “You’re on your own, son” is another one of the iconic lines from “Blazing Saddles,” although obviously you have to have seen the film to know the context.
But it is also a fitting motto for this week back in 1937, where, as reported in our local-history section, there was a major problem in Arlington.
The county gub’mint at the time had a single ambulance. And that single ambulance was in the repair shop, with no projected date when it would be back in service.
The Arlington County Civic Federation, at its monthly meeting lo those 85 springtimes ago, voiced displeasure about the situation and called on county officials to do something about it.
– Scott McCaffrey