Biden’s political future is dead, and Democrats must accept that

Joe Biden’s political future ended last Thursday night, but he, his family and the entire Democratic Party are still struggling through the early stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression.

The sooner they accept this, the better for all of them – and for the nation.

STEP 1: REFUSAL

Biden told a number of donors that he had foolishly traveled abroad a lot immediately before the debate and had therefore practically fallen asleep during the night.

Bull: He came back from Europe 11 days before this Thursday, took the weekend off and then started preparing for the debate, sleeping until 11 o’clock every day and taking a nap in the afternoon.

And he didn’t seem sleepy at all during his debate with Trump – he was completely absent.

50 million viewers saw it.

Meanwhile, press spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre insisted on Tuesday that he had a bad cold. Can’t they coordinate their lies for once? (On Wednesday she cited the “cold”) And the “jet lag”.)

In the background, his advisers tell stories that supposedly show that he still has what it takes: For example, he was very tough in a phone call with Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu after Iran fired hundreds of rockets at Israel.

Sorry: Israel is America’s friend and ally; it needs us.

The Democrats love to make a demon out of Bibi, but he has to put up with Joe’s bullying, just like poor Volodymyr Zelensky.

The real test will be whether our president can crack down on Iran (which he has not done for the past 3.5 years, pursuing a policy of appeasement instead) or on Vladimir Putin (remember when Biden said it would be OK for Vladimir Putin if he took just a small piece of Ukraine away from him?).

And more importantly, what if he was as off track as he was Thursday night when the call came in that China had just begun invading Taiwan?

The commander in chief can’t put together six words – or worse, he tells the American military it’s time to “finally abolish Medicare.” What do they do?

Maybe Hunter Biden will interpret for his father.

Yep: Hunter is now attending White House meetings because the nuclear family is also seeking refuge in…

STEP 2: ANGER

Jill, Hunter, and perhaps Joe himself are angry at the handful of longtime Biden staffers they blame for the debate disaster – the very people who protected the president during his decline.

Of course, it is not Anita Dunn’s or Ron Klain’s fault that the president became a zombie.

When Biden concluded that he wanted an early debate to make America aware that it was heading toward a Trump-Biden race, the die was cast.

They had done a great job of putting out the growing fires – even getting the New York Times and Washington Post to back up the ridiculous “cheap fakes” cover story detailing Biden’s repeated videotaped freezes, obfuscations and digressions.

A misplaced anger is palpable throughout the campaign, as exemplified by the letter to Biden’s supporters calling anyone who panics because the US president completely melts down on national television a “bedwetter.”

Attack your friends, that’s the answer!

(And: With Biden in this state, should they really mention the issue of bedwetting?)

STEP 3: NEGOTIATE

Biden’s team believes they can get around this problem by having him deliver his statements via teleprompter.

They let him make such remarks for four minutes on Monday evening and gave an even longer speech on Tuesday afternoon.

Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that he can read a script.

And once he read an instruction (“say that again”) instead of following it.

He also did not answer any questions.

That won’t work, nor will the taped (certainly during Joe’s 10-4 “function” time slot) and edited interview he’s doing with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that airs Friday.

The fact that the President does not conduct live, stand-up, unscripted discussions shows everyone that he is incapable of doing so.

STEP 4: DEPRESSION

Parts of the party are quick to move this way as they see the latest polls – the ones that show Joe losing ground in every swing state and new states coming into play: New Mexico, Minnesota, Virginia, New Hampshire.

If this continues, you can add New Jersey and Colorado.

What’s also depressing is that the only successor who can (perhaps) legitimately inherit the $200 million the Biden-Harris campaign has amassed is… Kamala Harris.

Yes, the Democrats could be facing the Word Salad Queen—or maybe even the entire country if she manages to defeat Donald Trump (stranger things have happened) or if anyone remembers to read the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

This is all pretty terrible when you think about it, and not just for Democrats.

But it is the reality and they – all of us – have to deal with it.

STEP 5: ACCEPTANCE?

Some Democrats have reached that point, perhaps because their own fate depends on it: 25 Democrats from swing districts are preparing a letter urging Biden to drop out of the race.

They rightly fear that Trump’s looming landslide victory could sink them too; with Harris (or Gavin Newsom or whoever) at the top of the ticket, they at least have a chance.

But Biden still can’t reach that point. He’s “in it to win,” he said in a campaign call. That’s delusional and terrible for the nation.

Denial, anger, bargaining – none of it has worked and none of it will work.