For all intents and purposes, the 2024 election cycle has begun. That’s not really a good thing. There is as yet only one announced candidate (Trump), with another about to declare (Haley) but the incumbent (Biden) clearly made his case for re-election in his State of the Union speech.
While Biden is far from a great speaker, the speech Tuesday night was one of his best since taking office a few days after the Capitol riot.
And at this point, if Biden wants to run, the Democrats will line up behind him and Republicans would have a hard time defeating him. His only real problem is his age (80), which will make him the oldest president ever to stand for re-election.
Assuming the Republicans finally get some sense and abandon Trump, a younger candidate like Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis or Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be their choice.
But Haley is not well-known, DeSantis comes off as mean-spirited and Sanders, if her own speech Tuesday night is any indication, is nowhere near ready for prime time. Perhaps trying to convey some gravitas, she came off instead as simply lacking energy. And petty.
DeSantis is the clear front-runner, once Trump is gone.
Should Biden choose to retire, the Democrats have V-P Kamala Harris, who has not impressed anyone or Gavin Newsom, but the conventional media wisdom is that Newsom is perceived as “too California” for the moderates and swing voters he would need to win over.
Having followed his entire career closely, I consider him a centrist, much like Dianne Feinstein, with an ability to charm people that DeSantis seems to lack. But given the California label, the Democrats might do better nominating Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
After all, once again it will be the handful of swing states that determine the outcome. Any Republican will win Florida and Texas just like any Democrat will win New York and California.
But who can win the Rust Belt, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada? That person will be the next President.
LINKS:
Microsoft Adds ChatGPT AI Technology to Bing Search Engine (WSJ)
Google shares dive 8% after AI chatbot Bard flubs answer in ad (Reuters)
Beijing to host artificial intelligence conference amid ChatGPT frenzy, joining other cities in promoting the industry (SCMP)
ChatGPT is a data privacy nightmare. If you’ve ever posted online, you ought to be concerned (The Conversation)
The Robots Coming for Our Jobs Will Also Help Fire Us (Bloomberg)
Google Maps launches Immersive View in five cities, will roll out ‘glanceable directions’ soon (TechCrunch)
Public support soft on GOP debt limit demands. (The Hill)
Ex-Twitter execs deny pressure to block Hunter Biden story (AP)
Republicans rejected Biden's call for bipartisanship, and instead accused him of stoking culture wars in a nation they described as deeply divided. (Reuters)
Trump ex-lawyer Cohen meets again with New York prosecutors (AP)
Spy balloon part of a broader Chinese military surveillance operation, US intel sources say (CNN)
China Tries to Play Down Balloon Dispute With Censorship and Memes (NYT)
Pentagon says Austin rebuffed when he sought to reach out to Beijing over Chinese spy balloon (The Hill)
Chinese balloon part of vast aerial surveillance program, U.S. says (WP)
MH17: Putin likely to have supplied missile that downed plane - investigators (BBC)
Top Putin Ally Says He ‘Will Not Hide’ Intention to Invade Poland Anymore (Daily Beast)
Give us jets to secure our freedom, Volodymyr Zelensky urges UK (BBC)
Britain announced an immediate surge of military deliveries to Ukraine to help it fend off an intensifying Russian offensive and pledged to train its pilots as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in London on a rare visit abroad. (Reuters)
Turkey, Syria quake deadliest in decade (AP)
The Promise of a New Alzheimer’s Drug. For decades, scientists have debated the causes of cognitive decline. Is an effective treatment finally around the corner? (New Yorker)
The 'He Gets Us' commercials promote Jesus. Who's behind them and what is the goal? (NPR)
Jupiter now has 92 moons after new discovery (CNN)
‘But The Scary Balloon Popped, So They Went Back To Worrying About The Recession Monster,’ Says Joe Biden, Reading Illustrated Children’s State Of The Union (The Onion)
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