The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 23, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
Biden Withdraws as the Presumptive Nominee and Endorses Harris. What Happens Now?
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
President Joe Biden withdrew July 21st as the presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. What’s next in the process, and how does that process work?
It’s important to note that the political parties make their own nomination rules, and although the situation is rare, bylaws for both parties provide for candidates who can’t, or choose not to, remain a nominee.
Once Biden releases his delegates, they are no longer bound to vote for him in the first round. Biden has endorsed Harris, and she may get the majority of the 1,976 delegates she needs out of Biden’s 3,896. Delegates in four states have already pledged support for Harris. A “virtual roll call” nomination, originally planned to nominate Biden before Ohio’s Aug. 9th ballot deadline, is expected in the next few days. It’s possible that Harris will be nominated at that virtual meeting, locking out potential rivals before the convention.
Democratic Party leadership appears to be rapidly falling in line, with over 150 members of Congress and a majority of Democratic U.S. Senators endorsing Harris. If the virtual meeting doesn’t give Harris a majority on the first ballot, it could still go to the convention, which begins Aug. 19th. An “open” convention, with no presumptive nominee, has not occurred since 1968.
We have articles, explainers and the DNC rules at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
National Constitution Center – A brief history of presidential primaries
ABC News – DNC readies to move forward with virtual roll call Biden nomination despite concerns
National Task Force on Election Crises – Candidate Succession Before Election Day
Democratic National Committee – Call for 2024 Democratic National Convention and Convention Rules
American Democracy Minute – What Are ‘Open’, ‘Brokered’, and ‘Contested’ Party Conventions, and Could We See One This Summer?
Washington Post – (Possible paywall) How Democrats can pick a new candidate, step by step
The 19th – Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Harris. What happens next?
Politico – Playbook: The Kamala Harris juggernaut
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!
Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org
Want ADM sent to your email? Sign up here!
Are you a radio station? Find our broadcast files at Pacifica Radio Network’s Audioport and PRX
#Democracy #DemocracyNews #JoeBiden #DNC #KamalaHarris #2024Election