As the 2024 elections loom ahead of us, we’re experiencing the biggest episode of déja vu yet. With Biden as one of only three Democratic candidates, many are beginning to fear a reprise of the 2020 presidential election.
Reservations about Biden’s re-election grow day by day as Biden, currently 80-year-old, is already the oldest person to serve as president. As Biden pushes for re-election, one can’t help but wonder if his age makes a second term too risky. But if not Biden, then who else?
Next in the Democratic candidate lineup is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy has a rather eccentric campaign with a combination of left-wing interests and right-wing causes. Some argue that he shouldn’t even fall under the Democratic bracket, seeing one of the most widely known causes he supports and advocates for is that vaccines are related to the causation of autism and several other disorders, such as ADHD and SIDS. Kennedy has no credible evidence for these assertions and is driving his campaign on many right-leaning conspiracies. On the other hand, Kennedy acted as a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council seeking to establish sustainability and working on environmental issues. When asked about his rather contradictory ideology he curved the question and told The New Yorker, “I’m something old. I’m a Kennedy Democrat. I believe in labor unions. I believe in a strong, robust middle class. I believe in racial justice, in policies that are going to actually help the lowest people on the totem pole.” Kennedy has recently also hinted towards potentially running on a third-party ticket – leaving us questioning if we can even expect him as one of our Democratic candidates.
The third and final Democratic candidate is Marianne Williamson. Williamson is a self-help author and former spiritual advisor to Oprah. She ran for the Democratic nomination in 2020 but eventually dropped out to endorse Bernie Sanders.
Williamson appears to have more progressive views, ranging from an emphasis on the importance of environmental conservation to the necessity of canceling student debt. Her spiritual approach to politics and social issues, however, sets her apart in the political landscape, as she continues to be a prominent figure in discussions about spirituality, personal growth, and political engagement. Many fear that if elected, Williamson wouldn’t be able to differentiate self-help strategies from her role as president. When speaking on our current environmental crisis, for instance, Williamson stated, “As president, I will treat the problem holistically.” While Williamson appears to align with the Democratic Party more than Kennedy, can we rely on her to take action with more than a self-help ideology?
While we still have a little under a year until the 2024 election day, anxiety takes shape as we dwell on who will best represent the Democratic Party. Biden has had mixed support during his four years of presidency and his age is getting rather precarious. Will we have an encore of the 2020 election with Biden as the Democratic representative, or will we put our faith elsewhere?
Emeline Smith is from Denver, Colo.
Her majors are creative writing and psychology.
