We will soon see Donald Trump sew up the Republican presidential nomination. There have likely been private polls on how various Democratic candidates would fare against Trump. If not, there soon will be. With the unpopular former President locked in as the opponent, finding the best replacement ticket for Joe and Pamela is in full swing.

Already millions of dollars are a bet on  Michelle Obama in the ’24 presidential race, putting her in third place behind only Trump and Biden and ahead of Nikki Haley and Robert Kennedy Jr. Gavin Newsom is right behind her. People willing to risk big bucks might know something.

The private polls winnow the field and alert the significant donors to the best bets. Closer to the convention, we’ll see public polls showing how badly Trump fares against the new competition. Once the Democrats see a new ticket leading to victory, giving them a possible eight years of rule, a delegation of eminent Dems led by South Carolina Rep. James Claiborne will sit Joe Biden and wife Jill down to discuss their retirement plans. 

Joe’s dim prospects evaporate without Claiborne and other luminaries in his corner. If Joe hesitates, Democrats might have information on the Biden influence-peddling business they haven’t shared. It’s better to accept thanks for their service and ride out in the Sunset than lose their place in a positive history.

Agreeing on the replacement candidates ahead of the Democratic Convention in August will eliminate the messiness of previous conventions. The present delight in right-wing media over polls showing Trump edging out Biden will only slowly give way to dismay as they realize they’ll be facing a younger, robust ticket without the baggage of either Trump or Biden.