The Democratic Party’s defeat in November was the result of, among other things, failed succession planning. An ageing Joe Biden refused to retire after one term; he appointed a vice president who presented a limited threat, having failed to shine in the 2020 primaries; and, when the party elders forced him to withdraw after his catastrophic debate performance, he effectively scuppered the idea of holding a mini-primary by immediately endorsing Kamala Harris.
Botched succession is a pervasive problem in human affairs: in autocracies as well as democracies (Vladimir Putin’s eventual departure will doubtless lead to a bloody power struggle) but ...
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