USA Today says to 'save America' from Trump, Biden must 'drop out of the race'

In an op-ed published on Monday titled "How can Biden save America from Trump's return to the White House? Drop out of the race," USA Today urged for Joe Biden to drop out of the race "for the good of the nation and the party."

Jeremy Mayer, an associate professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, wrote for the outlet that Biden and GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump are "the two oldest and among the most unpopular candidates in our history," adding though that it "doesn’t have to be that way."

The Republican Party, the piece stated, is "stuck with former President Donald Trump" unless he "dies or is incapacitated medically," adding that he "may have to win to stay out of jail."

"But there is a way for President Joe Biden to step aside, to voluntarily remove himself for the good of the nation and the party."

Mayer wrote that Biden could announce this summer that he’s out using "the same logic that got him the nomination in 2020."

"He sincerely and accurately believed that he was the Democrat with the best chance to beat Trump. Now, he is one of the few national Democrats who could get Trump reelected."

The piece noted that recent polling of Biden against Trump "looks ugly," including polling that shows low support among young, black, and Hispanic voters in swing states that could decide the election.

"Biden is seen as too old to serve a second term by many voters," Mayer wrote. "Some perceptions of candidates can be changed. But voters are unlikely to decide that Biden is younger and more vigorous than they thought."

Names floated as a potential alternative should Biden drop out were Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey.

"And while Vice President Kamala Harris, who polls worse against Trump than Biden does, would have been a serious threat to take the nomination in open primaries, there is no chance a convention of Biden delegates would select her. They want to beat Trump too badly to take that risk."

Along with Biden’s age, the outlet noted high inflation, the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Israel-Hamas war as issues that could see Biden’s downfall.

Mayer called for an open Democrat convention, saying "modern conventions are scripted and boring affairs that struggle to get viewers" and an open convention "would make great TV."

"Mr. President, you’re one of the few Americans old enough to remember when conventions were fascinating and powerful. They’ve become predictable and almost pointless. Why not pull a surprise on the Republicans, and let the convention pick the nominee for the first time in decades?"

"Why not go down in history as the guy who beat Trump twice and saved our republic," Mayer concluded. "The first time you beat him by running. This second time, you can beat him by not running."