In a recent interview with Politico, independent presidential candidate Cornel West expressed his doubts about President Joe Biden's participation in the 2024 presidential race.
"Im not even sure whether Ill be running against Biden," West stated. "BidenI think hes going to have an LBJ moment [and] pull back." West's comment draws a parallel to former President Lyndon B. Johnson's decision in 1968 to withdraw from the presidential race.
West, a 70-year-old left-wing public intellectual, speculated that he might face a "B Team" of Democrats instead, mentioning California Governor Gavin Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as potential contenders. Despite both governors denying any presidential aspirations, there is widespread speculation about their future political ambitions.
West expressed his readiness to adapt to the changing political landscape. "Im just saying that Im open to those possibilities, given the fluidity of the situation. He's running out of gas," he told Politico. Regarding the Republican candidate, West suggested that former President Donald Trump could be the nominee, though he acknowledged that Trump's legal issues could alter his prospects.
West did not mince words when critiquing both Biden and Trump. He described Biden as a "milquetoast neoliberal with military adventurism, possibly leading the world toward World War III" and Trump as a "bona fide gangsta, Neo fascist, Pied Piper leading the country for the second civil war."
West also dismissed the notion of being a spoiler for Biden. "There might be slices of people 'if I didnt vote for West, I would have voted for Biden.' But thats not to me, a spoiler," he argued. "If youre in a race, and you make a case, and they vote for you, how do you become the spoiler?"
A recent poll conducted by Morning Consult and Bloomberg suggests that West's candidacy may not significantly impact the election's outcome. The poll showed Trump leading Biden in seven swing states, both with and without third-party candidates on the ballot.
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