The good news for former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley is that if the election for president were held today, she would clearly beat Biden -- by six points.
The bad news for her is that nearly every one of her top Republican challengers - except for former President Donald Trump - would also beat Biden, though just narrowly. It is early, however.
For Republicans who have as their top priority winning in November 2024, this is all very good news. Despite Trump getting all the media attention and just one GOP debate (without Trump), Trump is near the bottom of GOP presidential candidates in hypothetical head-to-head contests against Biden.
Want to win, GOP? If so, it is becoming very clear what should happen. Trump supporters should switch their support in the primaries to the best candidate who can win the White House.
Being the best Republican candidate among Republicans does absolutely nothing for America and little for Trump. Who can win over the independents will determine who will reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. That is the reality check the GOP needs right now.
The CNN poll revealed, being facetious, that Republican nominees Tom, Dick or Harry (Harriet) would beat Biden.
Even the candidate Vivek Ramaswamy - whose only qualification for the presidency, I say facetiously, is that "he spent a night at a Holiday Inn Express" (for those who can remember that classic commercial) - is in a statistical tie with Biden. Trump is just one point ahead of the Holiday Inn Express candidate.
Here is a better example of the depth of Biden's political problems. For example, in a hypothetical Senate race held today, would you vote for Gary Franks or Chris Dodd (let's just say)? Fair question. The problem is when they ask the second question -"If the elections were held today, would you vote for John Houlihan or Chris Dodd." Here lies the potential problem. If the fictitious name of John Houlihan performs better than you, well, you have a significant problem. You should reconsider running.
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And that is precisely where Biden is today. Well, Democrats, for the good of the nation, it is time to punt.
And last week, it got worse for Biden.
The even bigger immediate problem is that anybody and everybody can beat Biden. The views and opinions of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping - despite their absence at the recent G-20 conference - prevailed over Biden, who was present, on the issues of climate change and Ukraine. That's sad.
This is beyond embarrassing. It is gross incompetence. But nobody gets fired in the Biden administration. Unlike most Americans, people in the administration have complete job security despite multiple failures.
Further proof needed? Just ask the folks in the administration who are supposed to prevent the invasion at the Mexican border. Millions of migrants have entered America illegally during Biden's presidency.
The lack of respect for America shown by the other 19 largest economies is unprecedented, highly regrettable, and potentially perilous. Past U.S. presidents who are not with us today are rolling over in their graves in disbelief and regret.
We wanted support for our efforts in Ukraine, a very noble cause. But many members of the G-20 rejected that support, yet the Biden administration signed off as if we prevailed.
They also rejected our efforts on climate change. We have spent hundreds of billions of dollars and have plans that could totally bankrupt America (if we did not have the no-limit credit card) over climate change, with most of the world population "looking the other way."
Former Secretary of State and current "Climate Czar" John Kerry should be required to tell the nation how the goals of the Paris Accords, which should purportedly "save the planet," can actually work with only the United States among the largest industrialized nations genuinely seeking to be in compliance. Most of the world fails to see what our administration sees. That is the definition of failed leadership. Or it is simply not practical.
Yet, Biden has doubled down on his failure by also failing to understand that a nuclear conflict is more severe than climate change. He reiterated that climate change is the most critical task before us in a news conference in Vietnam.
Well, never mind that a nuclear conflict would end the world in minutes, while the worst consequence of climate change could end the world in future decades or around the end of the century.
If someone must explain this to anyone, yes, even to the U.S. president, that is a sign of a much bigger problem.
Nevertheless, Biden has frequently boasted that you do not have to be the best candidate in the world; you just have to be better than your rivals. Well, that old axiom may save you from House impeachment and Senate conviction only because many folks lack faith in your #2.
But today, Tom, Dick, or Harry (Harriet) as GOP nominees would win against the old man.
And for Trump primary voters, it is far wiser to get behind the Republican candidate who has the best chance of beating Biden in a general election.
After all, ultimately, it would not only be best for America, but it would also be far better for Trump than having four more years of Biden.
Gary Franks served three terms as U.S. representative for Connecticut's 5th District. He was the first Black Republican elected to the House in nearly 60 years and New England's first Black member of the House. Host: podcast "We Speak Frankly." Author: "With God, For God, and For Country." @GaryFranks
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