The Guardian view on Joe Biden: Democrats must seize the wheel, not drift to disaster | Editorial

Many want the president to quit his re-election bid following a catastrophic debate. His team must ask what is best for the US

The Democrats have no good options. The question now is which is the least dangerous of the bad ones. Democratic voters did not want Joe Biden to run again. Almost 70% judged him too old to serve anotherterm as president when polled last year. Privately, many senior Democrats and donors sharedtheir qualms. But with Mr Biden determined to stand, the consensus was to rally round. Now, after last Thursday's catastrophic debate, the party is panicking. Only four monthsfrom the election, there is frenzied discussionof potential replacements.

That would almost certainly require MrBiden's agreement. His wife, Jill, seen as key to his decision, seems to be urging him on. He is said to believe that only he is capable of beating Mr Trump again. Few agree. The lack of a formal mechanism to remove him does not preclude the effects of political gravity. Slumping polls, drying up funds and private, or even public, demands for his departure from senior Democratic figures could yet change his mind. A growing chorus of previously supportive media figures is urging him to quit.