But it was not only a mistake to pick Biden in 2020, it was a mistake for him to even run. He wasn't going to run but was prodded to and joined late in the primary for the sole reason of stopping Bernie Sanders from having a chance. Joe was the only one more popular to win with the base than Sanders at that time, who was polling ahead of every other candidate. The establishment Democrats were, and still seem to be, deathly afraid of the progressive wing gaining influence. They scare corporate donors, and threaten their own opportunities with those cozy relationships.
IMO Sanders who polled ahead of Trump, would have also won in 2020, and even though he's senior, still is sharp as a tack. Because he would have also tapped into that "outsider" maverick, helping the working class, and taking on Washington corruption swamp tag that Trump took advantage of (even though of course he was the opposite of that).
And because Sanders would have actually taken on those challenges, he'd have been still popular in 2024.
And the Democratic party would be well on its way to ushering in the new generation, who Sanders is not afraid of, to take over for him.
I think voters, especially independents, younger liberal educated voters, were, and still are frankly, looking for drastic populist change, even in 2024, and Sanders would have still been that transitional populist President. As Trump is also a transitional populist President. But in the opposite and worst possible way. But that was the only anti-swamp choice independents believed they had. While those younger, as well as new, and even some Democratic voters were not enamoured with Biden who represented the old guard continuing on.
I am Canadian, so perhaps I have a more natural appetite for liberalism, but IMO America missed out on one of the best Presidents in history with Sanders, to advance workers, and begin to address the increasing wealth divide, and corruption, they could have ever had. But the Democratic party stalwarts just couldn't embrace such a populist radical change to the left. So America voted for the only other populist radical change instead. Just my opinion from the great white north
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