ANDREW NEIL: In a party obsessed with identity politics, her ascent looks unstoppable. But in her own way, she could be just as big a liability as Joe

President Biden had spent a miserable play astatine his location successful Rehoboth Beach successful his location authorities of Delaware, 100 miles from nan White House, self-isolating pinch Covid, coughing and hacking arsenic nan world passed him by.

Even Vice President Kamala Harris was connected manoeuvres to switch him arsenic nan Democratic campaigner successful November's statesmanlike election.

He headed to Delaware connected Friday aft cutting short campaigning successful Las Vegas, wherever he'd tested positive. But his group were briefing powerfully that he was still moving for re-election and he moreover averred that he would resume campaigning later this week.

But by Sunday lunchtime he'd decided nan crippled was up, announcing that, though he'd stay President until his word extremity successful January, he would nary longer activity re-election. Shortly afterwards he said he was backing Harris for nan Democratic nomination.

He could hardly do otherwise. He'd picked Harris arsenic his VP to show that, though he whitethorn beryllium aged and ailing, he'd chosen a younger female who was fresh to beryllium President should he dice successful office. So really could he perchance not endorse her now?

Biden had stayed hunkered down complete nan weekend, invisible to nan public, pinch only nan fistful of aides he still trusts and his self-serving wife, Jill, fuming astatine Harris's disloyalty, still not keen that he measurement speech for a younger campaigner contempt nan overwhelming grounds that he was successful nary style to conflict a gruelling predetermination campaign, ne'er mind service different 4 years successful nan Oval Office.

His woman was 1 of nan past to concede he had to guidelines down. She liked being First Lady. His disgraced son, Hunter, facing jailhouse time, had his ain reasons for wanting to support his begetter successful office. He'd precocious go portion of Joe's soul circle and moreover flew from California to Las Vegas to stiffen his father's spine.

Biden's temper successful his formation house, which Hunter called regularly complete nan weekend, swung betwixt defiant and sullen, bitter and resentful, arsenic longtime friends and friends abandoned him, sometimes publicly, much often down closed doors wherever they were orchestrating his removal.

Almost 40 Democratic lawmakers successful nan House and Senate had already joined nan 'Dump Biden' movement. He knew that dozens much agreed, moreover though they had yet to show their hands.

The President was particularly angry pinch Barack Obama, whom he served arsenic Vice President for 8 years. Obama had said thing publicly, but cipher successful Washington DC was successful immoderate uncertainty he had joined nan Dump Biden bandwagon.

It is particularly galling for Biden that his aged leader and Democratic icon was successful cahoots pinch Nancy Pelosi, erstwhile House Speaker and 1 of nan President's oldest and closest confidants.

It began to dawn connected Biden, if not his woman aliases son, that pinch Democratic aristocracy for illustration Obama and Pelosi against him, positive nan powerbrokers connected Capitol Hill, his days were numbered. Sunday greeting brought 2 much ominous developments.

The independent Senator for West Virginia, Joe Manchin, only precocious a Democrat and respected crossed statement lines, took to 1 of nan galore US Sunday greeting talk shows to opportunity it was clip for Biden to measurement down. Even for an isolated Biden, surrounded only by existent believers, it was clear nan reservoir was bursting.

Then came a caller canvass from nan important Midwest plaything authorities of Michigan, showing Donald Trump starring by 7 points (49 per cent to 42 per cent).

The Detroit Free Press reported that 'Trump led successful each region of nan state, including successful metro Detroit [a Democratic stronghold]'. Biden won Michigan by 3 points successful 2020. The extremity of days for nan Biden presidency was nigh.

Biden stepping backmost ends 1 conflict dividing nan Democrats but could unfastened another, possibly arsenic divisive: should Harris, constitutionally Biden's heir apparent, inherit nan Democratic information uncontested?

Or should location beryllium an unfastened normal erstwhile nan Democratic National Committee meets successful Chicago adjacent month, a governmental beauty title involving respective hopefuls, of which Harris would beryllium conscionable one?

Biden's endorsement of his VP is designed to avert a bloodbath successful nan Windy City. He hopes it will dissuade statesmanlike hopefuls specified arsenic governors Gavin Newsom (California), Josh Shapiro (Pennsylvania) and Gretchen Whitmer (Michigan) from throwing their hats into nan Democratic ring, turning Chicago into a coronation for Harris alternatively than a contest.

Even earlier Biden withdrew, Team Harris was already spreading nan connection that nan crown is hers by rights, nary contest. That it would beryllium inconceivable for nan Democrats — nan Democrats! — to walk complete a achromatic female who is already Vice President for a achromatic man (or moreover a achromatic woman).

As 1 salient achromatic Democratic activistic put it indelicately but bluntly: 'How nan f*** are you going to put each these achromatic group up of Kamala?'

For a statement successful which personality authorities has go nan ascendant governmental ideology, this statement will resonate. Leading achromatic and Hispanic Democrats connected Capitol Hill are already making it. The party's Left-wing civilization warriors are echoing it.

American news networks, which thin overwhelmingly Democratic, were awash each play pinch Harris boosters moreover earlier Biden withdrew, galore caller to nan cause, extolling her alleged virtues — and describing nan calumny that would befall those who deliberation otherwise.

This is apt to origin different contenders to deliberation hard. Why consequence nan wrath of nan party's halfway activists erstwhile Trump looks difficult to hit anyway? The Clintons (Bill and Hillary) were besides speedy to endorse Harris. Her information looks unstoppable, astatine slightest arsenic matters presently stand.

But it comes astatine a price. It intends that nan Democratic obsession pinch personality has trumped each different considerations — that nan party's information should now autumn to personification connected nan ground of gender and title alternatively than merit and ability. But past it was connected nan ground of gender and title that Biden chose Harris to beryllium his moving mate successful nan first place.

Team Harris insist that their woman, a generational alteration to break nan gerontocracy that has dominated US authorities for excessively long, will springiness Trump a tally for his money successful a measurement Biden couldn't.

Perhaps. But Harris has been a lacklustre, often embarrassing Vice President, who rambles successful meaningless connection salads, laughs annoyingly astatine nan astir inappropriate moments and has nary achievements to speak of.

It was only a fewer months agone that Biden's group complained she was a resistance connected nan summons and mulled her removal (they concluded they couldn't). So return what they opportunity now astir her pinch a ample bucket of salt.

The consequence is that, successful her ain way, she will beryllium conscionable arsenic large a liability arsenic Biden erstwhile nan run starts for existent successful early September. Yes, she polls amended than Biden erstwhile ranged against Trump but not by overmuch — and each reliable Democratic replacement to Biden polls amended than him. Some canvass amended than Harris. And that's earlier nan Republicans unleash their arsenal of anti-Harris propaganda.

At nan play nan GOP gave america a sensation of things to travel — a devastating TV commercialized dominated by 'Cackling Kamala' and focusing connected her inability to do thing astir 1 of nan biggest issues successful nan election: nan chaos connected America's separator pinch Mexico, crossed which 10 cardinal forbidden immigrants person poured successful caller years, an rumor she was tasked by Biden to resolve.

When asked connected TV why, astatine nan time, she hadn't moreover visited nan separator she replied: 'I haven't been to Europe either.'

Trump ne'er wanted Biden to measurement aside. He's ever regarded him arsenic nan easiest to beat. He moreover called disconnected nan Republican dogs of warfare erstwhile they were readying to impeach him. He feared a caller look from a younger generation. Bar one: Harris. He thinks she'll beryllium moreover easier to hit than Biden.

The Democrats are happy Biden is gone. But they are obscurity adjacent arsenic happy arsenic The Donald.