Budowsky: Biden would defeat Trump in a landslide in a 2024 election

With President Biden currently sailing toward the Democratic nomination in 2024, and former President Trump currently the clear front-runner for the Republican nomination, my first and only prediction for now is that Biden would defeat Trump in a landslide, with significant impact in races across the nation. 

This column is a discussion not about one campaign but about the political state of the nation (divided and seeking unity), the Democratic Party (united, seeking both bipartisanship and restoration of a Democratic Congress), the Republican Party (divided and largely fearful of Trump) and the world (dangerous with anti-democratic enemies including Russia and China). 

It is certainly possible that Republicans ultimately reject Trump for the nomination and turn to a more electable candidate, such as former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie or New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. House Republicans in particular, whose majority is gravely endangered by a Biden-Trump race, should give heartfelt reflection to the consequences of this race, for them and our country, as they ponder potential bipartisanship. 

My view is that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.), and a significant number of Senate Republicans well understand this, which creates some hope for the current Congress achieving some bipartisan success with Biden and Senate Democrats. 

What is striking about a Biden-Trump race in 2024 is the unparalleled difference between them on virtually every aspect of being president. 

Biden is the ultimate Middle American. The ultimate political leader who sincerely, and by his very nature, prefers national unity and seeks bipartisanship in governing. The ultimate leader who seeks unity of the free world, and who has been a superbly successful commander in chief. He is genuinely a good and decent man who is widely liked and respected by his colleagues. For a nation tired of division and violence, Biden has exactly the right stuff. 

Donald Trump, by dramatic contrast, has said that if he is indicted there will be death and destruction to follow. He has attacked senior Republicans with viciousness and ugliness, and ridiculed strong allies with sarcasm and contempt. He has divided the NATO alliance while he divides his party and our entire nation; praised Vladimir Putin who has been indicted for war crimes; and used hateful language and dog whistles to insult a long list of minorities. 

For a nation that wants to end the division and violence that plagues our land, four more years of Trump as president is a prospect that a majority of Americans despise and fear. 

During the primary season in April 2024, world leaders from democratic nations everywhere will convene in Washington for the 75th anniversary of the NATO alliance. This will occur at a time when NATO is stronger than ever, and with an American president who is widely respected as a world leader and commander in chief steering NATO wisely and with strength. 

What will Trump be saying and doing that day, while Biden addresses the conference to a standing ovation? 

While Trump campaigns across the nation, claiming he is the voter’s revenge, telling the voters which Republicans and Democrats he despises, Biden will be campaigning for a return to unity and bipartisanship, in a nation where we are in this together, pursuing common goals and shared dreams. 

Biden versus Trump will be an epic battle of two men, with two competing visions of America — a story of Biden’s optimism against Trump’s rage. It will be a tale of two Americas, which Trump will try to divide to his advantage, and Biden will try to unify to ours. 

Budowsky was an aide to former Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D-Texas) and former Rep. Bill Alexander (D-Ark.), who was chief deputy majority whip of the House of Representatives.