@djc it could! if it becomes sufficiently untenable for him to even pretend to go on, that might happen. but if there isn't any internal process, it will be hard to prevent ambitious politicians from contesting what institutionally would become an open convention. the point of a "position of strength" is the ability to "clear the field", to get consensus behind the ticket they endorse even from disappointed contenders. 1/

@djc the goal would be (and should be at this point in the cycle IMHO) to prevent a mediagenic quasi-"democratic" horse race during which negative campaigning intraparty would be difficult to prevent. instead of Biden, the choice is between Trump and what the publish perceives as chaotic, ambitious, backbiters and their rioting supporters outside the convention. 2/

@djc that may prove impossible! if the rebellion cannot be crushed, if there is sufficient pressure from democratic pols and public to drop out now now now, then they may feel they have no alternative than just calling quits (with or without some endorsement) and risking a chaotic, more-democratic-in-form-than-substance, "open convention". 3/

@djc That might work out! I mean, both Biden and Trump are absurdly unpopular candidates that only America's weird electoral institutions would have set up for a run-off. A kind of random quasidemocratic process might well do better! But it also might prove terrible. It would be wiser to prefer a better-managed and substantively more democratically legit process (the winner of the public election chooses his emergency successor), if that remains possible. /fin