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Opinion
Jonathan Bernstein

Why Is Biden Risking an Early Loss to RFK Jr.?

An effort to boot New Hampshire from its first-in-the-nation status creates drama over a primary that will have no impact on the president’s eventual renomination.

US President Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden

Photographer: Bloomberg via Getty Images

Democrats are struggling with the consequences of their decision to reorder the party’s presidential nomination calendar next year. The truth is, their worries are mainly symptoms of the fact that the party is on its way to renominating a president who hasn’t been popular for the last two years.

But the controversy over the schedule is also an example of a misstep by President Joe Biden and the White House. As with most presidential mistakes, the direct impact is small, but small hits to the president’s reputation can add up over time.