Ellie Perrier

And just like that, the arrival of 2024 marks the release of Biden v. Trump: the sequel. But this time, the villains are bigger, badder and more thirsty for revenge than ever before. This time, there is barely even the semblance of a reluctant, lesser-of-two-evils hero. Joe Biden has made himself awfully difficult to tolerate over these four years; very few of his actions can be justified if you assume he intends to win over voters rather than alienate them. After all, what has he accomplished besides continuously letting us down?
This will be the first presidential election I can vote in. The idea of me having to cast a vote to re-elect Biden, who arguably seems like he wants to be president as much as I want him to be (which is not at all, if that wasn’t clear), is like I’m throwing my vote in the trash. To vote for Donald Trump, or to abstain from voting altogether, however, would be like setting the whole dumpster on fire. Nonetheless, both of these options aren’t … great and make me want to set the government on fire — metaphorically, of course. Recent polling data shows that many voters between the ages of 18–24 are opting out of voting altogether in light of the dismal candidates, one of whom may or may not even appear on the ballot.
Candidate one, former President Donald Trump, was found liable for sexual abuse by a jury of his peers in May 2023. Throughout that trial and the defamation suit that followed it, he consistently claimed to have “absolutely no idea who this woman is,” which begs the question: How many women has Trump sexually assaulted that he can’t even tell them apart anymore? Trump is no stranger to the courtroom, currently facing four separate indictments and an incredible 91 criminal charges, calling into question his eligibility to appear on the ballot entirely. If we’re lucky, maybe he won’t even be an option.
In the other corner of the ring is 81-year-old, older-than-Corn Flakes President Joseph Biden, whose enabling of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fracturing the already-divided Democratic party. Polling has revealed that younger voters are more critical of the Biden Administration’s response to the war and the humanitarian crises it has caused in Gaza, the decision to greenlight the Willow Project, as well as a plethora of empty promises and poor executive decisions. Also, he’s like, really old.
Trump is currently leading Biden by approximately 6%, according to one Reuters estimate. It’s not that voters are necessarily more in favor of a second apocalyptic Trump presidency, just that distaste for Biden is, well, trumping hatred for Trump. It is understandable to feel fear, outrage or anxiety when considering that voting for Biden might mean a continuity of the U.S.’s failure to vote for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Since the Oct. 7 attack perpetrated by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Trump has been intentionally obfuscating his position on the war in Gaza to drive public attention away from the fact that he’s likely to make the situation worse. With the war at the forefront of everyone’s minds, Trump’s silence is doing wonders for his position in the polls. By not directly commenting on the conflict, it’s easy for his fanbase to assume how he’ll act and that it may be reasonable. Recall 2018, when he initiated a Twitter fight that almost started a war with North Korea. I still can’t believe that happened.
Don’t mistake Trump’s silence for anything, it’s nothing but cowardice and an awareness that by not taking up a stance, he is getting exactly what he wants. He will continue to offer up vague explanations for what to expect from his administration to subvert the crisis in Gaza as long as it sustains his campaign’s success.
This isn’t to imply that we are completely in the dark about what Trump will do in this position. During his presidency, he put forth a “Peace to Prosperity” plan, described by Trump as “a vision to improve the lives of the Palestinian and Israeli people,” by Netanyahu as “a great plan for peace” and by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as “nonsense.” Makes sense, considering that the plan intended to permanently demilitarize the state of Palestine, leaving it even more vulnerable to attack.
A little over a month from now, on March 5, the Super Tuesday slate of presidential primaries will take place, a series of votes in 15 states that will likely decide what candidates should win their respective party’s nomination and subsequently whose names will appear on the ballot this November. The primaries serve as an opportunity to cast a vote for a Democratic or Republican candidate whose sheer existence is not inherently agonizing.
Although it is highly improbable that anyone besides Biden or Trump will receive their respective party’s nomination, going out to vote at the primaries is still immensely important. Voicing support for unlikely candidates is how things change; who would’ve thought AOC would win her primary against a 10-term Democratic incumbent? The last day to register to vote in these primaries and do what you can to prevent another four years of atrocity is in three days on Monday, Feb. 5. If in November, we’re back where we were in 2020, I wish you all the best.