It’s a year and a half until the November 2024 Presidential Election.  Yet, one of the two parties has already put the hay in the barn.  The other is searching for a pitchfork.

In a carefully choreographed way, the Democrats hitched their wagon to current President Joe Biden.  They want it to be all happy trails before he himself rides into the sunset.

Late last week the Dems announced that there would be no debates within the party whether that meant on stage or not.  Apparently, they can’t count on another pandemic to keep Joe off of the stage so they eliminated the need.

Characters like cowboy Bernie Sanders got the message, complied, and likely got another ranch bought and paid for. The Wells Fargo Bank stagecoach will make only one stop and that’s in Delaware.

Meanwhile, it’s the wild wild west on the Republican side and the battle hasn’t even begun on the movie set yet.  But, behind the scenes, nothing is OK at the corral.

The party is fractured.  There are the MAGA folks firmly behind Trump who is quick on the draw.  And, there are the non-Trump folks firmly behind whomever he winds up stepping off against inside of the party.

Team Trump is likely busy thinking up nicknames for Noem and Haley.  They already labeled Ron DeSantis as Ron DeSanctimonious. Also under consideration are “Meatball Ron” and “Tiny D,” we kid not.

The GOP debates will likely be haymakers a la 2015-6.  Why wouldn’t they be?  They’ll beat each other up while Biden rests at the beach house.

The contrast between the two parties is stark in governing philosophy and campaign strategy.

The Dems have a president that has low marks across the political surveyed board.  He’s there for the taking. He’s old now and will be a very old 86 by the time he would leave the White House after a second term.

But, they’ll make the race anti-Trump and anti-Republicans.  And, they aren’t good at it, they are great at it.

One lies and the other swears to it.  Daily.

The anti-Trump weapons are numerous and have already inflicted many wounds.  Also, Trump suffers self-inflicted wounds.  Weekly.

Abortion(now called women’s health), misogyny, racism, billionaires, transphobia, social security, Ukraine, and many other bullets are loaded in their guns aimed at the Grand Old Party.  And, they’re the ones firmly against guns- for sure another plank on the platform so carefully rehearsed and well played.

Biden’s campaign jingle is “Finish the Job!”  He told us so yesterday.  He also said our democracy is at stake.  Then, one by one, Hillary, Obama, Kamala, Schumer, Jeffries, and others spread the word.

Today, MSNBC, USA Today, The View, NBC, CBS, ABC, THE NYT, and CNN will parrot it.  Where is Tucker when you need him?

It’s a long time till 11/24 and a lot will transpire.

For now, the Republicans look like they are shooting themselves in the foot trying to circle the wagons.