Trump subverted democracy. His allies are pretending the left did, too.

The aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, not the recent presidential debate, is the crucial context for understanding threats to American democracy. Despite losing the popular and electoral votes, former President Trump attempted to retain power, trying to shift the selection of electors in key states. Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 Democratic nomination process is not comparable to Trump's efforts, as it was voluntary and based on Democratic Party leaders' concerns about his debate performance. Biden was not the party's official nominee when he withdrew, unlike Trump, who was the incumbent president. Claims of a "coup" by the Democratic Party are not credible, as Biden withdrew without coercion. A more accurate analogy to Trump's actions would be a Democrat attempting to hijack the party's nomination through threats and pressure. However, even in this hypothetical scenario, the Democrat would still have to win the presidency, unlike Trump, who tried to subvert the democratic process. Biden could have hypothetically made Trump president, but he did not take such actions. Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, including pressuring electors and inciting a riot at the Capitol, are far more serious than Biden's withdrawal from a nomination contest. Claims that Biden's decision is comparable to Trump's actions are a false equivalency used to discredit the latter's anti-democratic behavior.