One benefit of the public angst and media frenzy surrounding President Biden’s debate performance has been a growing consensus among elected Democrats and activist groups that Vice President Harris is the only plausible replacement.

That is what a vice president does: step in when the president needs to be replaced, temporarily or permanently. A party that has long depended on the votes of Black Americans, especially Black women, could not — without unleashing a furious backlash and triggering massive defections — kick her to the curb in favor of a random, unvetted White politician.