If Joe Biden Falters, Democrats Have Prepped the Bench

Youngkin’s Power Play • CNN’s New Boss • US Soccer Feud [View in your browser]( | [Update your preferences](newsletter=vf) [Vanity Fair Hive logo image]( If Joe Biden Falters, Democrats Have Prepped the Bench Good Saturday morning! From Donald Trump’s [string]( [of indictments]( to Ron DeSantis’s [stumbles]( to the non-Trump field [hitting]( the debate stage, the Republican Party has sucked up a lot of oxygen this summer. For a change of pace, Inside the Hive went deep this week on the state of the Democratic Party. Host Brian Stelter [talked to]( Chris Smith and Jennifer Palmieri about the party’s bench—including [rising]( [stars]( like J.B. Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, and Gavin Newsom—and what could happen if the president and presumptive 2024 nominee, Joe Biden, were to exit the race before Election Day. Speaking of Republicans eating up airtime, Molly Jong-Fast [wrote]( this week on “charismatic phony” Vivek Ramaswamy, while Abigail Tracy [reported]( on Glenn Youngkin’s power play ahead of this November’s election. Plus, Joe Pompeo [explored]( the challenges facing Mark Thompson as he takes the reins at CNN, and Tom Kludt [revealed]( that returning US men’s soccer coach Gregg Berhalter still hasn’t spoken with young star Gio Reyna since their public feud. Thanks for reading, and enjoy the long weekend. —Michael Calderone, editor [If Joe Biden Falters, Democrats Have Prepped the Bench]( By [Brian Stelter]( [Jennifer Palmieri and Chris Smith discuss the state of the party for the 2024 election and beyond.]( [Read more button](   [From Trump to Vivek: The GOP Is Primed for Another Charismatic Phony]( By [Molly Jong-Fast]( [Ramaswamy’s postdebate blitz speaks to the priorities of the media—and the state of the Republican base.]( [Read more button](   [Glenn Youngkin’s Biggest Power Grab May Come Well Before 2024]( By [Abigail Tracy]( [The Virginia governor is getting presidential buzz, but he’s focused on winning a Republican trifecta this November—an “off-off year” election that could catapult his career. The state’s senators are sounding the alarm bells: “I’m a little bit amazed that this isn’t a higher priority at the White House,” Senator Mark Warner tells VF.]( [Read more button](   [Will Mark Thompson Be CNN’s Magic Bullet?: “If He Can’t Make This Work, Then No One Can”]( By [Joe Pompeo]( [CNN employees, craving stability after the turbulent Chris Licht era, are encouraged by their incoming CEO’s leadership of The New York Times and the BBC. (“He should have been the choice in the first place,” says one.) But daunting challenges await.]( [Read more button](   [Image may contain: Tie, Accessories, Accessory, Electrical Device, Microphone, Human, Person, Suit, Coat, and Clothing]( [Gregg Berhalter Is Back. Can He End the Drama and Take the US Men’s Soccer Team Forward?]( By [Tom Kludt]( [In an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair, the returning US Soccer coach opens up about his difficult break from the team, patching things up with young star Gio Reyna, and, as the World Cup comes to the States in 2026, advancing to a round “that no US team has ever gone to.”]( [Read more button](   Get on the list Subscribe to our Hollywood newsletter for your essential industry and awards-season news, every day. [Sign Up Now](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn](   This e-mail was sent to you by The Hive. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( Sent from Condé Nast, 1 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007 Copyright © 2023 Condé Nast