I get the impression that the dems basically gambled everything on the offensive, they built it up in the media, scavenged whatever they could, and it was supposed to get some big results and then the media would run with it. Joe would win the election riding on having defeated Russia and saved the free world.
Instead it failed in the most spectacular way possible, and they don’t really have any cards left to play now. They can’t convince Russia to freeze the conflict until after the elections, and it’s likely Russia will go on an offensive of their own come winter. So there could be a collapse in Ukraine happening as the election season heats up.
Seems like throwing Biden under the bus is the only move they have left in that situation. You all of a sudden discover that Biden has a lot of business dealings in Ukraine, that he may be compromised, and that he has a big conflict of interest running the war. Blame it all on him and hope you can distance the party from the debacle somehow.
The real question whom the dems will float as a replacement since they don’t have a single candidate that’s known or liked at this point. Perhaps they try to pump up Newsom?
Even if he wins the 24’ election he will almost certainly not live to complete the term, but this election will be difficult for him, during his term in addition to not fulfilling any promises of the previous campaign, the general situation of the American population it only got worse, this will negatively affect his chances and the Ukraine war gets as said by you if they lose or the situation gets much worse for them during the campaign it will be another point against Biden.