PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Larry Cook has spent decades studying presidential history. Lately, decades of history have happened in real-time.
Newswatch 16 caught up with the author and presidential historian at his Luzerne County home right after President Joe Biden announced he won't seek reelection, "Yeah, this is very significant. This is something that has not happened in history very often," he said.
Cook says such an extraordinary moment does not have a parallel since 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson announced amid criticism of the Vietnam War that he wouldn't seek the Democratic nomination.
Johnson's spot on the ticket went to his vice president, Hubert Humphrey, who was drubbed by Richard Nixon.
Before that, Harry Truman opted out in 1952 amidst poor polling numbers.
But those announcements were made earlier in their respective campaigns.
"Of course, this has been ramping up for some time. The news cycle and social media is very different than what it was in 52 or 68," said Cook.
Like 1968, Cook believes there's a good chance the nomination could go to the sitting vice president, Kamala Harris. President Biden endorsed her soon after announcing he wouldn't seek reelection.
But he says it is just as likely the nomination will be contested before next month's Democratic convention in Chicago. And then there's the question of running mates, "It's very important, I think now more than any other time in history, is who they choose as a running mate. So if Vice President Harris gets the nomination, it'll be very important who she chooses to run with her."
How it might all turn out is anybody's guess. As this historian said, it's a crystal ball moment, "With this, there's a lot of factors to consider. Is it gonna be an open convention? Is it gonna be settled before then? Is it gonna be settled at the convention? How many challenges is the vice president gonna get? Those are all questions we're gonna sit on the edge of our seats, those of us that watch this type of thing. We're gonna be on the edge of our seats looking at that type of thing."