The Category Five meltdown among Democratic operatives triggered by President Joe Biden’s implosion during his first 2024 debate against former President Donald Trump has only grown more panicked since the sun rose. After being inconveniently smacked in the face by reality, at least half a dozen columnists at the New York Times — de facto operatives by another name — are calling on the president to drop out of his reelection bid, and the actual party personnel are reportedly scrambling to find a way to replace Biden.

But once again, the reality of the situation is inconvenient for the partisans who spent years calling video clips demonstrating Biden’s senility “cheapfakes” and genuine fears over his precipitous decline mere misinformation. The fact is that Biden has legally secured 3,894 delegates, or 99% in all, and he only requires 1,976 delegates to win the primary. The DNC is legally and practically incapable of replacing Biden at the top of the ticket unless he chooses to step aside voluntarily.