Democrats can complain that their presidential race has come down to a 77 year-old white man, Joe Biden, against a 78 year-old white man, Bernie Sanders. But that is what has happened. Now, after the departure of Michael Bloomberg Wednesday morning, what is needed is for the last remaining also-ran — Elizabeth Warren — to quit the race. A simple, clarified Biden-Bernie contest is the only way to settle the fundamental conflict that has plagued Democrats through the last two presidential nominating cycles.

Democrats once crowed about having the “most diverse field” in presidential history. There were African Americans — Kamala Harris and Cory Booker; women — Harris, Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Kirsten Gillibrand, Tulsi Gabbard; Latino — Julian Castro; gay — Pete Buttigieg; white men — Beto O’Rourke, Tim Ryan, Bill de Blasio; and elderly white men — Biden, Sanders, and, later, Bloomberg.