It’s not often the phrases “American politics” and “common sense” walk hand in hand. But Sunday’s announcement by President Joe Biden he would be stepping down as the Democratic Party’s candidate in this November’s election is one of those rare times when they aligned.
The Democrats will be hoping it’s not too late to undo the damage.
You can’t turn back time or reverse the process of aging.
Even the most casual observer could see Mr Biden (81), the oldest president in US history, was struggling with the rigours of the campaign.
Polling across the country indicated voters were concerned about placing their trust in a man who faltered so obviously in the first presidential debate, and has delivered several more gaffes since.
And that is worrying, considering his opponent is a convicted felon.
Although the Biden camp insisted he was the man for the top job once more, he was a sitting duck president.
Had it been a boxing match, the referee would have stepped in to end the contest.
Carry on like they were, and the Democrats may well have handed the keys of the White House back to Donald Trump.
So much of what has happened in the US in recent weeks could have been prevented had Sunday’s common sense been evident earlier.
It’s always difficult to hand over the reins of power once you’ve had a taste for it — no one likes being told their time is up.
But the decline in President Biden over the past year has been obvious.
The polling numbers were just not adding up.
And money also talks. Major donors were abandoning his campaign, a sure sign they were giving up on Biden ever returning to the Oval Office.
They say in politics, all careers eventually end in failure. But it can be either dignified or undignified.
The road to victory in November had seemingly been opening up for Trump because of Biden’s failings, and the sympathy sparked by his very narrow escape from a would-be assassin’s bullet in Pennsylvania.
But a new obstacle is now blocking his path, likely in the form of Vice-President Kamala Harris.
If she wins the Democratic nomination, expect this former prosecutor to hone in on her opponent’s criminal behaviour.
Trump is not one to shy away from a battle, so the run-up to polling day should be extremely interesting for anyone who follows US politics.