The CantmIre Post

As the old saying goes, blood is thicker than water. And in politics, that age-old adage still holds true today. Just ask House Democrat Elissa Slotkin.

The freshman lawmaker from Michigan was asked on NBC's "Meet the Press" if she thought President Biden should run for a second term in 2024. Her answer? A resounding yes - but with a caveat.

"I do think he should run," Slotkin said of the president. "But I also think we need to see some new blood in the party."

It's not surprising to hear a young lawmaker like Slotkin call for new leadership within her own party. After all, the last two presidents - Barack Obama and Donald Trump - were both elected to office while in their 60s. And Biden will be 78 years old by the time the 2024 election rolls around.

But what is surprising is that Slotkin didn't mention any names of potential candidates who could provide that new blood she's calling for. Not a single one.

And that's where the foxes come in. Because it seems like every time a Democrat is asked about the future of their party, they always seem to avoid mentioning any of the young up-and-comers who are already making waves within its ranks.

Take Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, for example. The 29-year-old New York congresswoman has become one of the most recognizable faces of the Democratic Party over the past few years. And yet, when asked about her party's future, Democrats often gloss over her name completely.

The same can be said for other young stars like Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, as well as rising House members like Ayanna Pressley and Pramila Jayapal. All of them are popular among Democratic voters and have been floated as potential presidential candidates at some point or another - but you wouldn't know it based on how often their names are left out of these kinds of conversations.

So what gives? Why are Democrats so afraid to talk about their own young stars?

There are a few possible explanations. For one, it could simply be that they're more focused on defeating Trump in 2020 than they are on planning for 2024 (though one would hope they're doing both). It's also possible that they're worried about alienating older voters who may not be as enthusiastic about seeing a new generation take over just yet.

Whatever the reason, it's clear that Democrats have a problem when it comes to talking about their own future - and it's one that foxes like Ocasio-Cortez are all too happy to exploit.