It was a plausible plan, the political equivalent of stealing a base. Joe Biden had promised South Carolina Democrats that their state would host the first primary of 2024. The state of New Hampshire declined to step aside. To honor his promise, Biden did not enter the New Hampshire primary. That decision opened an opportunity for Biden detractors inside and outside the Democratic primary process: If the incumbent president refused to compete, somebody else could enter and appear to win. It would not be much of a victory, but it might be misrepresented to look like one. Maybe it could even force Biden out of the race, as President Lyndon Johnson was forced out by a rival’s strong showing in the New Hampshire primary of 1968. How hard could it be to win a one-dog dog show? Turns out, harder than it looks. Almost 100,000 people cast ballots in the New Hampshire Democratic primary. Not quite 25,000 chose a Biden alternative. Almost all the rest look to have written in Biden’s name. (The counting still …