Consider the following scenario: after a bruising primary against socialist Bernie Sanders, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finally emerges from the Democratic National Convention as her party’s nominee. Although the raucous convention is marked by protests from disaffected Sanders supporters, Clinton leaves Philadelphia triumphant and begins the long process of uniting her party’s warring factions.

In a campaign marked by countless missteps, everything seems to be falling in place for Clinton, until the political world is rocked with the news that federal indictments are coming down involving her private email server.

Clinton reassures nervous Democrats by pointing to her seasoned vice presidential nominee: Joe Biden. Ever the calculating politician, Clinton has insulated herself from this game-changing bombshell with this unorthodox pick. Even if she is forced to step aside for legal reasons, she has chosen a running mate who can step in seamlessly.

At first glance, this entire series of events may seem implausible. After all, why would a Democratic-led Justice Department risk handing the presidency to Donald Trump by indicting the Democratic standard-bearer mere months before Election Day?

While an actual indictment of Clinton seems unlikely, the damning report from the Obama-appointed inspector general made clear that Clinton is far from out of the woods. Both the findings and the withering criticism that followed were unsparing. “Hillary Clinton broke the rules” blared USA Today; “Hillary Clinton, Drowning in Email” declared The New York Times; “Clinton’s inexcusable, willful disregard for the rules” chastised the Washington Post — all left-of-center editorial boards that usually reserve this kind of venom for Republicans.

Setting aside Clinton’s inappropriate conduct, the selection of Biden faces other obstacles. His penchant for cringe-inducing and offensive gaffes is legendary. In the year of the outsider, he’s the consummate insider, having been a Washington politician since the Nixon administration. As President Obama’s second-in-command for the last eight years, he can easily be tagged with many of the glaring failures of the current administration.

But none of the other Democratic vice presidential candidates under consideration would make the cut. With her Native American and house-flipping scandals, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has more baggage than a carousel at Logan Airport. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia is an uninspiring white guy in a party obsessed with gender and racial politics. Despite an appealing resume, it’s become increasingly clear that 41-year-old Julian Castro, the current secretary of Housing and Urban Development, isn’t ready for prime time and is distrusted by some vocal members of the party’s left wing.

The elevation of Biden following a Clinton indictment would mark a storied bookend to a long political career. Like Clinton, Biden’s pursuit of the presidency stretches back decades, having launched two ill-fated bids of his own in 1988 and 2008. Biden and Clinton also have struggled to adjust to the new left-ward bent of the Democratic Party, particularly with the Warren-led Occupy Wall Street crowd, who view them as too cozy with the banks.

But at the peak of Clinton’s struggles last year, the “Draft Biden” cries rang loud and clear through Democratic circles. The vice president himself stoked the flames by making it clear he was seriously considering throwing his hat in the ring.

After the first Democratic debate and her appearance at the Benghazi committee last October, Clinton temporarily righted the ship, and Biden formally withdrew his name from consideration.

But with the political world crashing down around Clinton yet again, Joe Biden could be one person to save the Democratic Party from itself.

Colin Reed was Scott Brown’s campaign manager, and is now the executive director of America Rising PAC, a Republican research and communications firm.