My word.
I stand corrected
I thought there was no way for Joe Biden to be replaced on the ticket. It’s too late in the calendar. Biden has the pledged delegates required, and the Democrats seemed poised to make it official in a virtual roll call vote as early as mid-July. Then, Joe Biden got run over by a tank driven by Donald Trump in the first debate, sparking a meltdown among Democrats indeed not seen since 2016—and it might be worse.
Yet, as we’ve entered the early morning hours here, it seems clear there is a concerted and aggressive push to get Joe Biden to step down. The Camp David weekend chat with his family of psychopaths—Jill, the power clinger, and Hunter, the money-grubber—did little to dissuade a significant core of the Democratic Party from backing off their pressure campaign to force Biden off the ticket. Hunter is the godfather of poor decision-making, and Jill is Lady Macbeth—I get how little their talk with Joe reassured the party brass and donor base.
The blood is in the water, and to add more heavyweight names to join the ‘leave now Joe’ camp, former President Barack Obama is weighing in again, reportedly telling allies that Joe’s path to 270 has been severely degraded due to last week’s disastrous debate (via WaPo):
Former president Barack Obama has privately told allies who have reached out to him that President Biden’s already-tough path to reelection grew more challenging after his shaky debate performance on Thursday — a harsher assessment of the presidential race than his public comments, according to several people familiar with his remarks.
[…]
Obama has long harbored worries about his party defeating Donald Trump in November, repeatedly warning Biden in recent months about how challenging it will be to win reelection. Just before the debate, Obama conveyed to allies his concerns about the state of the race.
[…]
But for months, Obama has shared with Biden and friends his deep concerns about Trump’s political strengths and the real possibility he is reelected in November. In December, during a private lunch at the White House, Obama discussed the need for Biden to empower his campaign apparatus, suggesting he install a more senior level decision-maker at the Wilmington headquarters. The next month, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon and Mike Donilon left the White House to serve as campaign chair and chief strategist, respectively.
Last June, Obama outlined Trump’s political strengths during a private lunch with Biden, telling him that Trump benefited from an intensely loyal following, a Trump-friendly conservative media ecosystem and a deeply polarized country.
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Don’t let the peppering of support fool you: as a loyal Democrat and colleague, Obama must do this, per tradition. But it’s clear he’s on board with a change.
The same goes for Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), who arguably saved Biden’s 2020 campaign by shoring up support in his state’s primary that cycle. He outright said he’d back Kamala Harris should Biden step aside.
[Theme from Jaws] https://t.co/aHpjXqJU5z
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) July 2, 2024
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) July 3, 2024
Twenty-five House Democrats prepare to call for Biden to end re-election effort: report https://t.co/yt0cpLnvZr pic.twitter.com/jGsGqSUFWb
— New York Post (@nypost) July 3, 2024
Obama never wanted his VP to be president, and last Thursday night appears to be the straw that broke the camel’s back for most. There are down-ballot races that must also be considered—Biden is now radioactive regarding his approval rating and how many think he’s too old to run. There isn’t a single battleground state where he’s now beating Trump, and the bleeding has leeched into states that weren’t on the map not long ago: Maine and New Hampshire are leaning toward Trump.
.@RepMikeQuigley to @kasie on Biden
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) July 2, 2024
"It's his decision. I just want him to appreciate at this time just how much it impacts not just his race, but all of the other races coming in November ... it wasn't just a horrible night."
pic.twitter.com/WFFM7BAy2Q
What happened to this @tammybaldwin? https://t.co/60AHJJYjmh pic.twitter.com/RmbJCRv6b1
— Eric Hovde (@EricHovde) July 2, 2024
Former Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) says if President Biden doesn't step down from the Democratic nomination, "it will be brutal" for down-ballot Democrats. Ryan tells @chueyburns that incumbent Democrats seeking reelection, like Sens. Brown, Tester and Casey, will be hung "out to dry." pic.twitter.com/q0Hdeg8OMj
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 2, 2024
CNN’s Jamie Gangel said that 'Biden replacement theory' is no longer some Democratic Party coping/venting exercise—“the dam is breaking.”
🚨CNN On Biden Replacement: “The dam is breaking."
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) July 3, 2024
Sounds like the Biden Clan is about to be under heavy siege from the Party Machine, if they aren’t already.
Jamie Gangel: "I think it's fair to say the dam is breaking. Top Democratic Party leaders, this includes former and… pic.twitter.com/d2hm66Loxm
“I think it's fair to say the dam is breaking, she said to CNN’s Anderson Cooper last night. “Top Democratic Party leaders, this includes former and present administration officials, as well as major party donors, are now saying out loud what we've been hearing privately for days.”
She made the same point with Jake Tapper. Meanwhile, Democratic Party strategists, like James Carville, have barked that Biden needs to go ASAP:
James Carville goes off on CNN, demands Joe Biden be pulled from the ticket: pic.twitter.com/08JnZ4bbcg
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 2, 2024
Sounds like a discussion inside the cockpit of a Boeing 737 https://t.co/TPNNE3wIku
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) July 3, 2024
Has it been decided already? Will Biden get the boot this week? It’s a bit odd that for a man who is supposedly mentally sharp, agile, and gunning for a fight, he’s not fighting like hell for his political life, slapping down those within the party to assert his leadership and command of the situation. It seems Biden hasn’t talked to anyone in congressional leadership. It all points to maybe he knows he can’t do this anymore.
Are there not phones at Camp David?
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) July 2, 2024
Pelosi says Biden hasn’t called her either.
"No, I haven't spoke to him since the debate."
pic.twitter.com/dgSzC2PZ9b
NEW: President Biden called Rep. Hakeem Jeffries today, the leader of House Democrats, according to a person briefed on the call
— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) July 3, 2024
Further chaos could reign down on the Democratic Party this week; if it does, it will be exceptionally messy. It’s been days since his drubbing on CNN by Trump. It’s all anyone can think about concerning Biden and executive function. Is he capable? Based on reports last night and throughout the weekend, only Hunter and Jill seem to think so.
I wouldn't be surprised if a reshuffle occurs this week. Katie will have more on that later this morning.
***
Whoever it is, the names you've heard still get beat by Trump in the polls.
I’m not a political scientist but it doesn’t seem very clear that any of these potential Biden replacements would actually fare better than he is once they begin receiving the scrutiny a presidential candidate receives. 1-2 point improvements pre-scrutiny? Not that persuasive. https://t.co/PKSFJWcw6R
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) July 2, 2024
Also, this sounds like chaos: the proposed plan should Biden get the boot, which is to open it up to everyone, have a speed-dating-like primary, have some debates between now and August, and let the final decision come on the convention floor.
Some Democratic party sources are "already floating the idea of opening it up to all contenders, having, let's call it a five-week speed-dating primary, maybe having debates between now and the convention, and then leaving it up to the convention." pic.twitter.com/Jc8Zm2nvSu
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 3, 2024
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