There were two peculiar events before Joe Biden decided to drop out of the 2024 race. The media and donors besieged the president, along with Hill Democrats, leading to the dam breaking during the Republican National Convention. One underreported thing was that the Biden campaign was struggling to raise money; the other part of that disastrous Nevada trip where Biden contracted COVID.
He had met with his money man, Jeffrey Katzenberg, about the finances, which wasn’t good. Katzenberg tried to deny it, saying they’ll raise the funds to win, but, when pressed further, redirected all further inquiries to the Biden campaign, which refused to comment. With a slew of fundraisers being canceled, Jill Biden had planned on absconding to France to beg for money (via Politico):
SCOOPLET: As the Biden campaign’s fundraising reportedly dries up, Jill Biden is headlining an Olympics-themed Biden Victory Fund fundraiser Thursday in Paris, according to an invitation sent out this morning that I obtained. https://t.co/wkf8SPxCLs pic.twitter.com/jE7OPCJlns
— Daniel Lippman (@dlippman) July 19, 2024
As the Biden campaign’s fundraising reportedly dries up, JILL BIDEN is headlining an Olympics-themed Biden Victory Fund fundraiser Thursday in Paris, according to an invitation sent out this morning that Daniel Lippman obtained. Amounts include $500 to be a guest, $1,000 to be a “qualifier,” $3,300 to be a “torchbearer,” $6,600 for a “bronze,” $10,000 to write/raise for a “silver” and $25,000 to write/raise for a “gold.” The first lady is leading the U.S. delegation to the Olympics, and the event is the campaign’s first fundraiser in Europe.
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Second, on July 20, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who increased the pressure on Biden to drop out behind the scenes, attended a North Carolina Democratic Party Unity Dinner, and Joe Biden, the top of the party ticket then at the time, was conspicuously absent (via WRAL):
Pelosi delivers speech to NC Democrats with notable absence — Biden's future as nominee https://t.co/iIPcrjreAD
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 21, 2024
Stage set for @NCDemParty’s Unity Dinner in downtown Raleigh — featuring Gov. Roy Cooper, Josh Stein, & keynote speaker is former Speaker Nancy Pelosi who has been major part of negotiations amid national conversation over Biden and 2024 race #ncpol @ABC11_WTVD pic.twitter.com/Xnhs6LlLhp
— Tom George (@TheTomGeorge) July 20, 2024
North Carolina Democrats and former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shied away from the greatest source of disunity — President Joe Biden's status as the party's presumptive nominee — during Saturday's "Unity Dinner," instead focusing their ire towards Republicans and attempting to rally their own party.
Biden's name was not mentioned often and the controversy over his candidacy was not mentioned at all from the main stage, even if it was the topic of conversation in the halls. Biden appeared in a short video early in the event that highlighted his accomplishments as president.
[…]
The annual event, a fundraiser that in presidential years serves as a sort of pre-convention kickoff and get-out-the-vote bonanza, turned out more than 900 Democrats at the Raleigh Convention Center on Saturday.
Pelosi, Saturday's keynote speaker, is in the thick of a push to convince Biden to abandon his reelection bid following a halting debate performance last month and polling that suggests he has fallen behind Republican Donald Trump jeopardizing Democrats' chances in the House and Senate.
Pelosi, one of the most influential figures in modern Democratic politics, has been privately telling Biden that he'll lose and also hurt Democrats' chances to take back control of the House if he doesn’t step away from the 2024 race, the Associated Press reported. Biden has remained adamant that he will not step aside.
Whatever her impact or influence on that decision, it went unremarked Saturday.
[…]
After the dinner on Saturday, another reminder of division within the Democratic Party loomed: Dozens of Pro-Palestinian protesters outside the convention center called out Democrats over the Israel war in Gaza. Democrats have been divided over Biden's response to the attack on Israel by Hamas in October.
That’s right; I forgot the pro-Hamas sect is still causing trouble. The next day, Biden dropped out. One of the faces of the Democratic Party decided to eschew the president. Yes, it’s a sore subject, one that could bring disunity. Still, one could look at it with the sense that Pelosi knew the old man was getting the boot, so we might as well focus on mobilizing the party, which provides the perfect whitewash of her part in this plot against Biden.
Kamala Harris now intends to run in Joe’s place. Meet the old candidate, the same as the new candidate.
Last Note: Did Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) know Joe was going?
NEW: Sherrod Brown was caught on camera earlier today committing to endorse Kamala Harris for President. pic.twitter.com/4Z8OtNNEwF
— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) July 21, 2024
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