He might be one of the only contributors on CNN who has a higher percentage of telling it as it is despite his unabashed liberal roots. Van Jones isn’t perfect, of course. He’s dropped some terrible takes regarding the political landscape, like describing the 2016 election as a “whitelash.” But he’s also not one to hold his fire when Democrats are a mess. He might have been one of the few who warned his party that their supposed blue wall could be shattered in 2016. Trump did that. While it wouldn’t be shocking in the least if he votes for Biden in 2024, he’s not happy about it. He was saying what was on of all our minds regarding the president: Grandpa is too old.
Ed at Hot Air had this post first, but Jones is correct that most voters don’t want this guy for another term. Even Democratic voters say he’s too old to do the job, a data point so universal that the liberal media can’t bury it anymore:
VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: If Jim Messina says that we’re bedwetters, invest in Pampers and Depends because a lot of people are terrified that Joe Biden is in real trouble and that you can’t talk about it. So, that’s what’s going on.
Listen, Jim is right, anybody who wants to argue against Jim Messina is going to waste their time. He’s got to have the right numbers, the right data. And it may, in fact, be true that a year from now things look very different because there’s been a year of a real campaign and all this kind of stuff.
But right now, today, I think a lot of Democrats look at these numbers and say, the whispers are finally showing up in this data. People are talking behind their hand. They worry about Joe Biden. Joe Biden’s like that grandpa that you love, that you believe in, you owe a lot, but you start to wonder, you know, would you give this grandpa a high- stress job for six more years or would you want something else for him? That’s what’s being talked about. And people are scared to come out and talk – and say anything about it.
But I think it’s important for us to have this conversation now. I think this may be the bottom for Joe Biden. He may go up as the economy improves. But right now the economy is getting better and fears about the economy are getting worse.
On the “bedwetters” reference, this week, Jim Messina, Obama’s 2012 campaign manager, told Democrats to relax, adding that no matter who the Republican nominee is, 2024 will be a close election. And to liberal America’s dismay, added that Donald Trump can win next year (via Politico):
Every day, it seems, there’s new fodder for Democrats looking to freak out about President JOE BIDEN’s reelection prospects: Sagging public views of the economy. Persistent voter concerns about Biden’s age. And erosion in the president’s standing among key minority groups, to name a few.
The man who put the last Democratic president back into the White House — JIM MESSINA, manager of BARACK OBAMA’s 2012 reelect — is back with a reassuring message for his fellow Dems, delivered in a new 22-slide presentation exclusively obtained by Playbook: Relax.
We caught up with Messina last night, and he made it clear he doesn’t see the election through rose-colored glasses. Multiple times he pointed out that (1) no matter who the Republican is, it’ll be a close election and (2) the most likely GOP nominee, DONALD TRUMP, has a strong base and can absolutely win.
But the deck makes a compelling, data-driven case that the sky isn’t falling just yet — with one major caveat, which we’ll get to in a moment.
“I thought it was important to say to my friends and clients and other people, let’s just take a step back and try to be really number-specific and really sort of who has what cards in their poker hand,” Messina told Playbook. “And you would just rather be Joe Biden than Donald Trump.”
“Historically, we’re fucking bedwetters,” he added. “We grew up in the ’80s and ’90s when Republicans won elections all the time. Democrats had their hearts deeply broken when HILLARY [CLINTON] lost and people didn’t see that coming. And so, you know, we continually believe every bad thing people say.”
He’s right that it’s too early for anyone to start making final projections, but Biden’s foundation for a 2024 run isn’t stable. He’s heading into his re-election as one of the weakest incumbents in years. There’s plenty of time between now and Election Day, but will that void be filled with news that helps the aging Delaware liberal or add weight to the considerable baggage he’s already carrying concerning failed promises, a lackluster economy, and high inflation? For now, Democrats are stuck with Biden.
In the past 24 hours Van Jones, Jake Tapper, James Carville, and Erin Burnett have all trashed Biden's reelection bid. The DNC has officially put a hit out on Biden and as always, they're using their media hitmen to whack the target. Dude is FINISHED.
— Jimmy Failla (@jimmyfailla) September 8, 2023