Tipsheet

Did Any Democrat Come to the Defense of Joe Biden Today?

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  July 07, 2024 12:45 PM

‘Not good, but not terrible’ is how you could best describe Joe Biden’s ABC News interview if you’re trying to spin it. It was an all-around trainwreck that did little to persuade those Democrats who want to boot the president from the ticket or have us move on from the apparent mental decline we’ve seen over the past few years. The president’s steep denial that he’s losing to Donald Trump sent shockwaves through the party. Even the most ardent Biden supporter knows he’s down against the former president in crucial must-win states.

There’s going to be discussions about what to do. When big donors start revolting, there will be talks, especially among Hill Democrats, who are the most vocal about wanting Biden to step aside. As Rebecca wrote earlier this morning, Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), a staunch Biden supporter and someone who single-handedly saved his 2020 campaign, abruptly canceled his interview with CBS’s Face the Nation today. And Fox News host Shannon Bream said that for days, they’ve reached out to Biden surrogates, allies, and other Democrats and invited them to defend Joe Biden on the air—none would do so:

I guess the talking points need to be refined. Even Rep. Adam Schiff’s (D-CA) take on the race post-ABC News interview wasn’t a ringing endorsement of Biden. Biden was asked how he would feel if he lost to Trump, and he said he’d be fine with it, but only if he knew he had done his best or something. Certainly, this is not what the part wanted to hear or what the donor base, which is already looking to get rid of this guy. 

Schiff carefully framed that frustration. 

Everyone knows what would be asked of them, and the answer and spin aren’t good enough. Much like Joe Biden’s presidency.