Thursday night was an absolutely disastrous debate performance for President Joe Biden, though he and his campaign of course tried to make excuses about how he did. Even Biden's fellow Democrats have reportedly acknowledged the disaster, and whether he'll step aside has certainly been a hot topic of conversation. The president actually earned some primary challengers this cycle, and not just Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has since switched to running as an Independent. There was also Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who has before pointed to voters' concerns about Biden. He's been rather quiet in recent days, except for a post on Friday morning.
"Speak only if it improves upon the silence," Phillips posted, quoting Mahatma Gandhi. Notably, his pinned post, from when he dropped out in March after Super Tuesday, is his endorsement of Biden.
Speak only if it improves upon the silence. -Gandhi
— Dean Phillips (@deanbphillips) June 28, 2024
Meanwhile, one of Phillips' endorsers, Andrew Yang, who ran against Biden in the 2020 primary, was a lot more clear in his views about how the debate went.
Look I debated Joe 7 times in 2020. He’s a different guy in 2024. #swapJoeout
— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) June 28, 2024
What’s Joe Biden’s superpower? That he’s a good guy who will do the right thing for the country. In this case, that’s stepping aside and letting the DNC choose another nominee. #swapJoeout
— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) June 28, 2024
Democrats who are afraid to broach the subject of Joe stepping aside are failing the country. #swapJoeout
— Andrew Yang🧢⬆️🇺🇸 (@AndrewYang) June 28, 2024
Phillips' other recent posts about the race have mostly challenged the president to do more. While Phillips' June 20 post--his most recent one otherwise--highlights how the Senate races in battleground states look good for Democrats--that poll from Emerson is still better news for former and potentially future President Donald Trump. He's leading in all battleground states, and even tied with Biden in Phillips' state of Minnesota.
A post from June 18 also pointed out how a recent poll out of Iowa, once a battleground state but no longer, has Trump up by 18 points. "The shift is real, & transcends identity & ideology. On June 27, Biden must present a vision for the future and clear strategies to secure our borders, fix immigration, lower the cost of living, end wars, & restore peace," Phillips argued, referring to the debate.
Latest Emerson battleground poll indicates a material number of Trump voters favor Democrats for Senate.
— Dean Phillips (@deanbphillips) June 20, 2024
AZ: Trump +4 • Gallego +4
GA: Trump +4 • (n/a)
MN: Even • Klobuchar +11
MI: Trump +1 • Slotkin +4
NV: Trump +3 • Rosen +12
PA: Trump +2 • Casey +6
WI: Trump +3…
In 2020, Ann Seltzer’s poll had Trump up in Iowa by 7 points. (He won by 8.)
— Dean Phillips (@deanbphillips) June 18, 2024
Today, it has Trump up by 18 points.
The shift is real, & transcends identity & ideology. On June 27, Biden must present a vision for the future and clear strategies to secure our borders, fix… https://t.co/XEk5AvmjYS
In his Friday morning take about the debate, Cygnal's Brent Buchanan referenced a headline from CNN, which hosted the debate, "We are f***ed": Democrats despair over Biden debate performance."
"Democrats deserve this despondence," Buchanan noted, adding the "Democrats had a chance to replace Biden in the primaries. They could have aired all this proof (which we now know WAS real after last night) that he's incoherent. He could have been forced to step aside. It's too late now - Dems are stuck with Kamala if they pull the fire alarm."
Meanwhile, when it comes to those who have expressed concern for Biden and want him to drop out, the president still remains committed to staying in the race and even participating in the September debate.
Publicly, Democratic leadership looks to be standing by to defend the president, at least for now.
Phillips was once a member of House leadership, as a co-chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, though he gave that up when running against Biden. He's also not running for reelection.
NEW, as just reported on @CNN: Not only does @POTUS not plan to drop out, Biden remains committed to a second debate in September, an adviser tells me
— Kayla Tausche (@kaylatausche) June 28, 2024
Dem leaders not planning a direct intervention to press Joe Biden to drop out of the race after his widely panned debate performance last night, per multiple Dem sources.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 28, 2024
At least not yet.
Dems want to let the dust settle with the public and assess the strength of Biden’s…
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