Staff Reports
President Joe Biden is scrambling to convince Democratic power players that his age and frequent blunders shouldn’t disqualify him from the 2024 ticket, but he’s running out of time. Fresh off campaign stops and a weekend at Camp David, Biden returned to D.C. facing mounting calls from his own party to step aside in favor of younger, more dynamic figures like Kamala Harris or Gavin Newsom.
Democratic strategists, already uneasy about Biden’s age, now grapple with the unpopularity of his potential successors. Sure, a new CNN poll has Kamala Harris doing slightly better than Biden in a head-to-head against Donald Trump, but she too trails behind the former president. How’s that for a confidence booster?
A seasoned Democratic operative admitted that Biden’s debate performance was a disaster. Isolating him from scrutiny about his age and health has only amplified concerns. Now, Biden has to convince both donors and voters that he can finish what he started—a tall order for a man who can barely finish a sentence without stumbling. There’s less than four months until the election, and even less time before the convention in August. Good luck convincing the base that Harris or any other last-minute replacement can swing back undecideds or independents from the looming specter of Trump.
This isn’t Biden’s first rodeo with controversy. Remember his 1988 campaign’s plagiarism and academic fraud fiasco? A presidency built on a shaky foundation tends to wobble when the winds of scrutiny blow hardest.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tried to chalk up Biden’s debate flubs to a mild cold, comparing him to Obama’s poor first debate in 2012. Just a bad night, she says. Yet, Biden’s Fourth of July weekend is packed with damage control: meetings with Democratic governors, an interview with ABC, and campaign stops. That’s some serious triage work for a mere “cold.”
President Joe Biden is doing damage control with Democratic power players following the first 2024 presidential debate, but he is quickly running out of time to tamp down the momentum to replace him atop the Democratic ticket. https://t.co/PvW3dcGh8e
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 3, 2024
Biden’s frantic outreach to top Democrats reeks of desperation. Calls to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Sen. Chris Coons, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer are just top of the list. And let’s not forget his chat with Rep. Jim Clyburn, the kingmaker of his 2020 run, who now stands ready to toss his support behind Harris if Biden falters.
With an in-person and digital meeting with Democratic governors looming, Biden faces an uphill struggle to reassure skeptical donors and voters. Despite the White House’s vigorous denials, internal memos and secretive staff calls signal a crisis mode administration worried about an ever-widening gap between Biden and Trump in the polls.
While Biden’s top staff urge unity and pride in past accomplishments, the campaign’s internal polling shows Biden slipping after the debate, although still hanging on by a thread against Trump. Upcoming polls are predicted to show an even bleaker outlook, according to a leaked campaign memo. Even as Jen O’Malley Dillon and Julie Chavez Rodriguez try to manage expectations, it’s clear the Biden camp is bracing for a protracted battle.
As for Kamala Harris, she’s been traveling through Nevada, Utah, and California, far from the D.C. drama. White House officials couldn’t confirm if she’s spoken to Biden since the debacle, but they’re scheduled for a private lunch. One can only imagine the strained conversation over that meal.
