Democratic insiders say Biden’s crisis response almost as bad as debate
Campaign
Democratic strategists and party insiders believe that President Biden's handling of the fallout from his recent debate performance may be just as detrimental to his chances against former President Trump in November as the debate itself. They contend that the narrative surrounding his candidacy is unlikely to shift without a drastic move, such as Biden stepping aside from the race—a sentiment echoed by a significant number of Democratic senators and representatives.
Past missteps from Biden, including gaffes at the NATO summit and during interviews with George Stephanopoulos and Black Entertainment Television, combined with dwindling support from media figures like MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and growing discord within the Democratic Party, have solidified doubts about Biden's viability against Trump. Increasing pessimism about his candidacy has sparked renewed calls among Democratic lawmakers for him to withdraw to prevent a potential disaster in November. Strategists warn that if Biden remains in the race beyond this weekend, these calls will only intensify, and his fundraising efforts—which have already suffered significantly this month—may continue to decline, further complicating his efforts to regain ground in the polls.
A Democratic strategist close to a critic of Biden's campaign remarked that the Biden team has not effectively articulated a clear path to victory. “What everyone is saying is that we need to see more, and frankly, the past two weeks have been even worse than the debate itself because there's been no plan or execution,” the strategist said. Although Biden appeared to start the race as an underdog, his chances diminished following the debate and the recent assassination attempt on Trump, which seemed to galvanize Republican support.
The strategist expressed concerns about funding, noting that not only major contributors are scaling back support for Biden, but grassroots online donations are also stagnating. Democratic senators and House members reported that Biden's interview with Stephanopoulos after the debate failed to sway opinions and featured several awkward moments, including his uncertainty about whether he had watched the debate and his avoidance of questions regarding undergoing an independent cognitive evaluation.
At the NATO summit, Biden mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” and incorrectly called Vice President Harris “Vice President Trump.” In a separate interview, he struggled to recall Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s name. According to the strategist, Biden has been unable to shift the negative perceptions surrounding his candidacy over the past three weeks, with many concluding he cannot win.
Democratic senators emerged from a recent meeting with Biden campaign officials feeling unconvinced by their arguments for the president’s continued candidacy. Despite the campaign’s reassurances about competitiveness in battleground states and a tied national poll, subsequent polling has painted a bleaker picture for Biden. A recent AP/NORC poll found two-thirds of Democrats believe he should withdraw, and a CBS News/YouGov poll indicated Trump has a five-point national lead over Biden.
Another veteran Democratic strategist noted that Biden's political standing has been deteriorating daily as support among lawmakers and donors for his campaign wanes. This source indicated that the fallout following the debate is increasingly viewed as worse than the debate itself, citing a growing frequency of Biden’s verbal missteps.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) remarked on Friday that Biden is contemplating who might be the strongest candidate against Trump, asserting that the president is actively considering what is best for the party's future. While pointing to Biden's leadership during the NATO summit and campaign efforts, Coons dismissed criticisms about Biden's capability to lead.
However, Biden's attempts to recover from his recent missteps have not gone as planned. He found himself in a contentious exchange with Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) over concerns about his age and fitness for office, during which he expressed his irritation. In another interview, he vented frustrations at perceived media bias, particularly regarding his performance during the debate, while attempting to shift focus back to Trump's inaccuracies.
Despite holding several campaign events, Biden has not fully engaged in unscripted, spontaneous encounters as critics had hoped. After days of deliberation, Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) concluded that Biden is “no longer the best person” to convince voters against Trump or Republican control of Congress, echoing the sentiments of three Democratic senators and over thirty House members who have now publicly called for Biden to withdraw from the race.
Biden is currently isolating in Delaware after testing positive for COVID-19 following an event in Las Vegas, adding yet another layer of complication to his campaign.
Past missteps from Biden, including gaffes at the NATO summit and during interviews with George Stephanopoulos and Black Entertainment Television, combined with dwindling support from media figures like MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and growing discord within the Democratic Party, have solidified doubts about Biden's viability against Trump. Increasing pessimism about his candidacy has sparked renewed calls among Democratic lawmakers for him to withdraw to prevent a potential disaster in November. Strategists warn that if Biden remains in the race beyond this weekend, these calls will only intensify, and his fundraising efforts—which have already suffered significantly this month—may continue to decline, further complicating his efforts to regain ground in the polls.
A Democratic strategist close to a critic of Biden's campaign remarked that the Biden team has not effectively articulated a clear path to victory. “What everyone is saying is that we need to see more, and frankly, the past two weeks have been even worse than the debate itself because there's been no plan or execution,” the strategist said. Although Biden appeared to start the race as an underdog, his chances diminished following the debate and the recent assassination attempt on Trump, which seemed to galvanize Republican support.
The strategist expressed concerns about funding, noting that not only major contributors are scaling back support for Biden, but grassroots online donations are also stagnating. Democratic senators and House members reported that Biden's interview with Stephanopoulos after the debate failed to sway opinions and featured several awkward moments, including his uncertainty about whether he had watched the debate and his avoidance of questions regarding undergoing an independent cognitive evaluation.
At the NATO summit, Biden mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin” and incorrectly called Vice President Harris “Vice President Trump.” In a separate interview, he struggled to recall Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s name. According to the strategist, Biden has been unable to shift the negative perceptions surrounding his candidacy over the past three weeks, with many concluding he cannot win.
Democratic senators emerged from a recent meeting with Biden campaign officials feeling unconvinced by their arguments for the president’s continued candidacy. Despite the campaign’s reassurances about competitiveness in battleground states and a tied national poll, subsequent polling has painted a bleaker picture for Biden. A recent AP/NORC poll found two-thirds of Democrats believe he should withdraw, and a CBS News/YouGov poll indicated Trump has a five-point national lead over Biden.
Another veteran Democratic strategist noted that Biden's political standing has been deteriorating daily as support among lawmakers and donors for his campaign wanes. This source indicated that the fallout following the debate is increasingly viewed as worse than the debate itself, citing a growing frequency of Biden’s verbal missteps.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) remarked on Friday that Biden is contemplating who might be the strongest candidate against Trump, asserting that the president is actively considering what is best for the party's future. While pointing to Biden's leadership during the NATO summit and campaign efforts, Coons dismissed criticisms about Biden's capability to lead.
However, Biden's attempts to recover from his recent missteps have not gone as planned. He found himself in a contentious exchange with Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) over concerns about his age and fitness for office, during which he expressed his irritation. In another interview, he vented frustrations at perceived media bias, particularly regarding his performance during the debate, while attempting to shift focus back to Trump's inaccuracies.
Despite holding several campaign events, Biden has not fully engaged in unscripted, spontaneous encounters as critics had hoped. After days of deliberation, Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) concluded that Biden is “no longer the best person” to convince voters against Trump or Republican control of Congress, echoing the sentiments of three Democratic senators and over thirty House members who have now publicly called for Biden to withdraw from the race.
Biden is currently isolating in Delaware after testing positive for COVID-19 following an event in Las Vegas, adding yet another layer of complication to his campaign.