Top Democrats upset about Biden’s debate performance after private call.
After Joe Biden’s lackluster debate performance, a sense of concern is brewing within the higher echelons of the Democratic Party. There are worries that the leadership of Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) are not taking the repercussions of the debate seriously enough.
Jamie Harrison, the DNC Chairman, and Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden’s campaign manager, held a call on Saturday with numerous committee members nationwide, encompassing some of the party’s most influential figures. However, they seemed to downplay Biden’s weak showing in the debate and the subsequent wave of criticism.
Several committee members, speaking anonymously, expressed feeling gaslighted during the call. They felt like they were being asked to overlook the severity of the party’s current situation. This, in turn, exacerbated a sense of panic among elected officials, donors, and other stakeholders.
Rather than addressing the critical issues at hand, Harrison offered an optimistic outlook on Biden’s future. The chat function was disabled during the call, and questions were not allowed. Joe Salazar, an elected DNC member from Colorado, expressed disappointment in the lack of substantial discussion during the call.
Many donors, party strategists, and DNC members, both publicly and privately, have been advocating for Biden to step down and make room for a younger replacement at the Democratic National Convention in August. However, Biden’s closest allies maintain that he is in a strong position to compete against Donald Trump and show no sign of pressuring him to abandon his campaign.
Individuals who could potentially replace Biden, such as Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, reaffirmed their support for Biden post-debate.
Post-debate polling conducted by CNN and 538/Ipsos revealed that while most viewers felt Trump outperformed Biden, their favorability ratings remained largely unchanged. Similarly, their ratings did not shift significantly following Trump’s conviction on charges related to the 2016 election.
Following the DNC call, Harrison attempted to downplay its significance by describing it as a routine communication to discuss the state of the race and the upcoming national convention with elected DNC members nationwide.
In the days following the debate, Biden and his campaign have been projecting confidence. Despite concerns about Biden’s physical and mental acuity, he delivered a performance marked by stumbling speech, uncomfortable pauses, and a soft-spoken manner that was at times challenging to understand.
In response, Jen O’Malley Dillon, a senior advisor to the Biden campaign, released a memo asserting that the debate had little impact on the election. She emphasized that data indicated no shift in public perception and that supporters remain highly motivated.
On the same day, Biden engaged in fundraising events in the Hamptons, reassuring donors by highlighting Trump’s falsehoods during the debate. Harrison echoed this sentiment during the DNC call, emphasizing Biden’s ability to rise after being knocked down.
Ultimately, the fallout from the debate has sparked discussions within the Democratic Party about the feasibility of continuing with Biden as the nominee. Despite efforts to maintain a united front, the growing sentiment among party members reflects a need for a reassessment of the current candidate.
