The White House is grappling with a whisper campaign about President Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection prospects as his poll numbers slide and record-high inflation and supply chain kinks persist.
But the circular firing squad, which has become commonplace in Democratic politics, is likely to exacerbate what history dictates will be a difficult midterm election cycle for the party.
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Democratic strategist Stefan Hankin ripped the intraparty fracas as unhelpful, describing it as “very typical of Democrats.”
“We’re terrible at this,” he said. “We cannot actually win elections if our life depended on it.”
Hankin attributed the chatter to Biden’s below-40% average approval ratings and more liberal Democrats being disappointed with his progress in areas such as climate, immigration, and student loan debt forgiveness. Far-left Democrats declined to comment when the Washington Examiner reached out for their perspective.
“If we divide behind him, then we’re not going to win,” Hankin said. “If I’m picking a flag-bearer of the party off the bat, am I picking an 80-plus-year-old white guy? Probably not, but this is who is at the top of the party right now, and we’ve got to stick behind him in order to have a chance at success.”
Hankin did downplay the importance of firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) not endorsing Biden for 2024 in comments over the weekend. Hankin said he would be more worried if a centrist Democrat expressed concern given the liberal tactic of pressuring Biden regarding the coalition’s priorities.
A separate Democratic strategist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, reiterated that he had no personal ill feelings toward Biden but is “ready for change” based on Democratic leadership being “older,” “white,” “weak,” and “out of touch.”
“I don’t know whether or not Joe Biden’s the right candidate in 2024,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like he’s meeting the moment.”
The strategist, who does not agree the House Jan. 6 committee or pro-abortion Roe v. Wade rollback will energize Democrats, applied the same logic to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), whose aides circulated a memo in April in which they indicated he “has not ruled out” another bid if Biden does.
One problem for Democrats is the chaos of a primary and a possible repeat of 2020’s clown car-esque iteration, particularly if opponent former President Donald Trump enters the race as well.
“The challenge, I think, is the party’s bench is not all that strong,” the strategist said. “I just don’t think there’s a natural candidate in the wings there, but also, primaries create those candidates.”
“Biden probably is the best Democrat for 2024 because if he doesn’t run, there will be a dozen or more Democrats vying for the nomination,” the Brookings Institution’s governance studies director, Darrell West, countered. “It becomes completely unpredictable who comes out of a crowded primary field, and it may be someone who would not be the best nominee in November.”
West remained unconvinced Biden’s age would be a consideration in 2024 since Trump will only be slightly younger than Biden’s 81. Biden would be 82 at his hypothetical next inauguration and would be 86 when he left office.
But West lacks support from other voices, such as former Obama adviser David Axelrod and David Gergen, who worked for former Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton.
“The presidency is a monstrously taxing job, and the stark reality is the president would be closer to 90 than 80 at the end of a second term, and that would be a major issue,” Axelrod told the New York Times last weekend.
“I think people like Biden and Trump ought to both step back and leave open the door to younger people,” Gergen added on PBS last month.
A Democratic Senate staffer involved in a competitive November campaign reminded her party it had more immediate items with which it needed to contend if it hopes to hold on to congressional power.
“I’m not sure everyday people are thinking about a presidential reelect in 2024 when they’re experiencing higher costs for food and groceries right now,” she said.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre similarly dismissed 2024 speculation, insisting Biden will contest another cycle.
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“The president, as you know, has been asked that question many times, and he has answered it,” she said during Monday’s briefing. “His answer has been pretty simple, which is yes, he’s running for reelection.”
