There are three different routes Democratic megadonors are considering to handle Joe Biden after his weak debate performance in Georgia on Thursday.
Much of the debate since the weekend has focused on the Biden family, who gathered at Camp David to discuss their patriarch’s political future.
The family has offered their unequivocal support for the president and even wondered how they can get more involved, and his troubled son Hunter insists that his father fight to get back into the race.
However, many have begun playing the blame game, citing poor debate preparation by Biden’s advisers to face Donald Trump and time is of the essence as Democrats panic over their drop in the polls after Atlanta. .
Democratic donors, former and current Washington power players and Biden supporters have seemingly coalesced around three different paths they could take for the rest of this election season, knowing that there is only one person who will decide the fate of the campaign.
There are three different paths that big Democratic donors are considering for how to handle Joe Biden after his weak performance in Thursday’s debate in Georgia.
Many of the president’s wealthiest supporters believe that while Thursday was a disaster, there isn’t much they can do if Biden doesn’t make the decision himself.
“The smart thing to do is to think about how you[as influential outsiders]operate, assuming there’s no change,” said Dmitri Mehlhorn, who organizes wealthy Biden boosters such as LinkedIn CEO Reid Hoffman. cnn.
“And if there’s no change, if Biden wants to remain president, then any kind of pressure campaign is just a waste of time, energy, effort and money,” added Melhorn, who admitted that much of the debate was “very disturbing to watch.”
Signum Global Advisors chairman and top Democratic donor Charles Myers immediately dismissed the idea of replacing Biden.
“Yes, donors were nervous after the poor performance in the debate, but they are still very committed and some want to do more,” he said.
There is an opposing faction, although largely not someone with direct access or influence over Biden, that says now is the time to encourage him to resign.
Tom Harkin, a former Democratic senator from Iowa who worked with Biden for decades, may have expressed this sentiment most publicly in a post-debate letter to allies.
“All sitting Democratic senators should write to Biden asking him to release his delegates and step aside so the convention can elect a new nominee,” Harkin wrote.
“The smart thing to do is to think through how you (as outside influencers) operate, assuming no changes,” said donor organizer Dmitri Mehlhorn.
Signum Global Advisors chairman and top Democratic donor Charles Myers immediately dismissed the idea of replacing Biden.
“This is a dangerous moment and it is more important than Joe Biden’s ego or his desire to remain president,” he added, saying that a new ticket would “energize the party at every level” and be able to defeat Donald Trump. .
A third path is developing among some donors, who are alarmed by Biden’s performance but want to further study the reaction to Thursday’s debate before taking major action, while continuing to plan for the future.
“It’s time to poll and find out if there is any potential replacement who polls better than Trump,” said businessman Mark Cuban, who endorsed Biden this week.
Ultimately, the only person who can determine the fate of this campaign is Joe Biden himself.
“The game is in President Biden’s hands, for better or worse. He deserves our respect and space to make any decision,” said a Democratic senator who spoke anonymously to CNN.
Another party member told the network that there is simply no feasible replacement plan.
“There is no real succession plan. That’s what makes all this not only heartbreaking, but also very problematic.”
The performance on CNN, in which Joe Biden rambled between answers and lost his train of thought, unleashed unprecedented panic in the party.
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“It’s time to do polls and find out if there are potential replacements who do better than Trump,” said businessman Mark Cuban, who endorsed Biden this week.
President Biden is assured of the nomination. The only way for the party to have a different candidate is for him to voluntarily drop out of the race.
However, it appears the president is fighting an uphill battle after Thursday’s debacle.
A poll released Sunday found that 72 percent of voters do not believe Biden has the cognitive faculties for another term. This is a seven percent increase from the same poll conducted in early June before the debate.
Former White House physician Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) has repeatedly questioned Biden’s physical and cognitive health.
He suggested that debate preparation for seven days at Camp David was a way to prepare the drug cocktail just before the confrontation with Trump.
Doubts about Biden’s mental acuity and cognitive health increased before and after the debate.
Biden stumbled through the debate with Trump on Thursday, often speaking in a low voice, mumbling or losing his train of thought. When Trump spoke, the split screen showed the president with his mouth half open and his gaze far away.
The result prompted a chorus of calls for Biden to end his candidacy, even from some of his biggest supporters.
Many have begun to play the blame game, citing poor debate preparation by Biden’s advisers to take on Donald Trump and time being of the essence as Democrats panic over their slide in the polls after Atlanta.
Trump’s performance in the debate, on the other hand, has only increased his party’s support.
Fifty percent of registered voters think the 78-year-old has the cognitive faculties to run for a second term in 2024; only 27 percent feel the same about Biden.
It’s unclear what happens next, but Biden will spend Sunday at Camp David, where he will discuss the future of this race with his family.
Some blame First Lady Jill Biden for forcing her husband to continue campaigning for re-election, and Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) accused the first lady of “elder abuse.”
