President Joe Biden’s campaign on Saturday night, in a fundraising appeal to supporters, said the president dropping out would only “lead to weeks of chaos” and leave the eventual replacement weakened ahead of a November faceoff with former President Donald Trump.
“The bedwetting brigade is calling for Joe Biden to ‘drop out.’ That is the best possible way for Donald Trump to win and us to lose,” Biden deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty argued in the email to supporters.
“First of all: Joe Biden is going to be the Democratic nominee, period. End of story. Voters voted. He won overwhelmingly,” Flaherty added. “And if he were to drop out, it would lead to weeks of chaos, internal foodfighting, and a bunch of candidates who limp into a brutal floor fight at the convention, all while Donald Trump has time to speak to American voters uncontested.”
He continued: “All of that would be in service of a nominee who would go into a general election in the weakest possible position with zero dollars in their bank account. You want a highway to losing? It’s that.”
President Joe Biden participates in the CNN Presidential Debate, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Flaherty’s email was framed around seven responses to tell “your panicked aunt, your MAGA uncle, or some self-important Podcasters” following Biden’s poor debate showing, and amid calls for him to step aside.
Late Friday, the New York Times editorial board, which endorsed Biden in the 2020 general election matchup with Trump, said the president should drop out, saying his debate appearance was “the shadow of a great public servant.”
“Mr. Biden has been an admirable president… But the greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election,” the board wrote.
“The president’s performance cannot be written off as a bad night or blamed on a supposed cold, because it affirmed concerns that have been mounting for months or even years,” the board wrote.
By staying in the race, they argued Biden was “engaged in a reckless gamble.” The campaign swiftly brushed off the board.
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump participate in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections in Atlanta, June 27, 2024.
Andrew Caballero-reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
“The last time Joe Biden lost the New York Times editorial board’s endorsement it turned out pretty well for him,” Biden campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond said in a statement shared with ABC News on Friday.
(In 2020, the Time’s editorial board endorsed both Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota for the Democratic nomination for president, which Biden later secured.)
At a string of fundraisers on Friday and Saturday, Biden sought to reassure donors he had what it took to stay in the race, vowing to fight harder.
Biden gave a forceful speech to supporters at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Friday, “Folks, I don’t walk as easy as I used to. I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to, but … I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong, and I know how to do this job,” he told the roaring crowd. “I know, like millions of Americans know, when you get knocked down, you get back up.”
“It wasn’t my best debate ever as Barack pointed out,” Biden said at a fundraiser hosted in Red Bank, New Jersey, according to the pool reporters in the room, later adding, “I understand the concern after the debate. I get it. I didn’t have a great night, but I’m going to be fighting harder.”
And publicly, Democratic officials have circled the wagons around Biden. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday night after the debate that he “will never turn [his] back on President Biden,” while New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who hosted the fundraiser in his state on Saturday, told Biden “We are all with you 1,000%,” and called him “America’s comeback kid.”
However, some discussions have been had privately among some party leaders about how to convince sitting senators to have a frank conversation with the president about bowing out.
Other than the argument that chaos would ensure with a Biden withdrawal, the note included asking supporters to tell friends that despite the “rough” start to the debate, “voters saw what a threat Donald Trump is” and that “the long-term impact of debates is overstated.”
“And lastly, but most importantly, you’ve got to keep the faith,” Flaherty said toward the end of his email, adding that the campaign was going to “keep our heads down and do the work.”
With the 2020 presidential election just around the corner, the Biden campaign is sounding the alarm about the potential chaos that could ensue if President Donald Trump were to drop out of the race. While this scenario may seem unlikely to some, recent reports of the president’s health and his erratic behavior have raised concerns among Democrats and even some Republicans.
The Biden campaign has been quick to point out that if Trump were to drop out of the race, it would throw the entire election into disarray. With less than a month until Election Day, there would be a scramble to find a replacement candidate for the Republican Party. This could lead to confusion among voters and potentially disenfranchise millions of Americans who have already cast their ballots.
Furthermore, the Biden campaign warns that a last-minute change in the Republican ticket could create a power vacuum that could be exploited by foreign adversaries. With the United States already facing threats from Russia, China, and other hostile nations, any instability in the presidential election process could embolden these countries to interfere in our democratic process.
In addition to the potential chaos that could result from Trump dropping out of the race, there are also concerns about the impact on the American people. The country is already facing a myriad of challenges, including a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and social unrest. A sudden change in leadership could further exacerbate these issues and leave the country vulnerable at a critical moment.
While it remains to be seen whether President Trump will indeed drop out of the race, the Biden campaign is urging voters to stay vigilant and be prepared for any eventuality. The stakes in this election are high, and it is crucial that Americans exercise their right to vote and ensure that their voices are heard.
In conclusion, the Biden campaign’s warning about potential chaos if President Trump drops out of the race should serve as a wake-up call to all Americans. The integrity of our democratic process is at stake, and it is essential that we remain vigilant and engaged in the weeks leading up to Election Day. Only by staying informed and participating in the electoral process can we ensure a peaceful and fair transition of power in November.
