Democratic advisers have devised a hopeful strategy for a potential “blitz primary” in case President Joe Biden needs to step aside soon, involving several prominent figures.
In a strategy memo shared with Semafor, advisors to former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton laid out a plan for selecting alternative Democratic nominees should the pressure on President Biden to withdraw become insurmountable. The proposal includes a rapid timeline for potential candidates to declare their interest, with only a few days provided to enter the race. Additionally, these candidates would need to commit to not attacking each other and aim to secure votes from already pledged Democratic delegates, thereby avoiding the divisiveness and high costs of repeated state primary elections.
The authors of the memo expressed an optimistic view, suggesting that if President Biden were to step down, it could elevate his status to that of a “modern-day George Washington” in the eyes of the electorate. They believe such a move would captivate the nation and bring heightened attention to the Democratic contest, according to Semafor, which noted:
“We can limp to shameful, avoidable democracy-ending defeat. Or Democrats can make this Our Finest Hour. While we hope for help from Lord Almighty, the Lord helps those who help themselves,” the memo states, alluding to Biden’s recent interview with ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos in which he said only the “Lord Almighty” could force him from the race. “We need to act. Now.”
The proposed “blitz” primary includes a series of high-profile forums that would feature cultural icons such as former first lady Michelle Obama, Oprah, and superstar singer Taylor Swift as moderators. However, it’s important to note that these figures have not been involved in the plan’s development and have not agreed to participate. The accelerated primary process would culminate in the Democratic National Convention in mid-August, where delegates would employ a rank-choice voting system to select the party’s nominee after the candidates have made a series of public appearances.
Asked for his reaction, Biden’s campaign sent a statement referring to his earlier refusal to drop out of the race. “I’m not letting one 90-minute debate wipe out three and a half years of work. I’m staying in the race, and I will beat Donald Trump,” he said in Wisconsin last week. The spokesperson highlighted aggressive fundraising in the days following the debate, including receipts totaling $38 million in donations.
The Democratic Party is facing significant internal challenges at a particularly critical time. President Biden’s approval ratings have dipped to their lowest, as indicated by the nonpartisan FiveThirtyEight tracker. His decline in support is even acknowledged by typically supportive media outlets like CNN, which have contested Biden’s assertion that polls do not accurately reflect the extent of his support. In response to these concerns, top Democrats from both the House and Senate convened privately over the weekend to deliberate on whether and how to suggest to the 81-year-old president that he consider exiting the race.
“That’s why I’ve been out, testing myself, testing everywhere I go, going out and making the case. The night of that debate I was out until 2 o’clock in the morning. It drives me nuts people talking about this!” Biden told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Monday. “The bottom line here is that we’re not going anywhere — I am not going anywhere,” he added. “I had a bad night. But the fact of the matter is — if there was something that was wrong that night, it’s not like it’s one night and it goes away. That’s why I’ve been out, I’ve been testing myself.”
