Joe Biden is here to stay. Despite significant forces among the Democratic Party who want him gone, the institution remains durable, the power of the bully pulpit supreme, and even with a mentally declining man, he has the votes and the power to stay. The anti-Biden forces have been all talk, no action for the most part. Barack Obama reportedly works behind the scenes, but even he knows the implications if he pushes too hard, exposing himself at the American Brutus. The consensus of most in the Democratic Party is that either Joe must go, or they’ll be OK with an alternative candidate, which is essentially the same thing—no one wants to pull the trigger on a plan, however.
For one ex-2020 Biden campaign official, she’s had it with the dump Biden talk. Ashley Allison, who is now a commentator for CNN, went on a lengthy diatribe against those who want to force Biden to exit the race after the president’s NATO press conference yesterday (via Real Clear Politics):
If Joe Biden stays in the race, I’m going to do every single thing I can to defeat Donald Trump.
Because, as a Black woman, living in this country that has less constitutional rights, than I had from the day that I was born, 42 years ago, I refuse to live under Donald Trump’s reign again. I refuse to risk our democracy. And Joe Biden is the person right now who is able to defeat him.
And so, when people were saying, do something to prove that you have the command of the knowledge? And you stand up, and you call on 10 reporters, and you answer 19 questions, for 59 minutes? Then I ask you, if you go and say step down, then what is the test that he must prove, over and over again? Because then it feels like you, as a person, who’s calling for him the step down is being disingenuous.
Now, I’m not saying it’s not wrong, because that debate was terrible. And Joe Biden has acknowledged that.
But as people, who are living with the fear of a possible dictator, to take over this country? I just ask you, as a Democratic Party. And I’m not super-excited about Joe Biden. But I am terrified of Donald Trump. To get it together for the people that you are asked to represent. There is too much at stake.
And I just, I don’t understand what more people need, after a night like tonight, to say he is the leader of the free world.
I sometimes, on television, say, I mean, like if — there go I but for the grace of God that I am not held to the mistakes I make sometimes on television, in the days of my life.
And I’m just — it’s a — I’m a little annoyed, and I’m furious, because I talk to Black people, who have saved this country, over and over, who helped elect Joe Biden, who saved the Democratic Party, timeless, timeless, time again, and Black people are saying, let it go, folks.
And yet again, when you look at the people who have called, for him to step down, they are not the backbone of the Democratic Party. And that to me is frustrating.
Allison does know that Biden is bleeding black voters, right? Black voters under 50 are fleeing the Democratic Party, which is why Donald Trump is heading for a historic performance with this voter group. So, I don’t know what backbone Allison is talking about here.
For the black Democrats who aren’t leaving the party, Erick Erickson, formerly of RedState, also observed the split between pro and anti-Biden camps within the Democratic Party, noting that black liberals are some of the president’s most vociferous defenders. In contrast, white liberals want to jettison this guy into the sun. That will also create intra-party tension and friction that could impact operations, compounded by a man with a 32 percent approval rating. Also, 75 percent think he’s too old to be president. Biden’s age isn’t going away, nor can this White House spin or solve it.