Biden Team Holds Zoom Call
Let’s dive into the latest drama unfolding in Democrat and media circles following last Thursday’s presidential debate. President Joe Biden’s performance has reignited concerns about his mental acuity and cognitive health, prompting serious discussions about whether he should stay on the ticket.
Since the debate, Biden campaign officials have been working overtime to calm anxious donors. Reports suggest that one recent call with around 40 donors was particularly “tense,” with some attendees even asking for their donations to be refunded. The conversation quickly turned to the possibility of Vice President Kamala Harris stepping in as the nominee.
During this call, several donors expressed frustration, feeling that they were only hearing standard campaign talking points. This dissatisfaction carried over into a larger Zoom meeting held Monday night with the National Finance Committee. Here, about 500 donors were present, their faces spread across 21 pages of Zoom screens.
Biden campaign co-chair Jen O’Malley Dillon tried to reassure the donors by pointing to the president’s health report released earlier this year, which declared him fit to serve.
“He’s probably in better health than most of us,” Dillon reportedly said, which did not sit well with many participants. Some found her comments dismissive of their genuine concerns, especially in light of Biden’s debate performance.
One member of the National Finance Committee described the call as disappointing, noting that top Biden officials seemed more interested in downplaying concerns rather than addressing them head-on. This sentiment is becoming increasingly common, even among Democrats who have previously supported Biden without question.
A significant red flag during the Zoom call was the process for asking questions. Donors were not allowed to ask their questions directly; instead, staff members read the questions on their behalf. This approach left many feeling patronized, as if their voices were being stifled. It’s reminiscent of how First Lady Jill Biden reportedly managed her husband after his debate performance, treating him with an air of overprotectiveness.
We’ve reached a point where Democrats are not just questioning Biden’s critics but also each other’s intelligence. The lengths to which the campaign is going to smooth over concerns and quell panic are only adding fuel to the fire. With the Democratic National Convention (DNC) set for August in Chicago, tensions are expected to boil over.
The upcoming DNC is shaping up to be a spectacle. Chicago will see “peaceful protesters” in full force, and we might witness on-camera infighting not seen in years at a national nominating convention. This scenario would be disastrous for the Biden campaign, which will desperately want to project a united front heading into a contentious fall campaign season.