Whitney Tilson Comments On Biden
The Democratic Party is in turmoil following President Joe Biden’s unexpectedly weak debate performance last Thursday night, which has led to increasing calls for him to step aside. Major Democratic donor and former hedge fund manager Whitney Tilson, who has donated over $300,000 to the party in recent years, openly expressed his concerns, stating that Biden should step aside immediately for his own good and the good of the country.
Tilson’s frustration is echoed by other left-wing benefactors and party members, who are still reeling from Biden’s debate performance where he struggled to maintain his train of thought and tailed off into incomprehensible gibberish. His appearance at a New York fundraiser, where he read a brief speech from a teleprompter and left without taking questions, only added to the growing unease.
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is trying to manage the fallout. During a conference call with DNC members, Chairman Jaime Harrison and Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez attempted to rally support but failed to address Biden’s debate performance directly. John Verdejo, a party member from North Carolina, described the call as a “rah-rah speech” that avoided the critical issues.
Some DNC members felt “gaslighted” by the campaign officials who seemed to dismiss concerns about Biden’s ability to speak clearly. Jen O’Malley Dillon, chair of the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign, insisted in a memo that the debate did not change voters’ perceptions, but many within the party are skeptical.
A CBS News/YouGov poll conducted after the debate found that 72 percent of registered voters now doubt Biden’s mental and cognitive health, up from 65 percent in early June. This increase in doubt has alarmed Democratic lawmakers, who fear it may affect their own electoral prospects.
Biden’s family, gathered at Camp David, reportedly urged him to continue his campaign. However, his prolonged absence from public view and lack of immediate reassurance to the party have raised further concerns. On returning to the White House, Biden made brief remarks about a Supreme Court ruling but did not take questions, prompting a reporter to ask if he was going to drop out.
House Democrats, facing competitive races, are particularly worried that dissatisfaction with Biden might depress voter turnout. Brett Bruen, a former Obama White House adviser, noted that donor dissatisfaction often signals deeper party issues. He suggested that Biden needs to demonstrate his competence by engaging in more unscripted interactions, such as weekly news conferences.
The logistical challenge of replacing a sitting president so close to the election adds to the party’s predicament. According to Chavez Rodriguez, if Biden were to step aside, only Vice President Kamala Harris could use the campaign funds, which complicates the situation given her unpopularity.
The party faces a difficult path forward. While there is significant pressure for Biden to step down, there is no clear successor who could seamlessly take over. As one senior figure pointed out, “The irony is that anybody but Kamala Harris would have a better-than-even chance of beating Donald Trump!”