Top Biden advisor says party ‘lost its mind’ after debate: ‘It melted down’
The fallout from former President Joe Biden’s poor performance in the June 2024 debate against President Donald Trump has been described as a “meltdown” by a top advisor to the former president. The Democratic Party was thrown into chaos after Biden’s lackluster showing, with calls for him to withdraw from the race in order to salvage the party’s chances in the upcoming election.
Biden’s rough performance and weak voice during the CNN Presidential Debate sent shockwaves through the party, leading to fears about his re-election odds. The left’s top leaders urged Biden to step aside, paving the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place as the Democratic candidate less than a month later on July 21. However, Harris ultimately lost to Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Former Biden senior advisor Mike Donilon reflected on the party’s reaction to the debate, calling it “insane” and unprecedented. He noted that while Biden’s performance was indeed lackluster, the party’s extreme response was unwarranted. Donilon emphasized that Biden was not mentally impaired, but rather the victim of a campaign that was lost in the campaign itself.
The media also pounced on Biden’s debate performance, with CNN and the BBC labeling it as “disastrous” and “incoherent.” New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman went so far as to call on Biden to step aside, citing the heartbreaking nature of his performance.
Despite the negative reactions from both the party and the media, Donilon pointed out that the margin between Trump and Biden actually narrowed in the days following the debate. He noted that focus groups expressed concerns about both candidates, highlighting worries about Biden’s age and Trump’s behavior.
Ultimately, Donilon attributed Biden’s downfall not only to his debate performance, but also to the disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 and rising inflation. He emphasized that while the situation was dire, it was not as devastating as it seemed at the time.
In hindsight, the aftermath of the 2024 debate serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of maintaining perspective in the heat of a political campaign. Despite the chaos and upheaval that followed Biden’s poor showing, it is clear that the Democratic Party’s reaction may have been more extreme than necessary.
