In March 1968, President Lyndon Johnson abandoned his bid for reelection, citing the “incredible duties of this office,” partisan divisions in the country, and “America’s children in the distant fields” in Vietnam. “I will not seek and will not accept my party’s nomination for another term as its president,” Johnson said.
It was a remarkable moment, recalls veteran Democratic political consultant Hank Sheinkopf: “No one gives up on being the most powerful person in the world,” he says. “That just doesn’t happen.”
But LBJ was an exception, Sheinkopf says, in part because of his wife. Lady Bird Johnson “did not like the idea of becoming a political wife,” wrote biographer Julia Sweig.
On Friday, as the White House reacted to calls for Joe Biden to abandon his re-election bid to allow another Democrat to intervene, the reality emerged that, despite Biden’s catastrophic performance in the debate the night before, the decision Whether to intervene or stand by and potentially suffer catastrophic defeat is his responsibility, and his alone.
And without any formal mechanism for Democrats to force Biden to step aside, the task of convincing him to do so would likely fall to Biden’s closest advisor: the first lady.
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Jill Biden has reacted vigorously in the past against calls for her to persuade her husband to resign, including insults that she is “guilty of elder abuse,” and is said to enjoy the trappings of White House prestige. In Atlanta on Thursday, she led her husband off the stage and told him, “Joe, you did a great job! You answered all the questions, you knew all the facts!”
Other members of Biden’s inner circle who may have the president’s ear include Biden’s younger sister, Valerie Biden Owens, who has played a key role throughout the president’s political career; campaign manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez; campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon; senior campaign advisor Anita Dunn; and advisor Ron Klain.
Alongside them are senior Democrats, some of whom fear that Biden’s weak re-election chances will dampen Democrats’ hopes of maintaining control of the Senate and retaking Congress.
Party heavyweights Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, who expressed their support for Biden on Friday, are key Biden supporters who have their ears, as do former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama , Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn. , who helped turn around Biden’s 2019 campaign, and Delaware Senator Chris Coons.
But ultimately, it may be big Democratic donors whose pressure makes the biggest difference. Aging political leadership in US politics is ultimately a reflection of the proven ability of elders to raise funds – but that ability on Biden’s part may now be under threat. A Democratic fundraiser who planned to attend a debate in the Hamptons on Saturday night called Biden’s performance “a disaster.” CNBC reportedand called Biden’s performance “worse than I thought possible.”
“Everyone I’m talking to thinks Biden should drop out,” the network quoted the person as saying. Another simply said: “Game over.”
According to Sheinkopf, Democrats are in uncharted waters. “It’s a terrible position to be in, but on the other side you have Donald Trump, who a lot of people don’t like, more detest, but he has a loyal following. He may not have behaved like a liar last night, but he seemed strong and by no means weak.
“The only way Biden can leave is by leaving alone, and he can’t leave unless there is a replacement that Democrats can agree on.”
But any agreement is far from being reached, except perhaps one: “Democrats will do everything they can to not have Kamala Harris because her poll numbers are atrocious and she cannot be trusted to be commander in chief at a time when conflict is breaking out across the country.” world.”
The unenviable task of breaking the news to the U.S. president now falls to one person, Sheinkopf said: “The most logical person to suggest to Biden that he not do this for his health and for the good of the country is Jill Biden.”
