House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) is suggesting the Democratic National Committee (DNC) “step in” and cancel the remaining presidential primaries and debates if it appears Joe Biden is favored to win the nomination.
Clyburn, who was instrumental in helping the former vice president revive his campaign with a win in the South Carolina primary, floated the idea during an interview with NPR. The majority whip, in particular, argued that if Biden were to best Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in Michigan and a number of the other states holding their primaries on Tuesday, then the race was over and the DNC should intercede.
“I think when the night is over, Joe Biden will be the prohibitive favorite to win the Democratic nomination,” Clyburn said. “If the night ends the way it has begun, I think it is time for us to shut this primary down. It is time for us to cancel the rest of these debates.”
“You don’t do anything but get yourself in trouble if you continue in this contest when it’s obvious that the numbers will not shake out for you,” the majority whip added.
Rep. Clyburn on NPR just now: "I think when the night is over, Joe Biden will be the prohibitive favorite to win the Democratic nomination… If the night ends the way it has begun" it's time to "shut this primary down," meaning the DNC should "step in" and cancel future debates.
— Miles Parks (@MilesParks) March 11, 2020
He says prolonging the primary process only makes it more likely that the favorite, Biden in his eyes, "gets himself into trouble" and hurts himself for the general election
— Miles Parks (@MilesParks) March 11, 2020
Clyburn’s suggestion comes only days after the DNC announced it was changing the format for the upcoming primary debate in Arizona to allow the candidates to sit and take questions from the audience. The change was interpreted by many to favor the former vice president over Bernie Sanders, especially since Biden is facing renewed scrutiny over his fitness to be commander in chief.
Even though the DNC claims the change is not meant to benefit any candidate, Sanders supporters believe otherwise, especially given the recent machinations of establishment Democrats.
As Breitbart News reported last week, the establishment rushed to consolidate behind the former vice president in the 72 hours between the South Carolina primary and Super Tuesday. Those efforts ranged from the high-profile endorsements of party leaders to fundraising help and even free media coverage for Biden’s campaign. They also coincided with the surprise withdrawals of Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Pete Buttigieg, who subsequently threw their support to the former vice president.
With the support of establishment Democrats, Biden blew away the competition on Super Tuesday. The former vice president won resoundingly, emerging victorious in ten of the 14 contests on the ballot. The breadth of Biden’s performance was all the more astounding because of the shallow infrastructure he had in many of the Super Tuesday battlegrounds before the establishment coalesced.
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