Establishment Media Continue Attacking Biden’s 2024 Viability After First Lady Tried to Calm Concerns

The establishment media continued to attack President Joe Biden’s 2024 viability on Monday after first lady Jill Biden tried to calm concerns in recent days about the president’s delayed reelection launch.

A Democrat “mischief-maker” should launch a primary to challenge President Joe Biden’s likely bid for reelection in 2024, the Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich wrote Monday. Leibovich, a staff writer for the far-left magazine and former correspondent for the New York Times Magazine, contended a prominent Democrat should launch a 2024 primary challenge to Biden that “would anger a bunch of Democrats inside the various power terraria of D.C., starting with the biggest one of all, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.”

“Somebody should make a refreshing nuisance of themselves and involve the voters in this decision,” Leibovich argued. “There would be immediate blowback from donors, the Democratic National Committee, and other party institutions. But do it anyway.”

While dismissing Marianne Williamson’s campaign, Leibovich’s list of those on the Democrats’ “Deep bench” to challenge Biden included Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) — “Someone who would be unfailingly gracious to Biden and reverential of his career — even while trying to end it.”

"If he’s in, we’re there. If he wants to do something else, we’re there too.” https://t.co/RiR9KFpc7z

— Katie Rogers (@katierogers) February 27, 2023

Leibovich wrote the potential challenger would receive a “ton of press coverage” by the establishment media, which has soured on Biden’s reelection changes since the deadly Afghan withdrawal. The primary challenge, the Atlantic writer said, would be based on providing Democrats with a “choice” and “freedom” to “vote for someone other than the oldest president in history — the guy well over half of you don’t want to run.”

“Allow me to point out, as if you don’t already know this, that Biden is old. He is 80 now, will be 82 on Inauguration Day 2025, and will hit 86 if he makes it all the way through a second term,” Leibovich explained, citing polls about Democrats’ distaste for Biden’s reelection campaign. “Quite obviously, Democrats today have a strong craving for someone other than the sitting president.”

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The Atlantic article was published just a few days after first lady Jill Biden told the Associated Press that Joe Biden is ready to announce his reelection campaign. Previous media reports have highlighted alleged frustration within the Democrat Party about the president’s delayed decision to launch a 2024 campaign. Additional reports indicate the decision was delayed from February to April.

“[H]is indecision has resulted in an awkward deep-freeze across the party — in which some potential presidential aspirants and scores of major donors are strategizing and even developing a Plan B while trying to remain respectful and publicly supportive of the 80-year-old president,” Politico wrote.

Over the weekend, Jill Biden appeared to try and quell the media’s concern by stating Joe Biden is going to run for a second term, and only a determined place and time remain outstanding. “How many times does he have to say it for you to believe it?” Jill Biden questioned the media. “He says he’s not done. He’s not finished what he’s started. And that’s what’s important.”

According to polling, only 37 percent of Democrats want him to launch a second bid, down from 52 percent before the 2022 midterm elections. Moreover, 57 percent of Americans doubt Biden’s mental fitness to serve, while 43 percent said he is mentally fit. Notably, 66 percent of independents had doubts.

Senior Democrats’ Private Take on Biden: They worry a lot about an 82-year-old nominee, but fear the battle over @KamalaHarris that would ensue if he pulls out, via @jmart https://t.co/sUrQXEimll @politico

— Carla ‘Bluechecked’ Marinucci (@cmarinucci) February 20, 2023

“The president has publicly told the country that he intends to run and has not made a final decision,” White House spokesman Andrew Bates said last week when questioned about Biden’s 2024 “intention.”

But according to Politico Magazine‘s Johnathan Martin, Democrats are worried about Biden’s ability to win reelection and lead the Democrat Party to victory.

“Nobody wants to be the one to do something that would undermine the chances of a Democratic victory in 2024,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) told Martin. “Yet in quiet rooms the conversation is just the opposite — we could be at a higher risk if this path is cleared.”

Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.