Former Biden Adviser Scolds Democrats for Not Backing the President

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 16: President Joe Biden delivers remarks and signs H.R. 5376, the
Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty
Paul Bois

Cedric Richmond, a former White House adviser for President Joe Biden, scolded fellow Democrats on Sunday for not fully backing the president.

Speaking to the Washington Post, Richmond addressed the wave of liberal media figures who do not believe Biden should run in 2024, calling reluctance “malpractice.”

“If they are reluctant, I think it’s political malpractice. If you don’t want Biden, it’s malpractice,” Richmond said.

Richmond, who served as Biden’s director of the Office of Public Engagement, predicted that the president’s numbers will rise in the coming weeks due to the Inflation Reduction Act being signed into law.

“If I’m a candidate, I’d tie myself to that,” said Richmond.

“A lot of these things, Democrats have been trying to accomplish them for a long time,” Richmond added. “Who wouldn’t want the person who was finally able to do that to come and campaign for them?”

A CNN poll earlier this month showed that a full 75 percent of Democrats want someone other than Biden to run in 2024. Per CNN:

Twenty-four percent of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters said they want someone else because they don’t think Biden can win in 2024, up from 18% in a poll conducted in January and February. Thirty-two percent feel that way because they don’t want Biden to be reelected, up from 16% earlier this year. Twenty-five percent said they prefer Biden as the nominee, which is a steep drop from 45% in January/February.

The poll shows a sharp downturn in enthusiasm for a 2024 reelection bid by the President. In January/February, 51% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters said they wanted someone other than Biden to be the Democratic nominee in 2024.

The new poll shows 31% of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters 45 years and older would prefer Biden to be the 2024 nominee.

Likewise, Democrats in vulnerable mid-term elections have expressed hesitation about Joe Biden campaigning on their behalf as the race heats up over the next three months, with both Sens. Michael Bennett (D-CO) and Tim Ryan (D-OH) shrugging the president’s support, according to The Hill.

When asked if she would support a Biden 2024 run, Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) refused to answer the question.

“I don’t want to answer that question because we have not, that’s not, yeah, I don’t want to answer that question,” Bush told The Hill. “I mean, he’s the president, and he has the right to run for a second term, absolutely, but I don’t want to, I’d rather you not do that, ask that question.”

Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) echoed those sentiments. “I would say we need new leaders in Washington up and down the ballot in the Democratic Party,” she said.

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