Major Democrat donors are beginning to turn on Joe Biden‘s 2024 re-election campaign after the 81-year-old incumbent appeared cognitively impaired during last Thursday’s presidential debate with former President Donald J. Trump. Concerned that Biden will be unable to hold on to the White House, some donors are asking the campaign to refund their contributions so they can redirect the money to down-ballot races.
Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden’s campaign manager, attempted to reassure donors in a private call over the weekend, claiming that the campaign had raised over $33 million since the debate. However, the call revealed a sense of unease among donors. One participant shared that many attendees expressed fear and frustration, noting that some had inquired about the possibility of refunds. Rodriguez emphasized that should Biden withdraw, only Vice President Kamala Harris could access the campaign’s funds, complicating any potential shift in the Democratic ticket.
The octogenarian Democrat struggled to coherently respond to moderator questions during the 90-minute debate held at CNN‘s studios in Atlanta, Georgia last week. On multiple occasions, Biden lost his train of thought and contradicted statements he made just moments before. The Democrat nominee’s impaired state sparked panic among supporters and prompted calls for him to reconsider his candidacy.
Former Biden government officials were also deeply critical of President Biden’s disastrous performance, with one Democratic campaign veteran calling it “Catastrophe … unimaginably bad … Waterloo.” California Governor Gavin Newsom, a possible favorite to replace Biden in the presidential race, admitted there was “panic” among the Democrats following the debate.
