President Biden’s former communications director on Sunday put a damper on concerns from some Democrats that he suggested there would be no more elections if former President Trump was re-elected.
Trump made the remarks at a Turning Point USA event on Friday, telling supporters, “In four years, you won’t have to vote anymore.”
Kate Bedingfield wrote on social media that Trump was not suggesting that there wouldn’t be an election in 2028 if he won, as some on the left have suggested.
“I think he’s saying I’m not running anyway, so who cares?” She said“That in itself is deeply reprehensible, because the Republican Party has turned itself inside out and ripped its credibility to shreds in order to become a fan account for this horrible, narcissistic man.”
Trump’s aides have also dismissed the remarks in recent days, with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) saying in a CNN interview on Sunday that Trump was “clearly joking.”
Bedingfield’s post drew backlash as her comments downplayed Trump’s threats to democracy, particularly the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and his attempts to sow doubt about the 2024 election. She has since clarified her position.
“I’m not saying that Trump isn’t a threat to democracy or that he hasn’t said and done despicable things, like he did on January 6th, saying he would be a dictator on his first day in office. He has said and done those things, and they are unacceptable and they are terrible.” She said.
“But it does mean that we have to think about our victory message to those who don’t accept everything Donald Trump says in the same way that all of you are reacting here,” she continued. “It’s not that I think he should be forgiven. Quite the opposite. It’s that Democrats absolutely, 100% have to win, because the stakes are existential.”
Other prominent Democrats have also spoken out in support of Bedingfield, including Tommy Vieter, a former spokesman for former President Barack Obama and now of Pod Save America.
“He’s a selfish jerk and a liar who said he could fix everything in four years and that politics would stop matter once he’s gone,” Vieter said. About Trump“That doesn’t mean he’s not a threat to democracy. You’ve said that a million times!”
Conservative anti-Trump commentator Bill Kristol backed Bedingfield’s argument, calling his critics “mostly stupid or insensitive.”
“A variety of arguments are needed to defeat Trump, and it is foolish and counterproductive to dogmatically claim that there is a magic argument or type of argument that will work for everyone.” He wrote.
While the Biden campaign has relied on warnings about Trump’s threats to democracy as its main counterargument against the former president, the Harris campaign also appears to be testing a new line of attack.
Representatives for Ms Harris and other Republicans, including reported vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, the Minnesota governor, said: Simply as “weird” They point to his relatively unpopular positions on LGBTQ rights and abortion access.
