At the 2017 event, we asked George Stephanopoulos, in the context of the 2016 election won by Donald Trump, “Do the Democrats understand how angry the public is? What are they going to do about it?” He responded dismissively: “A third of the country will always hate us. There’s nothing we can do about it.” Jake Sullivan, who was speaking with Stephanopoulos, largely agreed. This sentiment echoed the dismissive attitude Hillary Clinton expressed in a fundraising speech in 2016. Said “Half of Trump’s supporters would fall into what I call the ‘deplorables’.”
Now, there is another kind of contempt for President Biden: contempt for members of his own party.
on friday interview In his interview with ABC’s Stephanopoulos, Biden sought to prove himself more consistent and competent than his performance in the debates. The interview is unlikely to ease voter fears. By denying what over 50 million people watched, Biden risks giving the impression that he alone is right and believes what his supporters believe is wrong. By admitting to Stephanopoulos that he didn’t even watch the debates and that only “God Almighty” could convince him to drop out of the race, Biden is downplaying the legitimate concerns of many Democratic voters.
After his disastrous debate defeat, Biden refused to step down. state “I’m the Democratic candidate. Nobody’s trying to get rid of me. I’m not going away.” This is precisely the kind of contempt for Democratic supporters that is likely to hurt the party in the November 2024 election. Biden’s debate performance raised well-founded concerns about his declining ability to communicate persuasively and his energy levels for a highly demanding job.
Voters watched and listened to the debates themselves. Stephanopoulos asks.“If you stay in office and Trump wins and everything you’re warning about comes true, how will you feel in January?” And they heard Biden answer: “As long as I’ve done my best and I’ve done the best job I can, that’s how I’ll feel. That’s what this is about.”
In short, this is about Biden’s ego, his stubbornness to cling to power, not about democracy. Telling voters that they are wrong, that Biden is still the best and only candidate, despite their strong opposition, is not only arrogant, it is gaslighting and condescending. It is also alarming. Refuses to believe that approval ratings are droppingUnless he takes a cognitive test or admits some weakness, how much will he ignore other data that is important for making an informed decision when the facts don’t match his worldview or pre-existing biases?
Biden has decided to run for reelection in late November 2022. 52 percent disapprove Evaluation and The poll showed that 56% of voters Democratic-leaning voters preferred Democratic candidates other than Biden, Biden consulted only his family and close aides in making his decision instead of listening to voters’ clear support, and the Democratic National Committee did not organize primary debates. Collective behavior problemsProminent Democrats who have suggested Biden shouldn’t run have put their careers at risk, including Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota. He tried in vain to encourage a moderate Democratic governor to run. He also campaigned for a short period during the nomination election.
Since In April 2023, Biden announced that he would seek reelection.However, his disapproval rating has continued to rise, from 56% before the June 27, 2024 debate to now exceed 57%. His approval rating fell to 37%.,below Trump’s 41.8 percent. Since Biden’s debate performance, Trump has further widened his lead over Biden, holding an eight-point lead among voters nationwide and leading by more than two points in all seven battleground states. Pennsylvania In Michigan, it was nearly 6 points, in Arizona, it was 6 points, Georgia.
Because Biden decided to seek reelection, voters were never given a real choice in the Democratic primary to choose a candidate. Even if Biden were to withdraw from office, Vice President Kamala Harris would likely become the presumptive nominee through the House of Representatives’ vote, either by inviting Biden’s delegates to vote at the Democratic National Convention or if he did not receive a majority on the first ballot. Approximately 750 non-binding special delegates.
No wonder Democratic voters are frustrated and apathetic. If Biden and Democratic leaders really care about the Democratic Party and not just their own power and careers, they should be engaging voters as much as possible, putting new Democratic candidates up against each other in primary debates, holding town halls and polling voters, especially in key battleground states, and allowing Democratic National Convention delegates to take voters’ opinions into account when they cast their ballots in Chicago in August.
Listening to voters builds trust, enthusiasm and turnout. Forcing a candidate on voters is a sign of condescension and disrespect. Despite (or perhaps because of) all of Trump’s flaws, his supporters never feel that he is condescending towards them. Republican voters had ample opportunity to choose from a wide range of candidates in a crowded primary, from former UN ambassador Nikki Haley to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. They chose Trump.
But Biden and the Democratic Party now have a unique opportunity to reverse this perception of disrespect: Democrats will only win in November if they (and Biden in particular) begin to listen to, respect, and represent their constituents.
Hillary Stockton is a business owner and author. Greg Stockton is an attorney and author.
