Damon Lindelof, co-creator of “Lost” and a prominent Democratic supporter, cited Biden’s poor performance against former President Trump in last week’s CNN debate and urged other donors to hold off on giving until Biden drops his reelection bid.
“I was asleep at the wheel and it’s time to wake up,” Lindelof said. wrote in an editorial He wrote in Deadline magazine on Wednesday: “We have a choice before us, and that choice is whether to keep the pitcher on the mound or go to the bullpen as a reliever.”
“His performance in the presidential debate has been described in many ways — disappointing, upsetting, terrifying,” he continued. “But to me, it was simply game-changing. So, yeah, let’s do it in the bullpen. Let’s do it in relief.”
Lindelof joined a growing chorus of Democrats, including some lawmakers, calling for Biden to stop campaigning and allow another candidate to carry the flag as the party’s nominee at the Chicago convention.
The famed screenwriter called Biden “a good man and a great president,” but made it clear that he doesn’t think the 81-year-old Biden is the man the country needs for another term.
Instead, Lindelof argued, Democratic donors could use their money to send a strong message to Biden and his campaign.
“Pickoffs give us the power we need to convince our pitcher to get out of the game because even if he’s down four runs with the bases loaded and no outs, he still feels good,” he wrote.
“But we’re just in the stands. No matter how much we yell, no matter how much we cheer, the pitcher ignores us,” he continued. “Luckily, he’s not the only one we’re cheering for.”
“Harsh economic sanctions,” as Lindelof called them, would demonstrate to Biden and Democratic leaders that the president is unlikely to seek a second term. Lindelof also promised rewards if Biden decides to leave office — or if he actually does.
“But I am ready to hear the closer’s exit song,” he wrote. “And when I hear it, I’m going to double the size of my checks… I’m going to write so many checks my hands get all numb.”
Biden has rejected calls to resign and claims his debate performance was a one-time gaffe.
Vice President Harris has publicly supported Biden but has become a primary target of Democrats calling on him to drop out of the presidential race.
Trump currently leads Biden by six points nationally, 49% to 43%, according to a CNN poll released on Tuesday. The same poll also showed Trump narrowly ahead of Harris, 47% to 45%.
The poll also found that 56% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents believe the Democrats would be more likely to win if someone other than Biden were inaugurated, while only 43% of those voters said Biden was the best choice.
Despite Democrats’ concerns, Biden and Trump remain neck and neck in the polls, with The Hill/Decision Desk polling average showing Trump leading Biden by 0.9 percentage points nationally.
