President Joe Biden’s recent debate performance and ongoing health speculation have sparked internal discussions within both parties. While Biden’s team dismisses rumors of his potential exit, Donald Trump’s campaign is privately wary of potential repercussions if Biden were to step down.
According to The Washington Post, Trump’s campaign has been cautious in their messaging, emphasizing that Biden remains the Democratic nominee, despite internal concerns within the Democratic Party about his performance and health. Privately, however, Trump’s team acknowledges the possibility of Biden being replaced and fears the implications it could have on their campaign strategy.
The Post reported that “the Trump campaign’s message to surrogates was that Biden is the Democratic nominee and Democrats are stuck with him, according to a Republican close to the campaign, who like others interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Biden struggled through the 90-minute faceoff, setting off widespread alarm in his party” — but behind the scenes, they believe it’s a real possibility Biden could be swapped out for someone else, and they fear it could complicate their campaign and force a change of tactics from the campaign they wanted to run.
“I’m going to show up and I’m going to campaign whether it’s him or somebody else,” Trump stated in a recent interview, highlighting his readiness to face any Democratic opponent.
Conversely, former Democratic strategist David Axelrod noted, “It sure seems they want Biden to stay on the ticket. They think he’s vulnerable, and they like where they’re at,” indicating a preference among Trump’s team for facing Biden over potential alternatives.
Trump posted a video of himself on his social media account Wednesday evening where he claimed to have pushed Biden out of the race, saying, “He’s quitting the race. I got him out of there. And that means we have Kamala. I think she’s going to be better. She’s so bad. She’s so pathetic. She’s just so f——g bad.”
Trump’s remarks, captured in a candid moment on the golf course, reflected confidence in his ability to compete against Biden while expressing skepticism about Vice President Kamala Harris as a replacement candidate, whom he described as “pathetic” but potentially more challenging to campaign against.
Despite internal discussions and public speculation, Biden has received support from key Democratic governors and is scheduled for significant media appearances and campaign events, including an upcoming interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News.
The Trump campaign, traditionally accustomed to dominating media attention, has adjusted its strategy following Biden’s debate performance, with a focus on preparing for their own upcoming announcements, including a vice presidential pick and the Republican National Convention.
While Trump advisers were surprised by Biden’s debate performance, they remain prepared to capitalize on any vulnerabilities, while also strategizing for potential scenarios involving Harris as the Democratic nominee.
