Mike Donilon, a top advisor to former President Biden, faced backlash from liberal commentators for his recent comments regarding Biden's potential involvement in the 2024 presidential race. During a discussion at Harvard University, Donilon expressed his disbelief at the idea of pushing Biden out of the race, calling it 'insane.' He also criticized the Democratic Party for overreacting to Biden's performance in a June debate, stating that the party had 'lost its mind' and 'melted down.'
Donilon's remarks drew sharp criticism from various figures within the Democratic Party. Former Obama advisor Ben Rhodes commented that it is best to reflect on such matters while still on earth, implying that Donilon's assessment was premature. Amanda Litman, co-founder of the Run for Something PAC, labeled Donilon's comments as 'insane' and highlighted the negative impact of Biden's past interview performances on the party's reputation.
Responding to the criticism, sources on Substack argued that Donilon's interpretation of events was unfair and accused him of attempting to rewrite history to favor Biden. They emphasized the significance of Biden's poor debate performance against Donald Trump in June, noting that it had a substantial impact on the Democrats' chances of defeating Trump in the general election.
The sources pointed out that the context of Biden's debate performance was crucial, as his team had shielded him from public appearances and portrayed him as more capable than he appeared during the debate. They refuted Donilon's claims that Biden's debate performance was not as damaging as portrayed and argued that downplaying its impact was misguided.
In conclusion, the controversy surrounding Donilon's remarks underscores the ongoing debate within the Democratic Party regarding Biden's leadership and electoral prospects. While opinions vary on the significance of Biden's debate performance, it is clear that his advisors' assessments continue to be scrutinized and debated by party members and commentators alike.
