In the months leading up to the 2024 election, behind closed doors, some of the Democratic Party’s top officials were quietly preparing for former President Joe Biden to either step aside from the 2024 race or die in office. This secretive contingency planning, which began as early as 2023, is revealed in the new book Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes. The book, which was previewed by The Guardian, offers a behind-the-scenes look at the party’s anxious strategy in anticipation of Biden’s age and health becoming serious factors in his bid for a second term.
As early as 2023, Democratic National Committee (DNC) officials engaged in “hush-hush talks,” trying to predict and prepare for every possible contingency. The book outlines various scenarios they discussed: what would happen if Biden launched his campaign and then withdrew before the primaries; if he won a significant number of primaries but then couldn’t continue; if he secured enough delegates for the nomination but dropped out before the convention; and even what would occur if he left a vacancy after securing the nomination.
Within the White House, one key figure involved in this contingency planning was Jamal Simmons, who served as communications director for Vice President Harris. As part of the preparations, Simmons reportedly created a “death-pool roster,” a list of judges who could be quickly called upon to swear Harris into office if something happened to Biden.
According to Fight, he made it known that if Biden were to face any health or personal challenges that might prevent him from continuing in office, he demanded to be notified immediately. He had already worked out a communications strategy for such a situation.
Simmons drew attention after Trump’s 2024 election victory, by suggesting Biden should step down voluntarily before his inauguration to allow Harris to become the first female president. The idea was widely mocked on social media, with users expressing incredulity at the idea of a “participation trophy” president.
Despite the mounting private concerns within his administration and his party at large, Biden intended to press on with his campaign. However, his disastrous performance in the highly publicized June 2024 debate against Donald Trump, during which he struggled to complete coherent thoughts and answer questions, triggered a turning point for both Biden and his party.
According to Fight, after the debate debacle, many top Democrats, including former President Barack Obama, expressed growing concerns about Biden’s viability. Obama reportedly asked Biden directly, “What is your path?” a question that seemed to underscore the gravity of the situation. Biden, according to the book, was not pleased with the suggestion that he should step aside and reportedly responded with frustration, asking, “What’s your f—ing plan?”
It was reported that Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 race was not entirely his own but was, in large part, influenced by intense maneuvering from key figures within the Democratic Party, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former President Barack Obama. Both Pelosi and Obama were reportedly involved in pressuring Biden to step aside, fearing that his continued candidacy would severely hurt the party’s chances in the upcoming election. According to reports, Biden and his wife, Jill, left the White House feeling deeply embittered and betrayed by the party leadership.
As Biden’s health and mental acuity became focal points of concern, his appearance at a donor reception in New Jersey only added to the doubts. One source close to the situation noted that the president required fluorescent tape on the floor to help guide him during the event, raising further questions about his ability to continue functioning in such a high-pressure role.
In the wake of Biden’s withdrawal, party insiders began openly discussing the implications for Kamala Harris, who would now find herself at the top of the ticket. While some operatives voiced frustration at being “stuck” with Harris, others at least saw her as a viable candidate, with one veteran strategist quipping, “Well, at least she has a pulse.”
After Kamala Harris lost her bid for the presidency, some blamed her defeat on her unorthodox timeline, insisting that she “did the best she could” based on when she entered the race. The narrative suggested that Harris was thrust into the spotlight too late, facing the challenges of inheriting a campaign with little preparation. However, the revelations from Fight contradict this assertion. According to the book, Harris’ team, along with Democratic officials, had been preparing for a scenario where she would take the reins long before Biden’s formal withdrawal. These contingency plans had been in place since 2023, with significant thought put into mapping out the transition of power if Biden could no longer continue.
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