In recent days, Joe Biden has reportedly expressed his belief that he could have defeated Donald Trump in the 2024 election, despite concerns about his age, mental acuity, and declining support among Democrats that led him to drop out of the race.
Biden and some of his aides now feel that he should not have stepped aside in July, a decision that ultimately cleared the path for Vice President Kamala Harris’s unsuccessful presidential campaign, as reported by The Washington Post.
Despite Biden’s current unpopularity, with his approval rating hitting a low point of 37.4%, lower than Trump’s at the same point in his presidency, according to FiveThirtyEight, internal polling by the Biden campaign had initially projected him losing to Trump by a significant margin of electoral votes.
Following a lackluster debate performance in June, Biden’s team privately criticized Harris and doubted her electability, with some even suggesting that she was not a strong candidate, as noted by “Pod Save America” host Jon Favreau.
Despite the election outcome, Biden has refrained from blaming Harris for the loss, according to reports.
Harris, who initially showed promise in fundraising and polling, ultimately lost to Trump in every swing state and the popular vote, underscoring the challenges she faced in the campaign.
Democrats have attributed Harris’s defeat to various factors, including Biden’s delayed withdrawal from the race and her association with the unpopular president.
Prior to exiting the race, Biden faced pressure from influential figures like Nancy Pelosi to step down and pave the way for a new candidate, a decision that Pelosi believes could have benefitted the party.
In hindsight, Biden has acknowledged his poor performance in the June debate against Trump, admitting that he made mistakes during the event.
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