Former President Barack Obama’s senior advisor, David Axelrod, has offered counsel to President Joe Biden on the prospect of running for reelection, especially in light of the potential challenge from former President Donald Trump in another presidential race.
Axelrod’s remarks coincided with the release of recent polls by The New York Times and Siena College on Sunday, which indicated that in five of the six critical battleground states leading up to the 2024 presidential election, Trump had a lead over Biden.
In these polls, Trump held an advantage of six points in Georgia, five points in Arizona, five points in Michigan, four points in Pennsylvania, and a significant lead of ten points in Nevada. President Biden, in response to these findings, posted on a platform, stating, “It’s very late to change course; a lot will transpire in the next year that remains unpredictable. My team and I are resolute in our decision to run,” as he pointed out the polls.
Axelrod emphasized that, “Only @JoeBiden can make this decision.” “If he chooses to run again, he will be the Democratic Party’s nominee. He must assess if this decision is wise and in the best interests of the nation and himself. With limited time left for a primary campaign, changing direction at this juncture carries some risk,” Axelrod added, alluding to the presence of other Democratic leaders who are ready to step into the fray, hinting at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ 2024 presidential aspirations.
Despite securing victory in the six battleground states during the 2020 election, the polls suggest a decline in Biden’s support among voters under 30, even though they were among his initial supporters. Moreover, the survey revealed that 22% of black voters in these states expressed support for Trump. Additionally, 59% of the respondents trusted Trump more than Biden on economic matters. Biden’s age has previously been listed as a drawback in various polls.
On Sunday, Axelrod tweeted, “The most significant concern is that his greatest liability is an immutable one. Amidst all the uncertainties, one certainty remains: the arrow of aging only points in one direction.”
In addition to critiquing Trump, Axelrod also made a series of derogatory remarks about the GOP front-runner, describing him as “dangerous” and “unhinged.” Trump, who is 77 years old, has countered these remarks by emphasizing Biden’s capacity to lead the country, asserting that age-related issues can affect individuals much earlier than their 80s.
Ronald Klain, the former chief of staff to Joe Biden in the White House, responded to Axelrod’s comments by saying, “The individual who referred to Biden as ‘Mr. Magoo’ in August 2019 is still at it,” making a reference to the animated character.
