President Joe Biden reportedly continues to regret his decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race last summer after facing mounting pressure from Democrats to step aside, according to a new report.
The Washington Post, citing sources familiar with the discussions, revealed that Biden has recently told confidants he still believes he could have defeated Donald Trump in the November election, despite a poor debate performance in June and low approval ratings that ultimately led to his exit from the race.
After the June 27 debate, calls from within the Democratic Party for Biden to step aside intensified, with increasing urgency for another candidate to take his place. The president also lost significant funding last summer as donors questioned his ability to defeat Trump.
Biden exited the race on July 21 and then immediately endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, who had just over three months to campaign before the election.
Trump ultimately defeated Harris by a margin of 2.2 million votes.
According to the Post, Biden has been cautious about blaming Harris for the loss, maintaining in conversations with aides that he believes he could have won the election.
Even when he dropped out, Biden still believed he could beat Trump – whom he defeated for his first term in 2020, according to The New York Times in September.
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., may disagree, however.
Clyburn, who met with Biden earlier this year, told the Post that he had told the president, “Your style does not lend itself well to the environment we’re currently in,” while speaking of style versus substance.
Also, Biden’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, told the Post: “How to govern at this moment to set the U.S. up for long-term success has one answer, and how to govern to deal with midterm and presidential elections in the very short-term might have a different answer. The president went with doing the things that really put America in a strong position.”
In reflecting on missteps—including his debate performance—Biden has also expressed regret over appointing Merrick Garland as attorney general, according to the Post.
