Joe Biden is quickly losing support among his own base. He could’ve never seen this coming.
And former Barack Obama officials plunge a knife in Biden’s back during an ultimate act of betrayal.
The Leftist hosts of Pod Save America did not hold back their frustration with President Joe Biden’s recent Washington Post op-ed commemorating the anniversary of the January 6 Capitol riot. Describing the piece as “feckless,” the former Obama administration aides argued that it exemplified broader problems with the Democratic Party’s messaging and strategy.
“There’s like an entire language that Democrats just need to f–king throw in the trash about like ‘institutions,’ ‘democracy,’ ‘sacred this,’” said Jon Favreau, who previously worked as one of Barack Obama’s speechwriters.
In his op-ed, Biden urged Americans to remember the events of January 6, warning that “any nation that forgets its past is doomed to repeat it.” He called for the country to “commit to remembering” the event annually, writing, “We cannot accept a repeat of what occurred four years ago.”
However, podcast co-host Jon Lovett took issue with Biden’s invocation of philosopher George Santayana’s famous quote about repeating history, likening Biden to a “stubborn old man.”
“If you’re too mired in the past, if you become, this is from the original philosopher, stubborn like an old man, you also become doomed to repeat yourself,” Lovett stated. “That’s pretty on the nose,” added co-host Tommy Vietor, a former Obama spokesperson.
The hosts argued that Biden’s op-ed was tone-deaf and out of step with the priorities of the average voter, many of whom, they said, “didn’t care” about January 6. Favreau characterized the piece as emblematic of a larger issue within the Democratic Party: the failure to offer substantive solutions. “Biden’s op-ed didn’t say anything,” Favreau said. “An op-ed about Jan. 6 is the perfect encapsulation of how feckless everything feels in this moment.”
Criticism of Democratic Messaging
The discussion quickly expanded to a critique of Democratic rhetoric more broadly. The Pod Save America hosts argued that the party’s reliance on lofty language and appeals to abstract principles like “institutions” and “democracy” alienates ordinary Americans.
“Democrats performing virtue, explaining over and over again why the insurrection is so terrible, did not work. This style of politics is not working,” Lovett explained.
Clinton campaign veteran James Carville has echoed similar concerns, urging Democrats to shed “idiotic NPR jargon” and focus on plain, direct communication. “Let’s just be authentic and to the point,” Carville told MSNBC’s Jen Psaki in a recent interview.
The frustration among the Pod Save America hosts extended to Biden’s overall political strategy, with Vietor expressing renewed frustration about Biden’s decision to seek re-election. “Our party is one sad op-ed,” Vietor quipped, adding that Biden’s leadership has been marked by a lack of concrete action to address pressing threats, including what they see as Trump’s ongoing efforts to undermine democracy.
Growing Doubts About Biden’s Leadership
The criticism of Biden from within the Democratic Party is not new. Throughout his presidency, concerns have slowly grown within the Party about his ability to effectively lead, particularly in the face of questions about his mental acuity. Despite repeated assurances from party leaders, including then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, that Biden’s mental state was strong, doubts have persisted.
“His mental acuity is great. It’s fine. It’s as good as it’s been over the years. All this right-wing propaganda that his mental acuity has declined is wrong,” Schumer insisted during an appearance on Meet the Press in February.
However, Biden’s internal polling has painted a less optimistic picture. According to Favreau, internal data suggested that Biden was on track to lose the 2024 election by “400 electoral votes” if he stayed in the race.
Shifting Democratic Perspectives on Biden
In recent months, a number of Democrats have reconsidered their earlier support for Biden. While many initially rallied behind him as a steady, unifying figure, frustrations have mounted over what some perceive as a lack of urgency and adaptability. Notably, Vice President Kamala Harris has also faced criticism for her messaging and strategy. After Harris’ campaign team appeared on a post-mortem episode of Pod Save America last November, listeners accused them of “taking no accountability” for her political missteps.
Growing divisions within the Democratic Party could pose a challenge to its ability to present a united front. Critics from within and outside the party are calling for a reevaluation of both leadership and messaging to reconnect with voters and address the pressing challenges ahead.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
