Democratic strategist and top Obama administration figure David Axelrod is walking back comments that suggested he had doubts regarding President Joe Biden’s 2024 bid for reelection.
On Sunday, Axelrod took to social media to say that Biden must consider whether his choice to run again is “HIS best interest or the country’s.”
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"Only @JoeBiden can make this decision," Axelrod wrote on X, the platform previously known as Twitter. "If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it's in HIS best interest or the country's?"
Only @JoeBiden can make this decision. If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it's in HIS best interest or the country's?
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) November 5, 2023
Axelrod also commented on new polling that found voters under 30 prefer Biden over former President Donald Trump by only 1 point, with Biden's support from Hispanic voters also declining. Additionally, 22% of black voters showed support for Trump. The New York Times/Siena College poll also showed Biden trailing Trump in nearly every swing state.
“The stakes of miscalculation here are too dramatic to ignore,” he wrote.
The @POTUS is justly proud of his accomplishments. Trump is a dangerous, unhinged demagogue whose brazen disdain for the rules, norms, laws and institutions or democracy should be disqualifying. But the stakes of miscalculation here are too dramatic to ignore.
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) November 5, 2023
Axelrod is now saying his comments were drawn out of proportion.
“It’s overreacting to say I told him to drop out,” the political strategist reportedly said on Tuesday. “I didn’t do that.”
“He’s the only one to make the decision. And if his decision is, ‘No, I’m the best person to take this on,’ then he will,” Axelrod added.
Trump remains the Republican primary front-runner, beating out the likes of Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, and business entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
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Should Biden remain in the race, the stage would be set for a rematch between him and Trump. However, both will have to contend with Robert Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate who left the Democratic Party's 2024 primary in October.
Recent polling found Trump and Biden in a virtual tie without Kennedy. However, with the independent candidate as part of the 2024 general election, Kennedy took more votes away from Trump than Biden.