Rep. Carolyn Maloney Pretty Sure Biden Greatest President Who May Or May Not Run For Re-election, Perhaps
Huh?
There’s been some discussion lately over whether President Joe Biden will run for re-election. Yes, his approval ratings are low, but Biden has repeatedly said he’d seek another term. Last week, during a Democratic primary debate for New York’s redrawn 12th congressional district, Carolyn Maloney, Jerry Nadler, and Suraj Patel were asked if they believed Biden should run in 2024.
This is a softball question with zero curve. You just say something like, “President Biden has done an amazing job repairing the damage his predecessor inflicted on the nation. Democrats are united in supporting a second term for this president.” Instead, Rep. Nadler replied, "Too early to say. Doesn’t serve the purpose of the Democratic Party to deal with that until after the midterms.”
It’s definitely not too early to say Democrats would support Biden’s re-election. That’s frankly a given, and what doesn’t help Democrats is to imply that the midterms could determine whether Biden maintains his party’s confidence. Besides, Democrats lost the House during both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama’s first terms. They easily won re-election.
However, Rep. Maloney’s response was even weirder.
PREVIOUSLY: Breaking: Some Democrats Discover Joe Biden Is Little Bit Old
“"I don't believe he's running for re-election" - Rep. Carolyn Maloney when @errollouis asks: "Should Pres. Biden run again in 2024?" in @NY1 @WNYCNY #NY12 debate Nadler: "Too early to say. Doesn't serve purpose of the Democratic party to deal with that until after the midterms"”
— Howard Mortman (@Howard Mortman) 1659517269
MALONEY: I don't believe [Biden] is running for re-election.
We are all Suraj Patel’s stunned reaction in the above clip. (He wisely said “Yes,” Biden should run again.) Does Maloney know something we don’t? Biden was 78 when he was elected. He’s in full possession of his faculties, so he’s aware he’ll be 82 in 2024. This is ideally an eight-year gig unless you’re really a screw-up, and no one wants to join the “Screw-Up Club.” Poor Jimmy Carter had to build houses for 40 years to salvage his reputation.
Biden curb-stomped Donald Trump in New York’s 12th district, 84 to 15 percent. Putting this into perspective, Trump won Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s district 73 to 25 percent. Greene unambiguously supports a 2024 encore performance for the insurrectionist-in-chief.
Republicans instantly seized on this easily avoidable blunder. Rep. Lauren Boebert tweeted, "When Maloney and Nadler both refuse to commit their support to Biden in 2024, you know all is lost. Those two have towed [ sic ] the party-line for their entire careers and even THEY can’t stomach the thought of Biden heading their party for four more years. What a blow to Joe!”
Boebert has a point, an idiotic one, but a point nonetheless. Nadler cleaned up after himself in an interview with the New York Post: "Anyone watching last night’s debate would have heard my extremely effusive comments about President Biden’s performance during historically trying times. As I have said many times, I strongly support the president."
Maloney, however, kept digging. CNN’s Brianna Keilar asked Maloney why she said Biden wouldn’t run again, and leveraging her 40 years political experience, Maloney delivered what seemed like a eulogy for the Biden administration.
MALONEY: Well, first of all, I think we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to President Biden. He saved the country by running against former President Trump and he defeated him. And he’s also done an incredible job as president, passing the [...] American Rescue Plan, the infrastructure plan, and now the inflation reduction plan, which is based off the Build Back Better. So I think he’s done an incredible job and has given us a record to run on in the 2022 elections.
He’s not done yet, congresswoman!
KEILAR: Why do you think he’s not running?
MALONEY: That was just my own personal belief ...
But you expressed them publicly! There were TV cameras at that debate!
MALONEY: I will support him if he runs [...] We’re all entitled to have our own information and our own beliefs, but I will support him if he runs for president. He’s already been an outstanding president.
Now, here’s where shit got weird. Maloney turned to the camera and directly addressed the president.
MALONEY: Mr. President, I apologize. I want you to run. I happen to think you won’t be running, but when you run or if you run, I will be there 100 percent.
Stop with the “if!" While the future’s uncertain for all of us, Biden still plans on running. This is a very simple message for Democrats, because the 2024 option is either Biden or Trump (maybe Ron DeSantis, but that’s almost worse). We made our choice in 2020 and need to stick with it.
[ The Daily Beast / Mother Jones ]
Follow Stephen Robinson on Twitter.
Do your Amazon shopping through this link, because reasons .
Yr Wonkette is 100 percent ad-free! Please subscribe, donate, and otherwise help keep us alive and kicking!