The upper levels of the Democratic Party are experiencing fear and panic over the possibility of President Joe Biden losing the upcoming election, even among officials and strategists who previously expressed complete confidence in the upcoming battle against Donald Trump. Throughout the year, Democrats have engaged in fierce battles against their arch-rival and have responded to numerous campaigns targeting Biden, undermining his political capabilities on several domestic and foreign issues.
However, now, just months before the upcoming presidential election in November, they are living in a clear state of panic, as confirmed by more than a dozen party leaders and activists. The gap has widened between what Democrats say on television or in print and what they communicate to their friends, with growing concerns about Biden's chances, according to Politico.
"Nobody wants him"
One Democratic activist with close ties to the White House, who requested anonymity, revealed that "nobody wants to be that guy," referring to Biden. He added, "You don’t want to be the one who says publicly that we are doomed to fail, or that the campaign is bad, or that Biden is making mistakes." However, he noted that Biden's extremely weak poll numbers and the risks of the elections "create a state of panic."
Spread of Anxiety
Anxiety spread in recent days when Trump began canvassing some of the most liberal areas of the country, including New Jersey and New York, to attract Hispanic and Black voters, boasting improbably that he would win in those areas. Despite being far behind Biden in terms of available cash, Trump's fundraising surpassed what the president raised by $25 million last month, including a record amount of $50.5 million from an event in Palm Beach, Florida.
Potential Reasons for Biden's Defeat
One senior donor advisor for the Democratic Party provided an ongoing list shared with funders outlining nearly twenty reasons why Biden might lose, ranging from immigration and rising inflation to the president's age, the unpopularity of Vice President Kamala Harris, and the presence of third-party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Meanwhile, one of Biden's campaign advisors, speaking anonymously for candidness, emphasized that the president's team has never indicated that Trump’s financial trial would help or harm him. Instead, the advisor asserted that Trump will have to defend his stances on restricting abortion rights, attacking democracy, and advancing corporate interests as president.
It is noteworthy that a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted at the beginning of May showed Biden leading Trump by a narrow margin (one percentage point) ahead of the election in November, while Trump faces legal charges related to business record falsification.
