Former Bill Clinton strategist Paul Begala has warned Democrat President Joe Biden that his re-election campaign is doomed.
During a Thursday appearance on CNN, Begala bluntly declared:
“I’ve been talking to a lot of people, a lot of members in the Senate and House, major donors, activists, party chairs and I got to tell you, I think I’ve come across one who is still ridin’ for Biden.
“So the walls are closing in.”
For weeks, Biden has resisted calls from a growing faction in his party to step down from the race.
New reports this week show top Democrat leaders are now privately meeting with the president to urge him to step aside.
Democrats are fearing Biden cannot win against his GOP rival, President Donald Trump.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime Biden ally, has made this argument in private calls to the president, according to CNN.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has also “forcefully” argued to Biden that it would be best if he “bowed out of the race,” according to a report from ABC News.
WATCH:
Exclusive reporting by ABC's @jonkarl: During Schumer's one-on-one meeting with Biden on Saturday, "Schumer forcefully made the case that it would be better for Biden, better for the Democratic party, and better for the country if he were to bow out." pic.twitter.com/eI08ychFt8
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 17, 2024
Meanwhile, Begala stressed that Biden “has to” listen to this advice because all signs show his presidential bid is in dire jeopardy.
“It’s like that Carrie Underwood song, ‘Jesus, take the wheel,’ I’ve been saying, ‘Nancy, take the wheel,’” he joked.
“It comes down to money, maps, and polls,” he continued.
“The money has dried up.
“I can tell you that I raised money for a lot of super PACs. It has dried up.
“Donors are on strike, to the tune of, somebody reported, $90 million?
“It’s more like $300 million that people are sitting on saying they’re not going to give.”
The president’s fundraising is cratering as major liberal donors withdraw their financial support to the party following Biden’s disastrous debate performance in June.
According to a report in Variety last month, celebrity backers of the president have also threatened not to give any more money to the Democratic Party while Biden remains on the ticket.
Begala warned that Biden is also losing support from Democrat strongholds and voters in swing states.
“The maps are deteriorating so fast that the lieutenant governor of New York says it’s now a swing state.
“People talk about losing New Jersey, Minnesota, and the polling is terrible, especially in the swing states.
“So you can’t fight money, maps, and polls in this business,” he continued.
WATCH:
Despite mounting pressure to step aside, the Biden campaign told the media on Thursday morning that he has no plans to drop out of the race.
“Our campaign is not working through any scenarios where President Biden is not at the top of the ticket,” Biden principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said.
“He is and will be the Democratic nominee.”
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