Alex Thompson: Why Did Biden Drop Out?

Axios reporter Alex Thompson discusses Joe Biden's exit and the rise of Kamala Harris on Just Asking Questions.

1x 1.1x 1.25x 1.5x 2x 3x

:15 :15

Download

Alex Thompson: Why Did Biden Drop Out?

HD Video Download

The past month has been one of the most tumultuous in modern American political history: a devastating face-plant in a televised presidential debate, an attempted assassination of an ex-president favored in the polls to win reelection, a COVID-19 infection of the sitting president and his subsequent exit from the race, and an endorsement and loads of money pouring into the campaign of a previously unpopular vice president.

What was going on behind the scenes that led us to this moment? This week on Just Asking Questions, Liz Wolfe and Zach Weissmueller are joined by Alex Thompson, who writes about Joe Biden's White House for Axios. He's had a number of scoops about the internal goings-on in the Biden White House despite the fact that, according to previous guest Dave Weigel, Thompson has been pushed away for his previous reporting on Biden's declining health.

They discuss the internal politics behind Biden's decision to drop out, the prospects for Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement in the 2024 presidential race, the media's insistence that Harris was not the president's "border czar," and the reluctance of former President Barack Obama to endorse Harris. Liz and Zach also react to Biden's exit speech, Harris' recent rally, and musician Charli XCX endorsing Harris as "brat."

Sources referenced in this conversation:

1. Biden drops out on X
2. Axios: "Scoop: Biden doubted Harris' election chances"
3. Axios: "Scoop: Biden changes walking routine to Marine One"
4. Axios: "Harris border confusion haunts her new campaign"
5. Charli XCX on X: "kamala IS brat"
6. 18–34s Harris vs. Trump, CNN (July 22–23): "CNN Poll: Harris improves on Biden's performance against Trump in early look at new matchup"
7. 18–34s Quinnipiac (July 19–21)

• Producer: John Osterhoudt

Comments

[Don't look at me!]

He had to drop out become the jig is up.

[Flaco]

I'm trying to figure out if that is funny or racist, or both.

[tracerv]

Dinger please!

[Dillinger]

this is still funny next-day

[Mother's Lament]

Biden didn't drop out. He was forced out in a soft coup by a cabal of Democratic Party elites.

He was installed via coup and he left via coup. Fitting really.

[Rick James]

Yeah, everything I’ve gotten from sources that have repeatedly been proven to be right in past situations say that the most likely reason was Biden (Jill) was absolutely against dropping out until a couple of shadowy DNC officials told Biden (Jill) that it would be in his best interest to drop out because it would be extremely unfortunate if the reality of his medical condition (likely Parkinsons) was to be leaked to the press.

“Your presidency has two possible futures, one has a leaked Parkinson’s diagnosis.”

[SRG2]

If Biden was unfit to run for re-election, which we agree, why are you so butt-hurt about it when he doesn't run? What would it ever look like if a candidate wanted to run but the party thought it not in the best interests of party or country not to run?

Most likely, you wanted Biden to run to assure a Trump victory.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

If he is unfit to run an election campaign, how is fit to be commander in chief?

[Mother's Lament]

He isn't and never was, but Diet Shrike will never admit that.

[SRG2]

He was initially fit - at least, fitter than his opponent. Now? Nope. But we can manage a few months before the election without having to go all 25A. And Trump isn't fit either, but MoLa will never admit that.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

"He was initially fit – at least, fitter than his opponent..."

TDS-addled shit heard from.
FOAD, asshole.

[R Mac]

Did you ask him about this?

“Holy sh*t.

Axios is literally throwing itself under the bus to rewrite history for Kamala.”

https://x.com/EndWokeness/status/1816151754460778632

[JesseAz (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

I hope they go hard enough in the embarrassment to drive Reason away as well. They tried the antiwar candidate with her which was already embarrassing.

[Mother's Lament]

They also tried to claim that the woman who oversaw more than 1,900 marijuana convictions of black men and who actively fought a ballot measure for recreational pot in 2010, co-authoring the opposition argument in the voter guide, is now the pro-pot candidate.

Unlike Biden and Trump, Kamala Harris Has Repeatedly Supported Pot Legalization

Kind of disgusting actually.

[ObviouslyNotSpam]

The article you quoted went into some detail about her past statements and actions. It noted that she flip-flopped in 2018.

Which part do you find "disgusting", actually?

[MWAocdoc]

Flip-flopping is not now and never has been a serious problem for politicians. It's my opinion that voters don't really care what you SAID last or what you SAID before that or what you SAID the time before that. However ACTIONS do tend to come back to haunt politicians in close races where the five to ten percent swing voters actually care what you DID over time. If they like your actual track record it may make a difference to how they vote at the last minute.

[Rick James]

a COVID-19 infection of the sitting president

Big, big news. Dramatic. The third time he's had COVID was clearly the most devastating COVID.

[Don't look at me!]

A hero, really.

[R Mac]

It’s like getting your ear shot off, is what I’m hearing.

[Rick James]

It's like Biden was a victim of the Holocaust, 9/11 AND January 6, in order of increasing horror.

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Don’t forget Pearl Harbor and the Alamo.

[Terry Anne Lieber (Don't Feed Tony)]

Because The Party has forced him to.

Live by the coup, die by the coup. Oh, the irony...

[Longtobefree]

Because Nancy told him if he dropped out, he could stay president long enough to pardon Hunter. If he didn't drop out, they would 25th amendment him and Hunter was going down for the gun charges AND the tax crap.

(at least Biden got a choice; we didn't)

[Gaear Grimsrud]

He will pardon Hunter after the election. Bank on it.

[ObviouslyNotSpam]

He has already said he would not pardon Hunter. Feel free to put your money where your mouth is. Like Sen. Ted Cruz, who I assume will be wagering his entire net worth on the "100%" certainty of Biden pardoning Hunter.

Do let us know in January how much you won/lost, okay?

[Pepin the short]

Clown video.

[Dillinger]

>>the prospects for Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement in the 2024 presidential race

save me the time do any of you say "stolen democracy"?

[I, Woodchipper]

Imagine thinking Biden chose to drop out.

A comms staffer tweeted a picture of a letter he did not write or sign. That's not an intentional act.

[I, Woodchipper]

And then no one heard a word from him for 4 or 5 days. lol. lmao even

[ObviouslyNotSpam]

That's obviously because he was dead.

[SRG2]

I've not heard so much whingeing against a party you don't support anyway since the Democrats interfered with the non-Democrat Bernie's run.

[Mother's Lament]

And even though that bothers you so much that you had to complain about it, you still swear that you're not a DNC shill.

[SRG2]

It doesn't bother me, and I am not complaining about it. I merely observe the whinge. But as I have noted before, while I am not a Democrat, I despise the modern GOP.

[Sevo, 5-30-24, embarrassment]

And even though that bothers you so much that you had to complain about it, you still swear that you’re not a DNC shill.

[JeremyR]

How can you guys rightfully point out that Axios is rewriting history to make Harris look better, and then sit down with Axios like they are a perfectly honest journalism outlet and not part of the Democrat's machine.

Then again, you used used to love Russia Today

[dan1650]

The answer to why did Biden dropped out is simple. He knew the chance of beating Trump was diminishing quickly. His performance during the debate was just part of his problems considering his approval ratings. His last desperate attempt to revive his campaign in Butler County failed and he had nothing else to fall back on.
The truth is he is about the same as when elected. If the DNC's news outlets told the truth they would point out how badly his foreign and domestic policies have failed.
Now we get to watch the DNC and their news outlets use the illusionary truth effect to brainwash the masses to forget about who Harris really is and rehabilitate her image as the best VP instead of the worst in history. As a potent political tool the illusionary truth effect worked very well with Joe Biden who was never considered a serious choice for president other than in rude jokes.

[ObviouslyNotSpam]

Lol, you’re accusing Biden of attempting to assassinate Trump, but you don’t seem to be able to quite put it in words.

Go on, say it. We’re all friends here.

[sarcasmic]

Sinister reasons.

[WWestmiller]

Biden dropped out for only one reason (the same one that motivated Kamala to drop out .. twice: all the money disappeared.
You can't run or even participate in a campaign with no money.
The biggest reason is that lots of well-informed, very-rich Democratic Socialist aristocrats warned Biden that there would be no money moving to ANY Democratic candidates until after he dropped out.
**POOFF**

[MWAocdoc]

Okay guys ... once again "age" and "cognitive decline" are NOT the same damned thing! Although there is certainly a correlation between advancing age and cognitive decline, Joe Biden's AGE is not now and has never been an issue here. His apparent declining cognitive function is certainly a major issue, but there are huge numbers of elderly people out there who are sharp as a tack and their experience gives them a large advantage in various social settings over their younger associates. You are not doing society any favors by hammering away at "age!" It might be a convenient label for your concerns but PLEASE give it a rest!