How Biden and those close to him ruined it

by Trevor Hunnicutt

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to end his re-election campaign on Sunday revealed a series of strategic mistakes by his campaign team and White House aides, raising concerns that the 81-year-old president will not be able to win November’s election, or run the country for the next four years.

Biden’s stilted performance in the June 27 presidential debate against Republican nominee Donald Trump led even some of his closest allies to question whether he would be able to withstand a full campaign, and added fuel to a Democratic Party movement questioning the wisdom of his second term.

In a matter of days, Biden went from being the party’s nominal leader to a liability. He became the first president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 to withdraw from a potential re-election bid.

These were some of the key moments that led to Biden’s downfall.

Debate from April to June

Biden himself had sparked the debate when he told radio show host Howard Stern in April that he would debate Trump, while some of his Democratic allies worried that the debate would not improve his chances or even have an adverse effect on him.

Some Biden allies thought he had achieved a major breakthrough by agreeing to debates in June. He worked with broadcaster CNN to bend the rules in his favor and agreed on May 15 to two debates, the first of which was scheduled for June 27.

Some aides believe an earlier debate would bode well for Biden because it would convince voters there is no other anti-Trump option in the race while also cushioning the blow of any mediocre performance from the president.

They thought the format — no audience to amplify Trump’s punchlines, no third-party candidates, no moderators they could trust and a mute button on the microphones — would suit Biden’s style.

Jet Lag – June 4 to 27

Biden traveled twice in a 14-day period, to Europe and the West Coast, and then spent a few days relaxing at his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

According to several people who monitored Biden during this time, by the end of the trip, Biden was exhausted and his condition was deteriorating.

He and his aides went to Camp David on June 21 for focused preparation sessions, where they briefed Biden extensively, and then held seven days of mock debates.

One Bad Night – June 27th

In CNN’s Atlanta studio, Biden’s words stumbled and he appeared to lose his train of thought. His speech, appearance and voice immediately caught the attention of reporters, who sought clarification from his aides.

Officials gave reporters some new information during the debate: They said Biden is sick with a cold.

Biden’s voice improved during the debate, but his inconsistent answers surprised voters, donors, and Democratic officials. One Democratic strategist called it “a disaster.”

Trump, 78, repeated a number of well-worn, outright falsehoods during the 90-minute debate, including the claim that he actually won the 2020 election. Biden failed to refute him, and left sentences and thoughts unfinished.

Trump accused Biden of being inconsistent, saying: “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said.”

Fallout – June 27 to July 2

The day after the debate, Biden acknowledged the poor performance, saying, “I know I’m not a young man.” On July 2, he said, “I almost fell asleep on stage.”

Calls for Biden to step down began pouring in just hours after the debate, from Biden allies to worried Democrats facing re-election campaigns and seeing their own political futures crumble before their eyes, only to do so several days later.

Some lawmakers began breaking ranks, starting with U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett on July 2 and then gaining momentum.

Angry donors have told Biden’s aides that they need to see a change in the candidate’s performance. Senior Democrats and Biden allies have also begun hinting at a change in the ticket.

House of Representatives Democrat Jim Clyburn — a kind of kingmaker within the Democratic Party who was instrumental in Biden’s 2020 victory — said on July 2 that he would support Vice President Kamala Harris if Biden left and suggested the idea of ​​a “mini-primary” if Biden steps aside.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime Biden ally, said it was legitimate to ask whether Biden’s performance in Atlanta was an “event” or a bet. She also indicated that Biden would have to consider his choices in the race.

Dam break – 5 to 8 July

Biden will fail to silence dissenting voices.

In his first major interview following the debate on July 5, Biden told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos that only “God Almighty” could take him out of the race.

More worrying to some Democrats is that Biden said he could accept staying in the race and losing to Trump “as long as I did my best and did as good a job as I could.”

36 Democratic US lawmakers and one independent lawmaker who caucuses with Democrats ultimately called on Biden to withdraw from the ticket 24 days after the debate.

NATO, Elections – July 9-12Biden tried to move forward. He gave interviews, press conferences and gave tough speeches during the election campaign and at a NATO summit of US allies.

But sometimes these incidents increase the concerns instead of calming them.

At the NATO summit in the second week of July, Biden mixed up the names of his Vice President Harris and his Republican rival Trump, and also mixed up the names of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose countries are at war with each other.

Polls have shown Biden trailing other Democrats in several key states and districts Democrats need to win in November, though surveys across the country show the contest is close.

Biden was undeterred, and still believed he was the best candidate to take on Trump, and that he could recover from this setback, as he had done many times before, and was reinforced by his closest allies.

Trump rally shooting – July 13

Trump was shot while giving a speech in Pennsylvania. The bullet grazed his ear, leaving his face bloodied, and images of the former president raising his fist in defiance were widely shown.

Republicans spoke of divine providence and rallied around their candidate. Democrats worried they might have ruined their own chances, as they saw the path to victory in November even more difficult.

Days later, Biden contracted COVID while campaigning in Nevada. Recovering at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, he had time alone and in solitude to decide whether and how to end his campaign.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Heather Timmons, Alistair Bell and Leslie Adler)