This battle plan could save the Democrats
More and more Democratic representatives are turning away from Joe Biden. His latest appearance at the NATO summit fueled doubts about his fitness for another term rather than dispelling them. Campaign-adviser van de Laar sees a way for the Democrats to turn the tide, but it would be without Biden. The 41-year-old believes he knows what it takes for Biden to pull the trigger and step down for another candidate.
With his appearance at the NATO summit, US President Joe Biden couldn't quiet the doubters about his fitness for another term. Two small missteps fueled their concerns. Campaign- and PR-adviser Julius van de Laar sees a scenario for the Democrats to steer the ship - albeit without Biden.
Van de Laar is convinced that the Democrats cannot win the fall elections with Biden as their candidate. The poll numbers are too poor, and doubts within their own ranks are too great, he told Deutschlandfunk. Van de Laar worked in the 2012 US campaign for Barack Obama's team and now emphasized that it was important to give Biden a dignified exit. The "Playbook" - a sort of blueprint - that could turn things around for the Democrats already exists.
Van de Laar himself had laid the groundwork for Biden's withdrawal during his NATO summit closing speech. "Monday I would make it official, and that's interesting timing-wise because Monday, of course, is the Republican Party's day," so van de Laar. Normally, a political camp keeps quiet while the opposing party's convention is ongoing. "But if the dam were to burst on Monday, Joe Biden would say, 'I'm out!', and the entire public would then be talking about the Democrats."
Biden's withdrawal needs "hard numbers"
The Republicans would be put on hold in such a scenario. "Tuesday we could then say how the process unfolds, whether it's an Open Primary, an open candidate registration period. Wednesday could then see the first candidates file their candidacy," so van de Laar. In this way, the Democrats could completely filter the Republican convention, so that "no one from Trump really hears the message, and the Democrats could thus have a reset."
For Biden to make room for another candidate, it would take "hard numbers," according to van de Laar. "Biden's closest advisers - and it's only a handful of people - must show him the numbers: You can't win." Convincing Biden of this would be the key to getting him to step down. "I believe that's the door that needs to be opened for Joe Biden to withdraw."
The NATO press conference was seen as a potential last big opportunity for Biden to prove that he could beat Trump in November. However, Biden first mistook Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for Vladimir Putin and corrected himself quickly. He then called Trump's vice president, Mike Pence, instead of Kamala Harris, whom he intended to speak about.
The Republican Party is closely watching the situation surrounding Joe Biden's fitness for the United States Presidency Election 2024, given his missteps at the NATO summit. Despite campaign-adviser Julius van de Laar's suggestion of a different scenario for the Democrats, some believe Biden's withdrawal could be crucial for their chances. Hard numbers showing his inability to win would be necessary to convince Biden to step down and make way for another candidate.
