Former Democratic strategist Dan Turrentine voiced strong concerns Friday on Fox News’ “The Ingraham Angle,” asserting that former President Joe Biden’s continued public remarks regarding the 2024 election are “holding the party back” and that no one within the Democratic ranks seems able to curb his commentary.
Turrentine’s comments came after Biden, following a Memorial Day event speech in Delaware, expressed pride in his “record” before his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race, seemingly alluding to a perceived favorability lead over then-President Donald Trump.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham noted during the discussion that Biden had been “pushed out” of the race.
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“One of the ironies is that as Donald Trump’s poll numbers went down earlier this year, our poll numbers didn’t go up,” Turrentine stated. “One of the reasons that they didn’t go up is that we are struggling to move forward, and Biden keeps pulling us backwards.”
Turrentine highlighted Biden’s apparent desire to “relitigate this contest,” pointing to his Memorial Day speech where he once again invoked themes of democracy and the electoral “choice.” “We just had an election,” Turrentine emphasized, lamenting the Democratic Party’s predicament: “The problem that our party has is there’s nobody that can get him to stop doing this, to say, ‘Hey Joe, this isn’t good for you, certainly not good for us.'”
The former president’s public appearances and perceived struggles during a June 2024 debate against Trump had led to a rapid shift in Democratic sentiment, despite earlier endorsements for his 2024 candidacy. Reports indicated that prominent Democratic figures, including then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and former President Barack Obama, had worked behind the scenes to encourage Biden’s withdrawal.
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By July 21, Biden announced his exit from the race, endorsing then-Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s nominee.
Turrentine suggested that Biden harbors bitterness towards those who facilitated his departure. “He’s bitter at Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Barack Obama,” Turrentine claimed, adding, “The only one who could probably get him to stop is Jill, and she’s more bitter than he is. So what we have is the Democratic Party keeps having to try to defend the indefensible, that he was good enough, couldn’t, and could do it when everybody knows he couldn’t.”
Prior to leaving office in January, Biden had expressed uncertainty to USA Today about the potential outcome of the 2024 election had he remained in the race, deeming it “presumptuous” to claim victory based on the polling.
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In November 2024, Donald Trump secured a historic victory, winning both the Electoral College and the popular vote, notably drawing support from traditional Democratic voting blocs such as Black and Hispanic males.
Turrentine’s remarks underscore a growing frustration within some Democratic circles regarding the lingering impact of the former president’s post-election activities.
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