According to sources, a dramatic shift in the Democratic Party’s strategy led to President Joe Biden’s reported ousting from the 2024 presidential race. In an explosive Vanity Fair article, New York Times contributing opinion writer Jonathon Alter revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the events leading up to Biden’s departure.
Alter’s book claims that the moment Biden took the stage in June, his chances of winning were effectively over, and he was perceived as a relic of the past by the Democratic Party. The ousting, Alter says, was a brutal and divisive process, but one that the left felt was necessary to prevent a potential defeat at the hands of former President Donald Trump.
Alter notes that the Democratic Party’s leadership, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was instrumental in persuading Biden to step aside. However, the President’s family, including First Lady Jill Biden and First Son Hunter Biden, remained fiercely loyal to him, with Biden initially denying his declining health and insisting he was fit to continue campaigning.
Pelosi’s role in the ousting was particularly significant, with Alter suggesting that she used a combination of private pressure and subtle public statements to wear down Biden’s resistance. Pelosi’s comments on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, in which she praised Biden as a “great president,” were seen as a key moment in the campaign, as were the behind-the-scenes efforts of Congressional leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer to reveal Biden’s poor polling numbers to him.
The final blow came when Biden contracted COVID, leading to a realization among his party that he was no longer a viable candidate. Over the course of nearly four days, Biden was isolated from his family and staff, weighing the decision to exit the race without consulting his constituents. Ultimately, he made the “excruciating call” without the guidance of his fellow presidents, who had once been considered close friends.
