OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
MSNBC host and former Florida Republican congressman Joe Scarborough made a startling admission on-air about what most Democrats really think about President Joe Biden in private.
At issue is a recent Washington Post column by David Ignatius, urging Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to abandon any intentions of running in 2024. Ignatius pointed to recent polling data that cast doubts on their ability to prevail over former President Donald Trump, which he asserts is the most important matter at hand.
Scarborough’s co-host and wife, Mika Brzezinski, appeared to be skeptical and even a little disappointed in Ignatius, asking him to come up with a better alternative candidate, to which he admitted he “could not name that person.”
“I think it comes down to what we were talking about earlier is Joe Biden, the person who can stop Donald Trump, or somebody like Trump who gets the Republican nomination?” Ignatius said during the segment. “That’s what he’s got to — He’s got to look in the mirror, search his soul and make that decision. And I wanted to raise that question. I’d like him to think that through carefully because I have my concerns.”
Then Scarborough dropped a bomb.
“Just to answer David’s question,” he began. “Mika and I, everybody we talk to, every political discussion, all it talks a lot about Trump, but when it comes to Joe Biden, people say, ‘Man, he’s too old to run. He’s, and I mean, he’s not going to; he’s not really going to run…’”
“When I say every discussion, I don’t mean 99 percent of the discussion. Every discussion,” he clarified. “I asked Reverend Al if he was hearing it all the time on our show this past week. He’s hearing it as well.”
“So, you know, we often will complain about Republicans who will say one thing about Donald Trump off the air and another on air,” he added. “Well, let me just say, Democrats, off the air, will say ‘Joe Biden’s too old. Why is he running.’ On the air? They won’t say that.”
“So, I commend David for at least raising the question,” Scarborough concluded. “I mean, my question, of course, Willie, is who could do a better job as president? Is Joe Biden, and who can beat Donald Trump? I don’t see a lot of Democrats out there. I don’t see any Democrats out there right now that could do that.”
Biden’s age is an issue among a majority of the electorate as well.
The UK’s Daily Mail reported:
The AP’s Chris Megerian pointed to last week’s AP-NORC poll that found 77 percent of Americans, including 69 percent of Democrats, believe Biden is too old to run for reelection.
A Wall Street Journal poll out Monday had similar findings, with 73 percent of voters saying Biden is too old to run again, including two-thirds of Democrats.
“The negative views of Biden’s age and performance in office help explain why only 39% of voters hold a favorable view of the president. In a separate question, some 42% said they approve of how he is handling his job, well below the 57% who disapprove,” the WSJ noted further.
Ahead of what so far appears to be a looming rematch of their 2020 contest, a new Harvard Harris Poll found that Trump continues to dominate the field of Republican candidates while Biden suffers from a growing perception that he is no longer mentally fit to serve as commander-in-chief.
Ahead of what so far appears to be a looming rematch of their 2020 contest, a new Harvard Harris Poll found in August that Trump continues to dominate the field of Republican candidates while Biden suffers from a growing perception that he is no longer mentally fit to serve as commander-in-chief.
The late July poll found that less than one-third — 32 percent — of respondents believe that Biden is mentally fit to serve as President, while 68 percent expressed doubts about his mental acuity.
