WOW! Democrats sure to love to eat their own.
During a recent appearance at the Institute of Politics at Harvard University, former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reflected on the turbulence within the Democratic Party in the aftermath of President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance in June 2024. Jean-Pierre spoke about the shock and dismay she felt as prominent Democratic figures publicly criticized Biden, pushing him toward stepping down from the race.
At the time, President Biden was still the sitting president and the head of the Democratic Party. Despite a somewhat successful midterm outcome for Democrats, many party leaders began openly questioning whether Biden should continue his re-election bid. These leaders, once loyal, suddenly turned on the President, demanding he withdraw from the race. For Jean-Pierre, it was a deeply unsettling experience.
As she described, the hardest part of that period came not from Biden himself, but from the sharp divide within his own party. Jean-Pierre explained that she had never witnessed such a concerted effort within a political party to publicly tear down its own leader. “It was like a firing squad,” Jean-Pierre recalled, noting that it was painful to watch such a loyal public servant, whom she regarded as a true patriot, be undermined by his own colleagues. Biden had accomplished significant historical feats during his first term, and yet, some within his party seemed eager to discard him when things got tough.
Jean-Pierre’s words underscored the frustration she felt seeing party leaders fail to unify. Instead of rallying together to safeguard democracy and present a united front against their political opposition, the Democratic Party seemed to self-destruct in those critical weeks. For Jean-Pierre, the infighting and lack of support ultimately harmed the party more than many realized. As she put it, this internal discord likely cost them the chance to mount a strong defense against their Republican opponents. It was an unfortunate chapter that left her shocked and saddened by the events that transpired.