David Axelrod, a CNN pundit and former adviser to President Obama, strongly dismissed the idea that President Biden could have defeated former President Trump in the 2024 election. Reacting to comments suggesting that Biden should have stayed in the race and replaced Hillary Clinton as the 2016 Democratic nominee, Axelrod labeled those claims as “bulls‑‑‑” during his podcast, “Hacks on Tap.”
He recalled reading an anonymous quote from a Biden aide, claiming that the Obama administration had prevented Biden from running in 2016 and that he could have beaten Trump. Axelrod was quick to dismiss the idea, responding emphatically, “Bulls‑‑‑!”
Axelrod recalls Biden aide’s claim of Obama blocking a 2016 presidential run
Biden, under pressure from his own party, stepped aside in 2024 and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris after a poor debate performance raised doubts about his age and his ability to challenge Trump.
Axelrod had been critical of Biden’s ability to beat Trump months before the debate, expressing concerns about the president’s reelection campaign. Back in January, he warned that dismissing concerns about Biden’s weak poll numbers against Trump was problematic for Democrats.
A year earlier, Axelrod had given Biden only a “50-50 shot” at winning, acknowledging the risks of Biden, who turns 82 next week, attempting to “cheat nature” and defy the typical expectations for a president of his age.
Tensions between Biden’s team and Obama’s camp have been a long-standing issue, with Biden supporters often feeling that Obama’s inner circle underestimated Biden’s potential. Obama, however, had viewed Hillary Clinton as his successor rather than his own vice president in 2016.
Axelrod criticized the unnamed Biden aide for making these remarks anonymously, urging, “Come out to the daylight and say what you have to say.” He further expressed frustration, calling the aide a “sniveling little coward” for hiding behind an anonymous quote. Addressing Biden’s age and performance, Axelrod commented, “Look at the guy!”
