Jonathan Martin, a columnist for Politico, has voiced strong criticism of President Biden's re-election strategy, asserting that Biden's reported private derogatory remarks about former Obama adviser David Axelrod will not secure him the necessary votes for victory.
Martin also questioned the wisdom of Biden's decision to publicly dispute poll results with the White House press corps, arguing that such actions are unlikely to increase his chances of re-election in 2024.
"Referring to David Axelrod in derogatory terms, as an individual who has heard Biden use such language privately claims, is not a strategy that will secure 270 electoral votes. Moreover, publicly expressing a sanitized version of the same hostility while disputing polling data with the White House press corps will not make Biden's re-election any more probable," Martin penned in his Politico column.
Axelrod has publicly pondered whether it is "prudent" for Biden to run for re-election, given the unfavorable swing-state polls and Democratic concerns about his age and ability to defeat former President Trump once again. This issue was brought to the fore last week when Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy questioned Biden about polls indicating he was trailing Trump in key battleground states.
Biden retorted, "Because you dont read the polls there are 10 polls eight of them Im beating him in. You guys only do two. CNN, New York Times, check it out. Well get you a copy."
According to Martin, the primary concerns among voters and "Democratic elites" are Biden's age and the rising cost of living. He argued that Biden's use of fundraisers to deny his challenges and complain about media coverage may provide emotional relief, but it does not increase his chances of defeating Trump again.
Martin predicted that the 2024 election would be "extraordinary," noting that Biden, the oldest president in history at his inauguration, will not be able to govern and campaign in the same way as his predecessors. He wrote, "Biden simply lacks the capacity to do so, and his staff doesnt trust him to even attempt it, as evidenced by their efforts to shield him from the press."
Axelrod echoed these sentiments on CNN, stating that the president's "age issue" is a significant concern. He said, "The one number in the polling that was concerning, and in the CNN poll that followed after The New York Times poll, had to do with age, and that is one thing you cant reverse no matter how effective Joe Biden is behind the scenes."
Martin also proposed that Biden appoint former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to facilitate a peace process in the Middle East. Furthermore, he urged President Biden to address his son Hunter Biden's legal issues proactively.
Martin advised, "And it may be the most painful act he takes as president, but Biden should clear the air the best he can when it comes to his son Hunters business dealings. Whenever Hunter Biden has a legal resolution, which the president may want to encourage sooner rather than later, schedule an interview with this White Houses favorite 60 Minutes interlocutor and answer every question."
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