Taylor Swift, Oprah and a ‘blitz primary’: Well-connected Democrats, including a former adviser to Obama and Clinton, release shocking memo detailing wild plan to replace Biden
Two well-positioned Democrats have released a shocking memo outlining their wild plan to replace President Joe Biden on their 2024 slate of candidates.
Biden is expected to step down as the front-runner by mid-July to allow other Democrats to register for a “blitz primary” featuring celebrities like Taylor Swift and Oprah. according to Semafor.
The six candidates with the most delegate votes would also have to pledge to run an exclusively positive campaign.
The plan is the brainchild of Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown law professor who served in both the Obama and Clinton administrations and as a volunteer policy adviser to Biden’s 2020 campaign, and Ted Dintersmith, a venture capitalist and education philanthropist who has donated to a number of Democratic campaigns.
They have already circulated the plan among Democratic donors and officials within the Biden campaign and administration, saying it has broad support.
A pair of well-connected Democrats have released a memo outlining their plan to replace President Joe Biden as the nominee
The plan is the brainchild of Rosa Brooks, a Georgetown law professor who served in both the Obama and Clinton administrations and as a volunteer policy adviser to Biden’s 2020 campaign, and Ted Dintersmith, a venture capitalist and education philanthropist who has donated to a number of Democratic campaigns.
Under the plan, Biden would have to step down as the Democratic nominee in mid-July and announce the new system to determine who will take his place, with the support of Vice President Kamala Harris.
Democrats who want to become the new nominee then have just a few days to announce their candidacy. The six who receive the most delegate votes must promise to campaign exclusively on a positive note in the month leading up to the convention.
The so-called “blitz primaries” would then include weekly forums with each candidate moderated by cultural icons such as Michelle Obama, Oprah and Taylor Swift.
The nominee would ultimately be chosen by delegates using a ranking system before the start of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 19.
Brooks and Dintersmith then propose revealing the nominee onstage with Biden, former President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton.
Part of the plan involves celebrities like Taylor Swift holding weekly forums with the candidates
Brooks and Dintersmith have also floated Oprah as a potential moderator
It is stressed that donations will flow in if Democrats follow the plan, and it is claimed that Biden will be celebrated as a “modern-day George Washington” who puts aside his lust for power for the good of the country.
“We can stumble toward an ignominious, avoidable defeat that will end democracy. Or Democrats can make this Our Finest Hour,” the memo said.
“While we hope for the help of the Lord Almighty, the Lord helps those who help themselves,” the piece continues, apparently referring to Biden’s defining interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, in which he said only the “Lord Almighty” could tell him to drop out of the race.
“We must act now,” the memo argues.
But it acknowledges there are some problems with the plan, as Biden has so far refused to step down.
In addition, under the plan, Vice President Harris would not automatically take over as president, as several Democrats are lining up behind her.
The 81-year-old president has insisted he is not dropping out of the race
Biden has faced calls to withdraw since his abysmal performance at the CNN debate on June 27
“Will it happen? Probably not, unless there is a timely decision by party leaders, including President Biden, who truly put country first,” the memo said.
Yes, President Biden has served his country with distinction for five decades. Yes, this honorable man deserves our respect, our gratitude, and our admiration. But not our blind loyalty.
“America is desperate for an uplifting choice,” it says.
Still, Brooks said she has received nearly unanimous support from those to whom she sent the memo, suggesting party leaders would back the proposal if Biden supports it.
Under Brooks and Dintersmith’s plan, Vice President Kamala Harris would not be assured of the nomination
The 81-year-old president has faced calls to step down since his dismal performance during the CNN debate on June 27, in which he repeatedly stopped mid-sentence and stood with his mouth open as Trump spoke.
When the conversation ended, Biden was seen walking around his podium, with First Lady Jill Biden eventually leading him off the stage.
It has now become known that the president showed up late for his disastrous debate with Donald Trump.
He left his hotel in Atlanta 27 minutes late and arrived with less than a half hour to spare, with no time to learn where to look when Trump was speaking, the Washington Post reported.
As a result, he often looked in the wrong direction and seemed to be staring into space, barely aware of what was happening.
Biden later attributed his performance at the debate to “exhaustion” and “being sick,” even claiming he should have taken a COVID test before the debate.
Biden arrived 27 minutes late for disastrous debate, it emerged
He tried to prove with the personal interview with Stephanopoulos that he was still capable of running the country, but again failed to convince even the members of his own party that he has the mental strength needed for another four years.
Words like “heartbreaking,” “damned” and “fucking disaster” were all used by more than half a dozen Democrats in Congress, according to NBC.
Another post-debate interview also made headlines after Biden said he was a “black woman” while apparently cheering his nomination of Harris as vice president.
But it later emerged that the president’s team had sent the interviewer at WURD radio in Philadelphia questions to ask the commander in chief.
That interviewer, Andrea Lawful-Sanders, has since been fired. WURD said in a statement that her use of predetermined questions “is inconsistent with our tradition of being an independent media outlet that is accountable to its listeners.”
It added that the “practice of delegitimizing Black voices continues” and is concerned that any perception that prepared questions are being accepted gives the impression that the station is a “mouthpiece” for the Biden administration.
Biden continues his campaign and will make a stop in Pennsylvania on Sunday
On Sunday, at least ten Democrats had called on Biden to withdraw from the race.
House Judiciary Committee member Jerry Nadler and House Veterans Affairs Committee member Mark Takano are among those who have said they want Biden to end his run for the White House.
Reps. Don Beyer, Adam Smith and Joseph Morelle, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, also said Biden is done.
Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) has begun organizing a group of senatorial Democrats to discuss Biden’s future.
Still, Biden is continuing his campaign, appearing at a predominantly black church and an ice cream parlor in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on Sunday.
“Folks, if I may, I’m going to find out if we have ice cream,” Biden muttered. “You know, isn’t it kind of boring when you have a president who’s known for two things — Ray Bans and chocolate chip ice cream?”
Some attendees at the outdoor event found the president’s comments painful to hear.
“If I stand here long enough, all those people in the back are going to die of heatstroke,” Biden said. “I’m not going to do that.”