An issue in President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign is becoming a problem of seismic proportions.
Concerns about Biden’s mental fitness have dogged the president since his 2020 campaign, but his spaced-out showing at the first presidential debate of this election cycle pushed these worries into the open public discourse.
During the June 27 debate against the presumptive GOP nominee, former President Donald Trump, a noticeably unwell Biden gave rambling, sometimes nonsensical answers to straightforward questions.
The fallout from the debate was immediate, and in the following days, Biden’s supporters became unsure of his ability to continue in the election and began backing off.
Even as major donors such as Walt Disney Co. heiress Abigail Disney halted funding, the issue seemed relatively manageable for the campaign.
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Other donors who have contributed tens of millions of dollars to Democrats are similarly refusing to continue their giving.
Now it seems this growing problem is reaching seismic proportions.
NBC News reported Wednesday that a major slowdown has hit the Biden campaign’s income stream, with the flow of money from donors being “absolutely shut off.”
“Donors are negative,” one source said in the report. “They had a call with the president. The call seemed so contrived to people; I don’t think they buy it.”
Will donors return to Biden?
The campaign is already on a dismal track for large donations, with a source claiming Biden’s camp will likely see only half the typical contributions.
The report indicates donations are declining across the board.
Biden’s campaign was quick to push back against the doomsaying as “not accurate,” instead highlighting one of the few positive metrics the re-election effort is seeing.
“On grassroots fundraising, the first seven days of July were the best start to the month on the campaign — and many of those were first-time donors,” campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt told NBC News.
“On the high-dollar side, we’ve had folks max out since the debate, as well,” she said.
Gee i wonder why
— Evan Dyer (@EvanLeeDyer) July 11, 2024
The NBC report indicates the campaign believes donors will overcome their worries and return to funding the effort to defeat Trump.
Donors have voiced concerns about Biden’s ability to lead a campaign, as well as his chances of beating the former president in November. There is now serious talk of replacing Biden as the Democrats’ ticket topper.
One of the main candidates appears to be Vice President Kamala Harris.
Although Harris’ problems are clear, she offers one immediate benefit to the Democratic Party – she is the only person able to inherit the campaign’s existing infrastructure and vast war chest.
This deep campaign coffer will likely come in handy if major donors are not persuaded to return by the ascendancy of Harris.
