New York Times columnist Thomas L. “Tom” Friedman, a close friend of President Joe Biden, has had enough. The seemingly tear-stricken writer used an opinion piece Friday to counsel the octogenarian to withdraw from the 2024 race after his “heartbreaking” showing in the debate.
Friedman’s editorial offering got straight to the point. Under the headline Joe Biden Is a Good Man and a Good President. He Must Bow Out of the Race, Friedman highlighted his own personal distress at what unfolded:
I watched the Biden-Trump debate alone in a Lisbon hotel room, and it made me weep. I cannot remember a more heartbreaking moment in American presidential campaign politics in my lifetime — precisely because of what it revealed: Joe Biden, a good man and a good president, has no business running for re-election.
Friedman then counseled the Biden family to draw close to their man, “and have the hardest of conversations with the president, a conversation of love and clarity and resolve. To give America the greatest shot possible of deterring the Trump threat in November, the president has to come forward and declare that he will not be running for re-election and is releasing all of his delegates for the Democratic National Convention.”
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As to who can fill Biden’s place as he vacates the stage, Friedman has no doubts Vice President Kamala Harris should put her hand up alongside any other contenders.
Ultimately dewy-eyed Friedman sees no future for Biden in the 2024 race. He concluded the piece:
If he insists on running and he loses to Trump, Biden and his family — and his staff and party members who enabled him — will not be able to show their faces.
They deserve better. America needs better. The world needs better.
Friedman would appear to have plenty of company in his doubting Biden’s ability to proceed.
As Breitbart News reported, a CNN flash poll on the debate conducted by SSRS found a whopping 67 percent of those polled believed former President Donald Trump won the debate while only 33 percent believed Biden won.
Significantly, prior to the debate, the same voters said 55 percent to 45 percent that they expected Trump to perform better.