Jamal Simmons, a former communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris, made waves on Sunday when he suggested that President Joe Biden should resign to give Harris a brief presidency before President-elect Donald Trump assumes office in January. Simmons made his remarks during a panel discussion on CNN's "State of the Union" with Dana Bash, framing the move as an opportunity for Biden to fulfill a final, symbolic promise.
"Joe Biden's been a phenomenal president," Simmons said. "He's lived up to so many of the promises he's made. There's one promise left that he could fulfill-being a transitional figure." The suggestion that Biden could step aside to make Harris the first woman president, even temporarily, sparked reactions ranging from incredulity to intrigue from other panelists.
Simmons' proposal, while hypothetical, underscores the divisions and frustrations simmering within the Democratic Party following Trump's decisive victory over Harris in the November 5 election. Harris, who stepped up as the Democratic presidential nominee after Biden withdrew from the race in July amid mounting concerns over his age and debate performance, ultimately lost both the Electoral College and the popular vote to Trump.
Simmons framed the idea as a way to "dominate the news at a point where Democrats have to learn drama and transparency." The notion that such a dramatic gesture could reenergize the party has resonated with some Democratic strategists, particularly in the wake of internal party turmoil following the election loss.
The relationship between Harris and Biden reportedly grew strained in the final months of the campaign. As Harris distanced herself from aspects of Biden's record, tensions flared. The discord was exemplified by a controversy involving comments made at a pro-Trump rally disparaging Puerto Rico. Biden's subsequent remarks, perceived as undermining Harris's response, provided Republicans with ammunition to criticize the Democratic ticket.
David Plouffe, a senior Harris campaign adviser and former architect of Barack Obama's successful 2008 campaign, reflected on the challenges of running against Trump. In a now-deleted post on the social platform X, Plouffe wrote that the Harris campaign had "dug out of a deep hole" but ultimately fell short. His comments were widely interpreted as a veiled critique of Biden's delayed exit from the race, a decision that left the party scrambling to coalesce around Harris.
Simmons' remarks on Sunday marked the first high-profile suggestion that Biden should resign as a means of elevating Harris, however briefly, to the presidency. While there is no indication that Biden is contemplating such a move, the suggestion highlights the degree of introspection and internal debate unfolding within the Democratic Party.
During the panel discussion, host Dana Bash noted the evolution of the idea from "an internet meme to a Sunday morning show." The notion of Biden stepping down underscores the Democratic Party's ongoing struggle to recalibrate after its 2024 electoral defeat and to find a unifying strategy moving forward.
The broader context for Simmons' comments reflects the ongoing tensions within the party. Democrats are grappling with questions about the future of their coalition, with some factions calling for a pivot further left and others urging a centrist approach to win back moderate voters. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) highlighted this divide in a social media post over the weekend, arguing that the party must do more to engage disaffected voters.
