President Biden has disparaged veteran Democratic political strategist David Axelrod as a “prick” for questioning whether the commander-in-chief should seek a second term — as a spate of polling shows the incumbent losing next year to former President Donald Trump.
The 80-year-old Biden’s hot temper and penchant for profanity are open secrets in Washington, and his disparagement of Axelrod — as reported Monday by Politico columnist Jonathan Martin — is the latest sign of strife between Biden loyalists and veterans of the Barack Obama administration.
Axelrod, best known for masterminding Obama’s election victories in 2008 and 2012, initially stated earlier this month that Biden should consider his position, after a New York Times/Siena College poll showed Biden losing to Trump, 77, in five of six states likely to decide the outcome of the 2024 vote.
“Only @JoeBiden can make this decision. If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it’s in HIS best interest or the country’s?” Axelrod posted on X.
The president took umbrage at David Axelrod’s comments about his 2024 campaign. REUTERS
Vice President Joe Biden speaks with senior adviser David Axelrod during a 2009 Oval Office meeting. Pete Souza – White House via CNPThat prescription did not sit well with Biden’s allies.
Former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, who has a penchant for trash talk on social media, fired back at Axelrod later in the day.
“Man who called Biden ‘Mr Magoo’ in Aug. 2019 is still at it,” Klain wrote, referring to the venerable cartoon character.
On CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday, Axelrod insisted that he was not telling Biden to drop out of the 2024 race, merely that he “ought to think about it.”
Axelrod has publicly questioned whether Biden should run again in 2024. AP“I have no concerns about polls a year out. I mean, you have to look at them and analyze them and adjust,” he said. “But I was in a situation as a strategist for Barack Obama in 2011 where we were facing some difficult polls.
“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’s one thing you can’t reverse. And no matter how effective Joe Biden is behind the scenes, in front of the camera, what he’s projecting is causing people concerns.”
Biden reportedly is sensitive about his age and fitness to serve, ranting to one acquaintance last year: “You think I don’t know how f—ing old I am?,” according to Politico.
President Biden holds a hockey stick during a celebration with the Vegas Golden Knights after their 2023 Stanley Cup victory. APThe president also dismissed the polling in a rare audience with a group of reporters outside the White House last week.
“You don’t read the polls,” Biden said Nov. 9. “Ten polls. Eight of them, I’m beating him [Trump] in those places. Eight of them. You guys only do two. CNN and New York Times. Check it out. Check it out. We’ll get you a copy of all those other polls.”
When asked if he believed he was behind in the key states, Biden repeated: “No, I don’t.”
