politics
Former Democratic fundraiser plans book on party handling of Biden decline
Lindy Li, a former Democratic National Committee fundraiser, said she will name party figures who privately sought President Biden's withdrawal while defending him publicly. She is publishing the account in a book titled "Unburdened" later this year.
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Former Democratic National Committee fundraiser Lindy Li said she will identify party leaders who privately wanted President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race while continuing to support him in public. Li, who left the Democratic Party after the election, made the comments in an interview with Fox News Digital.
She said internal discussions and polling data showed limited support for Biden among some party figures well before he stepped aside.
Internal party dynamics Li cited a text message from Adam Schiff, then a Democratic candidate for Senate, that she said expressed private reservations about Biden's candidacy. A spokesperson for Schiff said the senator's concerns were stated publicly after the June 2024 debate.
Li added that many figures hesitated to challenge Biden because internal research showed no other candidate had sufficient support to win a primary contest. She said the same polling indicated Kamala Harris ranked as the weakest alternative among those considered.
Loyalty and research Li pointed to long-standing personal ties, including Biden's relationship with Representative James Clyburn, as a factor that reinforced loyalty even among those with doubts. She said she plans to include previously unreleased polling data in the book.
Li described the Democratic Party as being in "shambles" after the election and said she was surprised by the gap between private reservations and public statements among some leaders.
