Overview
- Clinton made the comments during a conversation with The New Yorker’s David Remnick at 92nd Street Y on Monday, calling Biden’s choice to seek reelection a “terrible mistake” for him, his legacy and the country.
- She argued that if Biden had stepped aside in mid‑2023 and the party held a competitive primary, the eventual nominee would likely have defeated President Trump in 2024.
- Clinton said some Democrats privately tried to dissuade Biden but were met with “total denial” from him and his close advisers, and that his late withdrawal left Vice President Kamala Harris only months to build an independent campaign.
- Coverage of the remarks ranges from hard criticism in conservative outlets to sober analysis in mainstream outlets, with many reports noting the contrast between Clinton’s past public support for Biden and her new rebuke.
- The comments renew scrutiny of the DNC’s May autopsy, which reporters say largely avoided examining Biden’s decision to run, and they raise questions about party leadership, accountability and strategy as Democrats plan for 2028.