Democratic National Committee (DNC) member James Zogby laid out a potential process Tuesday on CNN to replace President Joe Biden on his party’s 2024 ticket.
Biden was noticeably stumbling and spoke with a raspy voice Thursday during the Democratic incumbent’s heavily criticized debate performance. Since then, the Biden campaign has been in damage control as discussions about the president to step down have increased among voters, the media and Democratic officials.
Zogby told CNN’s Erica Hill that he proposed plans for a “controlled process” to the DNC chair that would draft a new 2024 Democratic nominee. The DNC member said there was enough time for his proposed “mini primary process,” explaining that weeks can “become a lifetime” in politics.
“I laid out a plan. I sent it to the party chair, and I’ve circulated it with many other DNC members,” Zogby said. “It’s a plan to create a controlled process whereby DNC members would be authorized to endorse candidates, they would be certified by the party secretary and then the process would begin with town halls that would be televised that the party would sponsor. And then we come to the convention.”
“We’d have a limited field because if — as I call for 40 or so required delegates or DNC members to endorse — we would only get a field of maybe four or five candidates. And I think we all know who they are”
Zogby told the CNN anchor that the process would be “respectful” and “exciting.” He emphasized that the media would provide “wall-to-wall” coverage of the event and likened his idea to the election of former President John F. Kennedy. (RELATED: Dem Rep Mike Quigley Tells CNN Host Biden Should ‘Be Honest With Himself’ About Running For President)
Zogby emphasized that the earlier Biden steps down, the better for Vice President Kamala Harris, who would have “an opportunity to show her stuff” if Democrats were to adopt his proposed process.
“I think she would win, but it would be a process where people would come out of it energized and excited about the outcome,” Zogby said. “Not simply a coronation, which I think would not be helpful to her or helpful to the party. Or to the county.”
Zogby told Hill that “a number of DNC members” said they like his proposal. He has not yet heard back from Democratic Party leadership, however, nor does he expect to. Zogby said Biden must be the one to decide whether he will leave office. Zogby believes his plan could “solve” any problems relating to Harris, “chaos” or a prospective Trump victory.
“The call ultimately has to come from Joe Biden. He has to decide whether he’s gonna leave,” Zogby said. “But here’s the point: If the holdup is that he’s afraid of handing it off to Kamala Harris and she may not be able to win, this solves that problem. If there’s a fear that if he withdrawals there will be chaos, this solves that problem. If there’s a fear that if he withdrawals, that Donald Trump will win, this solves that problem”
“I think it would create such energy, such excitement. And it would result in a candidate who is viewed as the consensus candidate of all Democrats coming out of that convention. They’d have their wind in their sails, and they would be able, I think, to do very well moving on to November,” Zogby said.
Democratic Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first congressman in his party Tuesday to call for Biden to drop his election bid.
Democratic Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley said Tuesday that Biden should be honest with himself about whether to seek re-election and warned that his decision should take Democratic House and Senate races into account.
MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, whom Biden reportedly loves to watch, said Friday that the president “had the worst debate performance in modern political history” and that Trump may defeat the Democratic incumbent “unless things change.”
