Democratic donor Dmitri Mehlhorn explains why 'stubborn' Joe Biden will not drop out of 2024 race

WASHINGTON, DC: A prominent fundraiser and organizer for wealthy Democrats, Dmitri Mehlhorn, recently shared insights into why President Joe Biden is determined to run for reelection in 2024.

Mehlhorn, who collaborates with influential Biden supporters such as LinkedIn CEO Reid Hoffman, made headlines when he controversially stated that even a "dead" or "comatose" Biden would be preferable to replacing him with Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic ticket.

Dmitri Mehlhorn explains why Joe Biden won't quit 2024 race

In an interview, Mehlhorn emphasized Biden's unwavering commitment to seeking another term. He dismissed the notion that current polls, which show Biden trailing, accurately reflect the president's chances.

According to Mehlhorn, Biden's resolve is driven by a deep-seated belief that his biggest political mistake was not running for president in 2016, a decision made to clear the way for Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee. Reports suggest that then-President Barack Obama was among those who persuaded Biden to step aside.

Mehlhorn reflected on this decision, stating, "And he's right. We were all wrong. If he'd run in 2016, we would not be here. A lot of people - not as much this time - but a lot of people made those same arguments to him in 2020 and he stubbornly, stubbornly resisted all of them. And he saved us."

Mehlhorn, often regarded as billionaire Hoffman's right-hand man, has been vocal about the futility of attempting to persuade Biden to drop out. He and his donors plan to continue their support as they have in the past.

In a conversation with Drop Site News, Mehlhorn recounted Biden's refusal to heed the critics in 2020, stating, "The world benefitted tremendously."

Mehlhorn believes that Biden will listen to voters rather than naysayers. He asserted that Biden might only consider stepping down if he experienced a significant and sustained drop in the polls, something that hasn't occurred yet.

When interviewer Ryan Grim highlighted polling data suggesting Biden's approval rating is at 38 per cent, Mehlhorn responded confidently, "I actually think he's right, and you're all wrong. There was a lot that Biden said that I did not like, but his answer about polling - actually, everybody's wrong and Joe is right. The polls are tied, they're still within the margin of error. That's what matters at this stage."

Dmitri Mehlhorn says Joe Biden will 'listen to voters'

Mehlhorn suggested that only a drastic and prolonged decline in poll numbers would prompt Biden to reconsider his candidacy. "So right now, who is he going to listen to? I believe that fundamentally, he is going to listen to voters," he said.

He challenged the skeptics, asking, "If you guys are right, how much should the polls drop? I mean, shouldn't they drop a lot? Shouldn't they drop more than two and a half points? Shouldn't Trump's odds of winning be higher than two-to-one if you're so right?"

Despite concerns about Biden's age and stamina, Mehlhorn remains convinced that the 81-year-old president is the best candidate for the job. He even suggested that Biden is "working too hard."

Mehlhorn elaborated, "The President has to be able to make tough decisions and communicate them in a way that is consistent so that everybody understands. Right? My contention is that Joe Biden is as good or better on those two things than anybody else. And it's not getting worse as he's getting older."

Mehlhorn slightly backtracked from his previous claim that swing voters would prefer a deceased Biden over a living Kamala Harris.

He clarified, "That is the level of confidence we have that if it's not Biden, it's Harris. And I do believe that Harris can prosecute the case. Remember, in 2020, even as I was pushing Biden over Bernie, I was making a bunch of arguments about how if it is Bernie, here's the play, and he could win. If it's Kamala, she could win. She's a prosecutor, and he's a criminal. And if she picks the right running mate, that's cool, too. We'll go for that. But those are the choices and the alternatives."

Biden's defiance amid questions about his competency

Concerns about Biden's competency have persisted, especially following his first sit-down interview since the problematic June 27 debate, which did little to alleviate fears. Several Democrats called for Biden to exit the race after the debate and reiterated their stance following Friday's ABC interview.

Monday began with Biden adopting a defiant tone in a letter to congressional Democrats, asserting that he would not abandon his campaign. He followed up with a surprise call to MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show, where he criticized party elites for not understanding his support base within the Democratic Party.

He challenged those doubting his candidacy to run against him at the convention, stating, "I'm getting so frustrated by the elites. Not talking about you guys by the way ... the elites in the party. They know so much more? If any of these guys don't think I should run ... run against me. Announce for president. Challenge me at the convention."

Biden is also banking on an upcoming press conference on Thursday as an opportunity to demonstrate his ability to handle the demands and scrutiny of the presidency, the Daily Mail reported.