Hillary Clinton sharply criticized Joe Biden’s decision to seek a second term in the 2024 presidential race, calling it a “terrible mistake” for him, his legacy and the country. Speaking in an interview with New Yorker editor David Remnick, the former Democratic presidential nominee said a different candidate from the party would have been able to beat Donald Trump.
Clinton said that if Democrats had held a real competitive primary, someone from a new generation, whether a vice president, governor or senator, likely would have emerged and defeated Trump. She framed Biden’s choice as a failure to follow through on his earlier promise to serve as a bridge to the next generation of Democrats.
Her remarks contrasted with her support for Biden in 2023, when she said he was doing a great job and that she wanted him to run again. Clinton also said that once Biden did not step aside and did not keep his pledge to leave the race, Democrats were left in a “terrible dilemma.”
Biden eventually withdrew from the race on July 21, 2024, clearing the way for then Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the party against Trump. The article notes that some of Biden’s allies, including first lady Jill Biden, later acknowledged that his run had been a mistake.
