Obama's Former Chief Political Strategist David Axelrod on Joe Biden: "He's Not Winning This Race"

The obstacles to President Joe Biden's reelection campaign are mounting. A significant member from the Obama administration has expressed grave doubts regarding Biden's prospects. President Barack Obama's trusted advisor during his two successful presidential campaigns, David Axelrod, recently shared his thoughts on CNN. He declared bluntly of Biden, "He's not winning this race." This is a significant claim considering Axelrod's background and standing in Democratic circles. He even went so far as to say that Biden might "lose by a landslide" to former President Donald Trump.

Given his recent performance in a CNN debate, Biden is going through a difficult time. This has raised questions about his age and aptitude for the position. Axelrod brought up this touchy subject while praising Biden's determination and noting that the president overcame obstacles in his personal and professional life. But he added a crucial point, "What he can’t beat is Father Time. And that’s really the concern here. It’s not about his record. Every time he’s asked about whether he can do the job until he’s closer to 90 than 80, he says, well, look at what I did the last four years. That’s just not the way it works," as per Mediaite.

The former Obama strategist isn't alone in his concerns. Some Democrats are openly calling for Biden to step aside. At least five House Democrats have suggested he should not run again, as per The New York Post. They worry that his age and performance issues could hand the election to Trump. Biden, for his part, remains defiant. He insists he's the best choice to beat Trump and protect democracy. In a recent ABC News interview, he took responsibility for his debate performance but maintained he's up to the job. However, Axelrod sees a disconnect. He believes Biden "doesn't seem to grasp what is the big concern that people have." 

There's conflict within the Democratic Party over the discussion around Biden's candidacy. Some demand change, but others—including former President Obama—support Biden. Axelrod, like many Democrats, views Trump as a serious threat to democracy. This makes the choice of nominee crucial. If Biden can't win, some argue, he should step aside for someone who can. Current polls show a tight race.

The national polling average from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ shows that the two candidates are still in a close battle, with Trump leading by 1.1 percentage points, 44.2 percent to 43.1 percent. But Axelrod believes Biden's chances of a narrow win are lower than the risk of a big loss. Axelrod does give Biden credit for his accomplishments saying, "History will be much kinder to him than voters are being right now." However, he suggests that the president should step down in order to better serve his legacy.