Clyburn predicts election loss if Democrats have contested convention

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

07/21/24 10:49 AM ET


Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) predicted that Democrats will likely lose in November if the party fails to quickly unify behind a single presidential candidate, despite leaving the door open to backing a new nominee should President Biden choose to leave the race. Clyburn said in a CNN “State of the Union” interview with Jake Tapper on Sunday that he still backs Biden “until he changes his mind” about being the party’s candidate.

“If you go to the convention, have an open process in the convention, It will come out the same way it came out in 1968, 1972 and 1980,” Clyburn said.

“When we had a contested process on the floor of the convention in 1980, we lost an incumbent president and in 1972, we carried one state, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia,” he continued. “And all of us know what happened in 1968 when we ran Lyndon Johnson out of the race, with a great record Lyndon Johnson had, got rid of him over one issue, the Vietnam War. Here, we are now using one issue to get rid of a president, the result would be the same.”

Despite acknowledging the rising concerns fellow Democrats have about Biden’s candidacy, the long-time Biden ally said he is still standing by the president. “I support Joe Biden. He is still in this race. He will be the nominee if he stays in the race,” Clyburn said. “And I think all of us should look for ways to coalesce around that candidate.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4784224-joe-biden-jim-clyburn-democrats-loss-election/

[Turbineguy]

1. Republicans need all the help they can get.

They will be happy if the Wobble Caucus does their work for them.

[Bayard]

2. I would like to see a whole-hearted endorsement from Clyburn

Its what brought Biden on home last time. But, at least he's not telling him to drop out.

[ananda]

3. Noticing some silence on that today.

Good

[Qutzupalotl]

4. I concur with Clyburn's assessment.

Not only is there no magic pixie dust candidate ready to swoop in and run on Joe's record (other than Kamala), there is also no orderly pixie dust process to bypass all the pledged delegates Biden is likely to win on the first round. And if so, superdelegates won't get to vote at all. After that, continuing to try to jettison a successful incumbent because he stutters and works too hard would only invite chaos and play into the hands of the cryptoligarchs trying to divide and conquer us.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

5. I remember the 1980 national convention

Link to tweet

[groundloop]

6. Well, to be honest there was more behind Rocket Ronnie's win than the splintered convention.....

Such as Reagan's treasonous deal with Iran to hold our hostages until after the election. But yeah, having the Democratic Party fighting itself certainly isn't a good look.

[meow2u3]

8. I was 7 and in 2nd grade, but I was too young to see the convention nt

[LisaM]

12. Reagan also won because of John Anderson.

And, beloved as Carter is now, he wasn't a very popular president.

Times have changed.

[ananda]

7. I think Clyburn was the straw.

He can't be bought.

[Mz Pip]

9. I remember 1968

The division helped elect Nixon.

And we return to Chicago in a few weeks, hopefully not for a repeat.

[ificandream]

10. I expect Trump to try to instill that division.

Hopefully, it won't happen.

[LisaM]

11. Wait, wasn't he pushing for Biden to withdraw?

Why would anyone do that without a clear and popular replacement in mind?

[BumRushDaShow]

13. Initially

but then they seemed to have come up with a unified set of talking points and framing...

[Novara]

14. I agree with Clyburn

Everyone needs to coalesce behind Harris. I don't like coronations, but it makes the most sense. She's the closest to this current and very successful administration, she has full access to the campaign war chest, and she can hit the ground running. She's been more visible on the campaign trail lately to huge crowds, and she is getting Dems re-energized about losing abortion access.

I'll bet the convicted felon would never agree to debate her. With her chops as a prosecutor, she'd wipe the floor with him.

What better kind of race could it be for a prosecutor to be running against a convicted felon spouting hypocritical nonsense about law and order? You want some law and order, bub? Heh.

[onetexan]

15. Hear hear!! Kamala for POTUS!! Dems must unite behind our candidate!!

[iemanja]

16. Makes sense to me

[TomCADem]

17. However, I Am Sure That Timothy Mellon Will Be Happy to Fund...

...anyone who is willing to oppose a Harris nomination.

https://www.creuters.com/world/us/key-trump-donor-mellon-gives-rfk-jr-super-pac-5-million-more-2024-05-20/

Key Trump donor Mellon gives RFK Jr super PAC $5 million more

NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - A super PAC supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr's presidential campaign received $5 million in April from Timothy Mellon, the latest donation the 81-year-old banking heir has made to the independent candidate, according to a monthly filing released on Monday.

The donation from Mellon, who has been a key backer of Republican candidate Donald Trump in recent years, to the Kennedy-supporting American Values 2024 comes after already giving at least $20 million to the Kennedy super PAC.

American Values 2024 ended April with $20.85 million cash on hand, according to the filing with the Federal Election Commission, after spending to get Kennedy on state ballots and other expenses.

Mellon, a scion of the Pittsburgh-based Mellon banking family, has given the pro-Trump super PAC known as MAGA Inc at least $16.5 million since 2022. During the 2020 presidential election, Mellon gave at least $20 million to another pro-Trump super PAC, America First Action Inc.