Biden asks top aide to leave White House, try to save Democrats in November

AP Photo/Susan Walsh

On Sunday I wrote about a familiar face returning to the White House as Team Biden begins to try and save Democrats from a complete shellacking in the November midterm elections. Obama alum and Mao enthusiast Anita Dunn is back to advise her old pal Joe and help with communications coming out of his White House. When I wrote that post I said we would likely begin to see some staff looking for the exit as November approached. And, just like that, a top aide is leaving the White House at the request of Biden. Cedric Richmond is leaving to become a senior adviser at the Democratic National Committee.

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Let’s think about the significance of that request for a minute. Richmond left his comfortable seat in the House to become a senior adviser and director of the Office of Public Engagement. He served as co-chair of Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. Richmond is youngish (48) and relied on by the White House as a go-between with House members. He’s aggressive in his messaging, frequently adding large dollops of bravado when he speaks of what Team Biden is doing to promote legislation like so-called voting rights legislation. Now Team Biden is organizing to fan out across the country to raise money for Democrat candidates and try to get Democrat voters fired up to vote in November.

A Biden adviser said Richmond will take on a role similar to the one he served on Biden’s campaign, including fundraising, outreach and serving as a surrogate for the president and Democrats down the ticket.

“There are few people more capable of helping us continue to build on our successes and deliver our message as we head into the midterm elections,” said DNC chair Jaime Harrison in a statement. “We look forward to having Cedric join our already strong team as we continue to work in close partnership with the White House and our sister committees to protect and expand our Democratic majorities. The Democratic Party is all-in and leaving nothing to chance.”

Richmond, in a statement, said he was “thrilled that the President has entrusted me with helping boost the robust work already being done at the DNC to make sure that Democrats grow their majorities in the House and Senate, and increase the number of Democratic governors in state capitals around the country.”.

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Good luck with that, Cedric. November will be brutal for Democrats and I’m here for it.

Richmond is needed to get black voters interested in voting in November, if we are being honest here. Biden and Kamala have both committed to traveling and fundraising in hopes of turning back the red wave about to crush Democrats in the midterm elections. Joe can’t afford to hide in one of his homes in Delaware every weekend any more.

“As President Biden has said directly, he and his team are all in on the midterms and he will continue to travel across the country to make the case directly to voters of what his administration has accomplished,” the administration official said. “This will help all Democrats up and down the ticket.”

Richmond agreed to take on this role at Biden’s request.

“Cedric is a trusted adviser of President Biden, a longtime friend of [DNC chair Jaime] Harrison, and Cedric will be vital as he advises the party ahead of the 2022 midterms,” the official said.

Biden’s latest polling numbers are the lowest of his presidency, which is saying something. He has lost support across the board in all demographics, including black voters. Remember, without the support of black voters, especially black women voters, Biden would not be in the White House. He even had to promise to select a black woman as his vice-president to pander for support. It sure looks like Cedric Richmond has been called upon by Sleepy Joe to pack his bag and hit the road selling Biden and the Democrats’ vision to voters. Too bad for Team Biden that voters aren’t interested in what they are selling.

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According to the latest CBS News/YouGov poll out Sunday, Biden’s popularity dropped to its lowest point yet. 42% of Americans approve of Biden’s performance while 58 percent disapprove. (Who are these 48%, anyway?)

Biden’s approval rating is low across the board, including among demographic groups that generally support Democrats, including racial minorities and young people.

People under age 30 gave Biden a resounding thumbs-down, with 57 percent saying they disapprove and just 43 percent saying they approve of the president’s performance.

A 54 percent majority of Hispanics and 33 percent of African Americans said they disapprove of Biden — and 22 percent of people who voted for Biden in 2020 also disapprove.

Americans have had enough of Biden and his incompetence which has led to policy decisions that affect everyone. Excessive government spending has led to the highest inflation rates in 40 years. Housing prices are rising and the real estate bubble is about to burst. The southern border is utter chaos and those guarding it are beginning to die in the line of duty, such as the tragic death of a 22 year old National Guardsman who was rescuing two women coming across the Rio Grande River. Turns out they are drug traffickers. The horrific withdrawal from Afghanistan was the starting point of Biden’s crashing poll numbers and he hasn’t recovered since. Team Biden may talk a big game but there is no way Biden can recover by November. He refuses to admit mistakes and his overblown ego demands he continue to talk about his administration’s alleged successes.

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Cedric Richmond has his work cut out for him. There is a malaise felt throughout the country that hasn’t been felt since the bad old days of the Jimmy Carter administration.

Richmond won’t be the last to leave the White House before November. I think we’ll see the chairs on the deck of the Titanic shift around and those who can garner employment opportunities outside the White House will jump at the chance to leave.

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