Stuart Stevens, an adviser for the Lincoln Project, recently claimed Democrats need to start calling President Biden a “great president,” and not just a “better choice” than former President Trump.
“A plea to my Democratic friends: It’s time to start calling Joe Biden a great president. Not a good one. Not a better choice than Donald Trump. Joe Biden is a historically great president. Say it with passion backed by the conviction that it’s true,” he wrote in an op-ed for the New Republic.
Stevens called on Democrats to frame the election as more than a choice between a “normal, stable president” and an “erratic thug.”
“Don’t go into 2024 with the game plan to win because Donald Trump is an existential threat to democracy. That’s true, he is, but that’s only making the case that Donald Trump shouldn’t be president. It’s not the reason Joe Biden should be reelected,” Stevens continued.
The president’s message has largely focused on Trump and making the election a choice between Biden and the former president, who they deem is a threat to democracy.
“Stop the nonsense that only a weak opponent gives Joe Biden a chance to win. It’s more than wrong—it’s dangerous, completely misjudging Donald Trump’s strength,” Stevens wrote.
He cited strong unemployment numbers and the stock market hitting record highs, as well as student loan forgiveness for three million borrowers.
Stevens argued Biden “met the moment,” and told Democrats to “wake up and show some gratitude.”
Lincoln Project co-founder Steve Schmidt recently offered a stern warning about Biden’s re-election chances, suggesting his campaign is currently in a “death spiral” with less than nine months until the 2024 election.
“The reality is that the Biden campaign is entering this week in a death spiral. This is as serious a moment an incumbent president has faced this far from an election since Lyndon Johnson in 1968, who announced his intention to withdraw from the race in March of 1968,” Schmidt wrote in a Substack post.
Biden elected not to sit down for a Super Bowl media interview on Feb. 11.
Democratic strategists wondered if it was a “sign” Biden’s staff had little confidence in him. CNN’s Jake Tapper wondered why he was skipping the opportunity and asked, “what’s he afraid of?”
Fox News’ Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.
