Politics Dems fume as ‘cavalier and selfish’ Biden cedes power to Trump — despite some supporting transition agenda: report
By Diana Glebova Published Dec. 9, 2024, 1:52 p.m. ET
Some Democrats are fuming about President Biden apparently handing off the reins early to President-elect Donald Trump who has held several meetings recently with foreign leaders, as the 82-year-old seems content to retreat from the frontlines of policymaking and resist questions from the press about his legacy.
“He’s been so cavalier and selfish about how he approaches the final weeks of the job,” a former White House official carped to Politico .
“There is no leadership coming from the White House,” another Democrat close to senior lawmakers griped to the outlet. “There is a total vacuum.”
“In conversations that I’m having, they don’t even mention the president. It’s kind of sad,” the source added. “It feels like Trump is president already.”
Still, other Democrats are trying to cozy up to Trump before he enters the Oval Office, with some governors spilling last weekend that they’d be happy to partner with the Republican commander in chief on some items for his second administration’s agenda.
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The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) post-election meeting this weekend in Beverly Hills, Calif., expressed points of agreement with the incoming president, Semafor reported , with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy saying he “invited” Trump to “cut the ribbon” on a project he approved during his first term.
North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein also said the state would cooperate with Trump if his administration mobilized troops to deport criminal migrants.
A few in interviews with the New York Times also refused to throw Biden under the bus for staying too long on the 2024 Democratic ticket amid concerns about his mental fitness that culminated in his June 27 debate flop against Trump.
Among 10 Democratic governors, none was willing to admit that there should be any age limit for a presidential nominee — even after party bosses and top donors ousted Biden over his obvious infirmity.
“It’s not a time of life, it’s a state of mind,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, 57, told reporters at the Grey Lady, maintaining it was “absurd” to claim that party nominees should have to be younger than 80 years old at minimum.
“I don’t have an age test,” agreed 67-year-old New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. “The question is: Are you in the game? Are you — we have an incredible bench, and the bench is sort of a spectrum of ages.”
“When I was growing up, people who were 65 were almost dead. I’m 65. I’m not almost dead,” added New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is 66 years old, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.
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