Politics
Biden campaign downplays Obama critique, says democracy at stake in 2024
By Jake Beardslee · January 7, 2024
In brief…
- Obama suggested more decision-makers needed at headquarters
- Campaign says it's been active since April, focused on key demographics
- Biden speech and more planned to reach more voters
The Biden campaign is defending its strategy after reports surfaced about former President Obama’s concerns, according to an interview with Quentin Fulks, a top Biden campaign official, on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.
Fulks said the campaign and President Biden are “aligned” with Obama. According to reporting by The Washington Post, Obama told Biden at a December White House lunch that the campaign needs more high-level decision-makers at headquarters or should empower those already there.
Fulks did not directly respond when asked if changes are coming but said the campaign has been “awake” since Biden’s April announcement and came “out of the gate swinging” with innovative organizing and the “largest investment to voters of color, Hispanic voters, young voters, than any other presidential campaign in history.”
“Now we’re in the phase where more Americans are paying attention to what’s going on. And that is why we’re making the choice. The president’s speech at Valley Forge was the first of that. We’ll do it again tomorrow in South Carolina. And we’re going to continue to make that case to the American people. Because we are running this campaign and organizing it as though democracy is on the ballot. Because that’s what’s at stake this election,” Fulks said.