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President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance set off a heated argument among California delegates to the Democratic nominating convention, exposing deep anxiety among party leaders in the nation’s largest state — and a profound lack of confidence in Biden as a general election candidate.
The emotionally charged exchanges unraveled in invite-only channels, including a Facebook group for convention delegates called the 2024 California DNC Delegate Group. The debate spilled into a smaller Signal chain of state party delegates in and around Los Angeles, which includes activists who plan to attend the convention next month in Chicago. The cache of messages was obtained by POLITICO.
Democrats have largely kept their internal arguments about Biden’s future out of the public eye so far. But the previously unrevealed conversations among California Democrats make plain that, behind the scenes, the party is in a state of angry turmoil over a presidential campaign suddenly gone badly awry.
DNC delegate Susan Bolle in the days after the debate said she heard from more than 150 of the voters she represents asking her to call for Biden to step down.
“Obviously, the first step would be that President Biden steps down of his own accord and frees his delegates,” she wrote in the Facebook group. “We should discuss this. This is a painful experience on every level, but we play an outsized role in history this election. This cannot be left to chance.”
The conversations unfolded just as the president’s surrogates told network anchors he wasn’t going anywhere, a vow Biden has continued to make while fending off broader pressure to step aside.
That didn’t stop delegates and activists from coalescing behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Kamala isn’t the strongest overall but logistically it’d be the cleanest,” wrote Nico Brancolini, a vice president of the Stonewall Democratic Club, referring to the Golden State native.
“But imagine the fury if a sitting vice president who is a black woman were passed over for any of the other candidates,” Brancolini added.
Brancolini told POLITICO Wednesday he was referring to Harris’ ability to take over the ticket’s campaign funds and the idea that while a swing-state governor may be a strong political pick to replace Biden, the vice president is too often held to an unfair standard as a woman of color.
Other delegates quickly joined the chat, offering their support for eleventh-hour substitutes that included Govs. JB Pritzker of Illinois, Gavin Newsom of California and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan.
Emotions were raw.
“I’m in tears,” wrote Renay Grace Rodriguez, Stonewall’s president.
Rodriguez said Wednesday that she made the comment as the Biden-Trump debate was still unfolding.
“What I was in tears about was Biden’s poor performance,” she said, adding that she would not be in favor of replacing Biden unless he steps down on his own. Both Rodriguez and Brancolini said they’re particularly concerned about the presidential race as LGBTQ+ Democrats who feel a second Trump presidency combined with a majority conservative Supreme Court could threaten their civil rights.
“We’re worried,” she said.
In the Facebook group, the rift over Biden’s fate touched a nerve when California DNC delegate Tom McInerney suggested opening the discussion to those concerned about the president.
“We are all loyal Democrats and we know how high the stakes are. If President Biden is the nominee, I will fight for him every day to win this election,” wrote Bolle. But she favored having a frank discussion.
The candid messages opened a rarely cracked window into talks between the rank-and-file activists in America’s biggest — and one of its bluest — states, including the people the president is relying on to formally secure the nomination next month at the convention.
Several in the Southern California channel who were venting over the fallout from the debate agreed Biden should step aside, but they disagreed on who was to blame, with some putting the onus on the DNC and others arguing the president’s legacy was on the line.
“If Trump gets reelected it’s 100% Biden’s fault,” wrote Melissa Garcia.
In the days since the discussion kicked off in the group chats, a chorus of elected officials pushed Biden to withdraw from the race as questions about the timing and feasibility of possible replacements multiplied. Some of the strongest calls for Biden to step down have come from California congressmembers, most notably Rep. Adam Schiff, who expressed “serious concerns” Wednesday about the president’s ability to beat Trump in November.
National and swing state polls show spiraling concerns about Biden as the nominee amid fears that it could cause a down-ballot wipeout.
And Democratic Party leaders are accelerating the date to formally nominate Biden, a move denounced by House Democrats who mounted a last-ditch effort to delay the nomination.
Biden, meanwhile, has defiantly refused to quit, daring others in one of a handful of recent televised interviews that they should “challenge me at the convention.” And campaign aides have been ringing up delegates across the country asking whether they are prepared to fulfill their duty, according to people briefed on the exchanges.
The hand-wringing in the channels had people warning that it was too late for an open convention next month in Chicago, and returning to the suggestion that “the only real other option is Kamala.” California has nearly 500 delegates — the most in the nation. And views diverged sharply on whom they would prefer in a contested convention.
Some DNC delegates thanked McInerney for helping initiate the Facebook debate, while others deemed it unproductive and reiterated their support for Biden as long as he was in the race.
“As I said,” wrote DNC delegate Agi Kessler, “I am pledged to Joe!”
Organizers eventually piped in to shut down dissent and announced that the Facebook channel could no longer be used to organize for an alternative presidential ticket.
“We understand there may be some disagreement about whether Biden should stay in the race,” wrote DNC delegate Sascha Bittner, who is listed as a moderator. “However, he has made it clear that he is, and the vast majority of us are pledged delegates to him. Thus, we have decided to prohibit any organizing for a new candidate for president in this group.”
Bittner added, “Any post counter to that goal will be deleted. Remember this is for hype and logistics, not negativity. (Except for Trump, lol.) Thanks!”
It didn’t end there, however. The threat to delete messages itself brought disagreement.
“I would never be ok placing limits on free speech,” wrote DNC delegate Roberto Hernandez. “This is not what I thought Biden delegates would be like.”
McInerney compared the tactics used to end the delegates’ debate to those employed by Republicans and supporters of Trump.
“I also thought it was the other party that demanded allegiance to their dear leader,” he wrote. “I was a delegate elected just like … all you and will fulfill my obligations consistent with the DNC rules, and I’m disappointed you would censor opinions that don’t match yours regarding the future of our party and country.”
