Former Obama adviser David Axelrod warned Tuesday that Donald Trump was a “formidable” candidate and denied being a “pearl clutcher” in President Biden's campaign.
Axelrod and the “CNN This Morning” panel discussed Trump's victory in Iowa.
“What I would look at if I were the Biden campaign is that third of people who say, 'no, the election was legitimate, yes, I think President Trump would be unfit if he were convicted of a crime.' It seems to me that among that group there are people who would consider voting for Biden, but I don't consider myself a pearl-digger. I consider myself a realist,” Axelrod said, appearing to respond to fellow panelist Ana Navarro.
Axelrod said Biden's campaign needed to “hit the ground running.”
Former Obama aide David Axelrod joins “CNN This Morning” on Tuesday to discuss the Iowa caucus results. (Screenshot/CNN)
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“The president and his campaign need to get going, and they need a message, and they need a message that encompasses not only democracy, but also the everyday concerns that people have, and they need to prosecute every day through each of the representatives. That's what winning campaigns do. So the people who have to get going are not the ones who have concerns about what might happen in November, but the campaign itself, and there are signs that that's starting to happen. happen,” he said.
President Obama's former adviser said the Biden campaign should be “happy” because it's “very clear” Trump would be the nominee.
Navarro, co-host of “The View,” said the Iowa caucus results should be a “wake-up call” for Republicans and Democrats.
“I think it's depressing. It's a dark day for people like you and me,” he said, referring to former Republican lawmaker Adam Kinzinger, who was also on the panel. “And I think it should be a wake-up call to Republicans who don't like Trump, to centrist and right-wing independents, and, frankly, to Democrats who have been fretting, wringing their hands, and clutching their pearls for the last anus.”
Navarrón continued: “The latest between Donald Trump and the presidency, the name is Joe Biden, so I think it's time for people to really wake up and stop feeling this depression, this fear, this anger, this indignation, this horror.” . [sic] “What I feel today when I see the results, channel it into figuring out how to prevent Donald Trump from being president again.”
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a caucus at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, Iowa, Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
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Axelrod also said Trump proved once again that he is a “formidable candidate.”
The former Obama aide suggested that Biden consider dropping out of the race in November, which has sparked a back-and-forth between Axelrod and the president.
“Only @JoeBiden can make this decision. If he continues to run, he will be the Democratic Party's nominee. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it is best for HIM or the country.” Axelrod wrote on social media.
David Axelrod suggested in November that President Biden should consider not running for re-election. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Biden has reportedly called Axelrod a “moron” in private.
Axelrod has continued to voice concerns and most recently said he didn't give a damn if Biden liked him.
“I'm at a stage in my life where I really don't give a shit,” Axelrod said in an interview with Politico. “I'm 68 years old. You know, everyone in Washington thinks the most important thing is for the president to like you and get invited to parties and things like that. I've been to a lot of parties. I worked in the White House. That's not the point.”
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Fox News' Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report.
