Former Joe Biden White House press secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki cautioned her viewers that a brokered Democratic convention, proposed by some liberal commentators after Biden’s poor debate performance, is easier to discuss than to execute.
While Psaki didn’t dismiss the idea as impossible, she highlighted several potential pitfalls that some advocates may overlook. “I’m not going to sit here and tell you what to think, but those of you out there who have hopes of Joe Biden stepping aside with a brokered convention, you should know all the factors there,” she explained. “First of all, it would have a seismic impact on the Democratic party if the president stayed neutral and didn’t endorse his own vice president.”
“It would also mean a couple of thousand party insiders would be empowered to make a choice on the nominee, not the millions of Democratic primary voters who already cast their ballots,” she continued. “And it could mean positioning a talented, and there are many Democrats who are talented out there, but a largely untested candidate with potentially low name identification into the national spotlight as one person responsible for defeating Trump just over two months from an election”, reported The Hill.
“You may still prefer that option, but you should know the candidate spit out of that process may not be your choice either,” she added. “It will all be very messy and potentially very divisive. It still feels very unlikely. Right now, Jill Biden is standing by the president — the most important person in his life. Barack Obama is standing by him.”
Psaki emphasized the complexity and potential consequences of a brokered convention. “We can discuss and debate all day long whether that is the right thing, there are reasonable and thoughtful arguments on both sides of that question, and we will discuss them over the course of the show and over the next few weeks,” she promised.
Her remarks underscore the potential for significant disruption within the Democratic Party if a brokered convention were pursued, highlighting the importance of careful consideration and awareness of all possible outcomes. The idea, while appealing to some, could lead to unforeseen complications and divisions, making it a risky strategy just months before a crucial election.