A former Democratic lawmaker who led a last-ditch effort to unseat then-President Jimmy Carter at the party’s 1980 national convention said Friday that President Biden seeking a second term is “crazy” and predicted the 81-year-old would likely “be out” before next month’s DNC in Chicago.
“I don’t think this is going to go to the Democratic convention in the current posture,” former Rep. Mike Barnes (D-Md.) told The Post in an interview Friday. “I think, I think, Biden will be out probably within the next days.”
The 1980 Democratic convention, held at Madison Square Garden, holds a unique place in political history — as it was the last time moves were made to get delegates released from their voting commitments.
More than four decades ago, Carter saw off a challenge from Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), who then upstaged the 39th president with a memorable non-endorsement speech telling delegates “the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”
The prospect of an open convention has been mooted again after Biden’s horrid June 27 debate against Donald Trump, where his faltering performance raised alarms about his mental capacities.
The quest for an open convention in 1980 was based on more workaday political concerns — namely, that Carter was so damaged by economic troubles and the Iran hostage crisis that he would not be able to defeat Ronald Reagan. Those Democratic fears came to pass, with Reagan winning a 44-state landslide that November.
According to Barnes, now an alternate member of the Office of Congressional Ethics’ Board of Directors, Democrats who want to see the back of Biden have just over five weeks — until the DNC kicks off Aug. 19 — to convince him to step aside.
“I think if he goes to the convention wanting the nomination, and all of his troops are working the delegates, he’ll be nominated,” Barnes said
The 2024 DNC convention rules read: “Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them,” which would appear to leave some wiggle room for anyone who feels Biden’s campaign cannot continue.
A wrinkle in this election cycle is that delegates are expected to formally renominate Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in a virtual roll call sometime before the Aug. 7 deadline to make the Ohio ballot.
“I think the pressure will mount dramatically,” Barnes said. “I think people who have sort of hinted that he ought to get out like [former House speaker Nancy Pelosi] and others, leaders are going to feel they have no choice but to be much more clear to him personally.
“Maybe not, you know, maybe not going on TV and saying it, but saying it to him personally, ‘Joe, this ain’t working. You gotta, you gotta move out.’”
Barnes’ prediction echoes that of Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), who told reporters Thursday he anticipated more Democrats speaking out about Biden’s future by Sunday.
Biden has insisted he will be the Democratic nominee despite growing pressure from members of his own party to drop out. He held a press conference Thursday and insisted he’s the best candidate to beat Trump, after a week of saying the same thing to congressional Democrats.
Still, 19 House and Senate Democrats have come out calling for the president to suspend his campaign so another candidate, likely Harris, could take up the mantle. Members of Biden’s own campaign have also anonymously come out against him and his team is reportedly conducting polling of how Harris would fare head-to-head against Trump.
Barnes said Friday that concerns about Biden’s age were well-founded.
“I’m 80 years old. I’m in pretty decent shape. I swam a mile yesterday. I played golf the day before, and i’m planning to go to the gym later today for an hour and a half.
“But it would be crazy for me to think about running for President of the United States and being president from now until January 20, 2029,” he said. “Yeah. I mean, this is, this is crazy.”