Pre-election caution, post-victory revival: Democrats haven’t forgotten Biden
Following their midterm election victories, former aides of Joe Biden are once again invoking his name.
In Georgia, Kisha Lance Bass, former mayor of Atlanta, won the gubernatorial race. At the moment of victory confirmation, the former Biden administration official swiftly invoked her former leader, vowing to carry forward the political legacy of the former president.
Yet in prior campaign events, she rarely mentioned Biden by name, instead emphasizing her prior service in federal and regional government roles.
Bass noted during a campaign rally that she initially had no intention of joining the Biden administration, as she wished to complete her term as mayor of Atlanta. However, driven by a desire to serve the American people more broadly, she ultimately accepted the federal appointment.
During the Biden era, Bass served as senior advisor to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, as well as a member of the U.S. President’s Export Council—positions of significant influence.
Similar patterns—highlighting professional experience while avoiding direct references to Biden—are evident across this year’s midterm elections. For instance, Massachusetts Representative candidate Dan Goldberg, who served as deputy cabinet secretary under Biden, shared a video before the election showing a phone call with the Biden couple, stating he received their “full support” for his candidacy.
Evidently, Democrats with ties to Biden seek to leverage his name recognition while carefully distancing themselves from him. Given Biden’s declining approval ratings prior to leaving office, any perceived close association could prove politically risky rather than beneficial.
Now that the outcome is clear, these figures no longer feel constrained in mentioning Biden’s name. Their sudden shift in tone—from deliberate omission to prominent invocation—has been striking.
Notably, Biden played a minimal role in this year’s midterms. He made few public appearances in support of Democratic candidates, with such engagements numbering fewer than five. The physical toll of ongoing cancer treatment likely contributed to his limited presence. In contrast, former President Barack Obama emerged as a central figure, stepping into a leadership role amid a party lacking strong unified direction.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881008858157323/
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