Just when you thought the Clintons were done with politics, Hillary rears her head. And you won’t believe what she has to say.
Because Hillary Clinton turned heads with an unexpected 2024 announcement.
At a private gathering in NYC, Hillary Clinton declined to endorse Joe Biden and made a lighthearted joke about “taking away grandpa’s keys,” according to sources.
Clinton addressed a restless group of influential Democrats eager for President Biden to exit the 2024 race, only to caution them that such a move wouldn’t be straightforward.
The former secretary of state, 76, used humor to navigate tough questions from an “anxious and irate” crowd at the home of venture capital exec. Jacqueline Novogratz. “She joked about the familiar situation of taking keys away from older parents,” an insider shared.
However, Clinton also made it clear that forcing Biden out wasn’t feasible. “The only people who could persuade Biden [to exit] are the people closest to him,” she reportedly said.
Another source confirmed that Clinton emphasized the difficulty in convincing the 81-year-old president to step aside.
Clinton expressed confidence in Biden’s re-election chances against Trump and advised potential replacements to wait until 2028.
“Why would you run now when you could have a clear shot in 2028?” she reportedly told the crowd.
She also outlined the complex issues surrounding the commitment of delegates and transfer of campaign funds, suggesting that Vice President Kamala Harris would be the likely successor if Biden withdrew.
Clinton conveyed that non-Harris contenders hadn’t fully calculated the political ramifications, asking, “Is that how anyone wants to meet America?”
According to sources, Clinton revealed that she had discussed Biden’s future with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and her former boss, Barack Obama.
Guests at the gathering included billionaire Jonathan Soros, actress Meg Ryan, former UBS CEO Margo Alexander, and Iceland President-elect Halla Tómasdóttir, who reportedly remained quiet during the event.
One source noted that nearly everyone at the event wanted Biden to withdraw after his poor debate performance against Trump on June 27 in Atlanta. However, Clinton avoided explicitly calling for Biden to step down. Instead, she presented various scenarios, saying, “You can look at this in several ways.”
Another attendee expressed a desire for Clinton to urge Biden to exit the race, but acknowledged that she didn’t do so. “She was explaining, ‘here’s one thing that could happen, here’s another thing that could happen.’”
Clinton also highlighted Biden’s past personal and professional challenges as reasons for his determination to stay in the race.
“This is someone who believes he’s experienced the worst life can offer and has overcome it… how do you persuade someone who thinks he can defeat Trump again?”
Jacqueline Novogratz, the host, is the sister of cryptocurrency billionaire and Biden supporter Mike Novogratz, who has financially backed Biden’s primary opponent, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), due to concerns over Biden’s age and fitness for office.
Mike Novogratz told CNBC in December 2023: “I worked hard in 2020… I think he’s too old. I think Trump is too old, too. We need fresh people.”
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
