Jen Psaki Talks Honestly About Biden Stepping Down as Democratic Nominee 

"Dont want to weaken him publicly." Too late for that.

Australian here. When we talk about politics we don't spend 90% of the time talking about our emotions. Why do you care so much about how everyone is feeling? Isn't politics about getting groups of people together to get stuff done? Action. Maybe this is why the US seems so stuck. You are navel gazing while your Rome is burning....

I'm not particularly politically savvy but here is my issue. I voted for Biden in the last election but he was my absolute last choice of the democratic or left candidates. I would have voted for Kamala over Biden. Bernie is always my first choice. However, as now, between Biden and trump, Biden is the only option. My problem with Biden stepping down at this point is that I don't trust the Democratic party to choose the correct replacement candidate. I am terrified and I don't know what the correct action is. I just know that I cannot handle another trump presidency.

President Biden is and has been doing the job beautifully. Let's stop the hand-wringing and support him! Honestly, I'm sick of those Dems, whether legislators or podcasters, running with the 24 hour anti-Biden ads. It's not helpful. Cut it out!

I can't get over how we've been treating replacing the president with the vice president as some kind of an extreme or scadalous event instead of just the vice president doing the vice president's basic job. Kennedy died and Johnson was president before they got back from Dallas. Nobody sat and wondered how it would affect the polls.

Now that the NATO Summit is over. Can President Biden please talk about the things Americans want to hear! Medicare for all. Lower food costs. Lower housing costs, etc. The American people are worried about creeping fascism!!

I love the President. He has strongly said that he is running, he is continuing the fight. Accept it. Let’s all get behind him and focus on defeating the real elephant in the room.

Psaki is such a gifted performer - my favorite WH press secretary of all time. The entire Pod Save America crew are also so well spoken, so talented when it comes to entertaining, making us laugh, and articulating the issues. Similar to Biden's stutter, I have public speaking difficulty. My debate "performance" is a terrible indication of my true abilities. My voice would fail, and in college, prepping for debate, I had to practice way more than the other students. I was recently prescribed a common medication, as a diagnostic tool, and I experienced crazy side effects that elevated my adrenaline and it was impossible for me to stay focused, or to find the most basic words during a conversation. After I stopped taking the meds, my cognitive abilities came back. At no point did my political ideology change. I continued to put out excellent work. Is it the president's duty to entertain us with pithy one-liner insults at Trump, or to fact-check Trump's multitudes of lies on the spot, even though thousands of reporters and fact-checkers all over the planet have thus far tried and failed? The other side has thrown everything at him and his only remaining son.

WAKE UP!!! Our absolute top priority is to elect Joe Biden. FULL STOP. After that, we can deal with whatever issues come up. Please see Allan Lichtman's analysis.

The Republican party is loving that we are divided. We have to get it together

I wish the president would do a televised town hall discussion. None of this teleprompter, or pre picked questions. Real people. Real questions. Show the people that you can do it, or step aside

I dont trust all men to stay with a woman. I think Kamala Harris would be awesome, better then Biden, but you assume she will keep all people who vote for Biden will vote for Harris. I really doubt that. She may gain some, but she can lose some. It seems nuts to take that risk. Imagine Trump losing to a Black Woman it would be worth its weight in gold.

I’ve never doubted Kamala Harris’ ability to do the job of president. I have complete doubt in a country that didn’t want to vote for a white woman to vote for a black woman.

All of this talk about Biden needs to decide. You keep talking about how Biden needs to decide, Correct me if I am wrong, but Biden has already decided. He said that only the Lord Almighty could change his mind. Joe Biden has said that he's not going anywhere. What am I missing here?

Honestly, Joe Biden is not a good campaigner on abortion right but he’s good on anticorruption and Scranton Joe. He should run on a voting on a new constitutional amendment eliminate the presidential immunity that the Supreme Court created. He sounded way more passionate and with greater vigor when talking about that.

I'm voting for Biden Harris. Grow a spine, Dems.

You say that this is not allowing you to focus on the threat that we are faced with. Why don’t you just do that instead of endlessly talking about Joe Biden when he has obviously said that he’s made his decision 🤷🏻‍♀️

I don't vote for president for his golf game

I’m really disappointed they didn’t call it “Self Important Podcasters”

Incumbency is a major key to keeping the White House, just ask Professor Lichtman! Kamala Harris picking up the Torch and running as THE NOMINEE will be a formidable candidate, and she will capably PROSECUTE Trump! Cheers, Michael Albuquerque NM USA,

I'm gonna be honest - I have not seen or heard anything about Kamala Harris in probably a year. And for most people it's probably been longer. So it's very hard to make a judgement on what kind of candidate or president she would be.

You really think its ok to drag this out even one more day? Scary....

I’m confused. He has said repeatedly that he is staying in the race.

The division of democrats is hurting this election MORE than the terrible debate. Changing the nominee is not even an option! Joe should run and I stand behind him. We need a Trifecta to return to democracy!

What part of Biden saying he’s not getting out of the race do you not not understand?

For the good of the country, Donald Trump must step aside.

It’s very important for Biden to have been at the NATO summit. Because if Trump wins he will take us out of it and the Western Alliance will be on its own.

Jen Psaki is very insightful

What really irks my nerves is the fact you can show the things Trump says against Biden but not the crazy mess that comes out of his mouth about Hannibal Lecter, etc. You need to show Trump as a crazy man and liar!!!

I’m on Team Biden should stay but I can’t believe there are Democrats on Twitter denying the polling and saying everything is fine.

You guys need to listen to the introduction to Joe Biden at the AFL-CIO meeting. The person introducing Joe Biden fed him the line that the AFL-CIO was Joe Biden's NATO - and he fed it back. Shows that he can listen and respond - extemporaneously.

Saying his answers to questions in the debate were “hard to understand” is Jen being human talking about a man she holds dear. They weren’t hard to understand. He was confused and in some ways it showed how responses are so canned these days. He was giving that his best and it just is not there anymore. It’s heartbreaking, but we don’t have time for that. If Joe believes Trump is a major risk like we all do, then someone needs to appeal to that. He needs a friend to walk him through this. It’s so very sad to me, but it would seem like Jill, Hunter, and the rest of his family and close advisors can’t or wont do that for whatever reason. EVERYONE IN AMERICA KNOWS WHAT THEY SAW. That is because we have all seen elderly grandparents and parents do this. It’s how we have accepted it’s over. This doesn’t improve. It wasn’t just the debate. Joe does not realize his abilities have taken this sharp of a decline.

Jen! Go get on his campaign staff. They need you!

Regardless of who the democratic nominee is, I'll be voting for them. If it's Biden, then he wins, and his mental fortitude declines further to the point he has to step down, then we get Kamala Harris.. which is an absolute W in my opinion. If we have him step down now, and run someone else, we could still win.

Sad to hear all this democrat party destroying their own candidate. They don’t have backbone! 😢😢 Pray for America 🇺🇸., I don’t want to watch anymore..

This is how i see Presideny Biden in the last debate....Have you ever been next to someone who has wronged you or your family so badly and there's all the things you want to say to show that person what they did wrong, while trying to keep your composure, then kick yourself later for all the things you didn't say.... I don't think i could stand next to a felon, who has done so much to the country i love and NOT GO BAT SHIT on his A$$... I'd forget ALL the things i wanted to CALL OUT while trying to DEFEND DEMOCRACY... The thing is people like the Dumpster will never see the wrongs they've commited, they don't care who they throw under the bus to fulfill their PERSONAL AGENDA.... Creeps like this are the ones who challenge the legal system and play games while sliding through the loopholes... I get why people (those barely surviving this economy) through generations of bad actors making policies that hurt the WORKING CLASS and wanting to BUCK THE SYSTEM... This is why Biden struggled at the debate, because he is fighting for the working class who can't seem to see the damage the dumpster has done, while making so many efforts to make life for the working class better. They aren't see how the REPUBLICANS have been shoving the working class down with policies that keep hurting the working class while big companies fuck the citizens... I sew the work that Biden has done to make life better for everyone, while forgetting we had a pandemic our lives were turned upside-down & inside out, and doing the absolute best he could to have that soft landing over economic crisis like the GREAT DEPRESSION... My family is living on less that 40k a yr, for the last 8 yrs, we make it work, and like everyone else if we lose our paycheck we'll be hurting in a big way, but we have survived through all of this, while making due. I know Biden/Harris are working for us, it's not perfect change doesn't happen overnight...but i believe in our democracy, and the people will vote to save it.

I'm voting for President Biden

While I don't really know Pelosi, I would argue that there is reason for her to use ambivalent phrasing even if she does think Biden can do the job: She might have reason to believe he's not being 100% forthright on what he's actually planning to do. Biden has said he's running, but with NATO negotiations happening there may be external reasons he's trying to put up a strong front, so she might just be staying her hand to avoid either putting her thumb on the scales if he's feeling ambivalent or weakening anyone's campaign if he doesn't do what she said he should do. If she's really the political animal everyone says she is, her statement reads to me as much more of a "Let's wait and see" than an "I don't want to get caught in the political fallout" kind of statement.

Maybe you should get bidens actual schedule after the debate. He has been out there..all over the place. Like jenn said when is enough enough. He also has to run a country. I'm w Joe. A few garbled words doesn't erase what he's done and what he's able to do. He's not a spokesman. He's a 'get shit done' guy!

BUT, Biden didn't make the VP job seem lame... it kind of bolstered him to presidency.

I KNOW the DEBATE didn't go well, HOWEVER it's THE MEDIA'S FOCUS SHIFTING to the FRIGHTENING possibility of TRUMP and PROJECT 25 🎉🎉🎉🎉 PLEASE HELP 🎉🎉 VOTE BLUE 💙💙💙💙

I really hate how Dems as a party is operating on who's turn it supposedly is. F that. That is why Dems are weak. Either let the people truly pick their choice instead of that sham of a primary or pick strategically who would be the best candidate. (And as much as I would love a POC, female president, Kamala is not it. She would not be the best strategic move either.)

I'm personally on the, Biden Step-Aside, bandwagon, for no other reason than the debate. I'm a liberal Dem and I know the President can do the job still, but i'm not the one that needs convincing. It's all the people who thought about voting for Biden before the debate and who are changing their minds after the debate. Those people need to turn up and vote for a Democrat and right now they think the President of the United States can't put together a coherent sentence. And while I know the hypocrisy of all this is completely absurd and that Americans should be far more concerned about an authoritarian fascist criminal that wants to completely upend the longest running democracy in the world, but this is the America we live in right now.

You should have been talking about Project 2025 this whole time.

Biden HAS decided 🤷‍♂️

As long as we are up against Trump there is no JB I wouldn’t vote for, I think most Americans are in the same boat, do I wish it was someone younger and all that ? Sure but I am not worried that he even at this age could end up begin even a fraction worst then things would be if Trump were to ever get back into the White House ! So I see everyone concern an worry but if he’s who we have that then that’s who we have any again slowed down Joe Biden is miles better then supreme ruler Trump.

Greetings from Australia. Why are more questions not being asked of Jake Sullivan and Donald Trump, in relation to their controversial positions on Ukraine? For example; If the USA were invaded and under constant missile attack by a powerful enemy, 1. Would Sullivan refuse to launch missiles at the enemy launch sites in fear of escalation? and 2. Would Trump be willing to hand over Alaska and the state of California as a trade-off for peace????

Pod Save America took some fire for being among the first to question publicly if Biden should step down, and I'm sure that wasn't easy--but it was vitally important to get that conversation started. I am so grateful that you used your political capital, and exploited the fact that you have an audience, to get that done. And Jen Psaki? She was great in this video. The fact that she is so clear-headed and practical, even though she has real ties to Biden, shows how much she deserves her own show.

I liked what the union leader said what if he stumble on his words, the response was that's no big deal he's always done that! They just want him to listen to them be be there!

She said a whole lot of nothin’

"We can make a little order where we are, and then the big sweep of history on which we can have no effect doesn't overwhelm us. We do it with colors, with a garden, with the furnishings of a room, or with sounds and words. We make a little form, and we gain composure." Robert Frost Posting re cleaning our fridges and organizing our closets.

Well I'll say it: V.P Kamala Harris would be a fierce compelling candidate. Kamala at the top of the ticket would energize the whole thing. She'd make mincemeat of trump.

I would vote for a sentient rock if it ensured Trump was never president again, however I would be personally very sad if Biden doesn't step down. I have always believed him to be a true patriot, at this stage it's his patriotic duty to stand aside.

I can't stand it with the smiling responses and snickering to Trump's ramblings. This isn't funny.

Oh dear. I just love Biden! He has been an excellent president and will go down in history as such. I think he would have a fine second term, especially given his strong administration. But .... optics.

Whenever this election is over I never want to see any of you people ever again.

Don’t interpret what Pelosi said. Just listen to what she said. She simply said that she’ll support whatever his decision is. And his decision is that Biden ain’t quitting. This host seems to have an agenda or belief that he wants regarding Biden. And he like the MSM pundits’ obsession with Biden stepping down is a huge turn off.

Watching Jen Psaki literally wringing her hands during her answers says it all

I thought Biden had already decided he was staying.

I know this is an unpopular view but Joe can’t prove he’s fine but he should still be the one because otherwise we lose. We have a coalition and Kamala can always step in and we go forward.

It is too many cooks in the kitchen! Leadership.... here is where we are going and here is the marching orders!

You don'r want to weaken him publicly? What do you think you are all doing now.

You dudes are fn cowards... Biden or Bust. Circle the wagons and back him up! He's not stepping down...move on...move fwd...we gotta party to unite, and an election to win.

Joe Biden is our nominee. Move on, or I'll be unsubscribing. All things considered, he is in fantastic shape. If you just saw his speech at the NATO Summit or with the AFL-CIO, you'll know he's just fine.

Beating a dead horse are we, damn I sick of hearing this B.S. Get behind Biden, or just give tRump the election. 💙BIDEN 🇺🇸 HARRIS 💙 2024 To many experts.

No we won’t will senate and house races if we don’t get our act together

I miss the times when folks didn’t say “right” after every other sentence. And Obama.

Joe Biden is not Pod Save America generationally. Hallelujah? You guys rock!

If he won't step down, what is the point of talking about this now??

Lovett is seeping with anger, frustration and distain. He totally doesn’t want this timeline to be real.

HE NEEDS TO TAKE A BREAK. WE OWE JOE. THE WORLD. HE SAVED US. WE NEED SAVE HIM

To those wondering why this conversation is necessary: The debate nearly two weeks ago was very upsetting, and President Biden hasn't addressed the concerns raised. While almost all Democrats support Biden, the issue isn't just about supporting Joe Biden. The crucial question is: who will win the electoral college? This comes down to swing states, swing voters, and independents. If you're only listening to the opinions of Democrats, you're missing what these critical voters are saying. We need to talk about this because it's important and relevant right now.

You can tell that Jen Saki is a former press secretary because she hedges on EVERYTHING.

I’m not sure I understand why you’re saying that he hasn’t done a lot of things, when I saw that I think it’s his secretary saying like a whole list of things that he’s done and he’s been to many states even after the debate. Am I missing something?

The most reasonable Pod Save America discussion in two weeks. Keep it up and I may rethink subscribing to you again.

See the article by Tim Alberta in the Atlantic. Trump’s campaign is praying for Biden to be the nominee - they expect a landslide win and with good reason. A younger, more dynamic candidate would confound them.

I think if you are advocating on a national liberal political platform that Joe should resign that you should also be able to recommend who will be the new candidate. When Jen recommended Kamala, initially it appeared that you also questioned her candidacy. I have been a democratic voter for 45 years, its very hard for democratic folks to agree on one person. I think democratic folks will splinter and we will lose the election.

Ok I have never voted and I’m 61 but I’m voting for Biden and I think all these democrats need to listen to Allan Lichtman!!!

Did someone say vultures? Bed wetters? F'ed up on coke?

How are Americans only now discovering project 2025? My fifteen year old in Belgium asked me about this five months ago

Public pressure isn't helpful. The Dems need to talk behind the scenes and make a decision with Biden and present a unified front on whatever they decide. This back and forth with pundits and the mixed messages of the Dems is worse than the debate.

What do people want Biden to do? Stand on his head and touch his left foot????

Instead of talking about Biden, why aren’t you talking about Trump

It is always nice to talk with Jen. She is so calming.

Joe Biden will not leave and he will win the election. If democrats don’t unify we will lose everything. Vote Biden 2024. All of this talk is making me nervous. I hope it stops soon.

Let’s not pretend this isn’t also generational. There are urgent, extant issues that will have lasting consequences, and consequences that will never affect the only people with the power to tackle them. Why didn’t he put forth the effort to position a potential successor? He never intended to. He promised to be transitional, and reneged for no apparently justifiable reason.

Thank you, Jen, for your experience combined with honesty. We can't fix a problem unless we acknowledge the situation first.

I'm so tired of the media's slanted discourse! Fox played manipulated videos. MSNBC didn't play entire interview with Pelosi which DID show she supported Biden. Who cares if he can't make it another 4 years? Who else is a guaranteed win? No one. THEN when they lose everyone's going to blame Biden instead of themselves. Trump is afraid of Biden. Democrats should be focusing on this. He's been clear and focused ever since the debate including NATO currently. Biden won the primary I don't want to vote for anyone else.

Rally's are great, Town Halls are awesome, the interviews have to go. They're a waste of time and it's always the same questions can I get the feeling that that's not what he wants to talk about in an interview

Why aren't people telling trump he needs to step down?

46:20 Just to note, it wasn’t a snap election in the UK. Our elections always take 5-6 weeks. You may be confusing this with France. They had a snap election with only two weeks of campaigning.

Biden must - must - stop talking about NATO. More Americans know the names of the characters in any hit Disney movie than know what NATO does, or even what the acronym "NATO," means.

I’m only staying with this conversation because you have been very respectful in this discussion. But we need to get away from this and move forward. Talk to Biden. Ask him what he’s going to do. He will say, “Didn’t you hear me? I’m running. I’m not stepping down.”

Fridge… I, too, cleaned out my fridge to deal with the anxiety I’m experiencing due to these current events.

Why are you doing an event in Brooklyn and not Detroit or Pittsburgh or Milwaukee? Please do these events where they can make a difference rather than preaching to the choir. Love you Jen

Good job Jen Psaki and Pod Save America.

The more this happens I guess it is good that the conversation is happening. But we have to at some point resolve this and stop the conversation.

Kamala Harris would mop the floor with Trump in a debate. She would be SO GREAT.

Jen, I went on vacation for a week and was glued to the news. Who could relax? The day after the debate, I was so upset, I emptied out my fridge!

Lovely to hear you both. Talking and listening is important to us all. Good conversation. Thank you