Hillary Clinton said Joe Biden's decision to seek reelection in 2024 was a strategic blunder that cost Democrats the White House, arguing in a new interview that an open primary would have produced a stronger nominee capable of defeating Donald Trump.
The former secretary of state and 2016 presidential candidate contended that if Biden had stepped aside earlier and allowed the party to hold a competitive nomination fight, the eventual winner would have prevailed against Trump in the general election.
Clinton's assessment represents a sharp critique of the path Biden ultimately took, resisting months of pressure from within his own party before withdrawing from the race in late July 2024, after a poor debate performance raised serious questions about his fitness to serve.
Her comments reflect a broader reckoning among Democratic figures about the lost opportunity to reshape the race with fresh momentum and a nominee untethered to Biden's political liabilities. A contested primary might have energized the base and prevented the narrative drift that preceded Biden's exit, some Democrats have argued.
Clinton did not specify which candidate she believed would have emerged from such a primary or how they might have performed differently against Trump. Her remarks underscore how the early months of 2024 remain a point of tension and analysis within Democratic circles as the party looks toward future elections.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Clinton's hindsight critique cuts to the heart of Democratic dysfunction: a party leadership that moved too slowly to address an untenable candidacy, costing themselves what may have been a winnable race."
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