UP "WAY TOO EARLY" ON THIS
HISTORIC MONDAY MORNING.
>>> "MORNING JOE" STARTS RIGHT
NOW.
>> JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN ONE OF THE
MOST CONSEQUENTIAL PRESIDENTS IN
AMERICAN HISTORY.
HE HAS PUT PEOPLE OVER POLITICS
AND PATRIOTISM OVER PERSONAL
POSITION.
THIS IS ANOTHER HEROIC ACT IN A
LONG RUNNING SERIES OF HEROIC
ACTS BY JOE BIDEN ON BEHALF OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
FROM THE MOMENT HE WAS FIRST
ELECTED BACK IN 1972 TO THE
UNITED STATES SENATE.
>> HOUSE MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM
JEFFRIES YESTERDAY PRAISING
PRESIDENT BIDEN’S POLITICAL
CAREER FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENT’S
DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM THE
RACE.
BIDEN MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN A
LETTER POSTED TO HIS SOCIAL
MEDIA ACCOUNTS YESTERDAY
AFTERNOON, WRITING IN PART, "I
BELIEVE IT IS IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF MY PARTY AND THE
COUP
COUNTRY FOR ME TO STAND DOWN AND
TO FOCUS SOLELY ON FULFILLING MY
DUTIES AS PRESIDENT FOR THE
REMAINDER OF MY TERM."
SHORTLY AFTER THIS ANNOUNCEMENT,
PRESIDENT BIDEN ENDORSED VICE
PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS TO TAKE
HIS PLACE THIS NOVEMBER AND
CALLED ON DEMOCRATS TO COME
TOGETHER TO DEFEAT DONALD TRUMP.
WILLIE.
>> WHERE DOES THIS GO FROM HERE?
ALTHOUGH PRESIDENT BIDEN DID
ENDORSE VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS TO
REPLACE HIM AT THE TOP OF THE
TICKET, THE DEMOCRATIC
NOMINATION TECHNICALLY DOESN’T
AUTOMATICALLY TRANSFER TO THE
VICE PRESIDENT.
A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE
SAID LAST NIGHT IT IS NOW THE
COMMITTEE’S RESPONSIBILITY TO
IMPLEMENT A FRAMEWORK TO SELECT
A NEW NOMINEE WHICH WILL BE
OPEN, TRANSPARENT, FAIR, AND
ORDERLY.
THE DNC RULES COMMITTEE WILL
HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON, STREAMING ON THE
DNC’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
THE CO-CHAIRS PROMISED THE
PROCESS WILL BE COMPREHENSIVE,
FAIR, AND EXPEDITIOUS.
EXACTLY WHEN DEMOCRATS WILL
CHOOSE A NOMINEE UNCLEAR THIS
MORNING.
IT IS UNCLEAR IF THE PARODY WILL
MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VIRTUAL
ROLL CALL SCHEDULED FOR THE
FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST, A MOVE
MADE TO AVOID A BALLOT DEADLINE
IN OHIO BUT SINCE HAS BEEN
RESOLVED.
THE PARTY DOES UNITE BEHIND
HARRIS, WHICH IT APPEARS TO BE
DOING THIS MORNING.
IT COULD DECIDE TO FORMALLY
NOMINATE HER THROUGH THE VIRTUAL
VOTE BEFORE AUGUST 7th.
THE CONVENTION IS SET TO BEGIN
ON AUGUST THE 19th.
WHAT HAPPENS TO BIDEN’S
DELEGATES?
THE ONLY REQUIREMENT FOR
DELEGATES UNDER CURRENT
CONVENTION RULES IS TO, QUOTE,
IN ALL GOOD CONSCIENCE, REFLECT
THE SENTIMENTS OF THOSE WHO
ELECTED HIM.
SINCE BIDEN LEFT THE RACE,
DELEGATES ARE FREE TO SUPPORT
WHOEVER THEY CHOOSE.
THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT HAVE TO
RELEASE HIS DELEGATES.
PAUSE THERE, JOE.
>> YEAH.
>> THE DELEGATES ARE PART OF
THIS.
>> I THINK IT WAS GOOD AT THE
TOP OF THE SHOW.
I THINK WE SHOULD READ ALL THE
SUB
SUBSECTIONS OF THE DEMOCRATIC
NATIONAL COMMITTEE’S CHARTERMENT
A
AND, ALEX, COULD WE GO ON?
I DON’T THINK ANYBODY WANTS
REACTIONS.
>> EXECUTIVE DECISION, YOU CUT
IT OFF.
>> THANK YOU.
>> BUT LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW
EXTRAORDINARY THIS IS.
WE’LL TALK ABOUT TECHNICALITYIES
IN A MOMENT.
IT CAME, JOE, TALKING TO PEOPLE
INSIDE THE CAMPAIGN, AND JOHN IS
REPORTING THIS MORNING, THAT
PRESIDENT BIDEN RECEIVED
INFORMATION, RECEIVE POLDD POLLI
HEARD ABOUT THE DONORS DRYING
UP, MONEY WAS STOPPING.
>> RIGHT.
>> HE GOT HARD DATA FROM A
COUPLE PEOPLE HE REALLY TRUSTS
ON THE INNERMOST TWO, THREE
PEOPLE WHO TOLD HIM, THIS
DOESN’T LOOK GOOD FOR YOU OR
YOUR LEGACY.
>> WE’LL GO THROUGH SPECIFICS,
BUT WHY DON’T WE SHOW AMERICANS
SOME OF THE HEADLINES.
START WITH "THE NEW YORK TIMES."
"BIDEN BOWS OUT."
JUST EXTRAORDINARY.
A LATE REVERSAL UPENDS THE RACE
FOR THE WHITE HOUSE AS PRESIDENT
ENDORSES HARRIS TO LEAD THE
TICKET.
>> HERE’S "THE WALL STREET
JOURNAL."
IF YOU CAN POP THAT UP THERE,
GUYS, PUSH IN A LITTLE BIT.
"BIDEN DROPS OUT, ENDORSES
HARRIS."
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE THE TABLOIDS
IN NEW YORK CITY.
"JOE’S OUT."
"NEW YORK POST" WRITING SIMPLY,
"THE END," FOR JOE BIDEN.
>> YEAH.
SO THERE HAD BEEN SOME TALK FOR
QUITE SOME TIME.
ON FRIDAY, MARK HALPERIN BROKE
NEWS, ACTUALLY ON X.
HE LAID OUT WHAT WAS GOING TO BE
COMING ON SUNDAY.
THERE STILL WAS A LOT OF
CONFUSION, THOUGH, AS YOU SAID,
INSIDE OF THE CAMPAIGN.
>> YEAH.
>> THERE WAS GROWING ANGER
INSIDE OF THE CAMPAIGN.
JOHN, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
GROWING ANGER INSIDE OF THE
CAMPAIGN. WE’LL JUST SAY IT, ANGER AT
STEVE RAHAND MIKE AND PEOPLE IN
WHITE HOUSE WHO LOVE JOE BIDEN
BELIEVED THEY WEREN’T GIVING THE STRAIGHT STORY TO JOE BIDEN.
THAT CHANGED FRIDAY NIGHT.
THAT CHANGED.
RICCH TE
RICCHETTI WAS GOING TO DELIVER
THE BAD NEWS THIS WEEKEND.
>> REHOBOTH BEACH, THE PRESIDENT
STILL BATTLING COVID, ISOLATING
AT HIS FAMILY HOME, SUMMONING
HIS TWO CLOSEST AIDES, THEY WERE
THERE IN 2016, 2019 WHEN HE
DECIDED TO JUMP INTO THE
CAMPAIGN.
THEY ARE HIS CLOSEST ADVISORS.
THEY PRESENTED HIM SATURDAY
MORNING WITH NEW INFORMATION.
AS WE REPORTED, EXCLUSIVELY, NEW
BATTLEGROUND STATE POLLS THAT
SHOW THE PRESIDENT DOWN IN ALL
SEVEN BATTLEGROUNDS.
ALSO, SUPPORT REALLY SLIPPING IN
PLACES THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE WON
NOW FOR CYCLES.
VIRGINIA, NEW MEXICO, COLORADO,
ALL OF THOSE NOW IN JEOPARDY.
>> BY THE WAY, LET’S SAY THIS,
TOO, AND I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS
TO UNDERSTAND THIS.
IT WASN’T JUST THE DEBATE
PERFORMANCE THAT WAS CAUSING
CONCERNS.
I’LL HAVE YOU GET BACK TO THAT
IN ONE SECOND.
REALLY QUICKLY, JOHN HEILEMANN,
JOE BIDEN WAS ALREADY STARTING
TO SLIP IN MINNESOTA, IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE, IN VIRGINIA.
A LOT OF THESE STATES THAT
WEREN’T SWING STATES EVEN BEFORE
THE DEBATE.
THAT WAS CAUSING UNEASINESS IN
BIDEN WORLD.
>> NEW MEXICO, NEW JERSEY.
NEW JERSEY, DONALD TRUMP WAS
WITHIN A POINT OR TWO.
YEAH, AS YOU SAY, QUICKLY, THIS
INFORMATION THAT BIDEN GOT ON
SATURDAY WAS NEW TO BIDEN.
IT WAS NOT NEW TO OTHERS.
SOME OF THE POLLING HAD BEEN
AROUND FOR SEVERAL DAYS.
ONE OF THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT
PEOPLE LIKE NANCY PELOSI HAD WAS
THAT JOE BIDEN WAS NOT GETTING
THIS INFORMATION.
HE WAS BEING SHIELDED FROM IT.
AT ONE POINT, SUMMONING MIKE
DONNELLIN ON THE PHONE SAYING,
MR. PRESIDENT, LET’S TALK ABOUT
THE POLLS.
FINALLY, THE INFORMATION -- ALL
OF THIS IS RECENT INFORMATION,
OBVIOUSLY.
IT WAS NEW TO JOE BIDEN TO BE
PRESENTED WITH THINGS THAT
HAKEEM JEFFRIES, CHUCK SCHUMER,
BARACK OBAMA, NANCY PELOSI WERE
ACQUAINTED WITH AND KNEW THE
NUMBERS.
>> TO BE REALLY CLEAR HERE,
JONATHAN, I’LL LET YOU FINISH UP
ON THIS, TO BE CLEAR, RICCH EETT
AND DONNELLIN BLOVED BIDEN.
THEY HEARD HIM COUNTED OUT TIME
AND TIME AGAIN.
THE FAMILY HEARD THE DEMOCRATIC
ESTABLISHMENT ABSOLUTELY SHIT ON
JOE BIDEN TIME AND TIME AND TIME
AGAIN.
WHAT DID HE DO?
HE ALWAYS EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS.
HE BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES, AS WE ALL
REMEMBER IN 2020.
THE ENTIRE DEMOCRATIC
ESTABLISHMENT MOCKING HIM,
SAYING HE WASN’T GOOD ENOUGH, HE
WASN’T UP TO IT.
YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THEY SAID
AGAIN, COME ON, ROCKY, ONE MORE
FIGHT, YOU CAN DO IT.
>> THE FIRST LADY AND
PRESIDENT’S SON, HUNTER, FIRLMLY
BEHIND HIS DECISION TO STAY IN
THE RACE.
AS OF SATURDAY MORNING,
PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS INTENDING TO
STAY IN THE RACE.
HE TALKED TO HIS CLOSEST AIDES
AS THE DAY WENT ON, SUMMONED THE
FAMILY, AND MADE THE DECISION TO
BOW OUT BECAUSE OF THOSE POLLS,
BECAUSE THE FUNDRAISING
DRAMATICALLY DRYING UP, AND
BECAUSE SO MANY DEMOCRATIC
LAWMAKERS HAD SPOKEN OUT AGAINST
HIM.
NOW, SOME OF THE HEAVYWEIGHTS,
SCHUMER, PELOSI, JEFFRIES, HAD
DONE SO PRIVATELY, FEARS IN THE
BIDEN CAMP THAT WAS ABOUT TO
CHANGE.
IF THE PRESIDENT HAD STAYED IN
THE RACE AS THE WEEK WENT ON,
THOSE LEADERS, NAMELY PELOSI,
WERE GOING TO GO PUBLIC WITH THE
POLLING, WITH THEIR CONCERNS,
WITH A CALL FOR THE PRESIDENT TO
BOW OUT.
DOING SO YESTERDAY WAS A
FACE-SAVING MOVE.
THE PRESIDENT AND HIS FAMILY
WANTED TO SAVE HIS REPUTATION
AND CHOOSE HIS OWN TERMS OF
EXITING.
>> ALL REPORTING WE HAD
THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND WAS THAT
MONDAY WAS GOING TO BE BRUTAL
FOR THE PRESIDENT.
YESTERDAY SEEMED TO BE THE BEST
TIME FOR HIM TO GET OUT.
SO THAT’S THE REPORTING ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND.
MIKA, I’D LOVE, FIRST, TO GET
YOUR REACTION.
YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE STRONGLY
SUPPORTED JOE BIDEN AND STILL
BELIEVE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE
BEST CHANCE TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP
BECAUSE HE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO
HAS DONE IT BEFORE.
CURIOUS WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE
THIS MORNING.
>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY, ON MANY
LEVELS, I’M REALLY SAD.
JOE BIDEN IS A PATRIOT.
I LOVE HIM, HIS FAMILY, AND I
LOVE WHAT HE’S DONE FOR THE
COUNTRY.
HE HAD AUTHENTICITY AND TOUCH.
WHETHER YOU SAW IT OR NOT,
EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM, EVEN
SOMETIMES THE STUTTER AND THE
BUMBLING WAS PART OF THE TOUCH,
PART OF THE EMPATHIC, VERY
LOVING, VERY CLEAR-EYED TOUCH
THAT HE HAD, THAT ALLOWED HIM
AND ENABLED HIM TO BE AN
EFFECTIVE PRESIDENT.
ALL THAT TURNED AGAINST HIM
AFTER THE DEBATE FOR ALL THE
REASONS WE DISCUSSED.
HE WOULD SAY, NO TIME TO
COMPLAIN ABOUT IT.
LET’S MOVE ON.
IT IS GO TIME.
DEMOCRATS REALLY HAVE A MOMENT
OF MOMENTUM HERE, AND MY HOPE IS
THAT THEY GRAB IT AND RUN WITH
IT.
GET UNIFIED.
GET ORGANIZED.
GET COORDINATED.
NO MORE INFIGHTING.
DONALD TRUMP IS NOT EASY TO
BEAT.
HE IS NOT EASY TO BEAT, AND
ANYONE WHO THINKS HE IS IS IN
2016 WHEN THEY’RE LAUGHING AT
THE CONCEPT.
YOU CAN SEE HOW QUICKLY THEY
TRIED TO STEAL THE UNITY
NARRATIVE.
I’VE HEARD FROM INSIDE
REPUBLICAN CIRCLES AND
RIGHT-WING MEDIA THAT THE HATE
CAMPAIGN AGAINST KAMALA HARRIS
HAS BEGUN.
YOU’LL NOTICE THEY PURPOSEFULLY
PRONOUNCE HER NAME WRONG.
THEY SAY KAMALA.
THEY DO IT ALL THE TIME.
IT IS ON PURPOSE.
BUT THE TALK IS TO START THAT
HATE CAMPAIGN AND GET IT GOING
AND START IT CHURNING.
MY HOPE IS THAT MAJOR DEMOCRATS
AND MAJOR REPUBLICANS FROM THE
OBAMAS TO THE BUSH FAMILY TO
MILITARY LEADERS GET BEHIND THE
DEMOCRACY TICKET AND WE MOVE ON.
THROUGHOUT THE SHOW TODAY, WE’LL
SEE, WILLIE, IF LEADING
DEMOCRATS ARE GOING TO GET ON
BOARD WITH KAMALA HARRIS.