Senior Democrat suggests Obama, Clinton host ‘mini primary’ vetting

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) joined the growing list of Democrats calling on President Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race Friday, suggesting in an interview that former President’s Obama and Clinton should help vet new candidates for a “mini primary.”

Lofgren joined MSNBC Friday to discuss what would happen if Biden were to decide to step aside — which he has thus far said he would not do — and what she hopes to see happen if someone new were added to the mix.

“Should he make that decision, there will have to be quick steps,” Lofgren said.

“Maybe a vetting hosted by former presidents including Obama and Clinton would be helpful and help focus the attention,” she added later. “And whoever emerges, including Kamala Harris, would be a stronger candidate than if we tried to exclude a transparent public process.”

As the pressure for Biden to drop grows, speculation over whether Vice President Harris would be the nominee if Biden chose to pass the torch and her ability to beat former President Trump in November has as well.

Lofgren, a close ally of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), said she doesn’t think Harris should immediately be named as the nominee, should Biden leave the race. Though, she acknowledged that the vice president would likely have the best shot.

“I don’t think we can do a coronation,” she said. “But obviously, the vice president would be the leading candidate.”

The idea to have the former presidents play a role emerged from others on the left. Democratic strategist James Carville, a former adviser to President Clinton, highlighted the idea in a recent op-ed. He said the previous leaders are the “most obvious and qualified people in the world” to help facilitate a “mini primary.”

In a letter dated Thursday, but reported first Friday, Lofgren urged Biden to step aside.

She pointed to her time on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, and said she knows “perhaps as well as anyone” how unfit Trump is to be president.

“As I am aware that you have been provided data indicating that you in all likelihood will lose the race for President, I will not go through it again,” she wrote. “Simply put, your candidacy is on a trajectory to lose the White House and potentially impact crucial House and Senate races down ballot.

Lofgren and many other Democrats are calling for Biden to withdraw from the race despite his vow to stay the course, insisting he is in it to win it.