Biden's Team Conducts Loyalty Assessment Among Delegates: A Dire Measure?

In an attempt to stave off a possible revolt against his nomination on the floor, President Biden's team is making phone calls to respective delegates slated to attend the forthcoming Democratic convention to assess their loyalty towards the president. This has been reported by three delegate sources who have received such calls within the current week.

The conversation begins with several preliminary questions, as reported by the Democrats active on the ground, including the delegate's confirmation about their plans to attend the convention in Chicago, and their past experience serving as a delegate. According to these activists, eventually, the purpose of the call becomes apparent.

One delegate shared that the conversation shifted towards the responsibilities implied in a pledged delegate role, after which the aide directly asked whether there were any potential disagreements with the President. Additonally, a second delegate confided that the question posed to them was more straight forward, "Is there any reason why you couldn't or wouldn't support President Biden at the convention?" A third delegate confirmed that he was simply asked whether he had any concerns.

The recipients of these screens of loyalty expressed their surprise at the sudden calls, with one even speculating it might be a prank initially. After reading the Delaware area code (302) on the caller ID, the delegates reached out to other participants they knew, only to ascertain that they'd received analogous calls.

After reflecting upon the call, the delegate veterans of Democratic campaigns I spoke to, shared a common concern. They all wondered whether the president's campaign was trying to block or substitute pledged delegates who were suspected to be disloyal.

The grimness was exacerbated for one delegate, who felt demoralized after receiving a second call from a different aide who asked the same question about any "concerns" related to Biden's nomination, apparently forgetting that they had already called the same delegate previously.

A response to the probing calls was denied by a Biden advisor, who rebutted the suggestion that the campaign had made any delegate outreach efforts. However, three of the delegates revealed that during the course of the discussion the caller introduced themselves as a representative of the "Biden-Harris delegate operation team". One delegate even had a screenshot of the phone number and caller ID, which showed up as "BFPCC INC.", the official legal name of the campaign.

A fourth delegate recounted receiving a voicemail from a "302" area code, with the person introducing himself as a "delegate operations associate with Biden for President" inquiring if the delegate had any questions or reservations regarding his role.

When approached for a statement, the Biden advisor reiterated that in light of recent news reports, the delegates remained firmly supportive of the President. However, I have also discovered a chat group of a few dozen independent delegates who are organizing a letter to the DNC, requesting a change in rules for a secret ballot vote at the convention, thus allowing delegates to vote in accordance with their conscience.

Biden and his top advisors are currently solely preoccupied with securing endorsements from key Democratic cohorts, as a delegate commented, it felt like a rerun of the primaries. President Biden has personally reached out to lawmakers and has initiated group chats with the Congressional Black Caucus, union members, as well as Democratic governors and mayors.

This painstaking outreach towards each delegate underlines an underlying fear within the campaign that the disruptions may spill over into the mid-August convention. Post his disastrous debate performance, various polls suggest a preference among Democratic voters for a different nominee. The persistent calls to delegates by Biden's team, despite his assurances that he won't quit, indicate efforts to avert a potential "Dump Biden" movement in Chicago.

The convention delegations are mostly populated by Biden faithfuls or at least used to be until the debate. The fear of a potential disruption by pro-Palestinian activists upset over Biden's Israel policy had led the campaign and the Democratic National Committee to ensure that each delegate selected for the convention belonged to their trusted circle.

A Democratic official familiar with the delegate list estimated that at least one quarter of those who have pledged their allegiance to the president are now in a state of uncertainty. The official characterizes these calls as merely "temperature checks" and feels that a full whip count wouldn't be prudent at this moment as it could reveal the shaky standing of Biden within his party.

While the convention delegates are predominantly committed to Biden, party rules don't impose a binding commitment. One Democrat highlighted the mild phraseology in the DNC rules for the 2024 convention: "Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them."

The delegates I corresponded with preferring a change in the nomination. "We're petrified of disunity or chaos, but we need a game changer because we're falling behind," expressed one delegate. They suggested a break from a traditional coronation to a week-long reality show-styled approach featuring young Democratic talent. The delegate criticized Biden's inability to design a strong argument against Trump and proposed showcasing multiple candidates capable of the task.

None of the delegates I interacted with want to break their pledge to Biden, albeit one has contemplated seeking legal advice if required. They'd rather have Biden release them from their commitment.

Mainly, the delegates oscillate between feelings of sadness and anger, which echoes the sentiments of many Democrats during this critical time for the party. "I'm grappling with expressing my frustration regarding this situation," shared one delegate.

Thomas Evans for TROIB News