Former New Hampshire Democrat state chair Kathy Sullivan has a message for her fellow party members panicking over President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance:
“Suck it up, Buttercup.”
But Granite State Democrats facing GOP challengers in November had not heeded her message as of Saturday morning. None of the Democrats running for governor or Congress has publicly expressed support for Biden continuing as the party’s nominee. In fact, they were all “no comments” to NHJournal when asked about the president’s ability to continue to serve, and none of them had posted anything about the debates as of Saturday morning, either.
Sullivan, who led the write-in effort that allowed Biden to stay off the First in the Nation campaign trail and avoid public scrutiny, made her comments at a Friday presser. She was joined by House Democratic Leader Rep. Matt Wilhelm and Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy, both of Manchester. They urged their fellow Democrats to get Biden’s back.
“I say to any Democrat that I talk to, ‘Suck it up, Buttercup,’” Sullivan said. “Joe Biden’s our president, he’s done a great job, and it’s time to get with the program, and roll up your sleeves like all of us here are doing and fight like heck to get Joe Biden re-elected in November.”
One Democrat who has spoken out is U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster, who released a brief statement immediately after the debate reaffirming her support for Biden.
“Tonight the choice was clear — President Biden and Vice President [Kamala] Harris are the leaders we need to move our country forward to build a future worthy of pride,” Kuster stated.
Kuster is retiring from Congress and not seeking re-election.
However, the two Democrats hoping to replace her—Maggie Goodlander, who served in the U.S. Department of Justice under Biden, and former Executive Councilor Colin Van Ostern—are remaining silent.
The same for the two top-tier Democrats running for governor, former Manchester mayor Joyce Craig and Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington.
The lone New England congressional Democrat who announced plans to stump for the incumbent president in New Hampshire this weekend is Rhode Island U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo, who will be canvassing in Nashua and Exeter.
Sullivan was left to carry Biden’s water as the current state party chair, Ray Buckley, has remained tight-lipped in the wake of Thursday’s disaster. Buckley would not respond to NHJournal requests for comment and hasn’t spoken publicly since the debate. However, during the event, he posted a report on social media claiming that Biden was suffering from a cold.
And while incumbent U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas has yet to comment on Biden’s debate performance, the Republicans hoping to replace him have been speaking out.
Former Executive Councilor Russell Prescott told NHJournal during a debate watch party Thursday night, “I saw a very stumbling president. and it was Joe Biden.”
On Friday, he issued a statement that “for the good of the country and the safety and security of our people, President Biden must not be re-elected.”
“While we always knew that Biden’s disastrous policies on the economy, spending, the border, and foreign policy were bad for the nation, now we know the stakes are even higher,” Prescott added. “Last night’s debate was living proof that he does not possess the capacity or stamina to lead our nation. Donald Trump should be our next President.”
Entrepreneur and military veteran Chris Bright, who’s also seeking the NH-01 GOP nomination, told NHJournal that Biden is unfit to serve.
“Despite the months of denials and obfuscations by Democrats and the media, the debate unmasked for all to see that Joe Biden is not up to the job of president,” Bright said. “The debacle we all witnessed should send chills through every American and leave them wondering who is steering the ship.
“If Biden doesn’t step aside for the good of the country, the Cabinet needs to invoke the 25th Amendment.”
Another primary candidate, business owner and veteran Hollie Noveletsky, said the choice for Americans this November “could not be any clearer.”
“The American people have known Biden is in decline, and that his policies have been abysmal. But that has not stopped Chris Pappas from voting lockstep with the Biden agenda, nor did it stop him from enthusiastically supporting Joe Biden’s re-election just a few months ago in the New Hampshire primary,” Noveletsky said.
Republicans running in the Second Congressional District were also critical of Biden’s performance.
Businesswoman and activist Lily Tang Williams took to social media after Thursday’s debate and declared that voters “don’t need to see anything else.”
“We simply CANNOT afford another four years of the Biden Regime,” she added. “They will DESTROY America, our Constitutional Republic, that I came here for from China.”
Author and entrepreneur Vikram Mansharamani told NHJournal, “Even the Democrats are admitting last night was a disaster.”
“Biden is clearly not up to the job and should step aside for the good of the country. As speaker Johnson has appropriately recommended, it’s worth exploring the use of the 25th amendment to help America move forward,” Mansharamani said.
The drama over Biden’s future as his party’s nominee is just beginning.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D- Calif.), who is frequently mentioned as a potential replacement for Biden, will be a featured speaker on July 8 for the “Blue Summer Campaign Kickoff,” sponsored by the NH House Democratic Victory Campaign Committee and the NH Senate Democratic Caucus.
And in deep-blue Massachusetts, at least one prominent Democrat is calling for Biden to step away and provided some colorful commentary comparing Biden’s performance to a train wreck.
“And our choice is to, you know, jump off that train,” said state Sen. Jason Lewis (D-Winchester) during an interview for Boston Public Radio. “It’s scary. We may break a leg when we jump off, but that’s a lot better than dying in a train crash. And that’s where our party and our country are headed on the track we’re on right now.”
Lewis’s suggestion?
“Hey, how about [Massachusetts Democratic Gov.] Maura Healey?
