Hillary Clinton: Joe Biden’s ‘terrible mistake’ doomed Democrats in 2024
"We were in a terrible dilemma," she said.
Ryan Cooper 
Hillary Clinton is weighing in on the 2024 election aftermath, offering a sharp critique of President Joe Biden. According to Clinton, Biden’s decision to pursue a re-election bid rather than stepping aside as a one-term president was a move that ultimately doomed the Democratic ticket.
A Fateful Miscalculation
Speaking during a conversation with The New Yorker editor David Remnick at The 92nd Street Y, Clinton did not mince words regarding the former president's legacy and the country's political direction. She characterized the decision to stay in the race as a "terrible mistake" that created a "terrible dilemma" for the party.
While Clinton argued that Biden had suggested he would serve only one term, reports indicate that while the idea was floated by Biden’s advisors, he never officially committed to a single-term presidency.
The Ripple Effect of a Late Exit
The timeline of Biden's departure proved critical. By waiting until just 107 days remained in the 2024 campaign to exit the race, Biden effectively hamstrung Vice President Kamala Harris, who eventually fell to Donald Trump in the general election.
Clinton posited that had Biden signaled his intent to step aside in the summer of 2023, the Democratic Party could have staged a robust primary contest. She expressed firm belief that such a process would have produced a candidate—whether Harris, a governor, or a senator—capable of defeating Trump.
"So I think it was a terrible miscalculation on the part of President Biden," Clinton told the audience, noting that once the transition window closed, the party was left in a difficult position.
