NBC guest Tim Alberta highlights a significant enthusiasm gap between former President Trump and President Biden, raising concerns about voter turnout among Democratic supporters.
Tim Alberta, a staff writer for The Atlantic, recently expressed alarm over the stark enthusiasm gap between former President Trump and President Biden, leaving Democrats scrambling for support. During an appearance on "Deadline: White House," Alberta described the Democratic base as "entirely lacking in intensity," with elected officials in battleground states facing immense difficulty in securing volunteers for essential campaign activities.
"I've never seen an enthusiasm gap like the one we're witnessing in the summer of this election year," Alberta stated. "I've heard horror stories from people on the ground in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona about local Democratic Party chapters struggling to recruit volunteers for phone banking, mail outreach, and door-knocking."
The Enthusiasm Gap: Democrats Struggle to Rally Volunteers
The shortage of volunteers has raised concerns among Democrats about voter turnout and the party's ability to mobilize its base. Alberta believes that if Biden were to withdraw and be replaced by another candidate, it would result in a "jolt of immediate energy," enthusiasm, and campaign funds, altering the dynamics of the race for both parties.
"If Biden were to step aside and Democrats had a new standard-bearer atop the ticket, you've got to expect that they would see a massive, historic fundraising surge of their own, which is one reason among many that so many elected officials at this point are pressuring the president to step aside," Alberta explained.
The Enthusiasm Gap: Democrats Struggle to Rally Volunteers
Former Obama adviser Van Jones echoed Alberta's observations, noting the palpable energy among Republicans at the Republican National Convention, comparable to the enthusiasm witnessed during former President Obama's first nomination in 2008. "Dreams become nightmares and nightmares become dreams," Jones remarked. "You're watching a nightmare become a dream for Donald Trump."
However, for President Biden, Jones believes the dream has become a nightmare, exacerbated by mounting challenges and pressure from within his party to abandon his reelection campaign. An AP-NORC survey conducted in July found that 70% of adults, including 65% of Democrats, believe Biden should withdraw and allow his party to select a different nominee.
The Enthusiasm Gap: Democrats Struggle to Rally Volunteers
Despite the resistance from his own party, Biden remains committed to his re-election bid, relying heavily on labor unions to advocate for his record in office and mitigate concerns about his age and effectiveness. However, the enthusiasm gap between Biden and Trump underscores the significant challenge he faces in galvanizing his base and inspiring voter turnout in the upcoming election.
