Jamie Raskin Says Democrats Won’t Act Like ‘an Authoritarian Religious Cult’ About Biden Debate

The Democrats will not act like “an authoritarian religious cult the way the Republican party operates now,” Rep. Jamie Raskin said in response to Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s assertion that President Biden needs to “step aside” ahead of the convention in August.

The real talking point within the party, he added, is defeating Donald Trump. To that end, conversations about Biden’s future will move quickly. “There will be lots of discussion and lots of people weighing in, and I know this is a moving target,” Raskin told Chris Hayes on MSNBC.

“It’s got to happen quickly, but I can guarantee you, Chris Hayes, there will be massive unity and focus on that task when we get to the end of this process, and it’s happening very quickly, I think.”

Raskin acknowledged that the party “has taken some hits” but denied having a bad feeling heading into the election in November. “I always like to quote my dad who said, ‘Well, we’re growing up when everything looks hopeless, you’re the hope,’” he explained.

“And I’ve been in the 21 states now for President Biden and for the Democratic ticket up and down, and there’s tremendous enthusiasm and commitment on the Democratic side to winning this election everywhere.”

On Friday Biden will speak to George Stephanopoulos in his first interview since his lackluster debate performance last week. The New York Times called on Biden to exit the race the day after the debate, and since then several Democrats have made the same plea.

Others rushed to Biden’s defense. In a heated exchange with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, vice president Kamala Harris said, “I got the point you made about a one-and-a-half-hour debate tonight. I’m talking about three and a half years of performance in work that has been historic” and “I’m not going to spend all night with you talking about the last 90 minutes when I’ve been watching the last three and a half years of performance.”