SouthernWorldwide.com – Lindy Li, a former Democratic fundraiser who has since switched her party affiliation, is set to release a new book detailing her experiences and observations within the Democratic Party, particularly concerning President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline. Li, who expressed unheeded warnings about Biden’s fitness for the 2024 election, is now revealing internal party discussions and the alleged panic that ensued behind the scenes.
Her upcoming book, titled “Unburdened,” aims to shed light on the internal dynamics of the Democratic Party, suggesting that Biden’s support was shaky even among his closest allies long before he ultimately withdrew from the 2024 presidential race. Li expresses shock at how some prominent party figures privately voiced reservations about Biden’s cognitive abilities while publicly maintaining strong support for the president.
Li recounts a specific instance involving Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), then a candidate for the Senate and a leading figure in the House. She claims to have a text message from Schiff indicating his behind-the-scenes desire for Biden to step aside. “I have it in my book. Basically, Adam Schiff was — I can’t remember what he said on TV, but I’m telling you right now that behind the scenes he very much wanted [Biden] to go,” Li stated.
A spokesperson for Schiff confirmed that the Senator had indeed made his doubts about Biden public. This public stance occurred after a 2024 debate where Biden reportedly stumbled over his words, lost his train of thought, and spoke in a whispery, at times inaudible voice. Following this event, Schiff called for Biden to withdraw from the election in July. The spokesperson emphasized that Schiff’s concerns were widely known, rendering Li’s claims as not new information.
However, Li asserts that the reservations extended beyond Schiff. As someone who managed a significant fundraising operation for the party and was connected with a broad spectrum of its figures, she noted that many who were hesitant about Biden’s cognitive state feared ostracization from the party. She likened this to the saying, “you come at the king; you better not miss. Everyone would have missed,” implying a fear of severe repercussions for challenging Biden.
This fear, Li suggests, was exacerbated by internal party research. This research allegedly indicated that no other prominent Democrat possessed the political capital to effectively challenge Biden in a primary. “There are many candidates who polled themselves against Biden and then realized that they couldn’t beat him in a primary. It wasn’t a matter so much of anti-Trumpism. It was self-interest,” Li explained.
Li further claims her book will include previously unseen polling data. This data, she believes, supports her assertion that many potential challengers realized they could not win against Biden in a primary election, driven by self-preservation rather than a lack of opposition to Donald Trump.
The internal discussions also apparently revealed concerns about Vice President Kamala Harris’s viability as a successor to Biden. Li described her as “the weakest candidate in the field.” She also mentioned having polling data from just before Harris’s ascent, comparing her against other key Democratic figures like Pete Buttigieg, Gavin Newsom, Josh Shapiro, and Gretchen Whitmer.
Beyond the fear of political repercussions and concerns about Harris’s strength, Li believes that the Bidens, and Joe Biden in particular, inspired a deep sense of loyalty among those around him, making it difficult for them to turn against him. She pointed to decades of loyalty, citing figures like James Clyburn, a long-time Biden ally who has significantly influenced the party’s direction over the years.
“There’s something about Joe Biden. He was incredibly kind,” Li concluded, suggesting that personal relationships and a sense of loyalty played a crucial role in the party’s decision-making process regarding Biden’s candidacy.
