MSNBC host Joy Reid fears Biden will be too weak and set up for a ‘smart version of Trump’ to win in 2024

MSNBC host Joy Reid fears Joe Biden will be too weak and set up for a “smart version of [Donald] Trump” for the 2024 presidential election.

On MSNBC’s The ReidOut on Tuesday, Reid agreed with Jason Johnson on their concerns that Biden could “be too conciliatory” regarding who he brings into his administration.

MSNBC contributor Johnson raised the concern after Melody Barnes, who served as Director of the Domestic Policy Council during Barack Obama’s first term, said she believes Biden will “make the decision he thinks is the best set of decision for the country.”

“I believe that he will create a coalition and that kind of diversity that I was just speaking of, that not everyone is going to like everyone that’s a part of his Cabinet or part of the senior White House staff,” Barnes said.

“But ultimately, I think the norms, I think he values and his principles that he talked about on the campaign trail are going to be what drives him. We can see that already in some of the selections that he made.”

To her remarks Johnson responded, “This is the greatest concern I had about Joe Biden even though I always thought he was a candidate most likely to win amongst all the Democrats. He’ too conciliatory,” Johnson said.


“Joe Biden needs to recognize that he has four years to make the case that obnoxious, aggressive, white nationalist Trumpism isn’t effective, that he can rally the country around strong difficult principles again.”

Reid agreed with Johnson and said if nothing happens during Biden administration then “we could get somebody – a smart version of Trump”.

“Biden can come in and try to be FDR and say ‘I’m going to make big change because big change is required in this moment.’ He could be LBJ and said, ‘Dammit, I know I’m a Southerner but this can’t last. We have to make dramatic change,’” Reid said,

“Or he can try to come in and be a conciliator just try to hold the line, be more of a Carter and say, ‘I just want everyone to get along. And let’s try to do smaller things that are nice but don’t really change anything.’

“That feels to me – I think I’m with Jason on this – I feel like it sets up 2024 to be a referendum on, ‘Nothing happened. Nothing changed in my life. Therefore give me another rule breaker,’” Reid added.

“And then we could get somebody – a smart version of Trump. And that’s what scares me most.”

On Tuesday, Biden formally announced his first appointments to his cabinet and senior White House leadership, a national security and foreign policy team.

During his announcement, Biden said his appointments are “a team that reflects the fact that America is back, ready to lead the world, not retreat from it” and said they will “confront out adversaries and not reject allies.”

Biden's appointments include Antony Blinken as Secretary of State, Alejandro Mayorkas to head the Department of Homeland Security, Avril Haines as Director of National Intelligence, Thomas-Greenfield as the US Ambassador to the United Nations and Jake Sullivan as his national security adviser.

Biden underscored his commitment to tackling the global crisis by appointing John Kerry as his international climate adviser.

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