MSNBC guest admits there is a massive ‘enthusiasm gap’ between Trump and Biden: ‘I’ve heard horror stories’
Atlantic writer Tim Alberta told MSNBC on Thursday that there is currently a massive enthusiasm gap between Republicans and Democrats heading into November.
There is a currently a massive enthusiasm gap between former President Trump and President Biden leading Democrats to scramble for support, according to one MSNBC guest.
During a Thursday appearance on "Deadline: White House," Tim Alberta, a staff writer for The Atlantic, said the Democratic base is "entirely lacking for intensity," and elected officials in battleground states are struggling to find volunteers.
"I've never seen an enthusiasm gap like the one we're witnessing in the summer of this election year," he said.
"I've heard horror stories from people on the ground in Michigan, in Pennsylvania, in Arizona, about just striking out time and time again as local Democratic Party chapters, county chapters have tried to get people to come in and phone bank, get mail going, knock on doors. They can't do it. They can't find people," the reporter added.
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If Biden were suddenly replaced with another candidate, Alberta said the pivot would lead to a "jolt of immediate energy," enthusiasm, and donor cash that would alter the race for both parties.
"If Biden were to step aside and if 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," he continued.
Former Obama adviser Van Jones also weighed in on enthusiasm among Republicans on Thursday and said the energy at this week's Republican National Convention was comparable to what he saw when former President Obama was first nominated in 2008.
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Earlier in the evening, Jones commented on the former president enduring a litany of challenges before standing ready to receive the Republican nomination.
"Dreams become nightmares and nightmares become dreams. You're watching a nightmare become a dream for Donald Trump," Jones said. "He has had a nightmarish summer with, you know, convictions and indictments and all kinds of stuff, almost got shot. It's becoming a dream for him."
But for President Joe Biden, he argued, the dream has become a nightmare.
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An AP-NORC survey – which was conducted July 11-15, mostly completed before the attempted assassination of Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania over the weekend – found that 7 in 10 adults, including 65% of Democrats, say Biden should withdraw and allow his party to select a different nominee.
Overall, 57% of adults say Trump should withdraw from the race and allow his party to name a replacement. But Trump is maintaining support from his party, with 73% of Republicans saying he should stay in the race.
Biden is facing more resistance from his party, with only 35% of Democrats saying he should continue his re-election campaign.
Fox News' Alexander Hall and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.