'Singular threat to American democracy': Biden aides feel 'existential stress' over Trump rematch

President Joe Biden's aides are growing nervous at the prospect of a rematch with former President Donald Trump, reported CNN on Thursday — and while many are confident they can secure the president a second term, they are plotting out a strategy, not taking for granted that the former president would be beaten the same way he was in 2020.

"Several Biden aides themselves tell CNN that looking at Trump’s wide lead in every primary poll – and no clear leader in a hypothetical Biden-Trump rematch – leaves them with a particular kind of existential stress," reported Edward-Isaac Dovere. "The former president may seem like the easier Republican candidate to beat, as a known quantity who is toxic to many voters, but they’re terrified that if he is the nominee, any fumbles by the campaign or the president himself would enable the return of a candidate they see as a singular threat to American democracy."

“The president has said publicly himself that democracy is still on the ballot," said former Biden campaign manager Jen O'Malley-Dillon. "If you believed that to be true the first time, you have to believe that to be more true the second time."

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All of this is occurring against the backdrop that Democratic-led focus groups are finding even many voters who are supportive of the president are not overly enthusiastic, hinting at the need for a huge effort to drive healthy turnout in 2024.

Biden maintains a narrow lead in FiveThirtyEight polling averages in a hypothetical matchup with Trump; however, polls vary wildly, with many showing Trump ahead — and in any case, polling a year out from the final contest is rarely predictive of the final result.

Trump, for his part, faces challenges of his own if he becomes the nominee — he is facing four criminal indictments around the country, and much of his time and resources that would otherwise go into the campaign will instead be devoted to mounting a criminal defense.