After years of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is now openly admitting what many Americans—and especially conservatives—had been saying all along: Biden’s decision to run for re-election in 2024 was a disastrous miscalculation.
Speaking during an appearance at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan on June 15, Clinton offered one of the sharpest public rebukes yet of the former president’s handling of the 2024 election. Her remarks amount to a striking admission that Biden’s refusal to step aside sooner may have doomed the Democratic Party’s chances of holding the White House while permanently damaging his political legacy.
“He made a terrible mistake for himself, his legacy, and for the country,” Clinton declared.
It’s an extraordinary statement coming from one of the Democratic Party’s most recognizable figures, particularly considering how aggressively party leaders spent years defending Biden against mounting concerns over his age, mental sharpness, and ability to serve another four years.
According to Clinton, Biden had previously indicated he intended to be a transitional president but ultimately abandoned that plan by seeking another term.
She argued that had Biden announced in late summer of 2023 that he would not run again, Democrats could have held a competitive primary, allowing governors, senators, Vice President Kamala Harris, or other contenders to battle for the nomination.
“I believe whoever emerged from that contest… would have beaten Donald Trump,” Clinton claimed.
Whether that assessment is accurate remains highly debatable.
Many political observers have argued that Democrats’ problems in 2024 extended far beyond Biden himself. Sky-high inflation, voter frustration over illegal immigration, concerns about crime, and growing dissatisfaction with progressive policies all played major roles in President Donald Trump’s successful return to the White House.
Even reports commissioned within Democratic circles acknowledged the party had steadily lost touch with many working-class Americans, while Republicans expanded their appeal across minority communities, suburban voters, and younger Americans.
Still, Clinton insisted Biden’s delayed exit placed Democrats in an impossible position.
“Once he didn’t move… and held on for as long as he did, we were in a terrible dilemma,” she said.
Biden ultimately withdrew from the race only after his widely criticized debate performance against then-candidate Donald Trump in June 2024 raised fresh questions about his fitness for office. The debate became a turning point, forcing many Democrats to acknowledge concerns they had previously dismissed.
Vice President Kamala Harris eventually inherited the nomination, but her campaign struggled to unite the party or convince voters she represented a meaningful departure from the Biden administration. Trump went on to secure victory in the general election just months later.
Clinton’s comments have sparked widespread discussion online, with many social media users noting the irony of one Democratic heavyweight criticizing another after years of party unity.
“Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve,” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “She thought she was going to beat Donald Trump too, so there’s that.”
Even some Democrats appeared to agree with Clinton’s criticism.
One self-identified Democrat commented that Biden should never have sought another term and argued he should have resigned midway through his presidency, allowing Harris more time to establish herself before facing voters.
For Republicans, Clinton’s remarks reinforce what they have maintained throughout Biden’s presidency: Democratic leaders ignored obvious warning signs until it was too late. After years of insisting Biden was fully capable of serving another term, prominent figures within the party are now rewriting history and assigning blame for a defeat many conservatives saw coming long before Election Day.
As Democrats continue searching for answers after their 2024 collapse, Clinton’s comments underscore a party still struggling to reconcile its public messaging with the political reality voters ultimately delivered at the ballot box.
