White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre offered a dismissive response to Democrat Marianne Williamson’s long-shot 2024 presidential campaign, poking fun at the self-help author and spiritual adviser.
(Bloomberg) — White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre offered a dismissive response to Democrat Marianne Williamson’s long-shot 2024 presidential campaign, poking fun at the self-help author and spiritual adviser.
A reporter asked Jean-Pierre on Monday if President Joe Biden was “annoyed” or “frustrated” with Williamson, who formally announced her candidacy Saturday.
“Just not tracking that,” Jean-Pierre responded. “If I had a — what is it called? — a little globe here, a crystal ball that I can tell you, a magic eight ball, whatever. If I could feel her aura,” she continued, to laughter. “I just don’t have anything to share on that.”
“Oh gosh, you guys are making me laugh now,” Jean-Pierre, who typically takes pains to avoid commenting on electoral politics from the White House podium, added.
Williamson’s bid makes her the first known Democratic primary challenger to Biden, who has said he plans to seek reelection.
Williamson, 70, was a candidate for the 2020 Democratic nomination, calling for the creation of a Department of Peace and a Department of Childhood and Youth. Her campaign gained attention during the first Democratic debate, and she was the most-Googled candidate after her performance there. But she dropped out of the race before the Iowa Caucuses after months of polls that showed her struggling to reach 1%.
Williamson’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Challenges to sitting presidents from within their party are rare.
“I have run for president before, I’m not naive,” Williamson told supporters at her launch. “I am not naive about the forces, which have no intention of allowing anyone into this conversation who does not align with their predetermined agenda.”
Williamson has been critical of Biden’s stewardship of the economy, saying that his decision to tout its strength showed a “disconnect between the analysis of party elites versus the struggle of everyday Americans,” in a recent interview with Politico.
“The majority of Americans are still struggling to survive,” she said.
–With assistance from Josh Wingrove.
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