Veteran top Democratic strategist James Carville has claimed the Biden campaign blasted out a fundraising text message invoking his name without sign off — just hours after he predicted the president would drop out of the 2024 race.
Carville, who played a major role in getting former President Bill Clinton first elected in 1992, had his name attached to the donation text that was fired off late Saturday.
“Hi, it’s James Carville. I need you and Democrats everywhere to make a contribution to the Biden-Harris campaign ASAP. Help them defeat Donald Trump,” the text read.
Carville, though, insisted to the Washington Post that he “never signed off on that.”
Hours before the fundraising call was sent out, Carville was quoted in an Axios interview saying he didn’t think the 81-year-old president would still be on the ticket come Election Day.
When asked if Biden would likely drop out, the political guru — dubbed the “Ragin’ Cajun” — invoked a famous quote by the late economist Herb Stein, saying, “That which can’t continue… won’t.”
“I never thought this was a nifty idea,” Carville said of Biden’s plan to run for re-election in the first place, adding that there are a handful of people the president actually really listens to.
“He doesn’t have advisers. He has employees.”
Biden campaign’s, however, insisted Carville’s team had “signed off on a robust fundraising package for our campaign including today’s message.”
“Carville’s team “signed off on a robust fundraising package for our campaign including today’s message, and
“We’re grateful for everything he does to ensure that Joe Biden is re-elected to a second term,” a campaign spokesperson added.
Separately, an email was also sent out Saturday bearing Carville’s name that read: “This is the most important election of our lifetimes. I desperately need you to make your first donation of $25 today.”
It wasn’t immediately clear if Carville signed off on the email.
Carville, who insisted he would still vote for Biden if he doesn’t drop out of the race, said as recently as last month that he wished the Democrat incumbent wasn’t running.
“It isn’t the choice I was crazy about,” Carville admitted on 77 WABC in early June — weeks before Biden’s train wreck face-off against former President Donald Trump.
“I thought that President Biden should not run for re-election,” he added. “But he did — it’s him and Trump — and that’s where I am.”
