CNN panelist says Democrats didn't plan ahead in 2020: Biden was 'an emergency nominee'

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NY Times reporter says Biden was an 'emergency nominee' for Democrats in 2020

New York Times reporter Jonathan Martin said Sunday that Democrats didn't plan ahead in 2020 and that President Biden was an "emergency nominee."

New York Times reporter Jonathan Martin said Sunday on CNN that President Biden was an "emergency nominee" in 2020 and that the Democratic Party did not consider his age when he was elected. 

CNN's "Inside Politics" panel discussed former President Barack Obama hitting the campaign trail over the weekend in Georgia, Michigan and Wisconsin. 

"I think Obama being out there in places that Biden cannot go, Georgia, Nevada, the two most obvious examples, it does say a lot about Democrats, sort of where the party is today, right?" Martin said. "But Biden was essentially an emergency nominee in 2020, because the entire criteria of the party - who can beat Trump - and he was obviously the answer." 

"But there was not a lot of thought given to longer term planning so they now have a near 80-year-old incumbent president and they’re relying on somebody who was last on the ballot a decade ago to come in as their closer in the midterms," he continued. "It tells you a lot about where things are and – there is a bench there, but it is just not quite there ready to go in the game just yet because Biden is still the president." 

Obama is also set to appear in Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state, on Nov. 5 in a last-minute effort by Democrats.

CNN's "Inside Politics" panel discusses former president Barack Obama on the campaign trail.  (Screenshot/CNN/InsidePolitics)

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National Review editor Ramesh Ponnuru said Democrats were also relying on a "greatest hits" campaign about social security and that it was not a good sign for the party ahead of the midterm elections. 

"Let’s not forget that Obama, as politically talented as he undoubtedly is, when he has not been on the ballot, he has not been able to rescue other Democrats. He wasn’t able to do it in 2010 or 2014. His two midterms which were disasters for his party, I don’t think he’ll be able to do it for Mandela Barnes in Wisconsin either," he added. 

CNN's Harry Enten said Biden was able to "read the room" and understands he won't be able to help the Democratic candidates running in November. 

Host Abby Phillip asked Enten about where Obama was going to campaign. 

Former President Barack Obama waves to the crowd after casting his ballot at an early voting site Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) (The Associated Press)

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"If you look at the states where he’s going to, those are the states where he’s popular with African American voters, Georgia, highly African American state. You look at a state like Michigan, that was a state that he went easily both times around. I think there is this idea that Barack Obama can sort of get these white working class voters that Joe Biden supposedly could get but Barack Obama actually did a pretty good job of holding them," he said. 

Obama also recorded a radio ad for Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., who is running against Republican Lee Zeldin. 

President Joe Biden speaks on COVID-19 during an event in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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Biden said he was "feeling good" about the midterms after he cast his ballot early in his home state of Delaware. 

"I’m feeling good," Biden said. "I mean, I’ve been in I guess now 36 constituencies. Either to campaign for a specific candidate or going with a candidate who is doing something like at the bridge out at Pittsburgh. I am going to be all around the country."