The Bidens want back in

Former President Joe Biden has told some Democratic leaders he’ll raise funds, campaign and do anything else necessary for Democrats to recover lost ground as the Trump administration rolls back programs the party helped design, according to people close to him, NBC New reports.

Biden privately met last month with the new Democratic National Committee chairman, Ken Martin, and offered to help as the party struggles to regain its viability amid polling that shows its popularity has been sinking, the people said.

So far, Biden's overture seems to have fallen flat. Democrats find themselves adrift, casting about for a compelling messenger.

Whoever that is, it's not Biden, many party activists and donors contend. He's tethered to the 2024 defeat and, at 82, is a symbol more of the party's past than its future, they argue.

“Who’s going to want Joe Biden back in the game?” said a major Biden supporter, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk candidly about him.

A new NBC News poll shows that the Democratic Party’s popularity has dropped to a record low. Only 27% of registered voters said they held positive views of the party — the lowest figure in the network’s polling dating to 1990.

Though Biden is willing to help, Democrats aren’t unanimous in wanting them to. Some party activists believe Biden is an admired figure who remains a draw inside a grateful party.

Jane Kleeb, a vice chair of the DNC, said in an interview: “If you were to call any state party chair and ask them if they wanted Joe Biden to be a keynote speaker for their annual dinner, the answer would be yes. He is beloved by the party and beloved by the voters.”

Others argue that reminding voters of a 2024 campaign that went sour isn’t the best strategy for a party that is grasping for a message and searching for new, younger leaders. A CNN poll this month asked Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents which leader best reflects the party’s core values. Only 1% chose Biden.

One person in particular seems eager to see Biden return to the political stage: Trump. The new president has used his massive following to ensure that Americans don’t soon forget the old one.

Trump has publicly mentioned Biden, Biden family members or the Biden administration an average of seven times a day since the start of his second term, according to an NBC News review of his remarks, interviews and social media posts.

Overall, Trump has invoked his predecessor in some form more than 400 times since the inauguration on Jan. 20. In most instances — more than 325 — Trump has mentioned Biden alone. In about 75 cases, Trump has mentioned Biden family members or the Biden administration.

Speaking at the Justice Department last week, Trump questioned Biden’s use of an autopen to sign documents, calling it “disrespectful to the office” and "maybe not even valid."

Asked why Trump speaks about Biden so frequently, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “We still very much are fixing so many of the problems created or started by the Biden administration. It’s important to remind the American people and media why these problems exist."

Indeed, Biden’s first speaking event since he left office came last week with no fanfare whatsoever. He appeared in New York City for a conference of the National High School Model United Nations in Manhattan. Six months after having spoken before the actual U.N. for his last time as president, Biden gave a speech to its high school facsimile in a hotel ballroom. He also took questions and posed for pictures with students.

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