Welcome to POLITICO’s West Wing Playbook, your guide to the people and power centers in the Biden administration. With help from producer Raymond Rapada. Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Eli | Email Lauren The first Democratic presidential primary is weeks away. Deadlines for candidates to appear on ballots in key states have come and gone. But some progressives aren’t ready to let go of their dream that someone with sterling liberal credentials will emerge from the ether and unseat JOE BIDEN as the Democratic party’s nominee. Or, at least, that Biden could be forced to become a better version of himself by November by virtue of being primaried. Over the holidays, the left-wing outlet In These Times published an op-ed calling for a progressive to challenge the president. Biden, the publication’s argument went, cannot win on his current path due to his handling of the Israel-Hamas war, which (along with other elements of his record) has turned off critical Democratic constituencies, including young people, voters of color, and Arabs and Muslims. The author of the piece, University of Chicago assistant history professor GABRIEL WINANT, floated one name in particular to mount a primary bid: ANDY LEVIN, a progressive former congressman from Michigan. Winant made the case that even a protest candidacy could wake up the base and push Biden to change direction on Israel. And hey, maybe it would “open up the space” for other Democrats who stand a better chance of actually winning to jump in. Alas, there was one problem with the proposal. Levin isn’t game. “I'm not running for president,” he said in an interview with West Wing Playbook. “I'm supporting Joe Biden. I’m super proud to have served with him.” While Levin may not be into the idea of running, the effort to get him to run is very real. He said a group of progressives beyond Winant have attempted to recruit him. He described the “Draft Andy” project as a coordinated undertaking of many people, including policy aides, communications pros and veterans of presidential, Senate and House campaigns. They’re “really serious,” but sensible, Levin said. “They don’t think they could recruit somebody like me and I could beat Joe Biden.” Instead, “they are very worried about both the substance and the politics of what’s happening and they are intent on creating a political avenue to try to force the administration to take their concerns more seriously.” Among those who’ve lent credence to the effort is progressive journalist RYAN GRIM, who called it a “fascinating idea” in a post on X this week. “With Andy Levin’s pro-labor record he’d win Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania and therefore the White House,” Grim wrote. The Hail Mary by progressives may be the latest sign that Biden has failed so far to unite his party behind him. But it’s also a signal that Biden’s actual Democratic challengers, including Rep. DEAN PHILLIPS and self-help author MARIANNE WILLIAMSON, have failed to catch fire on the left, despite their attempts otherwise. To Biden’s allies, meanwhile, the “Draft Andy” effort will likely be seen as another example of progressives not grasping that the election is a binary choice between Biden and DONALD TRUMP — and potentially helping usher in a second MAGA term as a result. Winant, for his part, told us that a challenge would make Biden stronger by pushing him left. “The idea that dissatisfaction will go away if no one mentions it, I think, is totally delusional. And it’s a much more constructive approach to actually engage with the dissatisfaction,” he said. Though Levin disagrees with his recruiters’ solution, he shares some of their concerns. Asked about Biden’s prospects in Michigan, which has a large Arab and Muslim population, he said, “I’m worried about it. But that’s only rational.” Still, he supports the president even while disagreeing with him. Levin, who is Jewish, thinks there should be an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. But, he said, he’s asked some people who refuse to vote for Biden this question: “What if this moment in America is Germany 1932? And what if this election might be the last election we ever have, and then we veer into authoritarian rule? And they say, ‘Yeah, I know.’ We don’t come to a conclusion.” MESSAGE US — Are you NEEHARIKA SIMHA, White House senior video producer? We want to hear from you. And we’ll keep you anonymous! Email us at westwingtips@politico.com. Did someone forward this email to you? Subscribe here!
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