Age-old Seniority Question Divides Democrats As Biden Returns To National Spotlight

Former President Joe Biden is easing backmost into nan nationalist eye, arsenic he delivered his first reside since leaving agency past period and sat for his first post-presidency interviews. 

The 82-year-old erstwhile statement leader reflected connected nan Democrats' November losses and discussed nan early of nan statement connected "The View" Thursday morning. 

While nan Biden management relentlessly defended nan first octogenarian president's intelligence acuity passim his 1 and only term, his disastrous statement capacity against President Donald Trump and his consequent suspension of his re-election run revealed a different reality. 

"The only logic I sewage retired of nan title was because I didn't want to person a divided Democratic Party," Biden maintained to nan hosts of "The View."

However, arsenic Democrats grapple pinch nan fallout of losing nan White House, Senate and failing to regain nan House successful November, nan age-old seniority mobility has returned to nan fold of nan Democratic Party, arsenic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., nan 35-year-old progressive making waves arsenic a imaginable 2028 statesmanlike candidate, said she will not activity nan apical Democrat position connected nan House Oversight Committee. 

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Former President Joe Biden appeared connected ABC's "The View" connected Thursday. (ABC/Getty)

"It’s really clear to maine that nan underlying dynamics successful nan caucus person not shifted pinch respect to seniority arsenic overmuch arsenic I deliberation would beryllium necessary, and truthful I judge I’ll beryllium staying put astatine Energy and Commerce," Ocasio-Cortez's spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital successful a connection first reported by NBC. 

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Ocasio-Cortez mislaid her House Oversight bid to 74-year-old Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., precocious past year. Connolly announced past month his scheme to measurement backmost arsenic ranking personnel of nan Oversight Committee aft conscionable 4 months connected nan job, owed to a resurgence of esophageal cancer, adding that it would beryllium his last word successful Congress. 

Connolly's determination opened nan doorway for Ocasio-Cortez to see different effort to lead nan committee, which is champion positioned to analyse nan Trump management if Democrats negociate to regain nan House successful 2026. Ocasio-Cortez, citing nan Democratic Party's "underlying dynamics" that prioritize seniority successful statement leadership, renewed a speech started by Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg's scheme to superior situation older incumbent Democrats. 

Hogg's Super PAC, Leaders We Deserve, announced a scheme past period to walk $20 cardinal to thief elite younger Democrats successful deep-blue districts, which nan 25-year-old statement leader said are "asleep astatine nan wheel."

Former President Joe Biden appeared connected ABC's "The View" connected Thursday. (ABC/Screenshot)

The unprecedented move was bullied by many, including seasoned Democrat strategist James Carville, who called it "the astir insane point I ever heard."

"Aren't we expected to tally against Republicans?" Carville asked successful an question and reply pinch CNN. 

While nan 2 Democrats seemed to hide nan hatchet successful a recent and uncommon associated interview connected "The Tara Palmeri Show," Hogg's move prompted DNC Chair Ken Martin to denote a neutrality promise for DNC officials and an ultimatum for nan young progressive – either resign arsenic vice chair aliases forego his engagement successful Leaders We Deserve, his group starring nan multimillion-dollar plight to situation elder Democrats. 

Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California is interviewed by Fox News Digital astatine Yale University connected April 15, 2025 successful New Haven, Connecticut. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif, 1 of respective younger Democrats starring nan guidance to Trump's 2nd word and a sanction floated arsenic a imaginable 2028 statesmanlike candidate, told Fox News Digital successful a caller question and reply that "we person to person a full rebrand of nan Democratic Party pinch a coherent level and a future-oriented platform, and galore leaders request to do that, caller leaders, not nan aged guard. And I dream to beryllium portion of that."

Ocasio-Cortez's determination not to activity a House Oversight activity position comes arsenic rumors astir her 2028 statesmanlike aliases 2026 senatorial ambitions swirl pursuing a viral campaign-style video, filmed connected nan roadworthy pinch Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., connected his "Fighting Oligarchy" tour. 

Those rumors followed nan progressive Democrat's record-breaking fundraising haul, 1 of nan biggest ever for a House lawmaker, raising $9.6 cardinal successful nan past 3 months. A Siena College canvass besides recovered Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's favorability is down, astatine 39% among New York authorities voters questioned successful nan poll, which was conducted April 14-16. Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez's favorability soared to 47%. 

Former President Joe Biden faced aggravated calls for him to measurement speech pursuing a disastrous statement capacity successful nan summertime of 2024. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

The longtime legislator from New York faced pushback from nan Democratic Party successful March for supporting nan Trump-backed Republican fund measure that averted a authorities shutdown and stirred up outrage among legislature Democrats who planned to boycott nan bill.

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Fox News Digital's Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.