Should he stay or should he go? President Joe Biden’s decision to remain in the presidential race has consequences for hundreds of millions of people — and it has at least one Democratic National Committee member and convention delegate inquiring whether the party can force him off the ticket. But if Biden’s out, corporate lobbyists who’ve embedded themselves into the party could help select the new nominee. 

Today on Lever Time, Arjun Singh speaks withThe American Prospect’s Executive Editor David Dayen, Jacobin staff writer Branko Marcetic, and Sludge co-founder David Moore to unpack the divide fracturing the Democratic Party and look at how corporate power is woven into the fabric of the party’s convention, to be held in Chicago from August 19 to 22. 

Biden’s road to the 2024 presidential nomination has been anything but democratic. Team Biden crushed all attempts to have him prove his mettle against primary challengers. After his disastrous debate performance against Trump triggered a revolt within his own party, Biden didn’t hold a town hall to meet with the public — he hopped on the phone with his top donors. 

Now, those same donors could portend Biden’s downfall, with wealthy backers like George Clooney urging the president to step down, and others yanking their donations. Will the new alliance between a majority of Democratic voters and the party’s elite insiders all be on the same page regarding Biden’s potential replacement?