Democratic presidential candidate Jason Palmer shocked the country when he defeated President Joe Biden in the American Samoa caucus on Tuesday night, denying the incumbent president a clean sweep in the Super Tuesday primary.
Palmer, a Baltimore-based technology education entrepreneur, revealed on CNN after his stunning victory – beating Biden by 11 votes in the 91-person election – that he never traveled to the South Pacific island but instead joined virtually explained to the voters.
In the interview, he also encouraged the 81-year-old Biden to step down and pass the torch to the younger generation.
The 52-year-old said he plans to stay in the race, focus on Arizona's March 19 primary and make a trip to the border.
“I didn't actually fly to American Samoa,” Palmer said, telling CNN's Laura Coates that he was actually “surprised” by the surprise. “I've actually attended several virtual town halls and spoken to the citizens there, because you may not know this, but the people of American Samoa are not necessarily automatically American citizens.”
Jason Palmer is interviewed at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC on Tuesday evening after his surprise victory in American Samoa, which cost President Joe Biden a resounding victory in the Democratic primary on Super Tuesday
CNN's Laura Coates (left) interviewed little-known Democratic presidential candidate Jason Palmer (right), who stunned the nation – and prompted much Googling – by winning the American Samoa caucus during the Super Tuesday race
Palmer said he listened to their concerns and shared his ideas for solving education, health care and climate change.
“As a new candidate, it is actually very difficult to make a breakthrough,” he admitted.
Like Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, another Biden challenger, Palmer said he entered the race with the hope that Biden would seek the nomination — or drop out.
“The most important thing we can do as Democrats is to defeat Donald Trump in the November election.” “One of the reasons I entered the race was to ensure that Biden runs a vigorous campaign,” Palmer said.
Palmer said he campaigned in other early primary states, including New Hampshire and Nevada, which had primaries in January and February, as well as Colorado, another Super Tuesday state.
“And the Republicans are out in full force,” he warned. “If we don't campaign with the same vigor, we're going to lose in November.” When people say we're sleepwalking into a Trump election, that's real.”
Palmer said he is running to motivate young voters and will focus on winning support from the center-left and center-right.
“If Joe Biden only talks about Donald Trump and only talks about foreign policy and foreign wars, he will not win in November.” “You have to have a clear, positive agenda,” he argued.
Like President Joe Biden last week, Jason Palmer said on CNN that he is planning a border trip soon as he runs for delegates in the Democratic primary in Arizona later this month
Presidential candidate Jason Palmer said in an interview with CNN that 81-year-old President Joe Biden should get out and pass the torch to the younger generation
Palmer then respectfully suggested Biden drop out.
“So what I would recommend to President Biden is that I first honor you for your 50 years of tremendous service to our country. I think it’s time to pass the torch to the next generation of Americans,” he said.
“Whether it’s me, whether it’s governors like Gretchen Whitmer, Jared Polis or California Governor Gavin Newsom,” Palmer continued. “There are a lot of younger people who are ready to take up that torch, who are great leaders in our party, who are making sure Donald Trump doesn’t win in November.”
“I think Joe Biden can be like George Washington, be that transitional figure and pass it on to the next generation,” Palmer added. “And that would be the best thing he could do, retire as a great American statesman.”
Washington gave up his presidency after two terms, setting a precedent for more than 100 years.
Biden won the Democratic primary in all 15 states where voters went to the polls on Super Tuesday, facing little competition from Phillips and self-help guru Marianne Williamson, his two better-known challengers.
He had more trouble with Democrats voting “non-binding,” a protest vote over his support for Israel while civilians are being killed in Gaza.
Palmer told Coates that he planned to continue to run in the Democratic primary since fewer than half of the states had voted.
Arizona, he said, would be next.
The presidential candidate said he would release a 12-page white paper on resolving the border crisis, which would include hiring more immigration judges to evaluate asylum claims.
“I look forward to going to the border, campaigning vigorously in Arizona and showing the American people that we can find a path forward on immigration,” Palmer said.