Biden Campaign Publicly Rejects James Comey’s Endorsement, Mocks Him. Now They’re Backtracking.

Amidst a wave of support among the Democratic establishment, the Biden campaign has publicly rejected the endorsement of former FBI director James Comey, who served in the Obama administration for several years alongside the former vice president. 

In a tweet posted Tuesday morning, Comey announced that he had just voted in the Virginia Democratic primary and tried to rally people in support of Biden. 

“Voted in first Dem primary to support party dedicated to restoring values in [the White House]. I agree with [Amy Klobuchar]: We need candidate who cares about all Americans and will restore decency, dignity to the office. There is a reason Trump fears [Joe Biden] and roots for Bernie. #Biden2020,” tweeted Comey. 

Voted in first Dem primary to support party dedicated to restoring values in WH. I agree with @amyklobuchar: We need candidate who cares about all Americans and will restore decency, dignity to the office. There is a reason Trump fears @joebiden and roots for Bernie. #Biden2020

— James Comey (@Comey) March 3, 2020

But Andrew Bates, the rapid response director for the Biden campaign, revealed on Twitter that the campaign wants nothing to do with the former FBI director. 

“Yes, customer service? I just received a package that I very much did not order. How can I return it, free of charge,” Bates tweeted. 

Yes, customer service? I just received a package that I very much did not order. How can I return it, free of charge? https://t.co/NK4VrYGzT1

— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) March 3, 2020

After the tweet was published, Bates retweeted Bloomberg News reporter Jennifer Epstein for saying that the “Biden campaign is not so into the Comey endorsement.” However, the rapid response director now says that the tweet mocking Comey was simply intended as a “lighthearted joke,” and not a rejection of his endorsement.  

“I forgot the #1 rule of politics, which is that if you talk about anyone or anything related to 2016, common sense goes out the window,” said Bates. “It was meant to be a lighthearted joke — not a rejection. We appreciate the vote of anyone repelled by Donald Trump.”

I forgot the #1 rule of politics, which is that if you talk about anyone or anything related to 2016, common sense goes out the window. It was meant to be a lighthearted joke – not a rejection. We appreciate the vote of anyone repelled by Donald Trump.

— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) March 3, 2020

The Left has credited the former FBI director for damaging Hillary Clinton’s credibility ahead of the 2016 general election after he announced in October of 2016 that the FBI was reviewing new evidence in the former secretary of state’s email scandal. 

As the Daily Wire previously reported, the DOJ Inspector General’s Office found in 2019 that Comey had previously violated department policy when he asked a friend to forward memos containing sensitive information to a journalist. Rod Rosenstein, the former deputy attorney general, has also accused Comey of seemingly “acting as a partisan pundit” and trying to sell books. 

As the Democratic primary has ramped up, the Biden campaign hasn’t hesitated to make fun of public officials that veer away from the Democratic party’s “moderate” lane. 

Last month, the campaign’s rapid response director blasted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has endorsed self-avowed democratic socialist Bernie Sanders (I-VT), for attacking former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg, who has since endorsed Biden, after the Nevada caucuses. 

“And hey [Pete Buttigieg], try not to be so smug when you just got your ass kicked. You know how we form a winning coalition to beat Trump? With a true multi-racial coalition of working Americans: something [Bernie Sanders] has proven he can do [and that] you haven’t. Dude, show some humility,” tweeted de Blasio. 

The Biden campaign’s response was curt: “You killed an innocent groundhog and tried to cover it up,” tweeted Bates. 

You killed an innocent groundhog and tried to cover it up. https://t.co/Jck0lScMjW

— Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) February 23, 2020

As the New York Post reported in 2014, de Blasio dropped a groundhog named ‘Charlotte” during a February 2 Groundhog Day ceremony, and the New York City zoo tried to hide from the public that the groundhog died a week later. 

A different groundhog, named “Chuck,” was supposed to participate in the ceremony, but the zoo feared “Chuck” would bite de Blasio just like he bit Michael Bloomerg several years back, reported the news agency.