They entered with courage but left as cowards. Over the past two weeks, several leaders have confided that they went into meetings with President Biden aiming to discuss whether he should step down from the 2024 election. However, they ultimately backed down from expressing their concerns.
It’s uncertain whether Mr. Biden should withdraw from the race. Predicting the outcome is impossible. My focus is on the decision-making process. There’s a discrepancy between what people say when the president isn’t present and what they communicate directly to him. Instead of fostering dissent and debate, they’re succumbing to groupthink.
Originally, groupthink was thought to occur when people become so cohesive that they prioritize harmony over honesty. However, extensive evidence refutes this theory. The true causes of silence are fear and a sense of futility. People hold back their opinions when they feel it’s neither safe nor worthwhile to speak up. Leaders seeking informed decisions need to clearly demonstrate that they value straightforward input.
Mr. Biden has done the opposite, first asserting that only the Almighty could change his mind and then stating that he would drop out only if polls indicate he has no chance of winning. This sends a strong message: If you’re not an immortal being or a time traveler from the future, it’s futile to voice any concerns about the viability of his candidacy.