In Washington, DC, — On Wednesday, the White House extended an apology to Asa Hutchinson, the former governor of Arkansas, for a statement released the previous day by the Democratic National Committee that made fun of his failed attempt to secure the Republican presidential nominee in 2024.
Kutchinson was contacted by White House chief of staff Jeff Zients "to apologize on behalf of the president" on Wednesday morning, according to press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
She continued by saying that President Biden greatly admires Gov. Hutchinson and his campaign.
The White House contact was unnecessary but appreciated, Hutchinson said on the social networking site X. Disagreement is healthy, but demonization is not.
Hutchinson's decision to withdraw his candidacy was met with surprise by DNC press secretary Sarafina Chitika, who commented on Tuesday: "This news comes as a shock to those of us who could've sworn he had already dropped out."
In contrast to the other Republican contenders, Hutchinson did not pledge to back former President Trump if he received the nomination. Hutchinson was also very critical of Trump while he was running for office.
If Biden wants to run for president in 2024, he has to win over Republicans who are opposed to Trump.
Following Biden's inauguration in 2021, Hutchinson collaborated extensively with Zients and the federal government in their reaction to the COVID-19 epidemic while he was governor.