Update: Friday, July 12 at 1:00 a.m., CDT
Following President Joe Biden’s Thursday night press conference, more Democrats are calling on him to step down.
With the world watching his every step now, Biden made another gaffe answering the first question of the press conference, referring to Vice President Harris as “Vice President Trump.” Before the press conference, he introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin.”
Democratic Reps. Jim Himes (CT), Scott Peters (CA), and Eric Sorensen (IL) joined 13 other House Democrats and Sens. Peter Welch (VT) and Michael Bennet (CO) in urging the president to drop out of the race.
Many more are expected to join the growing number calling for Biden to withdraw, reported CBS News.
All of this comes in the wake of revelations Wednesday from NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd, who claimed on his podcast that a cabinet secretary told him two years ago that Biden was not fit to serve another term, saying, “He can’t run again like this.”
Todd questioned Biden’s original campaign for president and his refusal to drop out of the current race. “I think the entire narrative on Joe Biden is gonna change,” said Todd. “Everything’s been about his ambition, and his ambition comes first.”
“There is no evidence he can serve four years,” he added.
Despite the growing pressure, many Dems stood behind Biden following the press conference, including Rep. Steve Cohen (TN), Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL), Rep. Brendan Boyle (PA), and Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX). Jackson said Biden “knocked this press conference out of the park.”
The hits just keep on coming for President Joe Biden as each passing day brings more fallout from his disastrous debate performance and growing concerns over his mental health and his ability to serve four more years.
Democratic leaders and major supporters keep adding to the growing chorus — quickly becoming a crescendo — telling Biden he should drop out of the election. Axios is reporting that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has indicated behind closed doors that he’s “open” to someone else being on the Democratic ticket despite publicly supporting the embattled president.
George Clooney, who had faithfully supported Biden as recently as three weeks ago when he hosted a fundraiser on behalf of the president which raised over $30 million, published an editorial in The New York Times in which he said the party needed a new nominee.
“It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe ‘big F**king deal’ Biden of 2010,” wrote Clooney. “He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) hinted at the need for a new candidate, commenting, “It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because the time is running short.” There’s just one problem — Biden has repeatedly and clearly stated that he’s not dropping out. If he has already made his decision, then what exactly is she suggesting?
Democratic Party strategist and former presidential advisor James Carville called keeping Biden in the race an “idiotic choice,” adding, “I think we got to have a change, I just genuinely do.”
So many Democratic politicians have called for Biden to step down that it’s getting hard to keep track. Fox 4 KDFW has made it easier for everyone by publishing a list. Here is the start of Fox 4’s story listing the Democrats who have come out against Biden:
President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance on June 27 has seemingly split the Democratic Party on its view for the future. Does the 81-year-old career politician still have the best chance at beating former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee?
Several top-ranking Democrats in Congress believe that answer is no, and have called for Biden to exit the race. At the same time, some of his most staunch supporters are doubling down on his candidacy.
There is no unanimity on what should be done, and time is not on the Democratic Party’s side. In a little over a month, it convenes in Chicago for the nominating convention, and Election Day is less than four months away.