Who are the Democrats calling for Joe Biden to resign?
Via Sam Cabral and Brandon Drenon, BBC News, Washington
Joe Biden’s campaign has been thrust into doubt as panic and anxiety about his chances of winning the election emanates from the highest levels of the Democratic Party.
In recent days, Senate Majority Leader Chuck SchumerHouse Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi have everything is said to have expressed concern privately with Mr. Biden about his candidacy.
Even his former vice president, former President Barack Obama, is reported to have said that Mr Biden’s chances of winning the election have diminished significantly.
A July 6 letter from senior congressman Jamie Raskin was released on Thursday, in which the Maryland representative compared the president to a baseball player with a “tired” arm.
Mr Biden, 81, has repeatedly defiantly declared that he is “not going anywhere”, urging his party to refocus on the task of defeating Donald Trump.
But calls for withdrawal are growing as Democratic politicians, donors and voters speak out against the presidential candidate.
Who wants Biden gone?
Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol are increasingly vocal in their opposition to the idea of Mr. Biden reentering the race.
It began five days after the June 27 debate with Lloyd Doggett, One The 15-term Texas congressman said it was time for Mr Biden to “make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw”.
Mr Doggett, 77, a member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, said he respected “all that President Biden has accomplished” but that the Democrat had failed to “effectively defend many of his accomplishments” on the debate stage.
Only three members of the Senate have so far publicly called on Mr Biden to step down. They are Peter Welch of Vermont, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Montana Jon Checkpeople who are fighting for re-election.
They were joined by House colleagues including the likes of Adam SchiffCalifornia’s next likely senator, and several members in tight re-election races of their own. Others include:
- Raul Grijalva of Arizona
- Seth Moulton of Massachusetts
- Mike Quigley of Illinois
- Angie Craig of Minnesota
- Adam Smith of Washington
- Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey
- Pat Ryan of New York
- Count Blumenauer of Oregon
- Hillary Scholten of Michigan
- Brad Schneider of Illinois
- The Ed Case of Hawaii
- Greg Stanton of Arizona
- Jim Himes of Connecticut
- Scott Peters of California
- Eric Sorensen of Illinois
- Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington State
- Mike Levin of California
- Brittany Pettersen of Colorado
- Jim Costa of California
- Sean Casten of Illinois
- Jared Huffman of California
- Marc Veasey of Texas
- Chuy Garcia of Illinois
- Mark Pocan of Wisconsin
- Greg Landsman of Ohio
- Zoe Lofgren of California
Other celebrities have also joined this large group:
- Governor of New York Antonio DelgadoThe former House member said Mr Biden “can add to his legacy, showing strength and grace, by ending his campaign”.
- Former Ohio Congressman Tim Ryanformer housing minister Julian Castro and self-help expert Marianne Williamson – all of Mr Biden’s previous opponents in the primary – have called on him to withdraw.
- George ClooneyHollywood actor and major party fundraiser, told The New York Times that Biden cannot beat the times. His article was headlined: “I love Joe Biden. But we need a new candidate.”
- Disney Heir Abigail DisneyAnother major donor said she would pause donations to Democrats “unless and until they replace Biden at the top.”
What are others saying?
Senior Democrats, including party leaders in Washington, have publicly debated whether Mr Biden should pursue a 2024 campaign.
Nancy PelosiThe former House speaker, who had previously declined to directly answer whether she wanted him to run again, spoke on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, the president’s favorite news program.
“I want him to do whatever he decides to do,” she said, adding that “time is running out” for him to make that decision.
CNN reported that Ms Pelosi has since met privately with Mr Biden and told him that polls show he cannot win in November. She later criticized the report as “feeding hysteria”, but did not deny that she had a conversation with Mr Biden.
Her replacement as House Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffriesand Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer are also said to have met privately with Mr Biden to express their concerns about his re-election chances and the candidate’s potential impact on Democrats’ hopes of controlling the House and Senate.
Many politicians have refused to outright call for Mr Biden’s removal, expressing respect for his record and raising concerns about the weak position of his campaign.
Patty Murray, of Washington state, said Mr Biden “must do more to prove he can campaign hard enough to beat Donald Trump”. Michael Bennett, of Colorado, warned that Mr Trump was on track to win “in a landslide, and take both the Senate and the House of Representatives”. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has also publicly expressed his doubts since the debate.
But the president is not without supporters.
Vice president Kamala Harris unwavering in his support for his boss, as well as potential replacement candidates such as Gavin NewsomGovernor of California, and his contemporaries in Michigan and Maryland Gretchen Whitmer And Who is Wes Moore?
Jaime HarrisonThe Democratic National Committee chair, who continued to defend Mr Biden, told MSNBC that “we have to stop nitpicking”.
Strong person Congressional Black Caucusrepresenting about a quarter of Democrats in the House, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus recently reaffirmed their support for Mr. Biden.
More than 1,400 black women endorse Biden-Harris ticket, including former DNC chair Donna Brazile and former mayor of Atlanta Keisha Lance Underwearwrote an open letter to reaffirm their support.
Also backing Mr Biden, and with just as much enthusiasm, are outspoken figures on Capitol Hill like the two-time presidential candidate. Bernie SandersNew York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-CortezMinnesota Aggressor Ilhan OmarAnd John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania senator.