- Biden insists he won’t withdraw
- Several Democrats urge Biden to step down
- Concerns about Biden’s age and fitness
US President Joe Biden is fighting to rescue his re-election campaign, as concerns about his age and fitness raise doubts about his ability to defeat Republican competitor Donald Trump.
During a high-stakes news conference on Thursday, Biden, 81, maintained a tough tone, claiming that he is the most qualified candidate to defeat Trump and that he will not withdraw from the race.
“I’ve gotta finish this job because there’s so much at stake,” he remarked.
While Biden provided a cogent defence of his administration’s performance at home and abroad, the president also made several mistakes, including incorrectly referring to Vice President Kamala Harris as “Vice President Trump”.
Following Biden’s latest visit, three more elected Democrats joined the growing number of friends asking for the president to step down, even though the majority of his party has publicly supported his candidacy.
Here’s a list of Biden allies who have urged the president to step down:
House Democrats
So far, 17 Democrats in the House of Representatives have asked Biden to step down.
Eric Sorensen of Illinois became the third House Democrat to call on Biden to withdraw after his news conference ended on Thursday night, joining Jim Himes of Connecticut and Scott Peters of California.
“In 2020, Joe Biden campaigned for president to prioritize country over party. Today, I’m asking him to do it again. It is more important than ever for our neighbours to have a candidate for President who will communicate a positive vision for every person in this country,” Sorensen stated.
On July 2, Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett became the first House Democrat to publicly advocate for a new candidate, stating that “too much is at stake to risk a Trump victory.”
The other House Democrats who have publicly called on Biden to drop out are Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Washington); Greg Stanton (Arizona); Raul Grijalva (Texas); Mike Quigley (Illinois); Angie Craig (Minnesota); Adam Smith (Washington); Mikie Sherrill (New Jersey); Seth Moulton (Massachusetts); Pat Ryan (New York); Earl Blumenauer (Oregon); Hillary Scholten (Michigan); Brad Schneider (Illinois); and Ed Case (Hawaii).
Senate Democrats
lawmaker Peter Welch of Vermont became the first – and so far only – US lawmaker to officially ask for Biden’s resignation on Wednesday, claiming it would be for the “good of the country”.
Several other Senate Democrats, including Michael Bennet of Colorado, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Patty Murray of Washington, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, and Tim Kaine of Virginia, have expressed anxiety about Trump’s chances of winning.
Congressional Leadership
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has publicly supported Biden, but several US media sites have claimed that his support may be waning.
In a televised appearance this week, Schumer’s colleague Nancy Pelosi, the former Speaker of the House, declined to officially support Biden’s candidacy, saying he should choose between continuing in the race soon, despite the president’s repeated assurances that he will not withdraw.
Democratic governors
So yet, no Democratic governors have urged Biden to step down.
However, several of them, notably Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, Illinois’ JB Pritzker, and Massachusetts’ Maura Healey, have expressed concern about Biden’s health and competitiveness.
On Wednesday, New York Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado became the state’s first deputy leader to call on Biden to resign.
Democratic Donors
Biden has lost the backing of several significant party donors, including Disney heiress Abigail Disney, Hollywood producer Damon Lindelof, and philanthropist Gideon Stein, all of whom have pledged to withhold contributions until he stands down.
Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and Los Angeles real estate magnate Rick Caruso, both known as major Democratic donors, have also urged the president to step down.
Celebrities
In a guest column published in The New York Times on Wednesday, George Clooney, a longstanding Democratic supporter, urged Biden to withdraw, claiming he experienced the president’s slide firsthand at a large event he co-hosted last month.
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Other celebrities who have urged Biden to go include famed horror author Stephen King, director Michael Moore, actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner, actor John Cusack, and television show Sara Haines.
While not stating Biden should resign, late-night TV star Jon Stewart has suggested it is critical to “open up the conversation”.
