Joe Biden’s days on the ballot may be numbered, according to Axios, amid a pressure campaign by top Democrats to convince the president to drop out of the race before it’s too late. The outlet says Biden could leave the ticket as soon as this weekend.
Close friends and top party congressional leaders have publicly and privately called for the 81-year-old to drop out of his reelection bid for weeks, following Biden’s abysmal performance during his debate with presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
In the weeks that followed, Biden has been plagued by unfavorable polls, intense scrutiny, and a growing list of blunders and moments of confusion. Citing those concerns as detrimental to his viability, as well as to the party’s congressional campaigns, top Democrats have pushed Biden to withdraw — and believe he may do so as early as this weekend, per Axios.
It’s not just Democratic leaders: His friends and key donors don’t like his chances, either. They’ve told Biden, who is now in isolation after contracting Covid-19 again, that they believe Trump will win in a landslide should he stay in the race.
“His choice is to be one of history’s heroes, or to be sure of the fact that there’ll never be a Biden presidential library,” a close friend told Axios. “I pray that he does the right thing. He’s headed that way.”
Biden’s ability to deliver a congressional majority seems to be the top concern for Democrats. Over the weekend, it was reported Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had a blunt one-on-one talk with Biden telling him to drop out soon. His office told ABC News, “Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus.”
The House side is no different. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) met with Biden in private last week, where “he directly expressed the full breadth of insight, perspective and conclusions reached about the path forward” that his Democratic colleagues shared, read a statement released by his office.
“The president told both leaders he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said on Monday, but it seems that Biden has become more receptive to the requests, asking if Vice President Kamala Harris can win, according to CNN.
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also had a private chat with Biden, telling him he wouldn’t stand a chance against Trump, and that he could wreak further havoc on Democrats’ changes in the House should he stay on the ballot, and he could dissuade further donations to Democratic campaigns. Biden reportedly fired back at Pelosi, telling her polls showed he could win, with a source telling CNN that Pelosi asked to get Biden’s longtime advisor Mike Donilon on the phone to talk numbers.
Although it’s unclear if Pelosi called on Biden to drop out, she said last week, “It’s up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short.”
Former President Barack Obama has been telling allies that Biden should reconsider his candidacy, based on concerns about Biden’s legacy, The Washington Post reported.
Close to two-thirds of Democrats want Biden to bow out of the race according to an Associated Press poll released on Wednesday. An Emerson College poll released on Thursday shows Trump significantly leading Biden in seven swing states.
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