WASHINGTON/DALLAS – On Wednesday, President Joe Biden faced new doubts about his re-election chances from key figures in the Democratic Party, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Hollywood actor George Clooney. These concerns may sway other Democratic lawmakers and donors as well.
Pelosi, a long-time ally of Biden, stated on MSNBC that Biden must quickly decide whether to remain in the 2024 race. While she did not explicitly say she wanted him to run, she emphasized the urgency of his decision.
In an opinion piece for the New York Times, Clooney, who had recently co-hosted a fundraiser for Biden, withdrew his support, arguing that Biden is not the same person he was in 2020.
Additionally, Axios reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is privately open to a Democratic candidate other than Biden. Although Schumer reiterated his public support for Biden, this revelation suggests potential shifts within the party.
Senator Peter Welch became the first Democratic senator to call for Biden to step aside, expressing his concerns in an op-ed published on Wednesday.
A major Democratic donor indicated that party leaders might release statements of concern after the NATO summit, reflecting growing frustration among lawmakers and donors about Biden’s chances in the upcoming election.
The Abandon Biden Campaign, critical of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict, urged Americans to call for his withdrawal from the race. The campaign, however, also expressed reservations about former President Donald Trump and his policies.
Pelosi’s comments, which contrasted with Biden’s repeated assertions of his intent to run, might signal a new wave of Democratic calls for him to exit the race. For the past two weeks, Biden, 81, has been trying to prevent defections from within his party following a less-than-stellar debate performance on June 27. Despite acknowledging a poor showing, Biden remains committed to staying in the race and defeating Trump.
On MSNBC, Pelosi advised colleagues to hold off on airing concerns about Biden until after the NATO summit, praising his recent remarks at the summit as “spectacular.” However, she stopped short of definitively endorsing his candidacy, stating, “I want him to do whatever he decides to do.”
Biden’s campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and senior advisers Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti are set to brief Senate Democrats at a lunch on Thursday. Responding to Pelosi’s remarks and Clooney’s op-ed, the Biden campaign reiterated his commitment to running and winning the election.
Other Democrats echoed Pelosi’s concerns, indicating that Biden’s efforts to unify the party may not be fully effective. Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed deep concern about Biden’s ability to win.
In Dallas, Vice President Kamala Harris, considered a frontrunner if Biden steps aside, addressed a large crowd at an event hosted by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming election.
In his opinion piece, Clooney lamented Biden’s current state compared to his past, writing, “We are not going to win in November with this president.”
The Democratic Party remains divided over Biden’s candidacy. Representative Earl Blumenauer became the ninth House Democrat to call for Biden to end his campaign. Despite these defections, public support among Democratic leadership largely remains.
Biden, aiming to change the narrative, has rallied support from key groups, including Black Democratic lawmakers and voters. His campaign has framed loyalty to Biden as a return for his years of public service.
On Wednesday, Biden received enthusiastic support from labor leaders during an AFL-CIO executive council meeting in Washington, where he discussed key issues like high rents, expensive groceries, and housing shortages. Labor support was crucial in Biden’s 2020 victories in competitive states like Michigan, Nevada, and Pennsylvania.
