Democrats are freaking out about the 2024 election, and Joe Biden's future is in serious doubt. Calls for him to drop out are growing, and elected Democrats are increasingly going on the record suggesting that he should, at the very least, consider dropping out.
Biden wrote a letter to congressional Democrats on Monday revealing his intentions. He's not dropping out.
“I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump," he wrote in the letter.
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“The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump. We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election. Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us,” Biden added. “It is time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.”
The letter likely won't convince Democrats that Biden has what it takes to continue the campaign, but according to CNN, he intends to try this week.
The president will continue his outreach to Democratic lawmakers this week, a campaign official tells CNN. Tuesday will be a consequential day as members are set hold a planned caucus meeting with Jeffries, and one member told CNN they anticipate that is the day when the dam will break.
Congress returns to Washington on Tuesday for the first time since the June 27 debate on CNN that prompted widespread concern over Biden’s ability to secure a victory for Democrats in November and to serve an additional four years in office.
In the week following his disastrous debate performance, Biden personally reached out to roughly 20 House Democrats, a campaign official tells CNN, and has spoken with party leaders — including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Reps. Nancy Pelosi and James Clyburn — with a goal of reassuring them that the concerns within the party are being heard.
Since the debate, Schumer and Clyburn have expressed their support for Biden, while Jeffries has stayed silent. Pelosi acknowledged that concerns about Biden’s poor debate performance were “legitimate.” However, Clyburn bailed on an interview over the weekend, and surrogates have become increasingly resistant to give interviews defending Biden.
According to the report, during a Sunday call organized by Jeffries, senior House Democrats, including Reps. Jerry Nadler, Adam Smith, Mark Takano, and Joe Morelle, voiced significant concerns about Biden's performance, which an aide described as "pretty brutal." Meanwhile, Sen. Mark Warner led a parallel effort among senators to potentially request Biden to step aside. After news of the effort leaked, Warner canceled a follow-up meeting but plans to meet with Senate Democrats and their leadership on Tuesday. Biden commented on Warner, calling him a "good man" with a "different perspective."
President Biden appears resolved to continue his reelection campaign. However, the real challenge for him is unifying the Democratic Party behind him. With senior lawmakers expressing concerns about his viability, Biden's ability to get Democrats in line will be crucial. His outreach efforts this week will likely determine if he will remain as the Democratic Party's nominee.
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