One House Democrat said he spoke for others in the wake of the president’s stunningly feeble debate performance on Thursday: “The movement to convince Biden to not run is real.”

The House member, an outspoken defender of the president, said that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer should consider “a combined effort” to nudge President Joe Biden out of the race.

Crestfallen by the president’s weak voice, pallid appearance and meandering answers, numerous Democratic officials said Biden’s bet on an early debate to rebut unceasing questions about his age had not only backfired but done damage that may prove irreversible. The president had, in the first 30 minutes of the debate, fully affirmed doubts about his fitness.

A second House Democrat said “reflection is needed” from Biden about the way ahead and indicated the private text threads among lawmakers were even more dire, with some saying outright that the president needed to drop out of the race.

  • /home/addison@programming.dev
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    2 days ago

    The point is that there is now a credible fear that if Biden does not drop out, Trump wins.

    Replacing the candidate at the top of the ticket this late is a hail Mary, but it could bring unenthusiastic voters back into the Democratic tent.

    • Guy_Fieris_Hair@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Trumps base is smaller, but passionate, they will show up. Biden doesn’t really have followers, he has people that are just glad that he isn’t Trump. But at this point it’s embarrassing to even vote for him for that reason… so people just won’t show up to vote at all. All they have to do is have a sentient human that can complete a sentence and the hate for Trump will prevail. For the love of God. Do something DNC or Trump it is.

      I just can’t believe everyone is acting all surprised that the dude that could barely complete a sentence when he was 77 didn’t get mysteriously better now that he’s 81. Who woulda thought?..

      We all know the DNC will do nothing, and Trump will win, and they are fine with it. Because they want to keep dragging this party to the right.

      • Zaktor@sopuli.xyz
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        2 days ago

        3/7 incumbent presidents since 1980 have lost. It’s indistinguishable from a coin flip. Whatever benefit incumbency holds in the presidency, it’s not strong.