Report: Biden Considers Dropping Out This Weekend, Future Uncertain

President Joe Biden departs after speaking at the NAACP Convention, Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz via Flickr
Paul Bois

New reports suggest that President Joe Biden will step down from the race this weekend and will either endorse Vice President Kamala Harris or allow an open convention to choose the next nominee.

According to the New York Times, several people close to Biden said on Thursday that the president has “begun to accept the idea that he may not be able to win in November and may have to drop out of the race, bowing to the growing demands of many anxious members of his party.”

Though one source close to the president said that Biden has not yet made up his mind on whether or not to leave the race, another said that the “reality is setting in” and that Biden might very well make “an announcement soon endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his replacement.” The Times noted:

This account is based on interviews with four people close to the president, all of whom described the situation as extremely delicate and spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid offending the president. Mr. Biden remained in isolation at his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Del., after being diagnosed with Covid on Wednesday.

Contradicting reports have been spreading on social media as to what the president’s next move might be. While the New York Times‘ source said Biden might endorse Kamala Harris immediately, reporter Mark Halperin said that “multiple sources” have claimed the president will leave the next nominee to be decided by an open convention. Per his post on X:

The president’s family has also reportedly remained stalwart in their support for him to stay in the race, while other close advisers have told the president that the race against Donald Trump remains competitive despite what the polls have said.

As Breitbart News reported on Wednesday, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reportedly told President Joe Biden to step out of the race this week, a claim that his office did not deny. According to Jonathan Karl of ABC News, Schumer allegedly had a “blunt one-on-one conversation” with the president, advising him to step down so the Democrats can have a chance in the fall. Schumer’s office did not deny this conversation took place.

“I am told Chuck Schumer had a blunt one-on-one conversation with Biden Saturday afternoon in Rehoboth. Schumer forcefully made the case that it would be best if Biden bowed out of the race,” said Karl on X.

When pressed, Schumer’s office did not deny.

“Schumer’s office wouldn’t comment on the specifics of the conversation, telling me only, ‘Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus,’” per Karl.

Karl said that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-CA) has expressed similar sentiments.

“Hakeem Jeffries has expressed a similar view to Biden, according to a source familiar. A Jeffries spokesman tells me, ‘The letter sent by Leader Hakeem Jeffries to his House Democratic colleagues speaks for itself. It was a private conversation that will remain private,’” added Karl.

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates later clarified to Karl, “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.”

The alleged conversation with Schumer took place after Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) warned in a recent private meeting that Democrats stand to lose everything this election so long as President Joe Biden remains at the top of the ticket. Schiff delivered his warning to donors during a meeting on Saturday, which occurred prior to the attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump. Schiff feared not only that Democrats would lose the White House, but that they would also lose the down-ticket races in the House and Senate.

“I think if he is our nominee, I think we lose,” Schiff said at the meeting, according to a transcript obtained by the New York Times. “And we may very, very well lose the Senate and lose our chance to take back the House.”

Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning Christian tech thriller, EXEMPLUM, which has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic rating and can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. “Better than Killers of the Flower Moon,” wrote Mark Judge. “You haven’t seen a story like this before,” wrote Christian Toto. A high-quality, ad-free rental can also be streamed on Google Play, Vimeo on Demand, or YouTube Movies. Follow him on X @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.

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