WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Democratic officials President Joe Biden Former President Barack Obama has privately expressed his concerns to allies, and House Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi has privately told Biden that the party could lose its ability to retain control of the House if it does not withdraw from the 2024 election, prompting Biden to reconsider running for office.
Pelosi presented Biden with polling results that showed he couldn’t possibly win. Republican Donald Trump But the former speaker fired back Thursday, saying the “frenzied reporting” from anonymous sources “misrepresented” conversations she may have had with the president.
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As the clock ticks down to next month’s convention, Democratic anxiety is growing within the White House and campaign at a tense time for the president and Democrats.
Obama has told allies that Biden needs to consider the feasibility of running a campaign, but has made it clear that the decision is up to Biden. In recent days, Obama has fielded calls from congressional leaders, Democratic governors and major donors to discuss their concerns about the former vice president.
Biden remains adamant that he is the winning candidate and has no plans to back down. Trump “He’s not going to waver on anything,” deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said Thursday when asked about reports that Biden might be softening his thoughts about quitting the race.
If anything, the president has become more determined in recent days to continue the campaign, according to a person familiar with the internal discussions.
The article is based on reports from more than a half-dozen people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential private discussions. President Obama’s involvement was first reported by The Washington Post.
A leading Democrat at the top of the party’s organization, including the Senate Majority Leader’s congressional leadership Chuck Schumer House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffriesare sending signals of concern, with some Democrats hoping Biden will withdraw from the campaign trail. Tested positive for COVID-19will be looking back at the race’s trajectory and his achievements over the next few days.
President Joe Biden walks to his car after disembarking Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
With a mountain of data suggesting Biden’s position could deal serious damage to congressional Democrats’ standing, frank conversations in public and private and the president’s own days of isolation, many Democrats are seizing the opportunity to prompt a reassessment. Biden’s campaign has been told it is struggling to raise funds.
If Democrats are seriously preparing to take the extraordinary step of replacing Biden and installing Vice President Kamala Harris as their top presidential candidate, this weekend will be crucial in changing the president’s mind, people familiar with the private conversations said.
Some say the time is now, ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and a virtual roll call for the party’s nominations scheduled for early August.
Schumer, from New York, and Jeffries have spoken privately with the president over the past week and candidly conveyed congressional Democrats’ concerns.
With control of the House and Senate at stake, leaders are keenly aware that a Republican victory in November could usher in years of Trump policies.
Meanwhile, Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington, the chair of the Democratic House Campaigns Committee, met with the president last week armed with the latest data and specifically voiced concerns from frontline Democrats seeking House elections.
One Democratic strategist said Pelosi’s major political donors, particularly from her state of California, are exerting strong pressure on the president’s campaign and lawmakers.
And on Wednesday, California Rep. Adam Schiffis a close ally of Pelosiurged Biden to give up on reelection and said he thought it was time to “pass the baton.”
In a radio interview recorded shortly before his positive COVID-19 test, Biden rejected the notion that it’s too late to bounce back politically, telling Univision’s Luis Sandoval that many people won’t pay attention to the November election until September.
“The story of who leads, where and how, you know, it’s basically a tie so far between Trump and me,” he said in excerpts of the interview published Thursday.
Biden said Monday that he hasn’t spoken to Obama in recent weeks.
The spotlight on Biden has faded somewhat, especially Last weekend’s assassination attempt on President Trump and Republican National Convention With the presidential debate underway in Milwaukee, Democrats know they have limited time to sort out the turmoil within their party following a lackluster performance in last month’s presidential debate.
Certainly, many people want Biden to remain in the race. And the Democratic National Committee Virtual vote to officially make Biden the candidate In the first week of August Democratic National ConventionIt starts on August 19th.
“Joe Biden knows. He’s demonstrated it time and time again,” Rep. James Clyburn, a key Democratic ally of Biden, said after days of campaigning for Biden in Nevada. He warned against people “with an agenda.”
ABC News published new details late Wednesday about Biden’s private weekend meeting with Schumer at the president’s beach resort in Delaware, saying Schumer told the president that “it would be better for the Democratic Party and the country if I stepped aside.” A spokesman for Schumer called the report “unfounded speculation.”
White House press secretary Andrew Bates said Biden told Schumer and Jeffries “I am the nominee of my party, I intend to win, and I look forward to working with them to pass a 100-day package to help working families.”
But nearly two-thirds of Democrats nationwide say Biden should step aside and allow the party to nominate another candidate. AP-NORC Center for Public Policy Research PollThis significantly weakens Biden’s post-debate claim that “average Democrats” are still on his side, even if some “big names” have turned against him.
The White House said Biden tested positive for COVID-19 while visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday and was experiencing “mild symptoms” from the infection, including “general fatigue.”
Schiff’s announcement gives Biden withdraw from the presidential electionSchiff is a leading Democrat, and his comments: Pelosi.
In response to Schiff’s comments, the Biden campaign pointed to “extensive support” from lawmakers in key battleground states for Biden’s reelection, as well as black and Hispanic caucuses.
Other Democrats in Congress have been less supportive, including when Biden aides hosted Democratic senators for a private lunch last week. When Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania asked for a show of hands who was with the president, only a few people raised their hands, including himself and Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, a Biden ally, said a person familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Associated Press Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports that President Biden is self-isolating at his Delaware beach house after testing positive for COVID-19 during a trip to Las Vegas.
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Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Will Weisert, Mary Claire Jalonick, Leah Ascarinam and Stephen Groves in Lansing, Michigan, contributed to this report.
