In a contentious move, the Democratic Party establishment is reportedly working behind the scenes to secure President Joe Biden’s nomination for the 2024 election, despite increasing calls for his replacement following a series of political missteps.
On Friday, Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison is set to convene a meeting that many view as a ploy to circumvent due process and suppress the will of the party base.
Recent polling data indicates that 67% of adults and 56% of Democratic voters believe Biden should step aside. Nevertheless, the party leadership appears determined to solidify his candidacy.
In response to the mounting criticism, Biden falsely claimed, “All the data shows that the average Democrat out there who voted … still want me to be the nominee. I wanted to make sure I was right — that the average voter out there still wanted Joe Biden. And I’m confident they do.”
However, post-debate polls tell a different story, with 40% to 65% of Democrats expressing the desire for Biden to withdraw from the race.
To expedite the nomination process, Friday’s meeting will schedule an unprecedented virtual roll call vote up to one month before the convention.
“They’re pushing up the date because they don’t believe the President’s reputation can remain intact for a single month between now and the convention,” said Michael Greenberg of Climate Defiance. “The chairman of the Democratic Party has a suicide pact with the President. He sees the President going down and is ready and willing to bring us down with him.”
Rep. Adam Schiff, a prominent figure in the Democratic Party, has publicly joined 22 other congressional Democrats in urging Biden to step aside.
Schiff called for Biden to withdraw, citing concerns over his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump, saying, “While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch.”
The latest AP-NORC poll shows that 65% of Democrats believe Biden should withdraw.
Marianne Williamson, a former presidential candidate, echoed this sentiment, and said, “The debate last week made clear that the time is now for another Democratic candidate to take his place on the November ballot. The nominating process for the Democratic Party needs to begin again.”
Progressive New Jersey Democrat Lisa McCormick also called for Biden to step aside, advocating for an open convention. McCormick, who has been critical of Biden’s foreign policy, emphasized the need for a transparent and democratic selection process.
A memo from the Democratic-funded polling group BlueLabs named four prominent Democrats—Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer— who would perform better than Biden in key swing states.
The memo indicates that these candidates could potentially secure a stronger position against Trump in the upcoming election.
Despite these internal calls for change, Biden remains steadfast in his decision to run. “I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024,” he asserted. However, with the party divided and significant public dissent, the path to the Democratic nomination remains fraught with uncertainty.