As frustration mounts among Democrats, President Biden has a clear message: he’s frustrated too.
“I’m getting so frustrated by the elites… the elites in the party who — they know so much more,” Biden said sarcastically during a call to MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” his preferred cable news show. “Any of these guys don’t think I should, run against me: Go ahead. Challenge me at the convention.”
Pressure on Biden to step aside has been growing since his poor debate performance last month. This call was part of a broader effort to push back against internal pressures by rallying his party’s base and addressing national discontent with elites across both parties.
Shortly after his remarks, Biden received a significant boost from Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York, who told reporters, “I’m for Joe,” as he returned to the Capitol. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York also reaffirmed his support, stating to a CNN reporter that his position remains unchanged.
However, other Democratic lawmakers were more cautious. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia called for “conversations about the strongest path forward” and urged Biden to “more aggressively make his case to the American people.”
Biden’s assertive tone on “Morning Joe” was aimed at demonstrating a fighting spirit to reassure Democrats who are concerned about his ability to challenge former President Trump effectively.
Whether this strategy will succeed is uncertain as Biden faces one of the toughest political weeks of his presidency. Congress is returning with increased calls within his party for a replacement amid polls showing his declining support in the national vote and key swing states.
Additionally, Biden is hosting a North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Washington, where he will be scrutinized by both international allies and a domestic audience concerned about his age and capacity to lead, especially given the ongoing war in Ukraine. Biden has scheduled a rare news conference for Thursday.
In a letter to congressional Democrats, Biden framed the movement to replace him as top-down and anti-democratic, pointing out that 60% of voters in a New York Times poll said he should be replaced, nearly double the number who believe he should remain the party’s nominee.
“The voters of the Democratic Party have voted. They have chosen me to be the nominee of the party,” Biden wrote. “Do we now just say this process didn’t matter? That the voters don’t have a say?”
Biden’s call to morning cable news was reminiscent of Trump’s frequent calls to “Fox & Friends” to express his views.
Early signs suggest Biden’s tactic may buy him time to make his case to stay in the race, hoping that attention on his age will diminish. But for Democrats, it remains a risky gamble given Trump’s lead in the polls and persistent concerns about Biden’s age.
Trump has held only one public event in the 11 days since the debate, allowing Democrats to focus on Biden’s perceived frailty instead of Trump’s legal issues, policies, or falsehoods during the debate.
“It drives me nuts people are talking about this,” Biden said, adding, “Where the hell has Trump been?”
He declined to answer whether he has been tested for Parkinson’s or other age-related conditions. “I had a bad night,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s why I’ve been out. I’ve been testing myself.”
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was equally evasive, not disclosing why Dr. Kevin Cannard, a Parkinson’s expert, visited the White House multiple times, citing security and privacy.
She confirmed Biden has seen a neurologist three times during his presidency but did not specify if it was Cannard or the reason for his frequent visits over the past year.
Representative Mark Takano of Riverside was among four lawmakers on a call with leading House Democrats on Sunday advocating for a change at the top of the ticket, according to a Democratic aide. Other Democrats on the call expressed deep concern without explicitly calling for change.
Representative Adam B. Schiff, a Senate candidate from Burbank, voiced his concerns publicly.
“The performance on the debate stage, I think, rightfully raised questions among the American people about whether the president has the vigor to defeat Donald Trump. And this is an existential race,” Schiff said on “Meet the Press.” “It should not be even close. And there’s only one reason it is close, and that’s the president’s age.”
Some Democrats argue the issue is urgent politically, but the party has until at least the start of the August 19 convention and possibly beyond to replace Biden, though the process could become increasingly complicated.
Even if Democrats proceed with nominating Biden before the convention through a virtual process, they could change their decision later if he withdraws, said Elaine Kamarck, author of “Primary Politics: Everything You Need to Know about How America Nominates Its Presidential Candidates.”
“Too much is being made about that. Once the convention meets, it can do whatever it wants to do,” said Kamarck, who also serves as a delegate.
The party could set up a process for nominating a replacement and pass rules through a roll-call vote. If Biden withdrew after a convention vote, the party could find a replacement through a party committee vote. Voters are technically electing a set of electors, so the ballot would not need to change, though Republicans would likely sue in that scenario.