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FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK Obama has privately expressed concerns to Democrats about President Joe Biden’s candidacy, and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi warned him that Democrats could lose the ability to seize control in the House if he did not step away from the race.
Pelosi also showed Joe Biden polling that he probably cannot defeat Republican Donald Trump, sources say.
Democrats at the highest levels are making a critical push for Biden to reconsider his re-election bid, as unease grows at the White House and within the campaign at a fraught moment for the president and his party.
Biden has insisted he is not backing down, adamant that he is the candidate who beat Republican Donald Trump before and will do it again this year.
Pressed about reports that Biden might be softening to the idea of leaving the race, his deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said Thursday: “He is not wavering on anything.”
In recent days the president has become become more committed to staying in the race, according to another source.
But influential Democrats from the highest levels of the party apparatus, including congressional leadership headed by Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, are sending signals of concern.
Some Democrats hope Biden will assess the trajectory of the race and his legacy during this few days’ pause.
Using mountains of data showing Biden’s standing could wipe out the ranks of Democrats in Congress, frank conversations in public and private, and now, the president’s own time off the campaign trail after testing positive for Covid-19, many Democrats see an opportunity to encourage a reassessment.
If Democrats are seriously preparing the extraordinary step of replacing Biden and shifting vice president Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, this weekend will be critical to changing the president’s mind, other people familiar with the private conversations said.
One said it is now or never ahead of a planned virtual roll call to nominate the party’s choice in early August, ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Emerita Nancy Pelosi, became the highest-profile House Democrat to call for Biden to drop his re-election bid, saying that while the decision is Biden’s alone to make, she believes it is time to “pass the torch”.
Biden, in a radio interview just before he tested positive for Covid-19, dismissed the idea it was too late for him to recover politically, saying it is still early and that many people do not focus on the election until September.
“All the talk about who’s leading and where and how, is kind of, you know, everything so far between Trump and me has been basically even,” he said in an excerpt of the interview.
Some national polls do show a close race, though others suggest Trump with a lead.
And some state polls have contained warning signs too, including a recent New York Times/Siena poll that suggested a competitive race in Virginia.
While the tensions over Biden’s ability to carry on a winning campaign subsided some, particularly after the Trump assassination attempt and as the Republican National Convention was under way in Milwaukee, Democrats know they have limited time to resolve the party turmoil after the president’s faltering debate performance last month.
To be sure, many Democrats want Biden to stay in the race.
The Democratic National Committee is pushing ahead with plans for a virtual vote to formally make Biden its nominee in the first week of August, ahead of the Democratic National Convention that begins on August 19 in Chicago.
Harris is a worse option for the Democrats than Biden at this stage…
@Brian: Why?
@Conrad Stapletwin: for one thing she speaks like shes trying to turn 2,000 words into a 10,000 word essay. HARRIS: “The governor and I, we were all doing a tour of the library here and talking about the significance of the passage of time, right, the significance of the passage of time. So, when you think about it, there is great significance to the passage of time in terms of what we need to do to lay these wires. what we need to do to create these jobs. And there is such great significance to the passage of time when we think about a day in the life of our children.”
@Conrad Stapletwin: you cannot be for real???
@John K: that’s American floral rhetoric
@John K: You think that makes her a worse option than Biden?
@Conrad Stapletwin: She is almost as cognitively biased as he is! I’m looking forward to her performance in the debate. Harris: “Ukraine is a country in Europe. It exists next to another country called Russia. Russia is a bigger country. Russia is a powerful country. Russia decided to invade a smaller country called Ukraine. So, basically, that’s wrong, and it goes against everything that we stand for.”
@Conrad Stapletwin: Because I said so.. lol. Obviously just speculating.. Her approval rating is the same as Bidens… it’s not like she’s Mrs Popular either.. Personally I don’t see a world where America votes for a woman president.. let alone a black woman president.! Maybe if Michelle was given a good run at it.. but Harris.? She’s not president material.. She’s spoofer senator level .. at best. Like a heavyweight fight ( old-age fart fight more like) America is geared up for Biden v Trump.. people are polarised and will vote for Biden based on this ongoing battle between the two for 8 years.. most probably not enough .. but if they change fighter now, I don’t see how it really helps them. Of course I could be entirely wrong too ..
@Conrad Stapletwin: Have you seen her… no substance.. no clue.. Kacklin Kamala. Hated more than Hillary.
@John K: You think Russia invading Ukraine is evidence of Kamala Harris’ cognitive bias?
@Brian: Why wouldn’t American’s vote for a black woman?
Who do you think should replace Biden?
@barry fay: Hated by who exactly? You think she’s more hated than Trump? She’s polling better vs Trump than Biden.
@Conrad Stapletwin: Based on the massive amount of support a racist, misogynistic man who is guilty of sexual assault has right now in America.. call it a hunch.
@Conrad Stapletwin: Lets go back to 2020.. she had 8% support.. and u think she has gained more since then.. she is a car crash.. open ur eyes.
@Brian: You think Trump has more support than Biden, Harris or A.N Other?
@John K: thanks for the explanation.
@barry fay: How much support does she have in 2024?
@Brian: Who do you think should replace Biden?
@Conrad Stapletwin: Enough to get crushed… Bring on the Kackle
@Conrad Stapletwin: apologies, should have said cognitive decline, good thing I’m not in the running for president!
@Conrad Stapletwin: Well it would appear so Conrad… we wouldn’t be having this conversation otherwise now would we..
@barry fay: So, you don’t know. Got it.
@John K: You think a 59 year old woman is suffering from cognitive decline? Are you a neurologist?
@Brian: What metrics are you using to determine that?
@Conrad Stapletwin: Determine what exactly?
@Conrad Stapletwin: I know she has no hope.. lets hear why you think she will win.. apart from because “she is a black woman”..
@Brian: That Trump has more support than Biden, Harris or A.N Other…?
@Conrad Stapletwin: Also, who do you think should replace Biden?
@barry fay: How do you know? Is it a feeling you have or something else?
I don’t know who will win the US election in November.
@Conrad Stapletwin: Stapletwin:Well based on the article Conrad, which stated the polling showed Biden proably can’t defeat Trump, I’ll go with that. I personally don’t have access to the Democrats numbers .. but they obviously are showing them Trump has more support at this stage.. should you require further information, I suggest you ask the Democrat Party.. cause I don’t have it.
@Brian: So, you don’t know. Got it.
@Conrad Stapletwin: why are you so defensive of her? Do you think she can do better than Biden? If so do you think by enough of a margin to impact the result? In all seriousness I don’t think she is in cognitive decline, I just don’t think she’s very bright, certainly not sharp enough to be POTUS. She speaks like she’s explaining basic things to toddlers, just read her explaining the Russian invasion of Ukraine and tell me you don’t find that funny!
@John K: I’m not defending anyone. I’m just asking questions.
@Conrad Stapletwin: lol.. eh so you’re saying you haven’t read the article.. and the Democrats don’t know the polls and numbers they’re crunching that they’re publicly talking about ? Good man Conrad.. playing a blinder tonight so you are..
@Brian: I’ve read the article. It states “some national polls show it’s a close race”.
Who do think should replace Biden?
@Conrad Stapletwin: that’s exactly it mate – all you do is ask questions..with a peculiar slant..nothing else..always a red flag when someone does that.
@UK Hurling Bloke: Do you have a problem with questions?
@Conrad Stapletwin: ‘Pelosi showed Biden polling that he probably cannot defeat Republican Donald Trump’ .. Goodnight Consrd .. it’s been emotional Brother Rabbit..
@Brian: Harris is completely useless….she has done absolutely NOTHING for America in three and a half years and repeats the same shite over and over!!! Trump is the best option for the American people!! Maybe if Ireland had their own version of trump, there would be less unemployment, less taxes, and less immigrants flooding in and ruining the country!!!
@Brian: Goodnight, Brian. I hope you get your emotions back in check.
Sweet dreams of Gina LOLlobrigida.
@Conrad Stapletwin: chuck Norris for president….. No need for a vice president Chuck Norris will do both jobs
@Conrad Stapletwin: Seriously man, chill. I’m not the fella whose thumbs are gonna fall off with the 20+ comments you’ve bashed out already. . You seem very emotional about this.. not me. I said at the outset I could be wrong.. and I could.. its an opinion.. So ya know .. at ease solider ..
@Brian: So Biden just said he was going to drop out and he will not be endorsing Kamala…what does that say when you don’t endorse your own VP!!!
@Conrad Stapletwin: The latest CBS poll released today has Trump with a 5 point lead over Biden and a 3 point lead in the important swing states. Trump has a 3 point lead over Harris in it. But were she to run, Trump would destroy her in a debate. If Biden continues, Vance will do likewise in the VP debate. His life story is the embodiment of the American dream on speed. She, on the other hand, got lucky in dating Mayor Willie Brown of SF when she was starting her career. If you watch her speeches, its clear progression was not based on her ability. Tulsi Gabbard blew her off the stage so badly in the Dem debate last time around that #KamalaHarrisDestroyed was the top trend on Twitter. Her Marie Antoinnette like interview on CNN afterwards, led to her early demise in the nomination race.
@Conrad Stapletwin: DEI trash. That’s what she is. Like AOC
@BrennJam: we have full employment,if we didn’t have people coming in we would have NO health service,and we pay taxes for public services,the fact is that money is wasted .
You are obviously not Irish,why would we listen to you ???
@Richard Keogh: the idea that trump is some excellent orator that can ‘destroy’ people in debates is laughable. He deals in catchphrases. Coming off better than someone in the depths of senility isn’t an impressive achievement. He’s not much more coherent than Biden himself.
@Brian: You’re still replying to me a day later?!
I’ve moved on buddy. I suggest you do the same. ✌️
@Richard Keogh: Polls are snapshots not predictors.
Interesting, you think Trump would destroy a former prosecutor (Harris) in a debate. He couldn’t even match an 81 year old with a stutter in his most recent debate. Trump told lie after lie and refused to even donthe debate if there was to be live fact checking. It was a dreadful performance from Trump. He cannot string a coherent sentence together and seems incapable of telling the truth or staying on topic. He’s a worthless debater. He’s more of a debaser.
@Conrad Stapletwin: biden is not going to endorse BJ Harris
@Shane Jordan: Ok.
Up until the debate he was sharp as a tack, a towering intelect, beyond cogent, the best version of Joe Biden ever, F.U. if you think otherwise. Now all of a sudden he must he replaced. They’ve known for a long time he was cognitively impaired but they thought they could continue lying to us and we wouldn’t notice.
It’s getting more and more like the back story we never really got for the Mad Max movies. A descent into chaos. And so easily avoided. Biden is persuaded not to run for re-election and Trump is barred from running for re-election. Any reasonably functional society should have been able to arrange that.
@Numinous20111: interfering with democracy, good man, nanny state syndrome
@Numinous20111: American is run by old men in the shadows, the president is only the face
350 million people and these 2 are the pick of the bunch! Does the average American realise that most of humanity are doing their best Nelson Muntz impression right now. Ha haaa.
Joe would be lucky to win the shop steward election in his future nursing home at the moment!
Not a good sign for Democrats. Joe remains in denial and adamant that he is the right man to beat the orange guy. The support from his inner circle is declining so as his cognitive status. Meanwhile support for MAGA is getting stronger. USA is broken.
Will pull out at the weekend. Harris is seen as unelectable, Gavin Newsome to run against Trump.
Biden is correct in one thing, it’s still early days. Polls in July don’t mean much.
@Bert Carolan: Newsom could be a good pick. Great speaker. He would mince Trump into a burger patty in a debate scenario.
@Conrad Stapletwin: would that be the same newsom that turned a 100b surplus into a 45b deficit?
@John K: The very same. He’s just signed a budget which aims to close that deficit.
It’s a drop in the ocean really compared to what Donald Trump did to US national debt during his disastrous term as president.
@Conrad Stapletwin: It’s all about optics and timing. The candidate needs to sound good and look good 2 weeks before the election.
Especially in the swing states that will decide the election.
Average US voter neither knows nor cares about policy.
If either party had a different candidate, they would be far ahead in the polls. With all that’s going on with Biden, Trump is only 1% to 2% ahead in the Poll of Polls, in some cases he’s under 1%.
I’d imagine by time the weekend is done Biden will have stood aside. Time critical now.
Both are past it, Biden is not competent in any sense.
Trump fans haven’t been this happy since they last met their really attractive cousin
@FoxyBoiiYT: Supposedly Grindr crashed in Milwaukee while the GOP conference was there.
You need to go Joe you ain’t well your sick enjoy your retirement throw in the towel it’s over.
Self proclaimed z1on1st (a word now banned by meta) warmonger Biden has handed the presidency to Trump whos popularity has soared since he got shot at, it really is the wild west over there…
@Mike B: do you think it will be all sunshine and rainbows in palestine when Trump takes over? He was touting a one state solution the last time he was in power. That will only ramp up the carnage minus any attempt at diplomacy.
@Setanta O’Toole: not saying you’re wrong, the options aren’t great are they?
That’s it for Joe.
Putin is already salivating, rightly so!
Grandpa is determined to get the Christmas tree from the attic alright.
Biden, The best fifth column ever. Manchurian candidate also springs to mind. Could not make this roadblock of a man up.
Please use his correct title – it’s terrorist obama
Genocide Joe has got to go! #MAGA
President DeNiro?
have your say