President Joe Biden was primed with a “soft coup” to topple him, a top Democratic expert claimed last night.
The 81-year-old US president is facing growing calls to resign following his disastrous performance in Thursday’s debate, with sources telling The Mail on Sunday that many believe he was deliberately set up to fail.
A former Hillary Clinton aide said, “There has never been a debate this early before.” Debates traditionally take place after the Republican and Democratic conventions, which are held in July and August.
‘Most years, the first debate is held in early September, before the November elections.
‘Biden’s inner circle demanded this early debate. There is a growing belief that this was a ‘soft coup’ because they know he is unfit to govern and have known this for some time.
US President Joe Biden pictured during a presidential debate on June 27
Sir Elton John photographed with Joe Biden at the grand opening of the Stonewall National Monument visitor center on June 28
Former US President Donald Trump during the June 27 presidential debate
‘They wanted to test him against Trump early, while there was still time to replace him if he wasn’t up to the task. Which, of course, he did spectacularly.
Another source said: “This whole thing doesn’t pass the smell test.” Publicly, Democratic leaders have been backing Biden because they cannot appear disloyal to the president, but privately it has long been argued that he is too old to beat Trump.
“There were rumors for weeks that ‘Joe is going to fall in the debate.'”
One of the front-runners to replace Biden, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, 52, secretly sent an advance team to Washington DC “weeks ago” to prepare for her possible presidential bid.
The team has been “on the move” and has met with Democratic officials. The source said: “Gretchen was the first to act. Now the floodgates have opened.”
While Biden has insisted the debate, watched by 48 million people, was “a bad night,” his leadership is in crisis as he faces pressure to resign.
Jill Biden admitted her husband knows his performance was poor, telling reporters Friday: “After the debate last night, he said, ‘You know, Jill, I don’t know what happened.’ I didn’t feel so good.”
The 81-year-old US president is facing growing calls to step aside following his disastrous performance in Thursday’s debate, with sources telling the Mail on Sunday that many believe he was deliberately set up to fail.
Jill Biden admitted that her husband knows his performance was poor, telling reporters on Friday: “After the debate last night, he said, ‘You know, Jill, I don’t know what happened.’ I didn’t feel that good.”
Former President Barack Obama has now been asked to “stage an intervention” to persuade his close friend and former vice president to drop out of the race.
The source said: ‘Obama is probably the only person, apart from his wife and sister, that Biden will listen to.
“I know of at least one major donor who has directly asked former President Obama to intervene and end this misery so we can move forward.”
The liberal New York Times – which Biden says he “reads first every morning” – published a scathing editorial calling him “reckless.”
He said: “Biden is no longer the man he was four years ago. The greatest public service he can perform now is to announce that he will no longer run for re-election.”
Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader who has been a friend of the president for 40 years, is also “open” to replacing him, according to multiple reports in the United States.
Clinton’s aide said: “The next few days will be critical as new poll numbers come in and the party deals with the fallout.” There is a lot of backroom dealing going on.
“No one will make it public until Joe decides to step aside. He was a stubborn young man and he is a stubborn old man.”
Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon has scheduled a rushed meeting with staff and donors for Friday.
“He was trying to calm people down,” said one source. “He said it had been a bad night. The atmosphere was not good. There is no solution.”
It comes as Biden faces a “financial catastrophe” as major donors freeze funds and celebrity supporters threaten to abandon his embattled campaign.
Hollywood supporters such as George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Steven Spielberg, who have already raised millions, are said to have “grave doubts” about their future.
Former President Barack Obama has now been called upon to “stage an intervention” to persuade his close friend and former vice president to drop out of the race.
Hollywood insiders such as George Clooney (left), Julia Roberts (second from right) and Steven Spielberg, who have already raised millions, are said to have “serious doubts” about their future.
One Hollywood donor said: ‘Whether Biden stays or goes will depend on one thing; cold hard cash. Fundraisers are being canceled because there is no confidence in Biden.
“He’s behind Donald Trump financially for the first time and there’s a sense of panic that big money and star power are about to abandon him.
‘Celebrities are fickle and no one wants to be associated with a loser.’
However, Elton John appeared to back Biden on Friday as the pair opened the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center in New York, a museum celebrating the birth of the LGBTQ+ movement in the United States.
The singer praised the US president for backing the museum, which is located on the site of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar that was the scene of protests in 1969 after a police raid.
Eight weeks ago, Biden had a $100 million lead over his political rival. Then Trump was convicted of bribing porn star Stormy Daniels and received $53 million in 24 hours. The Republican candidate now has $240 million in his war chest, compared to Biden’s $212 million.
“It’s a disaster for Biden,” the former aide added. “His campaign is making a lot of noise about the fact that $14 million has come in from small donors since the debate. That’s a no-brainer.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, whose poll numbers are low, flew to Los Angeles last night to host a fundraising event alongside Frozen star Idina Menzel. Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker and her husband Matthew Broderick were due to attend, along with Gwyneth Paltrow and Michael J Fox. A source said: “No one knows who will show up. There are still tickets available.”
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden pictured after the CNN presidential debate on June 27.
Laurene Powell Jobs, widow of Apple founder Steve Jobs, and billionaire Hollywood producer Haim Saban, have reportedly paused donations while they wait to see if Biden resigns.
Democratic Party leaders and potential Biden replacements will hold a series of in-person and Zoom meetings over the next few days as the United States prepares to celebrate the Independence Day holiday on Thursday.
“Washington has shut down, making it easier for people to have private conversations,” said one campaign source. “If Joe leaves, that will be decided next week. He has a week to prove himself.”
“If he can be persuaded to resign, the announcement will be made in two and a half or three weeks. That is the deadline.”
New poll numbers also show that voters have lost confidence in the President.
A Morning Consult poll showed 60 percent think he should “definitely” or “probably” be replaced, while an Ipsos poll found 73 percent of those who watched the debate thought his performance was “poor or terrible.”
