A Virginia senator is frantically trying to assemble a group of fellow Democrats to try to oust Biden, sources say.
Senator Mark R. Warner is telling people he no longer has confidence in the president because of his shaky performance of late. Washington Post reports.
Biden’s cognitive function has been under intense scrutiny since his rocky presidential debate against Donald Trump last month.
Yesterday he attempted damage control with a one-on-one interview with ABC, a performance that was once again criticised by members of his own party.
The instability has prompted calls for Biden to drop out of the race, but he has so far remained steadfast in his commitment to run.
Sen. Mark R. Warner of Virginia (pictured) is reportedly telling people he no longer trusts the president because of his shaky performance of late.
Biden’s cognitive function has been under intense scrutiny since his crash-hit presidential debate with Donald Trump last month and an interview with ABC that collapsed on Friday.
His dogged determination has many Democrats concerned, apparently including Warner, who is gathering a group of allies to call on him to resign, according to two sources.
Warner spokeswoman Rachel Cohen declined to confirm or deny the plans.
“Like many others in Washington and across the country, Senator Warner believes these are critical days for the President’s campaign and has made that clear to the White House,” he said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, who is the minority leader, has scheduled a virtual meeting on Sunday with senior House Democrats to discuss the president’s nomination, senior sources told The New York Times.
The meeting will reportedly include top members of congressional committees who have expressed concern about Biden’s chances in recent weeks.
Many had hoped Friday’s interview with George Stephanopoulos would be a chance for Biden, 81, to show he was fit to continue leading.
But his performance, which included answering questions in a hoarse voice, losing his thread mid-sentence and rambling on about the subject, left many Democrats unconvinced.
Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., said CNN He found parts of the interview ‘disturbing’.
He said it was clear that “the president of the United States does not have the stamina to overcome the deficit here.”
He also pointed to Biden’s response about how he would feel if he lost to Trump.
‘He felt that as long as he gave his best effort, that was all that really mattered, with the greatest respect: No.’
Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas was the first to call for Biden to drop out of the race after the debate and reiterated his demand Friday.
“The need for him to step aside is more urgent tonight than when I first called for it on Tuesday,” he told CNN after the interview.
He added that Biden “doesn’t want his legacy to be that he was the one who handed our country over to a tyrant.”
Along with Doggett and Quigley, House Reps. Raul Grijalva of Arizona and Seth Moulton of Massachusetts have called for Biden to withdraw.
Illinois Rep. Mike Quigley and Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett renewed their calls for Biden to resign after the ABC interview
Former Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio told MSNBC he didn’t think Biden “moved the needle at all.”
“I don’t think it encouraged anyone,” he said. “I think there was a certain disconnect with the reality on the ground.”
Ryan has also called for Biden to resign, saying he is “concerned.”
“I’m worried, like I think a lot of people think he’s just not the right person to do this for us.
Prominent Democratic and Biden donor Mark Buell also expressed concern about the president’s record.
“Biden is on a slope that he is trying to slow down,” he told the New York Times“If it doesn’t succeed, it may soon become a verb.”
