After Thursday’s debate, where President Joe Biden faced challenges in his encounter with former President Donald Trump, his Republican opponent, some Democrats have started urging Biden to drop out of the presidential race, allowing the party to select an alternative candidate to run in his place.
As reported by NBC News, Democrats are concerned that the Biden who participated in the debate – a version that embodied the criticisms and caricatures leveled by Trump and his supporters, portraying him as unfit for office – will ultimately prove unelectable in the November elections.
“This was like a champion boxer who gets in the ring past his prime and needs his corner to throw in the towel,” said a Democratic lawmaker, adding that he meant Biden should exit the race. If President Biden doesn’t voluntarily step down, the possibilities for a replacement are scarce.
It would require a remarkable uprising among Democratic National Convention delegates, most of whom were elected on the condition of supporting Biden’s nomination. However, some Democrats were indeed contemplating this scenario on Thursday night.
It’s “time to talk about an open convention and a new Democratic nominee,” said a second Democratic lawmaker who has been a solid Biden supporter.
Despite desires for a replacement, many doubt the feasibility of replacing Biden, are uncertain about which alternative candidate could secure the party’s nomination, and question whether a new candidate could defeat Trump in the November election.
Going into the debate, which was hosted by CNN, polls showed a close race between Biden and Trump.
“There is a sense of shock at how he came out at the beginning of this debate. How his voice sounded. He seemed a little disoriented. … There are going to be discussions about whether he should continue,” David Axelrod, a top adviser to former President Barack Obama, said on CNN. “Only he can decide if he’s going to continue.”
Axelrod forecasted that Biden would be unlikely to withdraw from the race, citing his strong sense of pride and self-confidence.
Historically, the last instance of an eligible president opting out of a reelection bid was in 1968, when Lyndon Johnson, facing likely defeat in the Democratic primaries, decided not to pursue a second full term, a scenario that may hold relevance in the current political landscape.
Still, several Democrats predicted that calls for Biden to take the Johnson route would multiply in the coming days.
“The chatter of replacement is absolutely going to explode,” said a veteran Democratic strategist who has worked on presidential campaigns. “There is no coming back from this disaster.”
If Biden were to withdraw, it would trigger a potentially divisive and contentious struggle within the Democratic Party over whether to automatically promote Vice President Kamala Harris, who made history as the first Black and female vice president.
