Pressure from Democratic lawmakers and operatives is mounting for President Joe Biden to quit his reelection bid and allow the party to nominate someone else to take on likely GOP nominee and former President Donald Trump. Democratic strategist James Carville said Tuesday on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360” that the Democratic Party was “making an idiotic choice” if they stood behind Biden’s presidential candidacy.
“[The] Cook [Political Report] moved six states away from Democrats. I watch somebody’s press conferences, and it reminds me of a book they made me read in college called ‘Ship of Fools.’ A bunch of desperate people sailing into disaster. And you know, I just think that cowards have never beat criminals in a war yet. The way that you beat criminals is not to be cowards. It is to take it directly on. Nothing that I see that remotely changes my mind or changes what I think about where we are,” Carville said.
He added, “I think like Senator Patty Murray, who has been in the Senate over 30 years. And the fact that she’s coming out and said this speaks to him as opposed to what people say in front of a camera. So, I still think I’ll stand by my thing that he won’t run, but if he does, we’re just making an idiotic choice for the future of our country. And I can’t help but believe that. And you know, the proof’s in the pudding. They’re moving states away from us. We are losing we’re not winning. And when we lose, America loses. It’s that simple.”
On Tuesday night, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado became the first Senate Democrat to publicly express doubts about Biden’s ability to win the upcoming election. However, he did not call for Biden to withdraw from the race, NBC News reported.
During an interview on CNN, Bennet confirmed that he, along with Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, had expressed doubts during a private Capitol Hill meeting about Biden’s ability to defeat Trump in the upcoming election. Bennet acknowledged that he had indeed made those remarks.
“Well, it’s true that I said that, and I did say that behind closed doors. And you guys and others asked whether I had said it, and that is what I said. So I figured I should come here and say it publicly,” said Bennet, who ran against Biden in the 2020 presidential primary campaign.
“Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election and maybe win it by a landslide and take with him the Senate and the House,” Bennet said. “So for me, this isn’t a question about polling, it’s not a question of politics. It’s a moral question about the future of our country, and I think it’s critically important for us to come to grips with what we face if, together, we put this country on the path of electing Donald Trump again.”
George Stephanopoulos, the ABC News host who conducted the first on-camera interview with Biden following his debate performance, reportedly expressed doubts on Tuesday about Biden’s capability to serve another four-year term.
An anonymous individual approached a news anchor in Manhattan, asking whether he thought Biden should step down. The passer-by mentioned that the anchor, having recently spoken to Biden more frequently than others, might have insights on the matter.
“I don’t think he can serve four more years,” the news anchor responded after a moment, according to footage obtained by TMZ. Stephanopoulos cannot be seen in the footage when answering the question, but the outlet maintained that the speaker was the anchor.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.