At 81, Joe Biden is the oldest sitting president in U.S. history. However, his faltering performance during last month’s presidential debate surprised many Democrats, including senior White House insiders and long-time administration officials who interact with him privately. Adding to the president’s challenges, Biden’s virtual meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus on Friday seemed to heighten tensions rather than ease them. Reports indicate that Biden arrived an hour late for the Zoom call, setting a frustrating tone for the ensuing discussion.
Initially, meeting organizers had stipulated that only Representatives Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) and Lou Correa (D-CA) would be permitted to ask questions. However, in a surprising move, Biden opened the floor to additional questions, intending to foster a more open dialogue. Nevertheless, a source told NOTUS that while the effort to engage more members was appreciated, it did little to alleviate the lawmakers’ concerns.
According to the source, the campaign exercised strict control over who could participate in the call. Representatives Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) attempted to engage by using the “raise hand” feature during the Zoom call but were silenced when organizers lowered their hands, preventing them from speaking, the source said.
“I strongly agree with every word you just said, not a joke,” Biden said during the call, according to the source. “I’m being deadly earnest. We’re in a situation where, that’s why I used the executive action, for example, to make sure that over a million Latinos who are married to an American citizen are, get complete access to citizenship, and get — you get a green card now.”
Among the Democrats who managed to speak despite not being pre-selected was Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA). Levin made a bold statement, asserting that it was time for new leadership within the party and urging Biden to step down as the nominee. At the end of the call, Biden indicated he had time for one more question, but the host, Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), abruptly concluded the meeting. Despite this, Levin still made his voice heard.
Shortly after the call concluded, the congressman became the 19th Democratic member of Congress to urge Biden to withdraw from the race publicly. Increasing concern about Biden’s performance has prompted a notable number within the party to question whether he should continue his candidacy. Nearly two dozen Democratic Representatives and Senators have suggested publicly that Biden should step aside. On Wednesday, Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) became the first Democrat in the upper chamber to make such a call.
Reports suggest that former President Barack Obama may have been involved in George Clooney’s decision to write a critical op-ed for the New York Times urging Biden not to seek reelection. Joe Scarborough, host of “Morning Joe,” mentioned on his show that Obama is rumored to be “working behind the scenes” to orchestrate Biden’s exit from the upcoming presidential race. The speculation gained more traction after Politico reported that Clooney had a private conversation with Obama before the op-ed was published.
“I’ll say one thing that we do have to underline here so viewers can follow what’s going on behind the scenes, is the Biden campaign and many Democratic officials do believe that Barack Obama is quietly working behind the scenes to orchestrate this,” Scarborough claimed next to a stunned wife and co-host Mika Brzezinski.
Politico’s morning newsletter detailed a conversation between Clooney and Obama, where the A-list actor informed Obama of his decision to withdraw support for Biden’s reelection campaign. This development came shortly after Clooney hosted a high-profile fundraising gala attended by both Biden and Obama, which successfully raised significant funds for Biden’s campaign. During the event, an incident where Obama assisted Biden in navigating the stage highlighted concerns about Biden’s stamina.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.