Joe Biden has declared that nothing would make him reconsider his decision to remain in the 2024 presidential election unless polling data showed “there’s no way you can win,” in what is a truly bizarre speech even for him.
During a news conference, Biden responded to a reporter’s question, who asked if he would reconsider his decision to stay in the race if his campaign team provided data that shows Kamala Harris would do better against Donald Trump.
Biden’s remark came amidst growing calls from his fellow Dems urging him to exit the race after he flunked his debate with Trump last month. Biden was also asked if he would release his Democratic National Convention delegates to “vote their conscience.”
This could set up the first seriously contested Democratic convention presidential nomination fight in more than five decades. The president responded, in a whisper, that:
“Obviously, they’re free to do whatever they want. But I get overwhelming support. Overwhelming support. I won… I forget how many votes I won in the primary, overwhelming.”
He added, “So tomorrow if all of a sudden I show up at the convention, and everybody says we want somebody else? That’s the democratic process.” He concluded with an, “It’s not gonna happen.”
In the same weird speech, Biden called Harris “Vice President Trump,” and said he picked him because he is “qualified to be President.”
Earlier at the NATO summit, he botched an introduction of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by calling him “President Putin,” which is as funny as it is concerning.
Shortly after the news conference, Representative Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, once again called for Biden to withdraw from the race.
Himes praised Biden’s remarkable leadership and public service but suggested that he steps down for the greater good of the party and the country. In his words:
“The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA authoritarianism. I no longer believe that is Joe Biden.”
Representative Scott Peters shares the same concern. He stressed the high stakes of the election and expressed concerns that the current trajectory is a losing one. “The stakes are high, and we are on a losing course,” Peters said.
