U.S. President Joe Biden is facing fresh doubts about his re-election chances from key figures within his own party. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Hollywood star George Clooney have raised concerns, potentially influencing other Democratic lawmakers and donors. Additionally, two Senate Democrats have expressed their reservations about Biden’s ability to win in 2024.
During an appearance on MSNBC, Pelosi, a long-time Biden ally, emphasized the need for Biden to make a decision soon about his candidacy. While she did not definitively state that she wanted him to run, she urged her colleagues to hold back on public criticism during the ongoing NATO summit in Washington. “I’ve said to everyone: let’s just hold off. Whatever you’re thinking, either tell somebody privately, but you don’t have to put that out on the table until we see how we go this week,” Pelosi said.
Clooney, who co-hosted a fundraiser for Biden last month, withdrew his support in a damning opinion piece published in the New York Times. Clooney stated that Biden is no longer the same man he was in 2020 and expressed doubts about his ability to win the upcoming election. “It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020,” Clooney wrote. “We are not going to win in November with this president.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has also signaled privately that he is open to another Democratic candidate, according to Axios. However, Schumer reiterated his support for Biden in a public statement following the report.
In a significant move, Senator Peter Welch became the first Democratic senator to explicitly call for Biden to withdraw from the race. In an op-ed published late Wednesday, Welch expressed his concerns about Biden’s ability to lead the party to victory.
The Abandon Biden Campaign, which opposes Biden’s candidacy due to his handling of the Israel-Gaza war, urged Americans to call for Biden to step aside. Despite this, Biden remains adamant about staying in the race, insisting that he will defeat Donald Trump.
Biden’s recent debate performance, which was widely criticized, has further fueled concerns about his health and cognitive abilities. Despite Biden’s assurances that he had a bad night and is committed to staying in the race, the calls for him to reconsider are growing louder.
Pelosi and other Democratic leaders have expressed a desire to support Biden in whatever decision he makes but emphasize the urgency of making a decision soon. “I want him to do whatever he decides to do,” Pelosi said. “We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short.”
Biden’s campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and senior advisers are set to brief Senate Democrats on Thursday, aiming to quell dissent within the party.
Despite the mounting doubts, Biden continues to receive support from some quarters. During a recent meeting with labor leaders, Biden was greeted with raucous applause, discussing issues like high rents, expensive groceries, and lack of housing.
As the Democratic Party grapples with these internal divisions, the next few weeks will be critical in determining the direction of Biden’s campaign and the party’s strategy for the 2024 election.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story and its implications for the upcoming elections.