Democrats to Biden: "Time’s up. Get out."
The increase in new defectors suggests that the party has grown impatient and feels that a crucial juncture has been reached.
TroibNews 
A new surge of Democrats on Friday urged President Joe Biden to exit the race, marking a climax to a tumultuous week for his campaign, characterized by leaks and covert discussions about his potential withdrawal.
The day began with Rep. Sean Casten's op-ed, where he implored Biden to "pass the torch to a new generation."
Shortly afterward, four more House Democrats, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, issued a joint statement requesting Biden to step aside.
Subsequent calls followed throughout the day.
By evening, two senators had echoed these sentiments.
This development signals that the party's patience has worn thin, viewing this moment as critical. It also highlights Biden's struggle to quell the increasing demands from Democrats for him to step down since his poor performance in the June 27 debate. Over 30 Democrats have now urged him to withdraw, while top congressional leaders are privately advising him to reconsider his stance.
More Democrats are expected to join this chorus. House Democratic leadership aides, including those of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have informed members that if they wish to call on Biden to step aside, they should do so now, according to three insiders.
These aides are not promoting Biden's withdrawal, merely advising on the timing of such announcements. However, their stance suggests the time for covert discussions is over. Despite pressure from high-ranking party members, Biden remains steadfast in the race, showing no public signs of reconsideration.
When a lawmaker's office proposed a private call to Biden's campaign to voice concerns, a leadership aide suggested that private communication was now ineffective, an insider revealed.
A member in close contact with Jeffries' office plans to publicly request Biden's exit within the next 24 hours.
Following the early morning statement from House Democrats, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) also called on Biden to pass the torch, joining Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who made a similar plea late Thursday. Heinrich had previously voiced concerns but had not explicitly called for Biden's withdrawal. Later in the evening, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), another Democratic senator up for reelection in a state Trump won in 2020, also urged Biden to withdraw.
Brown's statement aligned with feedback from his constituents, advocating for Biden to end his campaign.
By the afternoon, Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), an ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — who is reportedly doing “everything in her power” to ensure Biden steps aside — joined the call, issuing separate statements. Subsequently, Reps. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) also voiced their concerns.
McCollum's statement suggested Vice President Kamala Harris consider Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as a running mate if she became the nominee. Lofgren argued that the party should not "do a coronation" of Harris but acknowledged her as the "leading candidate."
“I think kind of a mini primary, maybe a vetting hosted by former presidents including Obama and Clinton, would be helpful and help focus the attention,” Lofgren said on MSNBC. “And whoever emerges, including Kamala Harris, would be a stronger candidate than if we tried to exclude a transparent public process.”
Mia Ehrenberg, a spokesperson for Biden’s campaign, stated that they’re “clear-eyed” about some lawmakers feeling differently than the majority of Democrats in Congress.
“Unlike Republicans, we’re a party that accepts – and even celebrates – differing opinions,” she said in a statement.
In their statement, Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Chuy García (D-Ill.), and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) pointed out that the party has a “bench of young leaders,” specifically mentioning Vice President Kamala Harris. Veasey, a member of the Black Caucus, and García, part of the Hispanic Caucus, emphasized their political PAC's endorsement of Biden on Friday.
The four Democrats, who are vocal in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, stated: “We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign. These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last month’s debate and are now unlikely to change.”
They concluded: “We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing you can do in this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our party from the White House.”
Despite these pressures, Biden has been steadfast in his public commitment to remain in the race. His campaign seems resolute as well. “Absolutely the president’s in this race,” Jen O’Malley Dillon stated on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday.
“I’m not here to say this hasn’t been a tough several weeks for the campaign, there’s no doubt that it has been, and we’ve definitely seen some slippage in support,” O’Malley Dillon added. “But it has been a small movement.”
However, as more Democrats join the fray, this situation might change.
“I think our president is weighing what he should weigh, which is who is the best candidate to win in November and to carry forward the Democratic Party’s values and priorities in this campaign,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), one of Biden’s closest Senate allies and a co-chair of his 2024 campaign, said Friday at the Aspen Security Forum.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
The day began with Rep. Sean Casten's op-ed, where he implored Biden to "pass the torch to a new generation."
Shortly afterward, four more House Democrats, including members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, issued a joint statement requesting Biden to step aside.
Subsequent calls followed throughout the day.
By evening, two senators had echoed these sentiments.
This development signals that the party's patience has worn thin, viewing this moment as critical. It also highlights Biden's struggle to quell the increasing demands from Democrats for him to step down since his poor performance in the June 27 debate. Over 30 Democrats have now urged him to withdraw, while top congressional leaders are privately advising him to reconsider his stance.
More Democrats are expected to join this chorus. House Democratic leadership aides, including those of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have informed members that if they wish to call on Biden to step aside, they should do so now, according to three insiders.
These aides are not promoting Biden's withdrawal, merely advising on the timing of such announcements. However, their stance suggests the time for covert discussions is over. Despite pressure from high-ranking party members, Biden remains steadfast in the race, showing no public signs of reconsideration.
When a lawmaker's office proposed a private call to Biden's campaign to voice concerns, a leadership aide suggested that private communication was now ineffective, an insider revealed.
A member in close contact with Jeffries' office plans to publicly request Biden's exit within the next 24 hours.
Following the early morning statement from House Democrats, Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) also called on Biden to pass the torch, joining Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who made a similar plea late Thursday. Heinrich had previously voiced concerns but had not explicitly called for Biden's withdrawal. Later in the evening, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), another Democratic senator up for reelection in a state Trump won in 2020, also urged Biden to withdraw.
Brown's statement aligned with feedback from his constituents, advocating for Biden to end his campaign.
By the afternoon, Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), an ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — who is reportedly doing “everything in her power” to ensure Biden steps aside — joined the call, issuing separate statements. Subsequently, Reps. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), Kathy Castor (D-Fla.), Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.), and Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) also voiced their concerns.
McCollum's statement suggested Vice President Kamala Harris consider Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as a running mate if she became the nominee. Lofgren argued that the party should not "do a coronation" of Harris but acknowledged her as the "leading candidate."
“I think kind of a mini primary, maybe a vetting hosted by former presidents including Obama and Clinton, would be helpful and help focus the attention,” Lofgren said on MSNBC. “And whoever emerges, including Kamala Harris, would be a stronger candidate than if we tried to exclude a transparent public process.”
Mia Ehrenberg, a spokesperson for Biden’s campaign, stated that they’re “clear-eyed” about some lawmakers feeling differently than the majority of Democrats in Congress.
“Unlike Republicans, we’re a party that accepts – and even celebrates – differing opinions,” she said in a statement.
In their statement, Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Marc Veasey (D-Texas), Chuy García (D-Ill.), and Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) pointed out that the party has a “bench of young leaders,” specifically mentioning Vice President Kamala Harris. Veasey, a member of the Black Caucus, and García, part of the Hispanic Caucus, emphasized their political PAC's endorsement of Biden on Friday.
The four Democrats, who are vocal in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, stated: “We must face the reality that widespread public concerns about your age and fitness are jeopardizing what should be a winning campaign. These perceptions may not be fair, but they have hardened in the aftermath of last month’s debate and are now unlikely to change.”
They concluded: “We believe the most responsible and patriotic thing you can do in this moment is to step aside as our nominee while continuing to lead our party from the White House.”
Despite these pressures, Biden has been steadfast in his public commitment to remain in the race. His campaign seems resolute as well. “Absolutely the president’s in this race,” Jen O’Malley Dillon stated on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday.
“I’m not here to say this hasn’t been a tough several weeks for the campaign, there’s no doubt that it has been, and we’ve definitely seen some slippage in support,” O’Malley Dillon added. “But it has been a small movement.”
However, as more Democrats join the fray, this situation might change.
“I think our president is weighing what he should weigh, which is who is the best candidate to win in November and to carry forward the Democratic Party’s values and priorities in this campaign,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), one of Biden’s closest Senate allies and a co-chair of his 2024 campaign, said Friday at the Aspen Security Forum.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
