How Biden is buying time as he faces more calls to drop his reelection bid

On Monday, Biden He had anticipated the Democratic meeting in Congress and through a letter he told the legislators: “I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am determined to stay in this race.to run it to the end and defeat Donald Trump”.

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According to a report by the AFP agency, the leader of the Democratic minority in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffriesmet on Tuesday with colleagues who fear that the chaos caused by the debate could jeopardize their seats in the November 5 elections.

A congressman, who spoke to US media on condition of anonymity, described the meeting as “intense“Another said that The feeling was “virtually unanimous” that Biden should look for a replacement.

But at the party’s plenary meeting held later there were indications that Biden has gained ground, as several parliamentarians declared their loyalty to the president. Finally, the Democratic leadership in the Capitol He called for unity and closed ranks around the candidacy of the 81-year-old president.

Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer73 years old, settled the questions about the continuity of Biden as a candidate with several resounding “As I said before, I’m with Joe”reported the EFE agency.

Jerry Nadlerthe top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee House of Representativessupported him despite the fact that, according to the press, a few days ago he said that he should give way to another candidate.

Other Democratic leaders who supported Biden on Tuesday in the Capitol They are Maxine Waters, an 85-year-old lawmaker, and influential Jim Clayburn, 83.

“For now, the president Biden is a candidate and we support the candidate democrat that will defeat Donald Trump. It’s a fact. That’s where we are,” said Congressman Peter Aguilar after the meeting of the House Democrats. House of Representatives.

On Wednesday, Joe Biden

received the support of the AFL-CIO, the largest union in the United States and one of the main promoters of the vote for the Democrat. The president visited the union’s headquarters in Washington.

The ambiguity of Nancy Pelosi

But the AP noted that behind closed doors, several Democrats expressed deep concern about whether Biden can win in November, but They did not dare to publicly ask him to abandon his re-election bid.

For example, the press reported that former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosihas publicly maintained his support for Biden, but privately has expressed doubts about his ability to beat Trump.

Finally, on Wednesday Pelosi publicly suggested that Biden should rethink his reelection bid“It’s up to the president to decide whether he’s going to run. We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is of the essence,” he told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

When pressed to answer whether she personally wants Biden stay in the race, Pelosi said: “I want him to do whatever he decides to do”.

The first senator to warn that Biden will not win

On Tuesday night, there was one senator who publicly expressed his views on Biden’s candidacy. Michael Bennettfrom Colorado, told CNN who spoke at the meeting of the Democrats and He said the president cannot win in November.

“I said it behind closed doors”Bennet confirmed. “I think Donald Trump is on track to win this election and maybe win it by a landslide.and take the Senate and the House of Representatives with him.” He is the first Democratic senator to openly express himself in such terms.

“The White House, in the time since that disastrous debate, I think, has done nothing to really demonstrate that they have a plan to win this election,” he added.

Bennet stopped short of asking Biden to step downbut warned about what is at stake in the 2024 elections and said that Losing the House and Senate would be “an American tragedy.”

In response to comments from BennettBiden campaign spokesman, Kevin Munoztold CNN: “This was always going to be a close race, and the dynamics at play are ones we have long anticipated: Voters continue to be deeply concerned about Donald Trump and his harmful agenda, and the more we engage and reach out to voters, the more people support President Biden.”

CNN reported that senators Sherrod Brown and Jon Tester They also said privately during the meeting on Capitol Hill that Biden would not win. A source confirmed that Chuck Schumer told senators at the meeting that they should speak to the White House directly.

For her part, the senator from Washington Patty Murraythe top Democrat in the Senate, had said Monday that Biden should do more to show he can win.

“We need to see a much stronger and more energetic candidate. on the campaign trail in the very near future so that he can convince voters that he is up to the job,” Murray said.

A few days ago, the Illinois representative Mike Quigley He was one of the few Democrats who said firmly in public that he believes Biden should resign.

“He simply has to resign because he cannot win”“My colleagues must acknowledge that,” Quigley said.

“Biden buys time”

What will be the outcome? The international analyst Francisco Belaunde Matossian considers that Biden is buying time. He says that as the days go by, it will become more difficult for Democrats to see the possibility of seeking a replacement candidate.

“The Democratic Convention starts on August 19 and the days go by. Biden He has already said that he is going to be a candidate anyway,” Belaunde points out.

“You never know what’s going to happen, but as the days go by Biden is strengthened within the Democratic Party”, he emphasizes.

However, Belaunde also explains that After the debate, the president has become seriously vulnerable.

“The problem for Biden is that he is at the mercy of something similar to what happened to him in the debate happening to him.and then that situation will reinforce the doubts that weigh on his candidacy. A new survey may also appear that puts him lower than he is now. That is his big problem. He knows that time is on his side, but, I repeat, he was left at the mercy of whatever might happen to him and in that case they will once again ask for his replacement with greater force,” says Belaunde.

“Nancy Pelosi and other congressional leaders are hesitant to say outright that he should resign, and I understand that in the polls, the majority of Democrats think he should resign,” Belaunde said.

In that context, Trump’s victory in November can now be taken for granted? Belaunde thinks not.It’s too early to say that Trump has the table set to win the election. It is true that he is in a better position than Biden, but between now and November there could be a large mobilization in favor of the Democrat. So, to say that the Republican is already a winner is a bit hasty,” he notes.

Who has called for Biden’s resignation?

• Representative Mikie Sherrill, from New Jersey
• Representative Angie Craigfrom Minnesota
• Representative Lloyd Doggettfrom Texas
• Representative Seth Moultonfrom Massachusetts
• Representative Adam Smithfrom Washington
• Representative Mike Quigleyfrom Illinois
• Representative Raul Grijalvafrom Arizona
• The New York Timesthe largest newspaper in the United States.
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
• The Chicago Tribune
• The Boston Globe.
• Tim Ryanformer congressman from Ohio
• Julian Castroformer Housing Secretary under Barack Obama.
• Thomas Friedmancolumnist for The New York Times.
• Paul Krugmaneconomist and columnist for The New York Times
• David Ignatiuscolumnist for The Washington Post.
• Joe Scarboroughfrom the MSNBC television network.
• Nicholas Kristoffcolumnist for The New York Times
• Cenk Uygurjournalist and creator of The Young Turks, an influential leftist show.
• James CarvilleDemocratic political analyst.