New York Times columnist Bret Stephens suggested this week that President Biden should step aside and let a rising Democrat take his place in the presidential race.
in An editorial was published Stevens argued on Tuesday that Biden’s only option for winning a national “victory” was to withdraw from the race and hand the reins to either Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) or Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D). Shapiro, 50, and Whitmer, 52, are Biden’s top re-election opponents as he hopes to solidify victories in their respective states.
“The president has only one choice left that would be a victory for America and ultimately a historic milestone: he can choose not to run. He can vote for Josh Shapiro or Gretchen Whitmer, cede the line to a winnable Democrat, and take the difficult, courageous action necessary to ensure the safety and peace of the free world,” Stevens wrote.
“There is still time, even if it is just a little while. It will be a courageous, honorable and transformative legacy,” he added.
Stevens also wrote that Biden needs to win at home and abroad to gain the support of voters. In an op-ed titled “The Bravest Thing Joe Biden Can Do,” she argued that the president’s only option is to get another Democrat to take his place in the election.
“Biden is sleepwalking to lose to a vicious opponent who incited violence to overturn an election three years ago,” Stevens said of Biden. Low approval rating.
Stevens wrote that Biden “desperately needs a real victory, not a superficial one.”
He criticized the president for his handling of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, suggesting that to ensure victory, Biden needs to approve the sending of more U.S. weapons to war-torn Ukraine, including F-16 fighter jets that were promised last year.
He also said a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas would not be a “real” victory for Biden, suggesting instead that Biden could “save” the situation by reaching a deal with Saudi Arabia.
Biden and former President Trump are heading into a rematch of the 2020 election in what is expected to be a close contest, with Trump leading Biden by just one point in the Hill/Decision Desk national polling average. But neither candidate has more than 50% support, according to the polling average.
In a December 2021 column, Stevens urged Biden not to run for reelection.
The Hill has reached out to the Biden campaign for comment on the latest column.
