Biden has refused to budge, vowing to “return to the campaign next week” despite growing calls from Democrats to stop campaigning, and has even blasted party leaders for ousting him in 2016 to boost Hillary Clinton and help elect Donald Trump.
Former President Barack Obama, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and New York Sen. Chuck Schumer are three of the leading Democrats who appear to have advised the 81-year-old Biden to back down.
“Can we just take a moment to remember that the people who are trying to get rid of Joe Biden are the same people who literally brought us all Donald Trump?” Sources close to Biden mocked NBC News.
“In 2015, Obama, Pelosi and Schumer pushed aside Biden and supported Hillary. They were wrong then and they’re wrong now,” they added.
Polls before the 2016 presidential election showed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leading by as much as nine points, the source said.
“How did all of this go for you all in 2016? Maybe we should learn some lessons from 2016. One, polls are bullshit – just ask Secretary Clinton. And two, maybe Joe Biden is more connected to the actual American people than Obama, Pelosi and Schumer?” they ranted.
The Biden campaign’s counterattack came shortly after speculation grew that the president’s own party was turning against him over concerns about his mental and physical health.
On Friday, Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico became the third senator to call on Biden to “pass the baton to another nominee.”
“Joe Biden is one of the greatest presidents in modern history,” he said, “but this moment in our nation’s history requires a focus that is bigger than one person.”
Sens. Peter Welch (D-Vermont) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) joined 24 House Democrats in calling on Biden to withdraw.
On Thursday, Axios’ Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen reported that “several senior Democratic figures” believe Biden is now under such intense pressure to back down that he will eventually cave in.
Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, is widely considered the most likely candidate to succeed Biden.
Rumours of the president’s possible surrender began this week after he tested positive for COVID-19.
As of Friday, Biden had received his fourth dose of Paxlovidone and was experiencing “significant improvement.” White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor said:.
