On a high-stakes day in Washington, President Joe Biden clung to the Democratic nomination, but the consequences of his reluctance to step up were highlighted when one of his party’s senators warned that Donald Trump may win in a “landslide.”
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Biden’s tenacity and march through his party’s primary nearly unchallenged left Democrats scared of November’s election in the wake of his disastrous debate performance, which left them saddled with a reduced candidate but powerless to change course.
The White House was successful in quelling rebellions in emotional Senate and House Democratic meetings on Tuesday, but even some Biden supporters expressed concerns about his tactics and ability to lead a winning campaign.
“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.”
Bennet’s comments do not reflect the public position of all Democratic senators, but there is no doubt that the debate and its aftermath have sparked widespread concern within the party.
Deep concern about the president’s chances loomed over unsettled Democratic senators and representatives in Washington on Tuesday, as heated debates took place behind closed doors at both ends of the US Capitol.
But no critical mass of lawmakers emerged to really challenge Biden’s candidacy, and the party’s Senate and House leaders expressed unequivocal, if not effusive, support for the president. Finally, Biden’s warning in a letter to Congress on Monday—”I am firmly committed to staying in this race”—and the fact that primary voters had spoken gave his detractors little room to intervene.
Biden will face a new test on Thursday, when he conducts a solo press conference at the conclusion of the NATO summit. Any slip-ups or uncertainty would peel off Biden’s delicate patch on the Democratic Party support dam.
The spectacle of a party discussing the viability, strength, and mental competence of its nominee less than four months before Election Day exemplifies the crisis that has gripped the president’s campaign. So yet, there is little evidence that Biden is willing to engage in saturation-level town halls, campaign rallies, and media blitzes, as many Democrats, including some who believe he should remain in the race, have urged him to do. Some Democrats now believe he is unlikely to win in November. And for all of them, the vibe is existential because Trump, the Republican presumptive nominee, has rarely been in a better political position since entering presidential politics.
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