Biden campaign latest: Sen. Joe Manchin calls on president to drop out of 2024 race – live updates | US Election 2024
Joe Biden’s campaign leaders appear to be struggling to allay concerns among major Democratic donors about his candidacy.
In one striking example, a major donor called a conference call Friday with Kamala Harris “ridiculous,” NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor reported.
The appeal, which attracted some 300 donors, was reportedly described as “mishandled” and “rushed” by another donor.
The call, which included donors ranging from die-hard Biden supporters to hard-line skeptics, was organized by Jen O’Malley Dillon, the Democratic presidential candidate’s campaign chair. Biden’s campaign advisers asked the vice president to participate in the call, the report said.
“We know which candidate in this election puts the American people first: our president, Joe Biden,” Harris reportedly told donors. “Every decision he makes in the Oval Office, he thinks about the impact it will have on American workers. And I see that every day.”
She also insisted that Biden could beat Donald Trump in the election. “That’s something I believe in my heart,” Harris said, according to Alcindor’s report Saturday. “That’s something I feel strongly that you all should hear and take with you when you leave. And tell your friends, too. We’re going to win this election. We’re going to win.”
Donors’ criticism of the call appears to have come from supporters who allegedly gave them instructions on how to act. While waiting for Harris to speak, they were “warned” not to publicly oppose Biden, the report said.
“Please help us turn down the volume on this conversation publicly,” Melissa Morales, who leads Somos Votantes, reportedly said on the call. “It’s time to put an end to the leaks and rumors that are circulating. Your message has been heard and received. But every day that we continue this chaotic public conversation, we move closer to defeat — no matter who the candidate is.”
A source told Alcindor that this had angered some participants in the call. “These are donors who are not used to being reprimanded and told what to do,” she reportedly said.
Updated at 12:28 p.m. EDT
As questions continue to swirl around Biden’s presidential campaign, he has vowed to continue protecting the U.S. Constitution and called for calm.
In a message posted to X this morning, Biden wrote:
“I will continue to stand up loudly for our democracy, defend our Constitution and the rule of law, and call for action at the ballot box, not violence in our streets. That is how democracy should work.”
While Biden’s call for peace is not an isolated one — his political rival survived an apparent assassination attempt last week — the words won’t be enough to quell speculation about his ability to stay in the race for president. Biden promises to protect American democracy, but doesn’t specifically say in the missive that he will do so as a candidate.
Updated at 11:40 a.m. EDT
Sen. Joe Manchin Calls on Biden to Drop Campaign
Sen. Joe Manchin on Sunday urged President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 race, saying on CNN’s State of the Union: “I made this decision with a heavy heart (and) I think it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation.”
Manchin’s comment comes as about 30 congressional Democrats have pushed for Biden to step down following his disastrous debate performance — raising questions about his ability to defeat Donald Trump.
“I am genuinely concerned about the health and well-being of the president,” Manchin said on ABC’s “This Week.” Manchin, who was a Democrat, is now an independent.
Four Democratic senators also want Biden to withdraw from the race: Peter Welch of Vermont, Jon Tester of Montana, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
Biden has remained defiant in the face of calls to withdraw from the race.
Updated at 11:40 a.m. EDT
Sunday Political Blog
Hello on this beautiful Sunday and welcome to the Guardian US political live blog.
The 2024 election continues to dominate the news, with one big question: Will President Joe Biden stay in the race?
Biden has vowed not to give up despite calls from several influential Democrats and major donors for him to step down, following a disastrous debate performance against Republican rival Donald Trump more than two weeks ago.
Biden, who claimed to have caught a cold during the highly anticipated showdown, struggled to give answers that might have been relevant. Biden’s quiet voice, combined with mumbling and dull energy, raised new questions about his physical and mental fitness to run for another term.
Biden gave several interviews after the debate, but they were not enough to allay those concerns, as he repeatedly reiterated his candidacy rather than creating confidence in his political viability. Biden told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that he would need to hear from “the Lord Almighty” to abandon his campaign.
Biden told Complex’s Chris “Speedy” Morman that he was “1,000 percent” determined to stay in the race, “unless he gets hit by a train.” And he told BET’s Ed Gordon that a “health issue” would be the only thing that could push him out.
Biden said at a pivotal news conference that he would quit the race if his advisers told him there was no chance of winning, but he insisted: “Nobody says that. No poll says that.”
But Biden, who if reelected would be 86 at the end of his second term, faces tight polls in key battleground states. And Trump, who survived an apparent assassination attempt last week, has presented himself as a physical counterweight to Biden, emphasizing his vigor and defiance.
Stay tuned to the blog for the latest political news today.
Updated at 11:59 a.m. EDT
