Senator Chuck Schumer of New York sat in the foyer of President Biden’s Rehoboth Beach house, tired and tense, rehearsing out loud what he planned to say to make a blunt case for the president to drop his bid for a second term. It was July 13, 2024, a humid summer afternoon, and Schumer was about to tell Biden that no more than five of his fellow Democratic senators would support him continuing to run, with only a 5% chance of winning against Donald J. Trump, according to Biden’s own pollsters.
Schumer argued that if Biden refused to step aside, the consequences for Democrats and his own legacy would be catastrophic, with Biden going down in American history as one of the darkest figures. He urged Biden to drop out, saying, “If I were you, I wouldn’t run, and I’m urging you not to run.”
This was a central piece of the untold story of how Schumer and congressional Democrats, who had spent years batting away suggestions that Biden was too old and mentally frail to be president, ultimately led the effort to pressure Biden to step aside. The article is based on interviews with half a dozen people who participated in that private push, who recounted their parts in it on the condition of anonymity for a forthcoming book, “Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man With Rats in His Walls Broke Congress.”
Schumer had been concerned that Biden was going to lose to Trump and cost Democrats Congress. While he thought Biden was capable of the job, he worried about the Republican messaging machine relentlessly targeting him as old and senile, and Democrats struggling to land attacks on Trump. On June 26, after the disastrous debate performance, Schumer saw it as a forcing mechanism to start an overdue discussion about Biden’s political viability.
That night, about two dozen House Democrats gathered for a watch party, but the atmosphere turned quickly after Biden’s performance. Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the minority leader, told the group, “Calm is an intentional decision,” and many were in a panic. Schumer had a similar message for donors and lawmakers, telling them, “We’ll have to see.”
As the days passed, people called Schumer’s flip phone, pleading with him to tell Biden to step down. Schumer’s message to everyone was, “Do not be public. That will get his back up, and you’ve got to let the dust settle. But if you can, call whoever you know in the campaign. Call the White House.” Many lawmakers thought waiting was the wrong strategy, and some, like Representative Jamie Raskin, chose to speak out publicly.
Schumer eventually delivered a blunt message to Biden, telling him about the lack of support from his fellow senators and the 5% chance of winning. He urged Biden to “reflect on his own legacy and what’s best for the country.” Biden was silent, but later said he didn’t argue, and didn’t shout. He asked if Kamala Harris could win, and Schumer said she had a much better chance than Biden did. The meeting ended with Biden saying, “I need a week,” and Schumer broke down in tears, hoping he had gotten through to him.