The New York Times has published a bombshell report detailing the private push by Democratic lawmakers to get President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid. The report is based on interviews with six people involved in the effort, which ultimately led to Biden endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris and dropping out of the race.
According to the report, Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader, had a tense meeting with Biden on July 13, 2024, where he warned the president that he had only a 5% chance of winning the election and that remaining in the race could tarnish his legacy. Schumer also told Biden that he would not be able to hold his caucus together if Biden continued to run.
Schumer’s meeting with Biden came after days of lawmakers in his caucus raising concerns about Biden’s age and electability. Obama, who had a fragile relationship with Biden due to his decision to support Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, also reportedly urged Schumer to tell Biden to step aside, but said he was the wrong messenger.
The report also reveals that tensions within the Democratic Senate caucus had reached a boiling point, with lawmakers “seething” over a letter that Biden’s team sent to members calling for an end to debate about the president’s path forward. Schumer demanded a meeting with Biden’s team to address the concerns of his caucus, warning that he could not hold his members back any longer.
Senator Jack Reed, a West Point graduate and former paratrooper, made his concerns about Biden’s fitness for office public, saying that he would only support the president if he could produce a public report from two neurologists and hold a press conference where anyone could ask questions.
Senator John Fetterman, who remained steadfast in his support for Biden, was scolded by Schumer for telling his fellow lawmakers that they had “no spine” for questioning the president’s chances.