In a shocking turn of events, Senator Peter Welch of Vermont made headlines on Wednesday by becoming the first Senate Democrat to publicly call for President Biden to end his reelection bid. Welch’s bold stance was detailed in an op-ed published by the Washington Post, where he expressed concerns about Biden’s disastrous debate performance and raised questions about his age and ability to effectively do the job.
“We cannot unsee President Biden’s disastrous debate performance. We cannot ignore or dismiss the valid questions raised since that night,” Welch wrote in his op-ed. “For the good of the country, I’m calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race.”
Welch went on to urge President Biden to reassess whether he is the best candidate to defeat former President Donald Trump. He highlighted how the growing concerns about Biden’s age and capacity have shifted the national conversation away from Trump’s flaws, giving Trump an opportunity to be emboldened by his activist Supreme Court.
“Trump is a felon. He is a pathological liar. He is a menace. And he is sure to be emboldened by his activist Supreme Court, which granted him near total immunity,” Welch emphasized. “But the national conversation is focused on President Biden’s age and capacity. Only he can change it.”
Despite Welch’s public plea for Biden to step aside, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, reaffirmed his support for President Biden. Schumer emphasized his commitment to ensuring that Donald Trump is defeated in November, regardless of the concerns raised by Welch and others.
The doubts about President Biden’s capacity have been swirling since his lackluster debate performance nearly two weeks ago. Biden attributed his poor performance to being tired and having a cold but remained firm in his decision to stay in the race. However, a number of Democrats in Congress, including nearly a dozen House Democrats, have publicly called for him to step aside.
Senate Democrats, other than Welch, have not gone as far as calling for Biden to withdraw from the race. However, those who have publicly called on him to step aside claim that there are many more in the party who agree with them behind closed doors.
Before Welch’s plea, Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado gave a critical public assessment of Biden, suggesting that Trump is on track to win the election and take control of the Senate and the House. Bennet expressed doubts about the White House’s plan to win the election and criticized the lack of action taken post-debate to demonstrate a strategy for victory.
President Biden faces two significant tests in the coming days as he tries to reassure his party and calm the alarm within the Democratic ranks. He is set to hold a rare solo news conference at the conclusion of the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., followed by an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt airing during primetime.
Another misstep by President Biden in either appearance could further erode support within the party and raise more questions about his ability to defeat Trump in the upcoming election.
As the political landscape continues to shift and tensions rise within the Democratic party, the future of President Biden’s reelection bid remains uncertain. Welch’s public call for Biden to withdraw from the race has sparked a debate within the party about the best path forward to ensure victory in November. Only time will tell how President Biden and the Democratic party will navigate these challenges in the weeks and months ahead.
