President Biden is digging in his heels and vowing to get “back on the campaign trail next week” despite mounting calls from Democrats to stand down — even lashing out at his party’s leaders and accusing them of helping Donald Trump get elected in 2016 when they cast him aside to boost Hillary Clinton.
Former President Barack Obama, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and New York Sen. Chuck Schumer are just three of the powerful Dems who have apparently counseled Biden, 81, to throw in the towel.
“Can we all just remember for a minute that these same people who are trying to push Joe Biden out are the same people who literally gave us all Donald Trump?” a source close to Biden scoffed to NBC News.
“In 2015, Obama, Pelosi, Schumer pushed Biden aside in favor of Hillary; they were wrong then, and they are wrong now,” they added.
In the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election, polls indicated that former Secretary of State Clinton was leading by as much as nine points, the source noted.
“How did all this work out for everyone in 2016? Perhaps we should learn a few lessons from 2016; one of them is polls are BS — just ask Secretary Clinton. And two, maybe, just maybe, Joe Biden is more in touch with actual Americans than Obama-Pelosi-Schumer?” they ranted.
The Biden camp clapback comes on the heels of mounting speculation that the president’s own party might be turning on him due to concerns about his mental and physical fitness.
On Friday, New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich became the third senator to call on Biden to “pass the torch” to another candidate.
“Joe Biden is one of the most accomplished presidents in modern history,” he said. “However, this moment in our nation’s history calls for a focus that is bigger than any one person.”
Sens. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) have also urged Biden to withdraw, along with two dozen House Democrats.
On Thursday, Axios’ Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen reported that “several top Democrats” believe that Biden is now under such intense pressure to step back that he will eventually give in.
Vice President Kamala Harris, 59, is widely believed to be Biden’s most likely replacement on the ticket.
Rumors about the president’s possible capitulation came as he tested positive for COVID-19 this week.
As of Friday, Biden had completed his fourth round of PAXLOVID and his symptoms had “improved meaningfully,” White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor said.
