As the 2020 presidential election heats up, doubts among Democratic lawmakers about President Joe Biden’s candidacy are growing. Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) sparked controversy on Sunday by suggesting that discussions are underway within the party on whether Biden should remain the nominee or potentially step aside.
Raskin, a long-time Biden supporter, candidly acknowledged that the president’s dismal performance in the first presidential debate against his predecessor, Donald Trump, has raised serious concerns. In an interview with MSNBC’s Ali Velsh, he remarked, “We’re having a serious conversation about what to do.”
While Raskin reiterated the party’s commitment to unity, insisting that Biden will remain at the forefront of discussions, his comments diverged from the public stance of many top Democrats who have defended the president’s performance despite acknowledging it was subpar. By contrast, Raskin’s openness to reevaluating the Democratic ticket has sparked concerns that the party may be reassessing its candidate.
Earlier this year, the Maryland representative talked down against Biden’s naysayers who raised questions about his mental acuity when special counsel Robert Hur’s nearly 400-page report regarding his decision not to prosecute Biden criminally described him as an “elderly man with a poor memory.”
In a separate statement, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) staunchly defended Biden, asserting that the incumbent’s “underwhelming” performance last Thursday was merely a setback paving the way for a comeback. Jeffries attributed the poor showing to Trump’s own struggles, saying that the former president’s daily troubles had created an opportunity for the Biden campaign to regroup and resurge.
