As the list of Democrats in Congress calling for President Joe Biden to end his reelection bid grows, megadonors are joining efforts to urge the president to end his campaign.
According to a New York Times report, Democratic donors told the largest pro-Biden super PAC, Future Forward, they would not produce $90 million unless the president were to drop out of the race. The Times cited two sources briefed on the conversations.
President Biden has vowed to stay in the race as he continues to campaign weeks ahead of the upcoming Democratic National Convention. He held a news conference Thursday night, his first of 2024, as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s conference in Washington came to a close.
Whitney Tilson, a Democratic Party donor, said President Biden did well displaying his knowledge of foreign policy during Thursday’s news conference, but the performance was too little, too late.
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“It’s sort of like he completed a 10-yard pass, which is great, but down by 14 with two minutes to play, it actually reduces your chances of winning,” he said.
Tilson told Scripps News he believes there is a 95% chance President Biden will drop out of the race.
“Incredible supporters of the Democratic Party who are talking to Democrats in Congress, in the White House, up and down all across the country, it is clear that there is virtually zero support among all Democratic members in Congress, House and Senate for remaining the nominee, and that will be communicated with him,” Tilson said. “A lot of people have held back on saying so publicly because they feel a private approach that lets him exit with dignity is better, and also didn’t want to undermine him during this. But the dam has clearly broken.”
But even if President Biden drops out of the race, what happens next is not going to be easy for Democrats. There will be questions over whether the nomination should automatically go to Vice President Kamala Harris, or if other Democrats should vie for the nomination.
“I am absolutely emphatically opposed to simply anointing or coordinating Harris as the nominee,” Tilson said. “I think there would be an absolute outcry among all Democrats at the party bosses or Biden to have a candidate down our throats. I think well of her. I would be happy to support her, but she has to earn it.”
