Democratic politician publicly calls on Biden to resign

A Democratic House politician has become the first in his party to publicly call on US President Joe Biden to resign as the Democratic presidential candidate, saying Biden’s debate performance did not “effectively defend his many accomplishments”.

Texas Representative Lloyd Doggett said in a statement on Tuesday that Mr Biden should “make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw.”

“My decision to go public with these serious concerns was not made lightly, and it in no way diminishes my respect for all that President Biden has accomplished,” Doggett said.

“Given that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not to himself, I hope he makes the painful and difficult decision to withdraw.

“I respectfully appeal to him to do so.”

Mr. Doggett, who represents a congressional district in Austin and is serving his 15th term in Congress, is the first incumbent politician from his party to publicly say what many have been whispering behind closed doors since last week’s debate.

“I represent the heart of the congressional district that Lyndon Johnson once represented,” continued Mr. Doggett, who is the No. 2 Democrat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. “He made the painful decision to withdraw under entirely different circumstances. President Biden should do the same.”

Biden’s lackluster showing sparked immediate panic among even his most ardent supporters, prompting many to question whether the 81-year-old career politician is the strongest Democratic candidate to face Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, in November.

Biden himself admitted that the debate did not go well for him, but emphasized that he is ready to fight for a second presidential term.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, asked about the growing concerns among Democrats, said they respected the opinions and thoughts of concerned party members, adding: “That’s what sets this party apart from the other side.”

As for Mr. Doggett, she said: “He’ll have his own thoughts. He’ll be the one to talk about it.”

In addition to the White House, control of both houses of Congress will also be at stake in November, with Democrats having to defend significantly more Senate seats than Republicans.

Mr. Doggett’s statement came minutes after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in an interview with MSNBC on Tuesday that she thought it was “legitimate to ask” whether Mr. Biden’s volatile demeanor was just “an episode or a medical condition.”

“When people ask that question, it’s a legitimate question — for both candidates,” Ms. Pelosi said.

Ms Pelosi said she had not spoken to Mr Biden since the debate, but stressed that the president was “at the top of his game in terms of knowing the issues and what is at stake”.

It emerged Tuesday evening that Mr Biden had invited all Democratic governors to a meeting on Wednesday, in an attempt to shore up support among his party’s top leaders after last week’s volatile debate.

The discussion will likely take place mostly virtually because they were not authorized to discuss the timeline, which has not yet been publicly released, according to two people familiar with Biden’s plan, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Senator Bernie Sanders, Biden’s former Democratic opponent, told The Associated Press that while he is not certain the president will win in November, he does not want him to go, given what the party sees as Trump’s greatest threat to democracy.

“The presidential election is not a Grammy Award competition for best singer or artist. It’s about who has the best policies that affect our lives,” Mr. Sanders said.

“I will do everything in my power to get Biden re-elected.”