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Despite having COVID-19, US President Joe Biden has had no respite from calls for him to step aside from the presidential race. On Sunday, Sen. Joe Manchin, a former Democrat who still caucuses with the party and whom Biden has historically respected for his opinion, told Jake Tapper on CNN that Biden should step aside to preserve his legacy and pass the baton of power.
“He will go down with a legacy unlike many people, as one of the finest and truly a [patriotic] American,” Manchin said in another interview with ABC News. “The time has come for him to pass the torch to a new generation.”
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Manchin said the growing chorus within the party for Biden to step aside and from donors had shifted his perspective on Biden’s chances in the race following his disastrous first debate performance in June.
Some in the party have floated a “blitz primary” idea that would see a swift competition for the presidential nomination; most recently, as Semafor’s Shelby Talcot reported, a memo has been circulating laying out steps to game out replacing Biden. The President, meanwhile, insisted over the weekend that he is not quitting and will return to campaigning this week.
Separately, Hillary and Bill Clinton reportedly signaled their tacit support for Biden, urging donors not to stop giving to the campaign, according to multiple reports citing sources familiar with the conversations. Speaking to CNN, a source pointed out that if Biden remains the nominee, then the party needs to rally behind him regardless.