Post Report
Obama clearly doesn’t think the Covid-stricken president can beat Trump, who not only survived an assassination attempt but also came up swinging and ready to fight.
Obama “has told allies in recent days that President Biden’s path to victory has greatly diminished and he thinks the president needs to seriously consider the viability of his candidacy, according to multiple people briefed on his thinking,” the Post reported:
Obama has spoken with Biden only once since the debate, and he has been clear in his conversations with others that the future of Biden’s candidacy is a decision for the president to make. He has emphasized that his concern is protecting Biden and his legacy, and has pushed back against the idea that he alone can influence Biden’s decision-making process.
Behind the scenes, Obama has been deeply engaged in conversations about the future of Biden’s campaign, taking calls from many anxious Democrats, including former House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and has shared his views about the president’s challenges, according to people with knowledge of the calls, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.
Like many Democrats, the Post continued, Obama worries that Trump will undo Biden’s “legacy” because a sound shellacking of Biden might also turn Capitol Hill over to GOP control. Obama also believes that Trump’s chance of winning is increasing, and that the polls show it.
Biden, or at least his people, are stalwart. “He is not wavering on anything,” campaign spokesman Quentin Fulks told the Post. “The president has made his decision. I don’t want to be rude, but I don’t know how many more times we can answer that.”
While Obama spoke with Biden after his calamitous debate with Trump, “Obama’s concerns about Biden’s candidacy have only grown deeper, the people familiar with the matter said, the Post continued:
Meanwhile, some of Biden’s aides have fumed about Obama’s role in these conversations, blaming him for not keeping the party united behind Biden’s candidacy. After the debate, Obama posted a supportive message on social media for Biden.
“Bad debate nights happen,” Obama wrote. “Trust me, I know. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself.”
Biden aides say Obama could have stopped leftist thespian George Clooney from publishing his hit piece in The New York Times in which he urged Biden to quit because he is too old.
Instead, Obama said nothing, as Politico reported.
Democrats, Donors Running From Biden
Another showbiz bigwig who wanted Clooney to keep his mouth shut was Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Post reported. Then again, as Semafor reported, Katzenberg told Biden privately that donors will not fund his campaign. Katzenberg denied the report.
Hollywood big shots want Biden to quit, and as The New York Times reported, big donors are withholding some $90 million from Future Forward, the main Biden Super PAC.
Upshot is, top Democrats are terrified that Trump will cream Biden in November.
As Axios reported, top Democrats expect to push Biden out “as soon as this weekend.”
“The top leaders of his party, his friends and key donors believe he can’t win, can’t change public perceptions of his age and acuity, and can’t deliver congressional majorities,” the website reported:
The president is being told that if he stays in, former President Trump could win in a landslide and wipe away Biden’s legacy and Democrats’ hopes in November.
“His choice is to be one of history’s heroes, or to be sure of the fact that there’ll never be a Biden presidential library,” one of Biden’s bosom pals told Axios. “I pray that he does the right thing. He’s headed that way.”
Aside from that, top leaders in the House and Senate are pushing the 81-year-old president to quit, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, both of New York. The Clintons have kept their mouths shut, a sign they don’t support Biden.
Biden’s top aides, “including ones who initially urged him to fight on after his disastrous debate on June 27 — 21 days ago — are saying it’s now when, not if, Biden announces he’s not running,” Axios reported.
Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris has also been under increased scrutiny as discussions about Biden’s potential withdrawal continue. The poll found her overall favorability rating to be 43 percent, which is 5 points greater than Biden’s. A slightly lower share of Americans hold an unfavorable opinion of her compared to both Trump and Biden. Among Democrats, her support currently stands at 74 percent.
