Saturday, July 27, 2024
New Poll Shows Harris Has Evened The Presidential Election
The chart above reflects the results of the New York Times / Sienna College Poll -- done between July 22nd and 24th of a nationwide sample of 1,142 voters, with a 3.4 point margin of error.
The chart below shows the results between June 28th and July 2nd.
Wage Gains/Government Spending Not Cause Of Inflation
Robert Reich exposes the Republican lies about what is causing inflation:
You’ve probably been told that the main causes of rising prices are wage gains and excessive government spending. Wrong.
Prices have risen and remained high — especially in critical sectors such as energy, drugs, and food — largely because giant corporations have been raising their prices to increase their profits.
They can do this because they face such little competition.
Worried about sky-high airfares and lousy service? That’s largely because airlines have merged from 12 carriers in 1980 to only four today.
Concerned about drug prices? Between 1995 and 2015, 60 leading pharmaceutical companies merged to only 10.
Upset about food costs? Four large companies now control 85 percent of beef processing, 70 percent of the pork market, and 54 percent of poultry.
Worried about grocery prices? Just three giants — Albertsons, Kroger, and Walmart — control 70 percent of the grocery sales in 167 cities.
And on and on through almost every sector of the economy, including rental housing, adtech, chemicals, and health care.
Monopolies can raise prices and keep them high because they don’t face enough competitors charging lower prices and grabbing consumers away.
Right now, the Federal Reserve Board has responsibility for fighting inflation. When prices rise, the Fed raises interest rates to slow the overall economy.
But slowing the economy with high interest rates causes many people to lose jobs. It keeps wages low. And it raises credit card fees as well as the costs of home loans, car loans, and every other borrowing cost. These burdens fall especially hard on people with lower incomes.
A better way to avoid inflation and lower prices would be to fight pricing power at its source: Break up monopolies with antitrust laws, so that a handful of giant companies can’t artificially raise their prices.
Instead of relying solely on the Federal Reserve Board to tame prices, we should rely on monopoly-busters at the Federal Trade Commission and the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department.
Joe Biden’s appointees at the FTC and the Antitrust Division — Lina Khan and Jonathan Kanter, respectively — have been aggressive monopoly-busters, but much more needs to be done.
Will a President Kamala Harris keep the heat on?
Matt Stoller, on the Substack competition beat, believes she is likely to. He writes that Biden’s anti-monopolists have made so much progress to date — bringing cases against Amazon, Google, and Ticketmaster; halting the merger of Kroger and Albertsons; and issuing new rules on airlines, shipping, junk fees, credit cards, hearing aids, pharmaceuticals, and data — that the momentum would be hard to slow even if she wanted to. Moreover, the public has come to expect action against monopolies.
Maybe it’s just the optimism of the moment, but I think Stoller is correct and that Harris as president would be as much an economic populist as Biden, if not more.
Friday, July 26, 2024
Poll Shows Interest In Olympics Is Down In The U.S.
The chart is from the Gallup Poll -- done between July 1st and 21st of a nationwide sample of 1,010 adults, with a 4 point margin of error.
About 235,000 Workers Filed For Unemployment Last Week
In the week ending July 20, the a dvance figure for sea sona lly a djusted initial claims wa s 235,000, a decrea se of 10,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 243,000 to 245,000. The 4-week moving a vera ge wa s 235,500, a n increa se of 250 from the previous week's revised a vera ge. The previous week's average was revised up by 500 from 234,750 to 235,250.
Transcript: President Biden's Speech To Nation On Wednesday
On Wednesday night, President Biden spoke to the nation for the first time since dropping out of the presidential race. Here is what he said:
My fellow Americans, I’m speaking to you tonight from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. In this sacred space, I’m surrounded by portraits of extraordinary American presidents. Thomas Jefferson wrote the immortal words that guide this nation. George Washington, who showed us presidents are not kings. Abraham Lincoln, who implored us to reject malice. Franklin Roosevelt, who inspired us to reject fear.
I revere this office, but I love my country more.
It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president. But in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it’s more important than any title.
I draw strength and I find joy in working for the American people, but this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me. It’s about you, your families, your futures. It’s about we the people, and we can never forget that. And I never have.
I’ve made it clear that I believe America is at an inflection point, one of those rare moments in history when the decisions we make now will determine our fate of our nation and the world for decades to come.
America is going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division. We have to decide, do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and democracy? In this moment, we can see those we disagree with not as enemies, but as fellow Americans. Can we do that? Does character in public life still matter?
I believe you know the answer to these questions because I know you, the American people, and I know this, we are a great nation because we are a good people.
When you elected me to this office, I promised to always level with you, to tell you the truth. And the truth, the sacred cause of this country, is larger than any one of us, and those of us who cherish that cause cherish it so much, a cause of American democracy itself must unite to protect it.
You know, in recent weeks it’s become clear to me that I needed to unite my party in this critical endeavor. I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future all merited a second term, but nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy, and that includes personal ambition.
So I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That’s the best way to unite our nation. I know there is a time and a place for long years of experience in public life, but there’s also a time and a place for new voices, fresh voices, yes, younger voices, and that time and place is now.
Over the next six months, I’ll be focused on doing my job as president. That means I’ll continue to lower costs for hard-working families, grow our economy. I’ll keep defending our personal freedoms and our civil rights, from the right to vote to the right to choose. I’ll keep calling out hate and extremism, make it clear there is no place, no place in America for political violence or any violence ever, period. I’m going to keep speaking out to protect our kids from gun violence, our planet from climate crisis, is the existential threat.
And I will keep fighting for my for my cancer moonshot, so we can end cancer as we know it because we can do it. And I’m going to call for Supreme Court reform because this is critical to our democracy, Supreme Court reform. You know, I will keep working to ensure America remains strong and secure and the leader of the free world.
I’m the first president in this century to report to the American people that the United States is not at war anywhere in the world. We’ll keep rallying a coalition of proud nations to stop Putin from taking over Ukraine and doing more damage. We’ll keep NATO stronger, and I’ll make it more powerful and more united than at any time in all of our history. I’ll keep doing the same for allies in the Pacific.
You know, when I came to office, the conventional wisdom was that China would inevitably surpass the United States. That’s not the case anymore. And I’m going to keep working to end the war in Gaza, bring home all the hostages and bring peace and security to the Middle East and end this war.
We’re also working around the clock to bring home Americans being unjustly detained all around the world. You know, we’ve come so far since my inauguration. On that day, I told you as I stood in that winter — we stood in a winter of peril and a winter of possibilities, peril and possibilities. We were in the grip of the worst pandemic in the century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War, but we came together as Americans, and we got through it. We emerged stronger, more prosperous and more secure.
Today, we have the strongest economy in the world, creating nearly 16 million new jobs — a record. Wages are up, inflation continues to come down, the racial wealth gap is the lowest it’s been in 20 years. We’re literally rebuilding our entire nation, urban, suburban, rural and tribal communities. Manufacturing has come back to America.
We’re leading the world again in chips and science and innovation. We finally beat Big Pharma after all these years, to lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors, and I’m going to keep fighting to make sure we lower the cost for everyone, not just seniors.
More people have health care today in America than ever before. And I signed one of the most significant laws helping millions of veterans and their families who were exposed to toxic materials. You know, the most significant climate law ever, ever in the history of the world, the first major gun safety law in 30 years. And today, violent crime rate is at a 50-year low.
We’re also securing our border. Border crossings are lower today than when the previous administration left office. And I’ve kept my commitment to appoint the first Black woman to the Supreme Court of the United States of America. I also kept my commitment to have an administration that looks like America and be a president for all Americans.
That’s what I’ve done. I ran for president four years ago because I believed, and still do, that the soul of America was at stake. The very nature of who we are was at stake and that’s still the case. America is an idea, an idea stronger than any army, bigger than any ocean, more powerful than any dictator or tyrant.
It’s the most powerful idea in the history of the world. That idea is that we hold these truths to be self-evident. We’re all created equal, endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, life, liberty, pursuit of happiness. We’ve never fully lived up to it, to this sacred idea, but we’ve never walked away from it either and I do not believe the American people will walk away from it now.
In just a few months, the American people will choose the course of America’s future. I made my choice. I made my views known. I would like to thank our great Vice President Kamala Harris. She’s experienced, she’s tough, she’s capable. She’s been an incredible partner to me and a leader for our country. Now the choice is up to you, the American people.
When you make that choice, remember the words of Benjamin Franklin. It’s hanging on my wall here in the Oval Office, alongside the bust of Dr. King and Rosa Parks and Cesar Chavez. When Ben Franklin was asked as he emerged from the convention going on, whether the founders have given America a monarchy or republic, Franklin’s response was “a republic, if you can keep it.” A republic if you can keep it. Whether we keep our republic is now in your hands.
My fellow Americans, it’s been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years. Nowhere else on earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States, but here I am. That’s what’s so special about America.
We are a nation of promise and possibilities, of dreamers and doers, of ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things. I’ve given my heart and my soul to our nation, like so many others. I’ve been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people. I hope you have some idea how grateful I am to all of you.
The great thing about America is here kings and dictators do not rule, the people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands. We just have to keep faith, keep the faith and remember who we are. We’re the United States of America and there’s simply nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together.
So let’s act together, preserve our democracy. God bless you all and may God protect our troops. Thank you.
Thursday, July 25, 2024
Three New Polls Show The Presidential Race Is A Dead Heat
The Reuters / Ipsos Poll -- done on July 22nd and 23rd of a nationwide sample of 1,241 adults with a 3 point margin of error.
The NPR / PBS NewsHour / Marist Poll -- done on July 22nd of a nationwide sample of 1,117 registered voters with a 3.5 point margin of error.
The Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between July 21st and 23rd of a nationwide sample of 1,435 registered voters with a 3.1 point margin of error.
Hillary Clinton Strongly Endorses Kamala Harris For President
The following is part of an op-ed by Hillary Clinton in The New York Times in which she endorses Kamala Harris for president:
Elections are about the future. That’s why I am excited about Vice President Kamala Harris. She represents a fresh start for American politics. She can offer a hopeful, unifying vision. She is talented, experienced and ready to be president. And I know she can defeat Donald Trump.
There is now an even sharper, clearer choice in this election. On one side is a convicted criminal who cares only about himself and is trying to turn back the clock on our rights and our country. On the other is a savvy former prosecutor and successful vice president who embodies our faith that America’s best days are still ahead. It’s old grievances versus new solutions.
Ms. Harris’s record and character will be distorted and disparaged by a flood of disinformation and the kind of ugly prejudice we’re already hearing from MAGA mouthpieces. She and the campaign will have to cut through the noise, and all of us as voters must be thoughtful about what we read, believe and share. . . .
Ms. Harris will face unique additional challenges as the first Black and South Asian woman to be at the top of a major party’s ticket. That’s real, but we shouldn’t be afraid. It is a trap to believe that progress is impossible. After all, I won the national popular vote by nearly three million in 2016, and it’s not so long ago that Americans overwhelmingly elected our first Black president. As we saw in the 2022 midterms, abortion bans and attacks on democracy are galvanizing women voters like never before. With Ms. Harris at the top of the ticket leading the way, this movement may become an unstoppable wave.
Time is short to organize the campaign on her behalf, but the Labour Party in Britain and a broad left-wing coalition in France recently won big victories with even less time. Ms. Harris will have to reach out to voters who have been skeptical of Democrats and mobilize young voters who need convincing. But she can run on a strong record and ambitious plans to further reduce costs for families, enact common-sense gun safety laws and restore and protect our rights and freedoms. . . .
Ms. Harris is chronically underestimated, as are so many women in politics, but she is well prepared for this moment. As a prosecutor and attorney general in California, she took on drug traffickers, polluters and predatory lenders. As a U.S. senator, she rigorously questioned squirming Trump administration officials and nominees and was inspiring to watch. As vice president, Ms. Harris has sat with the president in the Situation Room, helping make the hardest decisions a leader can make. And when the extremist Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, she became the administration’s most passionate and effective advocate for restoring women’s reproductive rights.
I look forward to hearing her prosecute a compelling case against Mr. Trump, who failed as a president the first time and is running on a dangerous agenda. A second Trump term would be much worse than the first. Mr. Trump’s plans are more extreme, he is more unhinged, and the guardrails that constrained some of his worst instincts are gone. . . .
The vice president’s law enforcement experience gives her the credibility to rebut Mr. Trump’s lies about crime and immigration. The facts are on her side: After spiking under Mr. Trump, the murder rate is plummeting under the Biden-Harris administration. Illegal border crossings are also dropping fast and are now the lowest they’ve been since 2020, thanks in part to Mr. Biden’s recent executive order. We’d be making even more progress if Mr. Trump hadn’t killed a bipartisan immigration compromise in Congress this year for his own selfish political purposes.
As a friend and supporter of Mr. Biden, I find this a bittersweet moment. He is a wise and decent man who served our country well. We have lost our standard-bearer, and we will miss his steady leadership, deep empathy and fighting spirit. Yet we have gained much as well: a new champion, an invigorated campaign and a renewed sense of purpose.
The time for hand-wringing is over. Now it’s time to organize, mobilize and win.
Wednesday, July 24, 2024
I Was Wrong And So Was The Media - Biden Was Right
Last week, the Democratic Party was divided and seemed to be heading for defeat in the November election. I was supporting President Biden, believing that the party needed to stick with him to have a chance of winning.
Fortunately, the leader of the Democratic Party (President Biden) is one of the shrewdest politicians in this country. He knew that the chances of winning with a divided party were slim. And he also knew that with two elderly candidates (both of whom were seen as having failing mental faculties), many voters might just give up and stay home on Election Day.
So President Biden subdued his own ego and acted for the good of the country. He dropped out of the race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.
The media was also wrong. They repeatedly claimed that after Biden dropped out, the party division would continue as as several candidates would fight it out for the nomination.
That did not happen. The other possible candidates quickly endorsed Kamala Harris and the base coalesced around her. In the first 36 hours, the Harris campaign received over $100 million in donations (mostly from small donors). In that same time frame, more than enough convention delegates pledged to vote for her to assure her the nomination. And 28,000 new volunteers came on board to work for Democrats.
Today, Democrats are UNITED and excited about the prospect of defeating Trump. We can thank President Biden for that. He knew what needed to be done and he did it.
I was wrong, and so was the media. Fortunately, President Biden was right!
Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Most Americans Believe In Human Evolution
The chart above is from a Gallup Poll -- done between May 1st and 23rd of a nationwide sample of 1,024 adults, with a 4 point margin of error.
Note that 58% believe humans evolved from less advanced forms of life (34% say with god's guidance and 24% say without god). Only 37% say god created man in his present form.
Democrats Need To Embrace Harris To Defeat Trump
I was not one of those who wanted President Biden to step aside. But he has done so. And he has endorsed Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic nominee.
I agree. She is qualified, and ready to do battle with Donald Trump. And the most important issue in this campaign is keeping Donald Trump out of the White House. He is unfit, and his plans are downright frightening.
I have heard some talk of opening the race up for additional nominees. That should not happen. Time is running out to have a viable candidate, and we don't need any more arguments and party divisions. We need to unite immediately behind Kamala Harris, and begin fighting to keep Trump our of the White House.
Can Kamala Harris win the November election? Yes! I believe she can - but only if Democrats unite and turn out in massive numbers on Election Day. Trump's cult members will be voting. We must make sure we turn out in larger numbers (and convince Independents to join us).
Monday, July 22, 2024
Biden Drops Out - It's Now Kamala Harris Or Lose The Election
Will those who abandoned Biden accept Harris as the nominee? Or will they continue their ridiculous antics?
The chances of winning in November just got a lot smaller. But Harris just might pull it off if all Democrats immediately unite and fight for her. If they don't, then we are going to have another disastrous Trump presidency. And he may even get a Republican Congress (to make it easier for him to destroy our democracy).
I like VP Harris, and I think she's the only Democrat who can possibly win. If she is passed over, Black voters (and a lot of Whites also) will see it as racism and misogyny (and they would probably be right).
Add to this the fact that we are less than four months until the election. We don't have time for a divisive and rancorous fight among Democrats.
There are already some saying Harris should not be "coronated". They are wrong. She must have time to make her case before the American voters, and there is no time for another campaign fight. Give the nod to Harris or lose the election.
The Democrats who have been demanding Biden drop out have already stomped all over the right of Democratic voters to pick the nominee. They don't have the right to now call for a new campaign (which would be decided by party activists and bosses - not voters). It will not be a truly Democratic process, so the nod should go to the vice-presidential candidate.
It's Kamala Harris or Donald Trump who will be the next president.
The Congressional Democrats Who Knifed Biden In The Back
House members calling on Biden to exit presidential race
- Lloyd Doggett of Texas: He became the first Democratic lawmaker to call on Mr. Biden to drop out, saying on July 2 that he was "hopeful that [Mr. Biden] will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw."
- Raul Grijalva of Arizona: He told The New York Times on July 3 that what Mr. Biden "needs to do is shoulder the responsibility for keeping that seat — and part of that responsibility is to get out of this race."
- Seth Moulton of Massachusetts: He told CBS Boston on July 7 that George Washington chose not to run for a third term, and Mr. Biden should follow that cue on another term. "I think that can be President Biden's legacy as well," Moulton said. "He defeated Donald Trump once and then he was willing to hand power over to a new generation of leaders. That's the kind of amazing legacy that a great president like Biden deserves."
- Mike Quigley of Illinois: Quigley said on MSNBC on July 5, "Mr. President, your legacy is set. We owe you the greatest debt of gratitude. The only thing that you can do now to cement that for all time and prevent utter catastrophe is to step down and let someone else do this."
- Angie Craig of Minnesota: Craig, who represents a key swing district, said in a statement on July 6, "This is not a decision I've come to lightly, but there is simply too much at stake to risk a second Donald Trump presidency. That's why I respectfully call on President Biden to step aside as the Democratic nominee for a second term as President and allow for a new generation of leaders to step forward."
- Adam Smith of Washington: Smith on July 8 called on Mr. Biden to end his candidacy "as soon as possible." He said in a statement that presidential candidates "must be able to clearly, articulately, and strongly make his or her case to the American people. It is clear that President Biden is no longer able to meet this burden." Smith told CBS News that if Biden announced he was ending his bid, "there would be a huge sigh of relief amongst just about every Democrat in the House."
- Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey: In a statement posted to social media July 9 following a closed-door meeting among House Democrats, Sherrill praised Mr. Biden's presidency but said she was asking that he "declare that he won't run for reelection and will help lead us through a process toward a new nominee." Sherrill said the "stakes are too high — and the threat is too real — to stay silent."
- Pat Ryan of New York: He said in a social media post on July 10 that he's "asking Joe Biden to step aside" in the upcoming election to "deliver on his promise to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders." The vulnerable House Democrat said, "Joe Biden is a patriot but is no longer the best candidate to defeat Trump."
- Earl Blumenauer of Oregon: On July 10, Blumenauer wrote in a statement that he hoped Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden had "come to the conclusion that I and others have: President Biden should not be the Democratic presidential nominee." The 75-year-old congressman, who has served in the House since 1996, declared that "there is no question in my mind that we will all be better served if the president steps aside as the Democratic nominee and manages a transition under his terms. He has earned that right."
- Hillary Scholten of Michigan: In a statement posted to social media on July 11, Scholten praised Mr. Biden's first-term accomplishments, but said that "for the good of our democracy, I believe it is time for him to step aside from the presidential race and allow a new leader to step up." The congresswoman said that if Mr. Biden decides to continue his campaign, she will vote for him but believes "it's time to pass the torch."
- Brad Schneider of Illinois: On July 11, Schneider said in a statement that it's time for "Biden to heroically pass the torch to a new generation of leadership," which he said would give the president a chance to "seal his place in history as one of the greatest leaders our nation, and history, has ever known."
- Ed Case of Hawaii: Case said in a July 11 statement that his decision to call on the president to withdraw "has nothing to do with his character and record," but Mr. Biden's "ability to continue in the most difficult job in the world for another four-year term."
- Greg Stanton of Arizona: The congressman said in a statement on social media, "For the sake of American democracy, and to continue to make progress on our shared priorities, I believe it is time for the president to step aside as our nominee."
- Jim Himes of Connecticut: The ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee called on the president to withdraw after his solo NATO news conference on July 11. "Joe Biden's record of public service is unrivaled," Himes said. "His accomplishments are immense. His legacy as a great president is secure. He must not risk that legacy."
- Scott Peters of California: In a statement issued after Mr. Biden's July 11 news conference, Peters said, "The stakes are high, and we are on a losing course. ... We must find a candidate from our deep bench of talent who can defeat Donald Trump."
- Eric Sorensen of Illinois: In a post on social media following Mr. Biden's news conference to conclude the NATO summit on July 11, Sorensen wrote, "In 2020, Joe Biden ran for President with the purpose of putting country over party. Today, I am asking him to do that again. ... I am hopeful President Biden will step aside in his campaign for President."
- Brittany Pettersen of Colorado: On July 12, Pettersen shared a statement on her social media account urging Mr. Biden to step aside from the presidential race. She said he "saved our country once, and I'm joining the growing number of people in my district and across the country to ask him to do it again. Please pass the torch to one of our many capable Democratic leaders so we have the best chance to defeat Donald Trump."
- Mike Levin of California: Levin praised Mr. Biden's leadership and said he has respect for his decades in public services, but said in a statement that "the time has come for President Biden to pass the torch." The California Democrat went on to say that "it is time to move forward. With a new leader. Together."
- Adam Schiff of California: Schiff, who is running for Senate this fall, said in a statement that the nation is "at a crossroads," and "[a] second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the President can defeat Donald Trump in November." He added that he believes "it is time for him to pass the torch. And in doing so, secure his legacy of leadership by allowing us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election."
- Jim Costa of California: On July 18, Costa told CBS News that Mr. Biden should "pass the torch" and leave the 2024 race.
- Sean Casten of Illinois: In an op-ed published in the Chicago Tribune, Casten joined the growing number of Democrats calling on Mr. Biden to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for president. He wrote, "It is with a heavy heart and much personal reflection that I am therefore calling on Joe Biden to pass the torch to a new generation."
- Jared Huffman of California
- Marc Veasey of Texas
- Chuy Garcia of Illinois
- Mark Pocan of Wisconsin: Huffman, Veasey, Garcia and Pocan issued a joint statement on July 19 warning that widespread concerns about Mr. Biden's age and fitness for office are jeopardizing his campaign and said the "most responsible and patriotic thing" he can do is step aside as Democrats' nominee for president.
- Greg Landsman of Ohio: On July 19, Landsman released a statement calling for a change in the Democratic race. He said that after "hundreds" of discussions with constituents, he came to the conclusion that "it is time for President Biden to step aside and allow us to nominate a new leader who can reliably and consistently make the case against Donald Trump and make the case for the future of America."
- Zoe Lofgren of California: Lofgren told Mr. Biden in a letter dated July 18 that his candidacy for president is on a path to lose not only the White House, but potentially down-ballot House and Senate races. "It is for these reasons that I urge you to step aside from our party's nomination to allow another Democratic candidate to compete against and beat Donald Trump in the November election," she wrote.
- Betty McCollum of Minnesota: McCollum said in a July 19 statement that Mr. Biden should release his delegates and empower Harris to become the Democratic nominee. She said that if Harris becomes the Democratic nominee, she should select Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.
- Morgan McGarvey of Kentucky: McGarvey shared a statement to social media on July 19 stating, "there is no joy in the recognition [Mr. Biden] should not be our nominee in November."
- Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico: Vasquez said in a July 19 statement, "I believe too many of our fundamental freedoms and the wellbeing of our nation are at risk under a Trump presidency and President Biden should step aside to give Democrats the best opportunity to win this November."
- Mark Takano of California: Takano said in a July 20 statement, "It has become clear to me that the demands of a modern campaign are now best met by the Vice President, who can seamlessly transition into the role of our party's standard bearer," the statement read. "Joe, I love and respect you. But the stakes are too high to fail. It's time to pass the torch to Kamala."
- Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota: Phillips had challenged Mr. Biden for the Democratic nomination, but dropped out after he failed to win any contests and endorsed Mr. Biden. On "Face the Nation" on July 21, Phillips said "it is time to step aside and turn this over to a new generation," although Phillips said his endorsement "stays until he makes that decision."
Senators calling on Biden to exit presidential race
- Peter Welch of Vermont: In an op-ed that appeared in the Washington Post on July 10, Welch became the first senator to publicly call on Mr. Biden to drop out. "For the good of the country, I'm calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race," he wrote. Welch argued that "the national conversation is focused on President Biden's age and capacity. Only he can change it."
- Jon Tester of Montana: One of the most vulnerable Democrats running for reelection in 2024, Tester told the Daily Montanan on July 18 that he thought Mr. Biden should step aside for 2024. "Montanans have put their trust in me to do what is right, and it is a responsibility I take seriously. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and I've never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong," Tester said in a statement. "And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term."
- Martin Heinrich of New Mexico: In a statement on July 19, Heinrich, who is up for reelection, praised Mr. Biden's leadership, but said "this moment in our nation's history calls for a focus that is bigger than any one person" in calling for him to drop out: "While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden's alone, I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside. By passing the torch, he would secure his legacy as one of our nation's greatest leaders and allow us to unite behind a candidate who can best defeat Donald Trump and safeguard the future of our democracy."
- Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio: In a statement July 19, Brown — who is expected to face a tough reelection fight in November — said that "I think the President should end his campaign."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)