Biden’s political standing is rapidly unraveling as a critical news conference approaches

A tumultuous 24 hours have severely undermined Joe Biden’s reelection campaign, leaving him to face what might be the most intense presidential news conference in modern history on Thursday.

As Biden’s political standing declined dramatically, the stakes for his solo appearance after the NATO summit have escalated. From Congress to Hollywood, supporters urged him to step aside for the good of the party and the country, with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi signaling that Biden should reconsider his options.

This insurrection, though initially limited to a small group of congressional Democrats, appears to reflect deeper fears on Capitol Hill that ex-President Donald Trump could orchestrate a GOP landslide, potentially granting conservatives dominance over Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court.

Some Democrats worry that the 81-year-old Biden’s decision to run again, despite his weakened debate performance, could jeopardize the democracy he aims to protect.

Despite his poor political standing even before the debate debacle, Biden remains steadfast in his decision not to pass the torch to a younger Democrat. However, three factors could render his position untenable: a fracturing of support within his party, dwindling fundraising, and unfavorable polling data. As Biden greeted world leaders at the NATO summit on Wednesday, discussing Ukraine’s future, these elements were coalescing into a potentially decisive challenge.

Biden’s hopes for a second term hinge on Thursday’s news conference set exactly two weeks after his faltering debate performance, which sent his campaign into a tailspin. The event is the latest in a series of public appearances that have scrutinized Biden’s health and cognitive abilities, with any slip-up potentially leading to a political disaster. Any signs of confusion or impaired reasoning could solidify the perception of his frailty, igniting further Democratic dissent.

The ground beneath the president is shifting
The day began with Pelosi, still, a significant party figure, challenging Biden’s assertion that the debate performance and his nomination were settled issues. On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” she remarked that the decision to run was Biden’s alone—a statement widely interpreted in Washington as a suggestion for Biden to reconsider. It appeared Pelosi was offering Biden another opportunity to step aside gracefully after his earlier declaration, “I’m not going anywhere.”

Throughout the day, similar messages came from lawmakers. Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus which has supported Biden, told CNN, “If we are embarking on a political suicide mission, we should at least be honest about it.” Moderate Rep. Pat Ryan, another New Yorker, urged Biden to honor his promise of being a bridge to a new generation of leaders. “Trump is an existential threat to American democracy; we must present the strongest candidate against him. Joe Biden is a patriot but is no longer the best candidate to defeat Trump.”

By Wednesday evening, Vermont Sen. Peter Welch became the first Democratic senator to call for Biden’s withdrawal publicly. “He saved us from Donald Trump once and wants to do it again. But he needs to reassess if he is the best candidate for the job. In my view, he is not,” Welch wrote in a Washington Post op-ed.

Top Biden campaign officials plan to meet with Democratic senators Thursday to advocate for the president, but a staff briefing falls short of the decisive action members are demanding to prove Biden’s strength against Trump.

As recently as Tuesday evening, Biden appeared to have halted the momentum against him. Yet, within 24 hours, his support was rapidly eroding, casting doubt on the party’s ability to unite behind him at the Democratic National Convention in August if many lawmakers believe their presidential nominee spells defeat.

Lawmakers’ concerns are significant because they resonate with voters and reflect polling data in their states, leading to the conclusion that Biden not only cannot win but—according to Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet on CNN Tuesday—could enable Trump to secure a landslide victory and implement his authoritarian agenda.

Top Democratic leaders in Congress have yet to call for Biden to step down, and the president still has defenders. Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, a Biden ally and campaign co-chair, told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Wednesday: “He’s going to be our nominee at the convention. He is going to be our candidate in the fall. He will be the next president of the United States.” Sen. John Fetterman, representing the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania, told CNN’s Erin Burnett it would be a “disgrace to discard and push out an amazing president,” adding he’d come to Thursday’s Senate Democratic meeting with brass knuckles to defend Biden.

However, growing frustration and indications of Biden’s declining support are casting a shadow over the party’s hopes in November, prompting Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to convey members’ concerns to Biden.

Biden isn’t the ‘big F-ing deal’ of 2010
The most personally painful defection for Biden came from actor and Democratic mega-donor George Clooney, who appeared at a fundraiser with the president just last month. The “Good Night, and Good Luck” director and star expressed admiration for Biden’s morals, character, and presidency but wrote in a New York Times op-ed, “The Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010.” Clooney continued, “He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate. … We are not going to win in November with this president.”

Clooney’s piece highlights how Biden’s predicament has transcended political controversy to become a deeply personal and public ordeal, with his health and declining capacities under harsh scrutiny.

Clooney’s influence extends beyond typical celebrity endorsement due to his deep connections with Democratic officeholders and donors. He is not the only disillusioned donor. In another warning sign for Biden’s candidacy, a Democratic strategist told CNN, “Everything is frozen because no one knows what’s going to happen. Everyone is in wait-and-see mode,” noting that funding is on hold pending the outcome of Biden’s Thursday news conference and interviews. NBC “Nightly News” anchor Lester Holt will interview the president on Monday, the network announced.

Since the debate, Biden has slipped in public polling. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, locked in a tight Senate race in Michigan, told donors on a video call Tuesday that Biden was trailing Trump in private polling in her state, the New York Times reported. If Biden cannot carry Michigan, as he did in 2020, his path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the White House becomes negligible.

The escalating crisis within the Democratic Party is not only damaging Biden’s chances of retaining the nomination but also providing Trump and Republicans with ample material for attack ads if Biden is confirmed as the nominee. Individual candidates can expect to face criticism for supporting a party figurehead many Democrats deem unfit for a second term. Two weeks of scrutiny over Biden’s age and cognitive abilities, coupled with a poorly handled response by the White House and campaign, have shifted attention away from Trump, depriving Democrats of the contrast with the ex-president’s lawlessness and volatility that many believed would help Biden secure the White House.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, a senior adviser to the Biden campaign, warned that Democrats must end their infighting and rally behind the president before it’s too late. She told CNN’s Erin Burnett it was “astonishing” that her party appeared to be on a “suicide mission” so close to the election.

As Biden’s political standing continues to decline rapidly, the pressing question is how much longer he can maintain that he’s the only Democrat capable of defeating Trump.