Several liberal figures called on President Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race after his debate performance.
Biden faced former President Donald Trump for the first time since their 2020 presidential debate on Thursday. Many were disappointed in his performance, among them several significant Democratic figures.
“I wish Biden would reflect on this debate performance and then announce his decision to withdraw from the race, throwing the choice of Democratic nominee to the convention,” New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof said, suggesting Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI), Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), or Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo as possible replacements.
Biden’s 2020 Democratic primary opponent, Andrew Yang, had similar sentiments.
“Look I debated Joe 7 times in 2020. He’s a different guy in 2024,” he said, along with the hashtag #swapJoeout.
Liberal journalist and MSNBC analyst Jonathan Alter shared what he believes needs to happen for Democrats, declaring that a “new, young” nominee will crush Trump at the polls in November.
“Here’s what should happen now: Biden should withdraw and say that his delegates are free to vote for whomever they prefer in Chicago, and tell new candidates not to criticize each other or buy any ads, saving $ for the fall,” he wrote on X. “A new, young nominee will beat Trump handily. Any of ‘em.”
Peter Daou, a former campaign adviser to Hillary Clinton in 2008 and Marianne Williamson last year, wrote on social media that he’s “calling on Biden to withdraw” after the debate.
“He clearly lacks the physical and mental capacity to be president for another term,” he wrote, several tweets later announcing that he’s supporting Jill Stein for president.
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Other Democratic figures stopped short of calling for Biden to drop out but voiced deep concern for him.
“Biden had a very low bar going into the debate and failed to clear even that bar,” Julian Castro, who served as secretary of housing and urban development in the Obama administration, said. “He seemed unprepared, lost, and not strong enough to parry effectively with Trump, who lies constantly.”
