Re-election BID: Senators raise new doubts about Biden

A Democratic senator on Wednesday called on US President Joe Biden to ditch his re-election bid, capping a brutal day that saw mounting pressure from high-profile actor and donor George Clooney and party heavyweight Nancy Pelosi.

As the 81-year-old tried to show his leadership credentials at a Nato summit in Washington, domestic calls have been growing for Biden to quit following his disastrous debate performance against Republican challenger Donald Trump.

At least eight House Democrats have openly called on Biden to not seek re-election, but Peter Welch became the first in the Senate to explicitly do so as concerns rise over his age and fitness.

“For the good of the country, I’m calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race,” the Vermont senator said in an opinion piece in the Washington Post.

News outlet Axios reported Wednesday that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had also privately signaled to donors that he was open to replacing Biden on the Democratic ticket.

However, in a statement shared by his office Wednesday evening, Schumer said “I support President Biden and remain committed to ensuring Donald Trump is defeated in November.”

Biden has been trying to stem a growing tide of Democrats saying that he cannot win in November, but a steady drip of public revolt is squashing efforts to turn the page on the crisis.

Hollywood star Clooney penned a devastating editorial in the New York Times Wednesday just three weeks after co-hosting a huge fundraiser in Los Angeles that raised nearly $30 million for Biden.

“It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe ‘big F-ing deal’ Biden of 2010,” wrote Clooney.

“He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.”

Clooney said that Biden would lose the presidential election, and Democrats would also lose both chambers of Congress.

In response to Clooney’s editorial, the Biden campaign pointed to the president’s statements on Monday saying he was committed to running again in November.

Biden has blamed jet lag and a cold for his performance in the June 27 television debate with Trump.

Media-shy for much of his presidency, he will also give a fresh interview to broadcaster NBC on Monday as he seeks to convince voters.