Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., acknowledged Sunday that “very honest, serious and rigorous conversations are happening” within the Democratic Party following President Joe Biden’s disastrous performance in Thursday’s presidential debate.
Raskin’s comments stand apart from what most Democratic leaders have publicly defended in the president, acknowledging that Biden’s debate performance was “bad” but arguing that it doesn’t disqualify him from running for president.
“I’ve been very clear, as President Biden and his campaign have acknowledged, that Thursday’s debate performance was disappointing. It was a setback, certainly. But of course, I believe that setbacks are just a preparation for a comeback,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Sunday on MSNBC’s “The Weekend.”
But NBC News reported Saturday that Democratic Party officials privately have concerns about Biden’s campaign.
“We’re having serious conversations about what to do,” Raskin said in an interview with MSNBC’s Ali Velshi on Sunday morning, adding: “One thing I can say is that no matter what decision President Biden makes, our party will be united, and our party needs him at the center of the campaign discussion, so it doesn’t matter whether he’s the nominee or somebody else is the nominee.”
Several lawmakers told NBC News on Friday that it’s time to replace Biden as the nominee, including one who said “it’s time for an open convention and to talk about a new Democratic nominee,” though none of them added their names to the comments.
Biden senior adviser Anita Dunn said in an interview on MSNBC’s “The Weekend” on Saturday that Biden has not discussed dropping out of the race with his aides.
“The president will continue to work and make the case for why Donald Trump is a threat to this country and why there is a better future for the American people,” Dunn said.
Biden is at Camp David with his family this weekend, gathering with loved ones after a tumultuous week and a dismal debate performance.
The trip was planned before the debate, when Biden was due to discuss the future of his campaign with his family.
