Al Jazeera English Journalist Ali Harb discusses the speculation around Joe Biden potentially stepping down, the age concerns and performance debate, potential successors within the Democratic Party, and the implications of Biden's withdrawal on the party's platform and the Democratic Convention.
Pressure within the Democratic Party for President Biden to step aside due to concerns about his debate performance and age.
Discussions about potential replacements for Biden such as Gretchen Whitmer and Gavin Newsom have emerged.
Deep dives
Pressure on President Biden to Step Down
There is pressure from within the Democratic Party for President Biden to step aside as the party's candidate, following concerns about his debate performance and age. Senior Democrats have called for his resignation, with growing frustration and whispers indicating a desire for him to drop out despite Biden's defiance and reaffirmation of staying in the race until the end.
Concerns Over Biden's Performance and Age
Biden's debate performance raised concerns about his coherence, energy levels, and ability to articulate policy positions effectively. Comparisons to other senior members of Congress highlight the demanding nature of the presidency in terms of public-facing roles and decision-making, emphasizing the potential impact of Biden's age on fulfilling the responsibilities of the position.
Potential Replacements for Biden and Impact on the Democratic Party
Discussions about Biden potentially stepping aside have prompted speculations about his potential replacements, with possible candidates like Gretchen Whitmer and Gavin Newsom emerging. The absence of a clear rubric for such a scenario and the advantages of incumbency, stability, and continuity are factors influencing the decision to keep Biden as the nominee, despite concerns over his performance and age.
The conversation around US President Joe Biden among Democrats has been nonstop since the first debate with his opponent, Donald Trump. Will he step down? And if he does, how much would it change the course of the Democratic party?
In this episode:
Ali Harb (@Harbpeace), Al Jazeera English Journalist
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders and Duha Mosaad, with Mohammed Zain Shafi Khan, Veronique Eshaya, and our host Malika Bilal.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our lead of audience development and engagement is Aya Elmileik. Munera Al Dosari and Adam Abou-Gad are our engagement producers.
Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer, And Ney Alvarez is Al Jazeera's head of audio.