Tipsheet

Immediately Following That Press Conference, Another Top Democrat Called on Biden to Step Aside

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  July 12, 2024 9:00 AM

CNN's Haley Talbot has been tracking where House Democrats stand on issuing calls for President Joe Biden to step aside ahead of the November election. On Thursday night, just after the president concluded his press briefing, Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut became yet another Democrat to make such a call. 

Himes' call isn't merely significant because he did so "seconds after the presser wrapped," but also because he's the ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) highlighted how Himes' position on the Committee and asked "[c]an you guys cut the partisan nonsense and see this is a national security issue?"

Himes released a statement via a post to his X account, in which he warns Biden "must not risk that legacy, those accomplishments and American democracy to soldier on in the face of the horrors promised by Donald Trump."

His post also includes a statement. After a lengthy paragraph singing the supposed praises about Biden and refereing to him as having a "remarkable legacy," Himes goes on to mention that "[i]t is because of those traits, and in consideration of that legacy, that I hope President Biden will step away from the presidential campaign." 

Recommended

This NYT Post-Election Focus Group of Young Voters Is Brutal for the Media...and Incredible for JD Vance Guy Benson
Blinken: Before Trump Takes Office, 'Every Dollar We Have at Our Disposal Will Be Pushed to..." Matt Vespa

The statement continues to call on Biden to step aside, but also adds in ranting and raving against former and potentially future president Donald Trump. 

"The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump's promised MAGA authoritarianism. I no longer believe that is Joe Biden, and I hope that, as he has throughout a lifetime of public service, he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, make way for a new generation of leaders," his statement concluded.

Himes' statement curiously does not mention who it is that he believes will be "the strongest candidate possible."

The congressman also spoke to CNN's Kaitlan Collins to double down on his view that Biden ought to "step away."

Speaking to a need to get Democratic messaging out there, and acknowledging the need to "turn around all the numbers that say we are going to lose," referring to how House and Senate races could be affected, Himes lamented "I just don't see that trajectory, I don't see the numbers."

When asked specifically for his thoughts on if Biden will lose to Trump, Himes spoke to and expressed concerns about the numbers. "All I can do is look at the numbers right now. No president has ever won with a 37 percent approval rating," he pointed out. "Look at the swing states, because this is a race that is decided in five or six states... you can look at lots of different polls, but the president isn't really up in any of them, and then you can ask yourself, and again... we don't know the future, what does the trajectory look like?"

Speaking of that "trajectory," Himes offered a troubling scenario of yet another disastrous debate performance like Biden had over two weeks ago now, except closer to the election. "Do you want to take that risk? I don't."

Himes spoke further to Biden's supposed top legacy, asking "why would you gamble that legacy?"

As Collins pointed out, Himes purposefully waited until after the NATO summit was over, also asking if more Democrats will come out against Biden continuing to run, and how many, although Himes didn't know the answer.

"I would tell you there is a very small percentage of my colleagues who are ride or die, who say this is the only way to go," Himes offered, pointing out he and his colleagues worry about what Plan B would be, though he still thinks it would look good.

The congressman also said the timeline of this position the Democrats are in "tortures" him, especially because he believes the press needs to spend more time freaking out about Trump. 

"But this is the moment, and in the next 96 hours perhaps, is the moment to set aside the poetry, the loyalty, and the love, and ask yourself a hard question, which is 'are you sure he's going to win? And are you sure we don't have people who might articulate incredible backward-looking success... ask yourself that question 'are you sure,' because you're not just gambling your own political reputation, you are gambling the future of the United States of America."

Collins pointed out that Himes was particularly "fired up" in issuing such a call. 

Not only was Biden's press briefing so problematic because of slips such as where he memorably referred to Vice President Kamala Harris as "Vice President Trump." Himes made a fitting point in expressing concerns about Biden being able to win reelection with such a low approval rating, a point which Biden misled on during the press conference. "There are at least five presidents running or incumbent presidents who had lower numbers than I have now," Biden claimed, as he offered "there's a long way to go!"

In April, Gallup released a poll showing "Biden's 13th-Quarter Approval Average Lowest Historically." Another deeply unpopular Democratic president, Jimmy Carter, ran for reelection in 1980 but lost handily to President Ronald Reagan.