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President Joe Biden held a call with moderate Democrats that was “even worse than the debate” just an hour before the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on Saturday, it has been revealed.
The report by Puck citing people on the Zoom call comes as House Democratic heavyweight and California Senate nominee Adam Schiff called on Biden to step aside on Wednesday.
Like in the debate, Biden is reported to have lost his train of thought during the Zoom call with moderate Democrats. One anonymous source told Puck that had the assassination attempt not taken place, as many as “50 people on that Zoom were ready to come out publicly against him.”
One person who took part in the conversation told the outlet, “The call was even worse than the debate. He was rambling – he’d start an answer then lose his train of thought, then would just say ‘whatever.’ I lost a ton of respect for him.”
A second person confirmed this version of events. A member of Congress told Puck that Biden “was rambling, dismissive of concerns, unable or unprepared to present a campaign strategy, and had a particularly troubling exchange with [Colorado Democratic Rep] Jason Crow, saying to him, ‘Tell me something you’ve never done with your Bronze Star like my son.’”
Biden’s son Beau Biden, the attorney general of Delaware between 2007 and 2015, died of brain cancer shortly after leaving office. The president believes that a possible reason behind the cancer diagnosis is the burn pits his son was exposed to during his time serving in Iraq.
The call came amid increasing pressure on Biden to step aside over concerns about his age and mental acuity after a disastrous debate. Biden appeared confused and frail during the CNN showdown with Trump and he lost his train of thought on several occasions.
But the assassination attempt against Trump and the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee has removed the spotlight from the president. However, Democratic concerns about his campaign have not gone away.
Schiff came out against the president running for re-election on Wednesday saying in a statement that Biden “has been one of the most consequential presidents in our nation’s history, and his lifetime of service as a Senator, a Vice President, and now as President has made our country better,” according to The Los Angeles Times.
The California rep added: “But our nation is at a crossroads. A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the president can defeat Donald Trump in November.”
Schiff went on to say that the “choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone.” Still, he added it’s time for the president “to pass the torch” and to “secure his legacy of leadership” by stepping aside and letting another Democrat take on Trump.
But the Californian also said that he’ll back whoever ends up on the Democratic ticket – including if Biden stays in the race.
“I will do everything I can to help them succeed,” he said. “There is only one singular goal: defeating Donald Trump. The stakes are just too high.”
When reached for comment, the Biden campaign pointed to several social media posts from Members of Congress backing Biden.
Georgia Congresswoman Nikema Williams wrote on X, “I’ve been on a few zooms with @JoeBiden over the last week. He’s answered q’s candidly, accepted criticisms & laid out plans for 4 more years confidently. Defeating Trump was always the goal but it’s clear to me that President Biden is up for the job & can win! Let’s go #Joe!”
“I made clear the day after the debate, publicly, that I support President Joe Biden and the Democratic ticket. My position has not changed,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told CNN on July 8.
Schiff, who has been in the House since 2001 and was the chair of the Intelligence Committee until the Republicans took control of the lower chamber in January last year, is heavily favored to win the senate seat vacated by the late Senator Dianne Feinstein.
The seat is currently held by Senator Laphonza Butler who was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to serve the rest of Feinstein’s term in office following her death in September last year.
Schiff will face off against Steve Garvey in November. Garvey, a Republican, is a retired professional baseball player who spent most of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1970s. Schiff and Garvey came first and second respectively in a crowded so-called “jungle primary” earlier this year.
