NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Leaks of information about conversations among Democrats about President Biden’s political future are intentional and part of a mounting pressure campaign, according to an analyst.
Officially, the position of the Biden camp is that there are no scenarios “where Biden is not at the top of the ticket.”
Privately though, there appears to be a shift.
The highest-level Democrats, including former President Barack Obama and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, are among those calling on Biden to reconsider. According to the Washington Post, Pelosi has told some Democrats that Biden can soon be convinced to step aside. The New York Times reports that people close to Biden believe he’s begun to accept the idea he can’t beat former President Trump and may need to drop out of the race.
“I think that is the biggest sign the dam is starting to break,” said North Central College political science professor Bill Muck. “They tried to have the easy conversations behind the scenes that weren’t being leaked and those weren’t having much of effect, so now you start to get that story out, to say that the leader of the House and Senate and former presidents are pushing back and not defending Biden anymore, and that becomes more uncomfortable, and that’s what’s driving him.”
Biden’s likely replacement would be Vice President Kamala Harris, who was back out on the campaign trail in North Carolina on Thursday, pouncing on the RNC’s theme of unity. Biden remained at home in Delaware recovering from COVID.
“The Republican party is Trump,” said Muck. “What we’re seeing out of the Democrats is that Joe Biden is not the strongest voice in the Democrats anymore. The party itself is strong, and I think that’s also a really fascinating development and a stark contrast between the two parties.
Muck added that if Democrats do proceed with changing the ticket, “it really flips the election on its head.”
“I mean it’s going to be one of the more exciting political developments we’ve seen in decades,” he said.