A campaign group made up of Democrats urging Joe Biden to stand down from November’s election has released a new 30-second campaign advert arguing the president needs to step aside to “save democracy.”
The video was released by Pass the Torch, Joe, a group that says Republican nominee Donald Trump is “an existential threat” meaning “we need the strongest possible ticket to maximize our chances of defeating him.”
Concern about the age and mental capacity of 81-year-old Biden went into fever pitch following his first presidential debate against Trump on June 27, during which the Democratic incumbent at several points appeared to lose his train of thought mid-sentence. In response he has faced calls to step out of the race from prominent Democrats, including members of Congress and actor George Clooney, who argue a different nominee would stand a better chance of defeating Trump in November.
The Pass the Torch video features seven individuals who each read one line of a statement praising Biden, but urging him to stand down from the 2024 race, which they argue will maximize the Democratic chances of beating Trump.
They say: “President Biden, you saved democracy in 2020. Now you have the chance to do it again. It’s time to pass the torch and let us choose a new nominee. One who can bring new energy, new hope and make sure Donald Trump never gets near the White House again. Our country’s future is in your hands so please be the leader we know you are, pass the touch Joe.”
The video ends with a succession of people saying “pass the torch” and holding up placards bearing this slogan.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, the Pass the Torch ad received over 330 shares and 950 likes, and was viewed over 120,000 times.
Newsweek reached out to President Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign and the White House press office for comment by email on Saturday outside of regular working hours.
Biden’s team is continuing to insist he will be the Democratic Party candidate in November. Speaking to MSNBC on Friday, Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said: “Absolutely, the president is in this race. You’ve heard him say that time and time again.”
“He is clearly, in our impression…the best person to take on Donald Trump.”
KENT NISHIMURA/AFP/GETTY
On Thursday CBS News cited two unnamed House Democrats as saying Biden could announce he is withdrawing from the presidential race over the weekend, though there has been no official confirmation of this.
According to betting website Polymarket on Friday morning Biden only had a five percent chance of winning November’s presidential election, putting him well behind Trump on 63 percent and Kamala Harris with 22 percent.
Trump formally accepted the Republican presidential nomination at his party’s convention in Milwaukee on Thursday with an address that lasted over 90 minutes.
The former president described Biden as “the worst president in history” before adding: “America’s future will be bigger, better, bolder, brighter, happier, stronger, freer, greater and more united than ever before. Quite simply put, we will very quickly make America great again.”
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.