After Biden's TV blunder Crisis mood among the Democrats ahead of the US election
After Joe Biden's TV debacle, the US Democrats are in a state of turmoil. The question is whether the US President can remain in the race for the White House against Donald Trump. Lloyd Doggett was the first Democratic member of Congress to publicly call for space to be made for an alternative candidate.
"Unlike Trump, Biden has always been dedicated to our country and not to himself," US media quoted the Texan politician as saying. "I hope he will make the painful and difficult decision to step down."
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, attested to Biden's "judgment and strategic thinking" on US broadcaster MSNBC. However, when asked, the Democrat also conceded that it was a "legitimate question" whether his blunder was "just an episode or a condition". Pelosi emphasized that it was difficult to debate with Trump, as the Republican ex-president was constantly lying. Both candidates should be subjected to the same critical scrutiny when it comes to their suitability for the presidency.
The US broadcaster CBS reported that Biden will meet with Democratic governors from various states on Wednesday to secure their support. The broadcaster CNN had previously reported, citing people familiar with the situation, that several governors had spoken to each other on the phone at the beginning of the week in order to seek such a meeting.
Best-known Democrats are keeping a low profile so far
According to a report in the "Washington Post", Senator Joe Manchin threatened to publicly break with Biden after the TV duel. Manchin, who is known as an obstructionist, has recently turned his back on the Democrats, but as an independent senator continues to vote with his former party on many issues.
According to the report, Manchin changed his confrontational course at the urging of the Democratic minority leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, among others. The newspaper quoted an unnamed representative of the Democratic Party as saying: "Nobody wants to be the first to stab Julius Caesar."
In recent days, Democrats from the backbenches have publicly called for a change of personnel, but the party's best-known faces have so far refrained from overly harsh criticism.
