Senator Timothy Kaine gave a vague answer when asked about his thoughts on Joe Biden continuing his campaign to be reelected as president.
Speaking to NewsNation’s Joe Khalil Wednesday, Kaine said, “I have complete confidence that Joe Biden will do the patriotic thing for the country. And he’s going to make that decision. He’s never disappointed me. He’s always put patriotism and the country ahead of himself, and I’m going to respect the decision that he makes.”
Sen. Tim Kaine to @JoeKhalilTV: "I have complete confidence that Joe Biden will do the patriotic thing for the country. And he's going to make that decision. He's never disappointed me.“ pic.twitter.com/3k3ykeJmbD
— Kristen Eskow (@KristenEskow) July 10, 2024
What decision would that be, though? Biden has already said that he will not drop out of the race, so the ominous wording hints at what Kaine really thinks the president should do. The Virginia senator is a senior member of the party, having also served as the state’s governor and lieutenant governor, and was the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2016. His opinion carries a lot of weight and signals that Biden has not won over his party, even after he has declared that he wants to stay on the ticket.
Virginia, normally a solid Democratic state, was not polling well for Biden even before his disastrous debate two weeks ago. An internal Democratic poll taken 72 hours after the debate showed the state in play for Donald Trump, so Kaine’s opinion could be reflecting that of the state’s electorate at the moment.
Kaine’s words also echo another leading Democrat, Representative Nancy Pelosi, who said on Wednesday morning that “I want him to decide whatever he decides to do, and that’s the way it is, whatever he decides, we go in.” Both Pelosi and Kaine were given chances to give their unequivocal support to Biden’s reelection campaign, and each declined.
Right now, the mood among Democrats appears worried at best. A closed-door meeting of the House Democratic caucus revealed a party very much divided on Biden’s prospects. While Biden is trying to tamp down calls for him to withdraw, many Democrats want just the opposite and are willing to say so privately and publicly. If party leaders like Kaine and Pelosi continue to hedge, will Biden’s stance lead to a party revolt?
