New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof feels President Biden is "likely to lose" if he remains atop the ticket but "a failure of leadership in the Democratic Party" might keep him there.
"Families all across America are responsible enough to engage in difficult conversations about taking the car keys from beloved elderly parents who think they can still drive. If the humblest household can manage this conversation, so can Democratic leaders," Kristof wrote.
Biden is facing mounting calls for him to step aside and allow a younger Democratic candidate to battle former President Trump in November’s election. But Kristof, who penned the brutal piece, "The Way That Democrats Aren’t Standing Up to Biden Is Awfully Familiar," believes the situation mirrors George McGovern’s situation from 1972. McGovern was seen as a flawed candidate, but stubborn Democrats stuck with him en route to a landslide loss to Richard Nixon.
Kristof pondered if history would repeat itself, adding that Biden continuing on might lead to a GOP sweep of Congress and the White House.
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"Polling and election history suggest that Trump is a weak candidate but that the Democrats are on course to nominate one who is even weaker. There is a surprising subservience within the Democratic Party to the person of President Biden over the goals that Democrats say they are committed to achieve. In part, I fear, that’s cowardice," Kristof wrote.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., became the latest prominent Democrat to publicly call for Biden to leave the race. Behind the scenes, powerful figures like former President Obama and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi are reportedly pessimistic about Biden's chances as well, further weakening the White House.
Kristof wrote that if Trump is the fundamental threat, then Democrats can’t be loyal to a "losing candidate" in Biden.
"I recognize that Biden may not withdraw, and in that case this debate within the Democratic Party may increase the likelihood of a Trump victory. But it’s worth doing everything possible to encourage Biden to make the right decision for his nation and his legacy, and in any case it’s important for the integrity of the party to have this discussion," Kristof wrote.
"The risk with Biden is not just that he will lose in November but also that he may not be able to perform the job for the next four years," he added. "The issue is not just politics but also national security."
The liberal columnist noted that nobody knows the truth about Biden’s cognitive abilities but "it’s reasonable to expect further deterioration" since "Biden’s capacity appears to have diminished since 2020."
The campaign continues to say Biden is and will be the Democratic nominee.
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"Joe Biden has said he is running for President of the United States," Principal Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks said on Thursday. "Our campaign is moving forward, drawing a vision and a contrast between that of Project of 2025 and what we've seen for the past three days here in Milwaukee -- the extreme agenda of Republicans -- and that's where our focus is. There are no plans being made to replace President Biden on the ballot."
