Former U.S congressman from Ohio, Tim Ryan has publicly called for U.S President, Joe Biden to leave the presidential race, arguing that the Democrats must move ahead with U.S Vice President, Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee in November’s election.
“We have to rip the band aid off! Too much is at stake,” Ryan posted to X.
He added that Harris would “energize our base, bring back young voters and give us generational change.”
In an op-ed, Ryan described Biden’s debate performance as “deeply troubling” and “heartbreaking.”
“After deep reflection over these past few days, I strongly believe that our best path forward is Kamala Harris,” he wrote.
“Kamala Harris should be the Democratic nominee because she can energize the electorate and govern effectively as our next President.
“She has honed her raw talent and intelligence through a tough national campaign and three and a half years of experience that have her steeped in the knowledge of domestic and international issues. All of this while joyfully operating in our toxic and complicated political environment. In short, she is ready for the job.”
Tim Ryan
He asserted that Harris could carry a much more convincing Democratic message than President Biden, especially on the abortion issue.
He noted that she would energize the “Black, brown, and Asian Pacific members of our coalition” adding that Harris would “immediately pull the dispirited youth of our country back into the fold.”
“Her presence at the top of the ticket will help Democratic congressional candidates in swing suburban districts and states too,” Ryan stressed.
Mike Quigley, a longtime Democrat congressman from Illinois, also signaled his openness to replacing Biden at the top of the ticket.
He said that the U.S President’s poor debate performance last week was not an aberration.
“We have to be honest with ourselves. It wasn’t just a horrible night,” Quigley told a news agency.
“But I won’t go beyond that out of my respect and understanding for President Joe Biden, a very proud person who has served us extraordinarily for 50 years. I just want him to appreciate at this time just how much this impacts not just his race but all the other races coming in November.”
Mike Quigley
Quigley stated that Biden “has to be honest with himself” and warned that his decision “will have implications for decades to come.”
The Illinois Congressman suggested that the only thing that could convince Biden to step aside would be polling numbers.
“It’s clear that what took place last week isn’t — doesn’t seem to influence his decision. I don’t know what will,” Quigley stated.
“It probably takes up to a week to get decent polling … I do think that’s probably the only thing out there right now that could change his mind or influence that critical decision that, again, only he can make.”
Mike Quigley
Biden’s Democratic Presidential Predecessors Urged To Persuade Him To Step Aside
In similar stance, James Carville, a strategist who has been one of the few Democrats to have been warning about Joe Biden’s age issue before the President’s debate performance, called on his party to “deliver change.”
In an interview, he opined that it would be in the US’s best interest for Biden’s Democratic presidential predecessors; Barack Obama and Bill Clinton to help persuade him to half his re-election and support an open nomination convention in Chicago in August to select a new ticket for the party.
“If it’s too hard for the Democrats to deliver change, then they’re going to hurt themselves bad – really bad,” Carville noted.
“Change is messy. But you have to listen to the vox populi. We want something new. I see staggering talent in the Democratic party. Let them speak their minds,” he added.
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