By Theresa Opeka
Carolina Journal
North Carolina continues to play a pivotal role in President Joe Biden’s quest to remain on the Democratic ticket in November’s general election.
First Lady Jill Biden was in Wilmington on Monday, and Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Greensboro on Thursday, stumping for the 81-year-old president.
Biden remains steadfast that he is not giving up despite his disastrous debate last month with former President Donald Trump that incited calls for the president to drop out of the race on account of failing mental faculties. A primetime interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos last week did nothing to quell Democrats’ fears that he is not capable of being in office for another four years.
On Monday, Biden sent a defiant letter to Congressional Democrats stating that he had no intentions of stepping down from the ticket.
In the letter Biden said that over the past ten days, he has had extensive discussions with the Democratic Party leadership, elected officials, rank-and-file members, and voters, hearing their fears and worries about what is at stake in the election. He said he has taken great strength from the support of many Democrats in Congress and voters across the country.
“I can respond to all this by saying clearly and unequivocally: I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024,” Biden said in the letter.
He said they have had a Democratic nomination process, and the voters have spoken clearly and decisively.
“I received over 14 million votes, 87% of the votes cast across the entire nominating process,” he said. “I have nearly 3,000 delegates, making me the presumptive nominee of our party by a wide margin.”
But time is of the essence, with the Democratic National Convention set to take place Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.
Former DNC Chair Donna Brazile told Stephanopoulos Sunday on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” that in two weeks, the credentials committee will have to send ballots to all 4000 plus delegates, who have by and large been supportive of the president and have pledged to him they will submit their ballots, she said, hopefully, within one week.
“We will probably ascertain better than any pollster, better than any pundit, better than any strategist just where the president stands because once the delegates nominate him, then the president will have to go to the convention and either release those delegates by making an announcement or the Democratic Party will have to decide the day after the convention where we stand,” she said.
But the number of Democrats in Congress who have voiced their concerns about Biden’s frail appearance at the debate and the future of his re-election bid continues to grow, with the latest coming from Democrat congressmen Jerry Nadler, NY, Adam Smith, WA, Mark Takano, CA, and Joseph D. Morelle, NY, who reportedly made their comments on Sunday.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-TX, became the first House Democrat to call on Biden to drop out of the race.
The Republican-controlled House Oversight and Accountability Committee reportedly plans to call on Biden’s White House physician, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, to appear for a transcribed interview “regarding his medical assessments” of the president.
Biden told Stephanopoulos that he refuses to undergo cognitive testing, saying that he undergoes regular testing every day as the president. Despite all of the concerns and calls for him to drop out of the race, Biden is having none of it, calling for it to stop and to forge ahead with his campaign.
“The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now,” Biden concludes his letter. “And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump. We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election. Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.”
This is a critical week for Biden. On Monday, his campaign hosted a donor call with its national finance committee, during which donors were to decide whether to continue donating to his campaign or give their money to House and Senate campaign efforts.
Also on Monday, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries planned to speak with Democrats, and Senate Democrats are planning to discuss Biden’s future during a regular caucus luncheon on Tuesday.
Biden will also host the NATO summit that day, where European leaders will celebrate the alliance’s 75th anniversary. He is also scheduled to make a campaign stop in Michigan on Friday.
North Carolina, which has 16 electoral votes, is crucial in winning the White House.
The latest polling suggests things are getting worse for Biden in his rematch with Trump.
According to fivethirtyeight.com, an aggregate of polling, Trump is leading with 44.8% to Biden’s 38.3%, a 6.5 % lead, and realclearpolling.com has Trump with 47.8% to 42% for Biden, a 5.8% difference.
When Carolina Journal asked how the energy of the North Carolina Democratic Party is right now with the backing of Biden’s campaign, Tommy Mattocks, Communications Director for NCDP, said in an emailed statement, “The energy and momentum we’re witnessing here in North Carolina for our Democratic candidates has folks across the country paying attention to our state this cycle. Our voters know the vision we’re offering, and they know what’s at stake, and we’re excited to continue amplifying that.”
The day after the debate, Biden held a rally in Raleigh, flanked by the First Lady, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, and Democratic Attorney General and candidate for governor, Josh Stein.
This week, however, things appeared to have cooled off a bit as First Lady Jill Biden flew solo in Wilmington at the launch of Veterans and Military Families for Biden-Harris, a national organizing program led by the First Lady.
A spokesperson for Cooper told CBS 17 that “The Governor always wants to welcome the First Lady when she is in North Carolina, but, unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make it to today’s event.”
The Cooper no-show comes after a meeting that he attended virtually with a group of Democrat governors with Biden Wednesday evening at the White House.
Cooper has been mentioned as a possible replacement if Biden drops out of the race, bypassing Vice-President Kamala Harris, who has a lower favorability rating than Biden. However, Reuters reported Wednesday afternoon that Harris would be the top choice to replace Biden, according to seven senior sources at the Biden campaign, the White House, and the Democratic National Committee.
That news has only gathered steam, as CNN also reported that Cooper was being looked at as a possible running mate to Harris if she were to become the Democratic nominee. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s names were also mentioned, as they were also previously mentioned as replacements for Biden.
Speaking of Harris, the vice president will be making a campaign stop in Greensboro on Thursday. There is currently no word on when and where it will be, or, if Cooper or Democratic gubernatorial nominee Josh Stein will appear at the event with her. This will be her sixth visit to North Carolina this year and her 14th since taking office.
Theresa Opeka is the Executive Branch reporter for the Carolina Journal.
Im just here for the comments at this point 🙂
Anyone who would vote for the economic policies, the foreign policies, the immigration policies and the energy policies of this clown, is a traitor.
They are really going to let this man run. He and his family are in denial. Biden isn’t fit enough to run a business let alone the country. He’s got 5 months left in office. Think about THAT.
It’s not just the fact that this fool is a cognitive disaster, but that Obama and his souless cronies are actually calling the shots, that have practically ruined this country. Bidumb is an incognitive, arrogant liar who us being used by the Democrap party to further their anti- Christ agenda. He has had it made for the last several decades and thinks he is some kind of king. If any of the idiots who support the worst president in history- only surpassing Obama and actually believe he is doing a good job, you are stupid or just plain evil. It doesn’t matter what the pro- Bidumb thinks. This old egomaniac is as corrupt as it gets and serves only himself and his greedy corrupt family, while caring nothing for this country or its citizens.
What we are witnessing is a power struggle between the media and the elite-old guard of the Democrat party. The media showed its power by openly displaying a cognitive mess of a Biden during the recent debate. They showed how they can affect a candidacy, if they so choose. Now, parts of the party are rallying around Biden, because they recognize that’s their meal ticket. This slugfest is just getting started, as the old guard isn’t giving up power and money and the media is going to prove it is the heavyweight in the room.
He can’t drop out. He’s supposed to be doing what he is doing. It’s called devolution of government. All planned. All executed perfectly. Say goodbye to the old guard…..
So we have a choice between the Cognitively Challenged, a Vindictive Dictator, possibly a Conspiracy Theorist, (if he gets on the ballot) and Two or Three others whom are probably more qualified than the first three but have no real chance of winning. Hummmmm got to Love an America where it’s all about me.
I’m voting for the “greatest threat to our democracy.” By the way, for those re**rds that keep on saying that our country is a democracy are exactly that–re**rds. This country is a Constitutional Republic. I always chuckle when I hear our country referred to as a democracy.
@Kim in your uninformed opinion!!!
but then you know what Forest would say!
I’m informed enough to know that it’s “Forrest.”