Chuck Todd Says If Dems Make a Move on Biden, They ‘Got To Do It this Weekend’
NBC News chief political correspondent Chuck Todd argued on Friday that if Democrats are going to make a move to replace President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic Party ticket, they need to move quickly.
“If they’re going to make a move against Biden though, they’ve got to do it this weekend. They can’t keep dragging this out. They can’t keep waiting for another moment, another excuse,” Todd told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Friday following Biden’s press conference at a Washington NATO summit.
Biden insisted he is staying in the race and he’s the best chance at defeating Donald Trump amid calls for him to step down over worries about his age and stamina.
Mitchell played a clip from the press conference where Biden said he would only drop out of the race if his team showed through polling that it was impossible for him to win.
“Here’s where we’re going to ask you for a reality check on the polling,” Mitchell told Todd.
Todd argued Biden can theoretically win the race, but it may not be as big of a win as Democrats want.
“Here’s the problem. In theory, it’s a winnable race for Biden, but the question is, can he do the things he needs to do to win? Even when you look at even recent historical context, nobody with this low of a job approval rating as an incumbent president has ever won. It’s just a fact in the modern era of polling,” he said.
Todd said “down ballot strategists” have made the argument to him that Vice President Kamala Harris could be better for down-ballot races because she could get young voters and Black voters more “enthusiastic” about the ticket.
CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten recently highlighted that Biden staying on the ticket could cost Democrats the House, according to recent polling.
The former Meet the Press moderator noted many members of the House have been “pragmatic” in showing support for Biden, including Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). Jeffries met with Biden after his press conference to discuss concerns among Democratic House members. More than a dozen have already called for Biden to drop his reelection bid.
Todd theorized the visit by Jeffries was both a “heads up” and a “reality check” for the president.
With Republicans likely to take the Senate, Democrats are looking to the House and Biden could have a negative impact on those races.
“They look at the top of the ticket and they realize the House is unwinnable under these circumstances,” Todd said.
If a move is going to be made, it needs to happen this weekend Todd said, as many more members of Congress are expected to release statements distancing themselves from Biden’s campaign.
“If they’re going to make a move against Biden though, they’ve got to do it this weekend,” he said. “They can’t keep dragging this out. They can’t keep waiting for another moment, another excuse.”
Watch above via MSNBC.
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