Facing growing scrutiny over his mental sharpness, President Joe Biden's circle is under intense pressure to convince him to reconsider his reelection bid, with a former U.S. diplomat publicly urging them to act.
Amid growing unease over President Joe Biden's mental acuity, a former U.S. diplomat, Richard Haass, has joined the chorus of voices demanding that the president's handlers intervene and persuade him to step down as nominee. This call comes as a new report reveals widespread concerns within the Democratic Party about Biden's physical and mental decline.
Pressure Mounts on Biden: Former Diplomat and Democrats Demand Step Down
According to CNN, which spoke to over two dozen anonymous donors, Biden allies, and current and former Democratic officials, the president's mental abilities have been a source of anxiety, particularly after actor George Clooney publicly commented on his demeanor at a star-studded fundraiser.
"He was less cogent than usual," one fundraiser attendee told CNN, adding that Biden left "virtually all of the talking to former President Barack Obama."
Pressure Mounts on Biden: Former Diplomat and Democrats Demand Step Down
Concerns extend to cabinet meetings, with sources revealing that the last full cabinet meeting took place in October. These meetings have reportedly become increasingly stage-managed, with aides providing lists of talking points, names of questioners, and even diagrams of where Biden should walk. Officials are also instructed to submit questions prior to the meetings.
Multiple Democratic officials have privately expressed concerns that Biden's advisers are shielding him from scrutiny. "The entire display is kind of an act," one source told CNN. "They would come and say, ‘Hey, the president is going to call on you about 25 minutes in, and ask this question. What are the bullet points you’ll respond with?’"
Pressure Mounts on Biden: Former Diplomat and Democrats Demand Step Down
Another source described the meetings as infrequent, "not free-wheeling and pretty well-orchestrated." The report adds that meetings in the Obama administration were not structured in such a "pre-scripted" manner.
Privately, Democratic sources and officials close to Biden's advisers acknowledge the president's vulnerabilities and intentionally limit meetings and events. "There’s this general sense of just, unbelievable holding your breath every time he does an event, every time he’s with people," one source said.
Pressure Mounts on Biden: Former Diplomat and Democrats Demand Step Down
As more Democrats, donors, and media pundits call for Biden to step down, some sources predict an "erosion" of support "across the board" in the near future. "Expect a drip, drip, drip," a former Biden White House official said.
The White House has defended Biden's record, with deputy press secretary Andrew Bates saying that the president "frequently meets with a wide variety of diverse administration staff, ranging from policy experts to team members who engage with all manner of communities." Bates also cited the efficiency of cabinet meetings and quoted Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack as saying that it is "standard practice" to prepare for such meetings.
Despite these assertions, over a dozen Democratic House members have publicly urged Biden to drop out of the presidential race. The pressure on the president and his circle continues to mount as questions linger about his suitability for a second term.
