The New York Times editorial board has made a significant move by urging President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race. This call comes after Biden’s lackluster debate performance against former President Donald Trump, which has intensified concerns about his age and fitness for office. The debate, intended to dispel these fears, instead left many Democrats in a state of panic.
During the debate, Biden appeared shaky and struggled to complete sentences, which only amplified existing worries about his capability to serve another term. Senior Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, acknowledged Biden’s “slow start” but emphasized his “strong finish.” However, some privately suggested that it might be time for him to step aside.
In an opinion piece published on Friday, the New York Times editorial board stated, “The greatest public service [Biden] can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election.” The editorial went on to describe Biden as “the shadow of a great public servant,” noting his struggles to articulate his plans for a second term and to effectively counter Trump’s provocations and falsehoods.
The editorial board’s call for Biden to exit the race is unprecedented, making the New York Times the first major U.S. newspaper to take such a stance. Other influential publications, including the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and the Atlantic, have also published op-eds by their leading columnists suggesting that Biden should step aside. Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan even described allowing Biden to continue as “elder abuse.”
Earlier in the day, New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman, a friend of Biden, also called for him to step aside. “Joe Biden, a good man and a good president, has no business running for re-election,” Friedman wrote.
Former President Barack Obama came to Biden’s defense in a social media post, stating, “Bad debate nights happen. But this election is still a choice between someone who has fought for ordinary folks his entire life and someone who only cares about himself.”
Despite the criticism, Biden appeared more energized and coherent during a campaign stop in North Carolina on Friday. He acknowledged his poor debate performance, saying, “I don’t walk as easily as I used to, I don’t speak as smoothly as I used to, I don’t debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know. I know how to tell the truth.”
The New York Times editorial board’s call for Biden to drop out has added further pressure on the White House. The board argued that Biden’s rationale for running, based on his 2020 victory over Trump, is no longer sufficient. “The truth Mr. Biden needs to confront now is that he failed his own test,” the editorial stated.
The editorial also highlighted that Biden himself had challenged Trump to the debate, setting the rules and insisting on an earlier date than any previous general election debate. The board suggested that Biden’s decision to debate early was an attempt to address public concerns about his mental acuity.
In response to the editorial, Biden campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond told CNN, “The last time Joe Biden lost the New York Times editorial board’s endorsement, it turned out pretty well for him.”
Biden and Trump are currently neck and neck in national polls for the upcoming election. A New York Times/Sienna poll published earlier in the week found that Trump had a three-point lead over Biden. In key battleground states, Trump is ahead in six out of seven, according to RealClearPolling.
The editorial board’s call for Biden to step aside has sparked a debate within the Democratic Party. Some Democrats and fundraisers are considering pushing for Biden to withdraw from the race. However, replacing the Democratic nominee at this point in the election cycle would be politically risky and logistically challenging. The only likely way to replace Biden would be for him to willingly drop out of the race.
Biden has shown no indication that he plans to step aside. In a speech in North Carolina, he doubled down on his criticism of Trump and defended his ability to serve. “I give you my word as a Biden I would not be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job, because quite frankly, the stakes are too high,” he said.
The Trump campaign responded to the editorial by stating that Biden is the incumbent president and the Democratic nominee, and that it is too late to change that. Biden has the option to withdraw before he is formally nominated at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, but he has given no indication that he plans to do so.
The New York Times editorial board’s call for Biden to step aside has added a new layer of complexity to the 2024 presidential race. As Democrats grapple with the implications of Biden’s debate performance, the question of whether he should continue his campaign remains a contentious issue.
Source: The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, The Atlantic, CNN, NBC News
