Comedian and TV personality Bill Maher has said he believes President Biden will withdraw from the race to be the Democratic presidential nominee as early as August 9, the 50th anniversary of President Nixon’s resignation, suggesting this is inevitable amid growing calls for he moves away.
“The only thing I know for sure is this: The question is not if, it’s who, because he will not be the Democratic nominee for president,” said the “Real Time with Bill Maher” host. said Friday. “The only thing I know for sure about America is that it is run by Mean Girls, mean girls in the press, in politics and in life, and when they smell blood in the water, the desire to take out a vulnerable person will never go away. to vanish. be denied.
“Biden is toast,” he added. “The walls will continue to crumble, and my pick in the office for when he quits is August 9.”
The incumbent is under increasing pressure after a disastrous debate performance last month in which he stumbled over answers and sounded hoarse.
Critics called on the president to drop out of the race and allow someone else to face former President Trump. Questions also arise about whether Biden will not only be able to defeat the former president in November, but also whether he will have enough stamina to serve another four years in office.
The president has tried to calm concerns about his mental acuity by organizing campaign events and speaking to the media, including a high-stakes on-camera interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos last week and a one-on-one news conference at the end of the NATO summit. On thursday.
However, these efforts were not enough, with a growing number of congressional Democrats still calling for the president to resign.
Top House leaders, such as former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), have publicly said they support Biden. However, reports suggest they are working in the background to replace Biden at the top of the ticket.
House Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) met with Biden this week and said he conveyed to the president the full breadth of views at the House caucus.
Maher also dismissed concerns about Biden being replaced at the end of the election.
“Replacing a president as your party’s nominee this late will seem like a big deal for about three days, and then we’ll all get over it,” Maher said Friday, going through a list of Democrats he believed could fill Biden’s shoes. .
“Kamala Harris, vice president, will receive all of Biden’s campaign money, and when it comes to the Democrats’ biggest issue, abortion, she is a walking reminder to women that Republicans are supporting abortion law,” he said. “She won’t just protect Plan B. She is Plan B.”
However, he added that he doesn’t believe Harris is liked enough to win the presidency, saying he votes for people “who are going to win.”
“For some reason, Harris has never been popular,” he said. “In four years as vice president, she has been quieter than an electric car. And like an electric car, her uncle MAGA can’t explain why she fills him with homicidal rage. She just does it.”
“Sometimes life is not fair. It’s not fair that she’s not popular,” she added. “She’s smart and accomplished.”
Maher then consulted with governors. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.), adding that they do not accept criticism against Newsom for being “smart.”
“Newsom is the party’s best communicator, with a history of standing up to bullies,” he argued.
Maher believes Whitmer is a “very attractive choice” because she is a “high-profile governor who owns dogs but doesn’t shoot them,” a reference to a controversial storyline that South Dakota Gov. Kirsti Noem (R) used in her memoirs that generated criticism and probably removed her from Trump’s list of possible vice presidents.
The TV host also mentioned Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, saying he was “perfect for this moment” and urged Democrats to look at governors across the state, even those who aren’t as well-known.
“It’s important to understand that no one knows who these people are, and that’s a good thing,” he added. “We need some new characters in this comedy we call country.”
Newsom and Whitmer, however, said they would support Biden, dispelling rumors that they could replace Biden on the ticket. Michigan’s governor, however, has not closed the door on serving as Harris’ running mate if the incumbent decides to step aside.
Still, the president said he will stay the course and run against former President Trump in November.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
