President Joe Biden, facing pressure from within his own party to abandon his reelection campaign, is set to meet Wednesday with the executive council of the AFL-CIO, America’s largest federation of trade unions as he tries to make the case that his record in office matters more than his age. The 81-year-old Biden is also taking part in the NATO summit and looking to use the organization’s 75th anniversary meeting as a way to spotlight support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia and to reset his stumbling campaign. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, the longest-serving Democrat in Oregon’s House delegation, said, “President Biden should not be the Democratic presidential nominee.” “The question before the country is whether the president should continue his candidacy for re-election. This is not just about extending his presidency but protecting democracy,” he said in an emailed statement. “It is a painful and difficult conclusion but there is no question in my mind that we will all be better served if the president steps aside as the Democratic nominee and manages a transition under his terms.” Blumenauer, elected to Congress in 1996, will not be seeking reelection this year.
Quick Read
- Democratic Mayors Support Biden; NBC News’ Lester Holt to Interview the President
- Key Details:
- Biden’s AFL-CIO Meeting: President Joe Biden is meeting with the executive council of the AFL-CIO to garner support amidst calls for him to step down.
- NATO Summit: Biden is participating in the NATO summit, using it to emphasize support for Ukraine and to reset his campaign.
- NBC News Interview: Lester Holt will interview Biden on Monday in Austin, Texas, with highlights airing on “NBC Nightly News” and a prime-time special on NBC.
- Support from Democratic Mayors:
- Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens praised Biden for his record on job creation, infrastructure, prescription drug costs, and women’s rights.
- Lansing Mayor Andy Schor expressed his support for Biden, emphasizing the need to back the president.
- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement supporting Biden after a virtual event with Democratic mayors.
- Sen. Alex Padilla’s Support: U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California has sent a fundraising appeal on behalf of Biden’s campaign.
- First Lady’s Event: Jill Biden hosted NATO spouses for brunch at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History and plans to meet again at Camp David.
- Support from Black Faith Leaders: Faith leaders from hundreds of Black churches in Georgia will gather to support Biden, with a focus on countering Trump.
- Rep. Pat Ryan’s Call for Biden to Step Aside: U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan of New York has publicly called for Biden to drop out, citing the need to defeat Trump.
- A 9th House Democrat Calls for Biden to Withdraw:
- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, the longest-serving Democrat in Oregon’s House delegation, has called for President Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, saying, “President Biden should not be the Democratic presidential nominee.”
- Blumenauer emphasized the need to protect democracy and suggested that Biden manage a transition under his terms.
- Elected to Congress in 1996, Blumenauer will not seek reelection this year.
- Biden Talks Soccer with the British Prime Minister:
- President Biden met with new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Oval Office, praising the U.K. as the “knot tying the transatlantic alliance together.”
- They discussed England’s soccer victory over the Netherlands and the growing popularity of soccer in the U.S.
- Biden ignored questions about his political future and doubts within his party about his reelection campaign.
- NATO Secretary General Confident in U.S. Commitment to the Alliance:
- Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed confidence in continued U.S. commitment to NATO, even if Trump returns to the White House.
- Stoltenberg highlighted bipartisan support for NATO among U.S. lawmakers and noted that 23 of the 32 allies meet their defense spending commitments.
- New York Lieutenant Governor Calls for Biden to End His Campaign:
- New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado joined a growing list of Democrats urging Biden to end his presidential campaign.
- Delgado praised Biden for his past achievements but expressed concerns about his ability to wage a successful campaign against Trump.
- Delgado’s statement marked a significant break with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a strong Biden supporter.
The Associated Press has the story:
Democratic Mayors back Biden; A 9th House Dem calls for President to withdraw
NEWSLOOKS- WASHINGTON- (AP)
President Joe Biden, facing pressure from within his own party to abandon his reelection campaign, is set to meet Wednesday with the executive council of the AFL-CIO, America’s largest federation of trade unions as he tries to make the case that his record in office matters more than his age. The 81-year-old Biden is also taking part in the NATO summit and looking to use the organization’s 75th anniversary meeting as a way to spotlight support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia and to reset his stumbling campaign.
Biden has been under intense scrutiny since his disastrous debate performance, putting pressure on a White House that until recently had been marked by discipline and loyalty.
NBC News Lester Holt is next in line for an interview with President Biden
The network said that Holt will interview Biden on Monday in Austin, Texas. Highlights will run on “NBC Nightly News” and the full interview will air during a prime-time special on NBC Monday night. A similar playbook was followed when Biden was interviewed last Friday by ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos.
Biden is stepping up the appearances following his performance during the debate with Trump, which has given rise to calls for him to end his campaign.
Democrat mayors continue lining up behind Biden
Following Biden’s call with over 200 U.S. mayors Wednesday morning, messages of support for the president have slowly trickled out. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens posted on Twitter that Biden is “locked in and determined to beat Donald Trump,” touting his record on job creation, infrastructure, prescription drug costs and women’s rights. Andy Schor, the mayor of Lansing, Michigan, said he was “impressed” by the president, noting, “He’s going to be running, and I think that we all need to be supporting him.”
LA mayor backs Biden
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass released a one-sentence statement after the president held a virtual event with nearly 200 Democratic mayors. “I’m supporting our nominee, President Biden,” she said. Bass is a former member of Congress who was on Biden’s vice-presidential shortlist during his 2020 campaign.
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla of California has also backed the president, sending a fundraising appeal on behalf of Biden’s campaign. “The stakes of this election are simply too high to continue fretting and worrying,” he wrote.
Jill Biden treats NATO spouses to brunch
First lady Jill Biden hosted NATO spouses at the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History for a brunch of green goddess chicken and seared tuna. More than 20 spouses, including Ukraine’s Olena Zalenska, also had a chance to see an exhibit featuring cultural objects such as Muppets and the ruby red shoes worn by Dorothy’s character in “The Wizard of Oz.”
The group is set to meet again Thursday at Camp David. The first lady advised her counterparts to dress comfortably and wear flats or sneakers as they’ll be getting in and out of helicopters.
Black faith leaders to gather in Georgia to support Biden
Faith leaders from hundreds of Black churches in Georgia will gather to support Biden on Thursday. The event at the Georgia State Capitol aims to turn the attention back to Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.
“Democrats have been fighting each other for the last two weeks, and it must stop now,” said Bishop Reginald Jackson. He presides over 500 African Methodist Episcopal churches in the state and is one of the event’s organizers. Black voter turnout will be key in Georgia, a battleground state.
New York congressman calls on Biden to step aside
An eighth Democratic member of Congress has publicly called on President Joe Biden to step aside, the New York Times reported. U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan of New York said he no longer believed Biden could make the case necessary to defeat Trump.
He called Trump an “existential threat” to American democracy and said that he was asking Biden to drop out “for the good of the country.” It comes as Democrats continue to wrestle with the extraordinary question of whether to stand behind the president or push him to bow out.
A 9th House Democrat has called for Biden to withdraw
Rep. Earl Blumenauer, the longest-serving Democrat in Oregon’s House delegation, said, “President Biden should not be the Democratic presidential nominee.” “The question before the country is whether the president should continue his candidacy for re-election. This is not just about extending his presidency but protecting democracy,” he said in an emailed statement.
“It is a painful and difficult conclusion but there is no question in my mind that we will all be better served if the president steps aside as the Democratic nominee and manages a transition under his terms.” Blumenauer, elected to Congress in 1996, will not be seeking reelection this year.
Biden talks soccer with the British prime minister
Biden welcomed new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the Oval Office, saying he sees the U.K. as the “knot tying the transatlantic alliance together.” The meeting on the margins of the 75th NATO summit in Washington follows the leaders’ phone conversation last week when Starmer took office.
Biden praised Starmer for “seeking closer ties with Europe,” saying it would be good for the entire NATO alliance. “The special relationship is so important,” Starmer replied.
The two leaders engaged in a free-flowing conversation in the Oval Office, rather than delivering prepared statements. The leaders began with a jovial discussion of England’s soccer victory over the Netherlands, and Biden remarked that soccer is now more popular in the U.S. than ever before. Biden appeared to ignore a barrage of questions about his political future and doubts within his party about his reelection campaign.
NATO secretary general remains confident in U.S. commitment to the alliance
Outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he’s not concerned about American commitment to the alliance if Trump is returned to the White House.
“The United States is safer and stronger with NATO, and that’s why I expect it to remain in NATO,” he said, noting longstanding support for the alliance from former presidential administrations, particularly after it invoked its Article 5 mutual defense pact to support the U.S. following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
He noted that bipartisan support for NATO among U.S. lawmakers remains strong, including among Republicans who are backing Trump. But even when it comes to Trump’s own complaints about NATO, Stoltenberg says those have been addressed.
Trump has repeatedly questioned NATO’s relevance, suggested that he might withdraw from the alliance or, short of that, has threatened not to defend allies who do not meet the 2% defense spending commitments. Twenty-three of the 32 allies now meet their pledge to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense and most of the rest have plans to do so in the near future, he said.
“The United States has been understood,” Stoltenberg said. “Allies have acted.”
New York lieutenant governor calls for Biden to end his campaign
New York Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado joined a growing list of Democrats calling on Biden to end his presidential campaign.
Delgado, a former New York representative, wrote in a statement that Biden deserves “eternal gratitude” for defeating Trump in 2020 and leading the country out of the coronavirus pandemic, but that Biden “can add to his legacy, showing his strength and grace, by ending his campaign and making room for a new leader.”
“There is no greater threat to our democracy than former President Donald Trump. He must be defeated. That’s is why I join with millions of Americans — including everyday New Yorkers from all walks of life — who are expressing legitimate concerns about President Biden’s ability to wage a successful campaign against Trump,” Delgado wrote.
His statement marked a significant break with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who appointed him in 2022 and has emerged as one of Biden’s biggest supporters and surrogates.
