Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said President Joe Biden’s interview with ABC News did not assuage concerns about his continued ability to defeat former President Donald Trump and urged the incumbent to seek outside input on whether to continue his reelection bid.
The comments, made to NBC’s “Meet the Press,” are hardly a vote of confidence from one of the most vigorous prosecutors of Trump’s conduct during his presidency and the likely next senator from California.
“Given Joe Biden’s incredible record — given Donald Trump’s terrible record — he should be mopping the floor with Donald Trump,” Schiff said. “It should not be even close. And there’s only one reason it is close, and that’s the president’s age.”
Schiff noted the president’s debate performance “rightfully raised questions among the American people about whether the President has the vigor to defeat Donald Trump,” calling the election “existential” for the future of U.S. democracy.
The California Democrat is one of the party’s most visible faces and a prodigious fundraiser.
Biden should go beyond his immediate circle of family members and close aides to solicit input from people “some distance and objectivity” about his viability in the campaign, Schiff argued. “He should take a moment to make the best informed judgment, and if the judgment is run, then run hard and beat that SOB,” he said, referencing an expletive.
The president’s ultimate decision will have impacts for Democrats up and down the ballot, Schiff argued, since “you can only run so far ahead of the president” if he continues to struggle as recent polls have suggested Biden will.
Schiff also offered praise for Vice President Kamala Harris were Biden to stand down, saying she “would be a phenomenal president” and could “very well could win overwhelmingly” against Trump.
