WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat turned independent, urged President Joe Biden on Sunday to drop his reelection bid and focus on the remaining months of his presidency.
鈥淚 came to the decision with a heavy heart that I think it鈥檚 time to pass the torch to a new generation,鈥� the West Virginia lawmaker told CNN's 鈥漇tate of the Union."
Nearly three dozen Democrats in Congress have said it's time for Biden to leave the race. Four Democratic senators 鈥� Peter Welch of Vermont, Jon Tester of Montana, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sherrod Brown of Ohio 鈥� have said the Democratic president should abandon his reelection campaign against Republican Donald Trump.
Biden's debate performance raised open questions about the 81-year-old's ability to mount a convincing campaign to defeat Trump.
鈥淚鈥檓 concerned about the president鈥檚 health and well-being I really am,鈥� Manchin said on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭his Week.鈥�
But as the president remains isolated at his beach house in Delaware after being diagnosed with COVID-19, he has said he is ready to return to campaign this week and counter a 鈥渄ark vision鈥� laid out by Trump. Biden has insisted he can defeat Trump in a rematch from 2020 and has been meeting with family and longtime aides as he resist effort to push him aside.
Nonetheless, Manchin said Biden should clear the way for other Democrats and spend the remainder of his term as 鈥渢he president he always wanted to be, be able to unite the country, bring it back together, to be able to maybe spend all of his time on solving the problems in Gaza, bringing peace to Gaza and to the Middle East. Also being able to dedicate his time to enforcing, reinforcing Ukraine鈥檚 ability to defend and win their freedom, and then be able to show the rest of the world the orderly transfer of power from the superpower of the world.鈥�
He also said, 鈥淚 truly believe the Democratic Party needs an open process鈥� in picking a new nominee. Manchin said he was not trying to have Kamala Harris, the vice president, replaced. 鈥淎 healthy competition is what it鈥檚 all about,鈥� Manchin said.
But the rulemaking arm is pressing ahead with plans for a virtual roll call before Aug. 7 to nominate the presidential pick, ahead of the party鈥檚 convention later in the month in Chicago.
Manchin, who became an independent in May after years as a Democrat, is not seeking reelection to the Senate
The Associated Press
