"It's Time to Leave Now"... Biden's Debate Defeat Sparks Candidate Replacement Backlash

Supporters Pressure Biden to Resign
Alternative Candidates Harris, Newsom Mentioned
Biden Intends to Finish... "Depends on First Lady"

With the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November, the progressive camp is increasingly calling for a candidate replacement after President Joe Biden suffered a crushing defeat in the first TV debate. Although President Biden dismissed calls for resignation at a fundraising event in New York, the controversy over candidate replacement is expected to persist until the Democratic National Convention in August.

According to major foreign media on the 30th (local time), Bob Woodward, the journalist who broke the 'Watergate' scandal, appeared on MSCNBC the day before and described President Biden's debate performance as "too bad and terrible," adding, "This is not just a political hydrogen bomb for President Biden and the Democratic Party." He emphasized that demands for candidate replacement are "unavoidable."

Thomas Friedman, chief columnist for The New York Times (NYT), wrote in a column, "I wept after watching President Biden's debate performance," and urged, "He should maintain dignity and leave the stage."

Jay Parini, a childhood friend and supporter of President Biden and a writer, sent a letter titled "Joe, It's Time to Go" to the U.S. CNN network, urging the president to resign.

Earlier, in the first presidential TV debate on the 27th, President Biden highlighted the risks of his advanced age by stammering and staring into space, unlike former President Trump, igniting the candidate replacement debate. According to a survey conducted by Morning Consult of 2,068 voters after the TV debate, 60% of respondents said President Biden should be replaced as the candidate. Potential replacements mentioned include Vice President Kamala Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.

However, President Biden is determined to complete his campaign. At a fundraising event held in Hampton, New York, on the 29th, he expressed confidence in victory and appealed for support. Speaking before 150 attendees, President Biden said, "I understand concerns about the debate. I did not have a great night," but emphasized, "If I didn't believe I would win, I wouldn't have run for president." Key Democratic figures such as former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have also expressed their support for President Biden, defending him.

Meanwhile, President Biden is spending time with his family at the presidential retreat, Camp David, over the weekend. It is expected that he will discuss future plans there. It is analyzed that First Lady Jill Biden holds the final decision-making authority regarding the candidate's resignation.

U.S. NBC reported, "Democratic leaders believe that only the president himself can decide, after consulting with his family, whether to continue the campaign or end it early." Citing sources, the broadcast stated, "The only person with ultimate influence over him is the First Lady," adding, "If she decides that a change of course is necessary, that change will happen."