The attacks on Biden have slowed, and Democrats are now playing their political games behind the scenes, knowing full well that nothing, short of the 25th amendment, will dislodge Biden from the Democrat nominee position to face off against Trump.
A storm is brewing within the Democratic Party as congressional Democrats circulate a letter urging the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to halt plans for an early virtual roll call to formalize President Biden’s nomination before the Democratic National Convention in August. This vote could happen as soon as July 21, raising eyebrows and sparking intense debate.
House #Democrats plot last-ditch effort to delay #JoeBiden nomination….One Democratic lawmaker is circulating a letter asking the DNC to postpone the virtual roll call vote expected to be conducted in the coming weeks.
The Dems can’t get rid of Joe; he won the rigged primary.… pic.twitter.com/lB1ltWwxhU
— judy morris (@judymorris3) July 16, 2024
The letter, acquired by media outlets, strongly requests the cancellation of any accelerated virtual roll call, arguing it would stifle legitimate debate and appear as a political maneuver to preemptively resolve the party nomination. Originally, the DNC moved to a virtual roll call due to an Ohio law requiring parties to certify their presidential nominees by August 7. Despite Ohio extending the deadline to September 1, the DNC, backed by the Biden campaign, insists on the virtual roll call, citing distrust of state Republicans and potential legal issues.
Biden’s deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks emphasized, “We’re not going to leave it up to Ohio Republicans to not have President Biden on the ballot in every single state.” This stance comes in the wake of a shaky debate performance by Biden, which led to whispers within the Democratic caucus about his viability as the nominee.
🚨 MSNBC: Reword House Democrats are currently pushing to delay the official nomination vote for President Joe Biden until the Democratic National Convention in August.
Some Democrats are circulating a letter expressing “serious concerns” about plans for a virtual roll call,… pic.twitter.com/ozFuRvrHaQ
— Sir Maejor 🇺🇸 (@Maejor4Congress) July 17, 2024
Following an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, calls for Biden to step down have quieted but not disappeared. The letter highlights that with Ohio’s deadline extension, there’s no urgent legal reason to proceed with the virtual roll call. It suggests that doing so could demoralize Democratic voters and be seen as a purely political move.
The letter is reportedly circulating among 50 lawmakers, though some have yet to see it. Representative Jared Huffman, a progressive Democrat, and others involved express deep concern over the expedited nomination process. Huffman stated, “Brute force is not the way to achieve unity and enthusiasm.”
New Jersey Rep. Andy Kim echoed these sentiments, questioning the necessity of an early virtual roll call. Meanwhile, President Biden, having secured the nomination in March with nearly all pledged delegates, remains firm in his decision to stay in the race, asserting it would take “the Lord Almighty” to convince him otherwise.
New w/ @AndrewSolender
The Hill rebellion against Biden is resurfacing after a few quiet days
Here is the full letter protesting the DNC moving forward w/ the virtual roll call.
Rep. Susan Wild a swing-district House Dem told Axios she plans to signhttps://t.co/KiQINNP3LQ pic.twitter.com/FYbc1BFoju— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) July 16, 2024
If Biden were to step down before the convention, nearly 4,000 delegates would choose the new nominee. Post-nomination, the DNC’s roughly 300 members would select replacements for Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The DNC’s rules committee meeting on Friday represents the next step, with virtual roll call dates potentially set between July 21-27 or July 29-August 5.
DNC Chair Jamie Harrison denied any accelerated timeline for the virtual roll call, maintaining that plans remain unchanged from May. He anticipates nominating Biden through a virtual roll call and celebrating in Chicago in August. Despite skepticism and proposals for alternative paths, there’s no mechanism to remove Biden from the ticket currently.
Major Points
- Congressional Democrats urge the DNC to cancel plans for an early virtual roll call to formalize Biden’s nomination.
- The letter argues that proceeding with the virtual roll call stifles debate and appears as a political maneuver.
- Despite Ohio extending its certification deadline to September 1, the DNC insists on the virtual roll call due to distrust of state Republicans.
- The call for Biden to step down has quieted but not disappeared, following a shaky debate performance and an assassination attempt on Trump.
- If Biden steps down before the convention, nearly 4,000 delegates would choose the new nominee; post-nomination, the DNC’s 300 members would select replacements.
James Kravitz – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
