PBS News Hour | More Democrats Urge Biden to Consider Dropping Out of Race

Now we turn to our White House correspondent, Laura Barron-Lopez, in Washington for more on these calls for President Biden to withdraw from the race.

Laura, what was the Biden campaign’s response to all of this?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: I asked a senior Biden adviser today about all these calls, Geoff, and he texted me back that he’s the Democratic nominee and he’s planning to win in November.

The campaign is not moving on this point, Geoff.

And deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks said today in Milwaukee that they don’t envision any scenario in which President Biden isn’t at the top of the ticket.

QUENTIN FULKS, Biden’s senior deputy campaign manager: I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t know how many more times we can answer that question.

Joe Biden has declared that he is running for president of the United States.

Our campaign is moving forward.

We’re drawing a vision and a contrast between what Project 2025 has and what we’ve seen over the last three days here in Milwaukee, the extreme agenda of the Republicans, and that’s what we’re focusing on.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Although sources close to the campaign tell me that many staffers are worried and waiting for things to get tougher, publicly the campaign is holding strong.

AMNA NAWAZ: Laura, we know that you have also spoken to other Democratic sources.

What are you hearing from them about these efforts to get President Biden removed?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: A number of Democrats I spoke with today, Amna, whether they’re lawmakers, donors or party officials, are saying that the next 72 hours are going to be critical, that they want to see some type of movement or resolution.

And I spoke to a Democratic lawmaker today who said they could very well break with Biden by Monday, because they want to see some kind of decision here.

And other Democratic sources I speak with say the train has finally left the station for lawmakers, that they believe it’s time for President Biden to step aside.

And a lot of them, part of their hesitation comes from the fact that they want him to make this decision and make the announcement without having to speak publicly and without pushing him to do it.

Another Democratic lawmaker I spoke with today, Amna, said they’ve been getting calls from big Democratic donors in the last few days saying they want President Biden to step down.

And these donors were telling this legislator that there should be an open convention.

Now, an open convention is something that many lawmakers don’t want and many other Democrats don’t want.

And it seems like they would like people, if President Biden makes that decision, to rally behind Vice President Kamala Harris.