“The conversation should be about the record of this administration, the alternative to his election and letting Joe Biden make his own decisions about his future,” said Clyburn, a longtime ally of the president. “He’s earned that right, and I’m going to give him that much respect.”
The comments, which come a day after Biden participated in a high-stakes news conference, echo those made by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) earlier this week, when she did not directly call on Biden to step aside but subtly reframed the discussion, indicating that despite Biden’s urgings, the question of his candidacy was not settled.
“It is up to the president to decide whether he will run. We all encourage him to make that decision, because time is running out,” Pelosi said.
In the two weeks since Biden’s poor performance in the first general election debate raised concerns about the president’s mental acuity, health and stamina, at least 20 Democratic lawmakers have called on him to step aside as the party’s nominee. But Clyburn said his caucus’ focus should be on making the case for the Biden-Harris ticket for re-election.
“If he decides later on to change his mind, then we will respond to that,” Clyburn said. “We have until August 19th to open our convention. And so I hope we spend our time now on the report that we want to put before the American people.”
Now approaching 84, Clyburn acknowledged that he, too, was no longer physically the man he was four years ago. But he said that despite concerns about his sharpness, Biden still “understands what this country is about. He understands what a democracy is about.”
Clyburn is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus — a crucial block of About 60 Democrats in the House of Representatives appear divided over whether to publicly embrace the president, while some Black Democrats in the House have privately expressed concerns about Biden’s electability and the potential impact on vulnerable lawmakers running in swing districts, The Post previously reported.
When asked if he would support Vice President Harris if Biden leaves office, he reiterated his full support: “Absolutely!”