The office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Wednesday criticized reporting from ABC News that the New York Democrat told President Joe Biden during a one-on-one meeting this weekend to drop out of the race.
Schumer’s office did not explicitly deny the reporting but labeled it “idle speculation” of a private conversation.
“Unless ABC’s source is Senator Chuck Schumer or President Joe Biden, the reporting is idle speculation,” a spokesperson for Schumer said in a statement. “Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus directly to President Biden on Saturday.”
ABC’s Jon Karl reported during the meeting that took place Saturday at Biden’s residence in Rehoboth, Delaware, Schumer “forcefully made the case that it would be better for Biden, better for the Democratic party, and better for the country if he were to bow out.”
White House spokesman Andrew Bates, however, said Biden is not bowing out: “The President told both leaders he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families.”
In public, Schumer has stuck to the same three words in recent weeks when prodded by reporters about Biden: “I’m with Joe.”
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The report comes amid sweeping anxiety among Democrats that Biden can no longer beat former President Donald Trump following his weak debate performance that called into question the president’s mental acuity. Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) is the lone Senate Democrat to call for Biden to bow out, but others in the upper chamber have expressed deep concerns about his electability in swing states.
Schumer was also reportedly part of a lobbying effort , along with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), to delay the nomination of Biden via a virtual roll call vote with party delegates and the Democratic National Committee ahead of next month’s convention.
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