'Look at the numbers': Democratic Rep. Doggett calls for Biden to drop out of race

In the days following President Biden’s poor performance on the debate stage, Democrats have pondered how to approach the future of his reelection campaign. Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Texas was the first sitting Democratic lawmaker to call on Biden to drop out of the presidential race. Rep. Doggett joined Amna Nawaz to discuss his concerns.

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Amna Nawaz: In the days following President Joe Biden’s poor performance on the debate stage, Democrats have pondered how to approach the future of his reelection campaign.

Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Texas was the first sitting Democratic lawmaker to call on Biden to drop out of the presidential race. He joins me now.

Congressman, welcome and thanks for joining us.

I’m sure you have seen these reports too of a number of your Democratic colleagues circulating a letter that they are proposing sending to the president asking him to step aside as the nominee. You have said you’re not involved in those efforts, but I wonder if you can just give us some insight here.

How many of your Democratic colleagues share your concerns?

Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX): I think it’s widespread.

And my colleague from Arizona Raul Grijalva, one of the senior members, a ranking member, was a chairman of the committee, he just came out publicly this afternoon. I think that there are many colleagues out there who realize what a severe, grave threat we face. If Donald Trump, a criminal, and his gang can take over our government in January, we may never get it back.

And all those things, climate, you were talking about earlier with the hurricane, needing to address the climate crisis, protect our public schools, ensure reproductive freedom,all of the issues we care about at home and abroad are going to be threatened by Donald Trump.

We have to put forward our strongest candidate. And after the debate, after a year of lagging in the polls, today, a New York Times pull out that they’re six points apart, there’s some of us just seeing we have to do something to save our republic. And we’re not confident that Joe Biden can provide the answer, as much as we admire his contribution and accomplishments.

Amna Nawaz: Congressman, when you say those concerns are widespread, how many of your fellow lawmakers are you talking about here? And why aren’t more saying so publicly like you are?

Rep. Lloyd Doggett: Well, Amna, I can’t give you a number. I can tell you that not every one of my colleagues is situated as I am, as a member who’s not endangered, and who’s not beginning his career, as you can tell by looking at me.

I recognize that some people are very concerned about what the effect will be on them of coming out in opposition, as it will be interpreted, though we don’t oppose the president. We simply ask him to make the very important decision of stepping aside and enabling us to defeat Trump.

But they’re concerned about that. And so, yes, there have been rumblings. As you heard, yesterday in Maine, in Washington state, opposite ends of the country, two of our Democratic colleagues said they expected Donald Trump to be the next president.

In the middle, there are several of that have expressed their concern about what’s happening and the performance in the debate. So I think there’s a great undercurrent, many questions that need to be asked.

What we need is the president out there, if all is well with him, engaging with journalists like you here on the “NewsHour” and in other forum and town halls, answering the tough questions, demonstrating that Thursday night debate is not the consistent problem he has, but it was an aberration. I hope it was.

Amna Nawaz: Well, Congressman, for the record, I should say we would welcome a chance to sit down and speak directly to the president.

But you know as well as I do that the president has now said repeatedly he is not dropping out. He’s made that clear to his campaign staff, to funders he’s spoken to. We know he’s meeting with Democratic governors tonight. He’s giving a network interview on Friday. He’s campaigning over the weekend.

Is there anything that you think the president could say or do right now that would change your mind?

Rep. Lloyd Doggett: Well, first, let me say, I think there are things that could happen that could change his mind. I still believe that he puts country ahead of self, unlike Donald Trump, and that, as these numbers come in, as he hears from our members, he may well make the decision that this is not the race that he should be making and that he doesn’t want a legacy that is so impressive in the Senate and as our president to end with a transfer of power to a tyrant.

As far as my mind is concerned, I have never been in doubt that I would be actively supporting the nominee of our party that and that might well be President Biden. I just think it’s a little heavier a lift than if we had a new candidate who could appeal to the double haters, as they’re called, and to the many people out there who’ve been saying in the polls, they’re unwilling to support President Biden and they don’t believe that he’s the person who can do the job over the next four years.

Amna Nawaz: Congressman, other Democratic lawmakers I have spoken to express a lot of concern about there not being very much time left in this election cycle.

They also say, if President Biden were to drop out, another candidate would now have to make him or herself known to the rest of the country. There’s not a lot of time for that. And I should point out in the latest CNN poll, it’s Vice President Harris who’s the only one who comes within the margin of error in terms of a hypothetical matchup with Donald Trump and with other high-profile governors in comparison there, Gavin Newsom, Pete Buttigieg in the Cabinet, and also Gretchen Whitmer.

Do you think she should be the nominee if you’re asking President Biden to step aside?

Rep. Lloyd Doggett: I’m not selecting a nominee at this point or speaking for any candidate. She’s certainly a talented person who should be in the mix.

Time is short, but I think we have time for a fair, open, democratic process where any of the individuals you just mentioned, several other governors, perhaps members of the Senate or the Cabinet, could present themselves to the American people.

I think their numbers will immediately go up as they become identified outside of their states, and that having someone new, someone a little more youthful, in this race could give us the edge to defeat Donald Trump, an edge we may not enjoy if the numbers stay as they are.

I just ask that the president and his circle of close friends and family look at the numbers and determine, how are we going to prevail in November if things continue as they have over the last year and as they have worsened in recent days as a result of the debate?

Amna Nawaz: In the few seconds we have left, do you believe that that window is closing if President Biden were to make that kind of decision?

Rep. Lloyd Doggett: I think that it’s a decision that needs to be made in just the next few days. Every day counts. Time is of the essence. We don’t have that much time before Chicago.

I will be there for him or for whoever might be our nominee. But let’s put forward our best case, our best opportunity to save our country from what would happen under a Trump regime.

Amna Nawaz: That is Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Texas joining us tonight.

Congressman, thank you. Good to speak with you.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett: Thank you, Amna.