In a shocking turn of events, Sen. Michael Bennet has publicly expressed doubts about President Joe Biden’s ability to win re-election following his disastrous debate performance. Bennet, the first Democratic senator to make such a statement, shared his concerns with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, stating, “Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election, and maybe win it by a landslide, and take with him the Senate and the House.” He emphasized that this is not just a matter of polling or politics, but a moral question about the future of the country.
Bennet also criticized the White House for failing to demonstrate a clear plan to secure victory in the upcoming election, raising alarm among his fellow congressional Democrats. Concerns over Biden’s re-election bid potentially harming other Democratic candidates in down-ballot races have been growing, leading to private meetings on Capitol Hill to discuss the way forward. While no consensus was reached during these meetings, it was evident that worries about Biden’s viability as a candidate have been raised behind closed doors.
Despite his concerns, Bennet stopped short of calling for Biden to withdraw from the race. He stressed the significance of the 2024 election, warning that losing the House and Senate to Republicans would be “an American tragedy.” His remarks underscore previous reports indicating that he had expressed doubts about Biden’s chances of winning re-election during a Senate Democrats’ private meeting.
Biden’s performance at the June CNN debate sparked speculation about his mental acuity and campaign viability. While some House Democrats have publicly called on Biden to drop out, the president remains steadfast in his commitment to continue running. Responding to Bennet’s comments, Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz reiterated the anticipated closeness of the race and emphasized the importance of engaging with voters to build support for the president.
The meeting among Senate Democrats also saw Sens. Sherrod Brown and Jon Tester expressing skepticism about Biden’s re-election prospects, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer advising senators to communicate directly with the White House. After the meeting, Democratic senators largely declined to comment to reporters, with Sen. Chris Coons describing the conversation as “constructive.”
CNN’s Dana Bash and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.
