President Biden on Monday sent a defiant letter to congressional Democrats, saying he is “firmly committed” to staying in the presidential race, pushing back on members of his own party who’ve called for him to bow out.
“The question of how we move forward has been well aired for over a week now,” Mr. Biden wrote in the two-page letter released by his campaign. “And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that job is to beat Donald Trump.”
“Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It’s time to come together, move forward as a unified party and defeat Donald Trump,” the president wrote.
The letter comes one day after several senior House Democrats said during a private conference call that Mr. Biden should step aside as their party’s nominee. The new calls on Sunday for Mr. Biden to quit the race added to other House Democrats who have demanded Mr. Biden end his campaign after his disastrous debate performance against Mr. Trump on June 27.
The president’s move also came as Congress returns to Washington from its July Fourth recess, with the likelihood of more Democrats exerting pressure on Mr. Biden to bow out.
In his letter, Mr. Biden wrote that with the election less than 120 days away, replacing him on the ticket would deny those who voted for him during the Democratic primaries.
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“Do we now say this process doesn’t matter?” Mr. Biden wrote.
Mr. Biden wrote that he feels a “deep obligation” to those who cast their vote for him in the primary.
“It was their decision to make. Not the press, not the pundits, not the big donors, not any selected group of individuals, no matter how well intended. The voters — and the voters alone — decide the nominee of the Democratic Party. How can we stand for democracy in our nation if we ignore our own party? I cannot do that. I will not do that,” he wrote.
Mr. Biden also took strong aim against the two Democrats who ran against him. Although Mr. Biden didn’t mention the candidates by name, it was clear he was referring to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running for president as an independent, and Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota, who briefly challenged Mr. Biden in the primary before ending his campaign.
“One fared so badly that he left the primaries to run as an independent. Another attacked me for being too old and was soundly defeated,” Mr. Biden wrote.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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