President Joe Biden faced a critical point in his reelection bid as Democratic calls for him to exit the 2024 race continued to mount despite his efforts to shut them down.
A poor debate performance against Donald Trump in June reignited questions about Biden's age and fitness to carry out his campaign and serve another four years. While Biden defiantly insisted he was staying the course, he later announced on July 21 that he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race.
Schumer, Jeffries pushed party to delay official Biden nomination vote: Sources
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pushed the party to delay its nominating process, multiple sources tell ABC News.
This comes after Schumer met privately with President Biden on Saturday in Rehoboth, Delaware. Following the meeting, Schumer only described it as a "good meeting."
This is the biggest indication so far that Schumer is keeping an open mind about Biden's future.
Schumer and Jeffries spoke and both agreed to make the push, according to the sources.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott and Allison Pecorin
Jul 17, 2024, 1:47 PM EDT
Harris accepts 3rd date option offered by CBS for VP debate
Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday accepted a third date option proposed by CBS News for a vice-presidential debate, a Biden campaign official said.
The new proposed date is for Monday, Aug. 12, according to the Biden campaign.
"Now that the Trump campaign has selected a running mate, we encourage them to agree to a debate between Vice President Harris and Senator Vance," the campaign official said.
On May 16, CBS News offered two debate date options on either July 23 (the week after the RNC) or Aug. 13 (the week before the DNC), which Harris accepted at the time.
The next day Trump accepted a Fox News proposal for his eventual running mate -- who we now know is Vance.
"On behalf of the future Vice President of the United States, who I have not yet chosen, we hereby accept the Fox Vice Presidential Debate, hopefully at Virginia State University, the first Historically Black College or University to host a Debate - Date to be determined," Trump posted on Truth Social at the time. "I urge Vice President Kamala Harris to agree to this. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Fox News’ VP debate offer was for the same dates CBS News originally offered.
-ABC News' Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie
Jul 17, 2024, 1:08 PM EDT
Rep. Adam Schiff calls on Biden to drop out of the race
Rep. Adam Schiff is calling on President Joe Biden to drop out of the race and "pass the torch."
"While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden's alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch. And in doing so, secure his legacy of leadership by allowing us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election," Schiff said Wednesday in a statement released by his office.
Schiff is running for California Senate, and he led the first impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.
Rep. Adam Schiff during a hearing at the Capitol, June 21, 2022.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP, FILE
"Joe Biden has been one of the most consequential presidents in our nation's history, and his lifetime of service as a Senator, a Vice President, and now as President has made our country better," his statement read.
"But our nation is at a crossroads. A second Trump presidency will undermine the very foundation of our democracy, and I have serious concerns about whether the President can defeat Donald Trump in November," he continued, then calling on the president to "pass the torch."
"But make no mistake, whoever our party ends up nominating, or if the nomination remains with the president, I will do everything I can to help them succeed. There is only one singular goal: defeating Donald Trump. The stakes are just too high," he added.
The Los Angeles Times first reported the news.
-ABC News' Lauren Peller
Jul 13, 2024, 5:53 PM EDT
Biden gets into heated conversation with New Democrat Coalition: Source
A call between Biden and the New Democrat Coalition, a group of center-left congressional Democrats, got heated, a source with knowledge of the conversation told ABC News.
Biden got angry with the group, yelled at one, Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado, and then got off the call before other members could confront him about stepping aside, according to the source.
"It was bad," one member on the call said, according to the source. "No plan."
When members pressed him on how he would turn the campaign around, Biden just listed policy achievements and insisted his polls look better, the source said.
