Representative James Clyburn (D-SC) said on Friday on NBC’s “Today” that while he supports President Joe Biden’s candidacy, the Democratic Party had August 19 to open their convention.
Co-host Craig Melvin asked, “Congressman, you’ve got 17 Democrats, 17 Democrats, one of them a sitting U.S. senator who have called on their president to step aside, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi two days ago, saying, quote, ‘It’s up to the president to decide if he’s going to run. We’re all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short.’ That is not a full-throated endorsement from your friend and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Should the conversation about the president getting out of this race, should that conversation continue?”
Clyburn said, “No, it shouldn’t.”
Melvin said, “The conversation should be over?”
Clyburn said, “No, the conversation should focus on the record of this administration, on the alternative to his election, and let Joe Biden continue to make his own decisions about his future. He’s earned that right. And I am going to give him that much respect. If he decides to change his mind later on, then we would respond to that. We have until the 19th of August to open our convention. And so I would hope that we would spend our time now focusing on the record that we will lay out for the American people. Remind the American people of what is in store for them if Project 2025 were to become law in any form. That is where our focus ought to be.”
Melvin asked, “Again, how is this a candidate? How is this a candidate, candidacy or candidate that can remain viable? If you literally have a Democrat every day calling on him to drop out of the race, down-ballot Democrats who are going to be answering questions day in and day out about the president’s mental acuity, how is that a campaign that can be successful?”
Clyburn said, “Well, Joe Biden is focused on the future of this country. And I always say the best predictor of future performance is past behavior. Let’s continue to compare the past behavior of Joe Biden to the past behavior of his opponent, Donald Trump, and let that be a guide to our reactions going forward. And I think if we do that, we will give the American people exactly what they need to make their choice.”
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