CNN chief national affairs correspondent Jeff Zeleny said Wednesday on “The Lead” that White House advisers told him a “contingency plan” is underway if President Joe Biden decides not to run for president.
Host Jake Tapper said, “New CNN reporting shows several Democratic Party officials and advisers say plans are underway if, if Biden were to step aside for the president to throw his support behind his vice president and releases Democratic delegates. CNN’s Jeff Zeleny broke this reporting.”
Zeleny said, “Jake, it’s notable that President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris our spending considerable time today, including and they will be, she will be at that meeting tonight at the White House with Democratic Governors. She of course, shared lunch with the president today, which is not unusual, that something that presidents and vice presidents do but the timing of it is significant. One adviser explain it to me like this, he’s with her.”
He added, “So as the president makes his decision, which is his to make, a contingency plan, if you will, a session plan is underway. The discussions of it are for what would happen if Biden makes the decision to leave. I am told by several advisers that if he makes that decision he would be expected to immediately throw his support behind his vice president and asked his delegates to also support her. And then former presidents and party leaders would also be asked and likely agreed to support her as well. All may not, but there’ll be asked to do so. One adviser telling me this who would stand up against our historic vice president to be our nominee for president? The bottom line here is time is running out. Time is running short. The Democratic convention is next month. No one is sure how long Biden will take to decide this. So again, a contingency plan, a succession plan, if he makes that decision. Will everyone be pleased by this? Perhaps not, but that’s where this looks like it is going.”
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