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In the most resounding call for withdrawal yet, the New York Times editorial board published an op-ed Friday urging Joe Biden to drop out of the race. The editorial says Biden owes it to democracy to bow out and let someone more capable of defeating Donald Trump take his place.

“To Serve His Country, President Biden Should Leave the Race,” reads the headline.

The editors fear Biden revealed his fractured cognitive state during the debate – during which he repeatedly lost his train of thought and stumbled upon his words – and thusly proved Trump the more suitable candidate.

“Donald Trump has proved himself to be a significant jeopardy to that democracy — an erratic and self-interested figure unworthy of the public trust. He systematically attempted to undermine the integrity of elections. His supporters have described, publicly, a 2025 agenda that would give him the power to carry out the most extreme of his promises and threats. If he is returned to office, he has vowed to be a different kind of president, unrestrained by the checks on power built into the American political system,” the op-ed begins.

“Mr. Biden has said that he is the candidate with the best chance of taking on this threat of tyranny and defeating it. His argument rests largely on the fact that he beat Mr. Trump in 2020. That is no longer a sufficient rationale for why Mr. Biden should be the Democratic nominee this year.”

(Photo by Chris DELMAS / AFP) (Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)

For context, Trump entered the debate leading in most 2024 models and betting markets. National polls frequently showed the two candidates separated by just a few points.

The Times editors worry that won’t be the case any longer:

“At Thursday’s debate, the president needed to convince the American public that he was equal to the formidable demands of the office he is seeking to hold for another term. Voters, however, cannot be expected to ignore what was instead plain to see: Mr. Biden is not the man he was four years ago.

“The president appeared on Thursday night as the shadow of a great public servant. He struggled to explain what he would accomplish in a second term. He struggled to respond to Mr. Trump’s provocations. He struggled to hold Mr. Trump accountable for his lies, his failures and his chilling plans. More than once, he struggled to make it to the end of a sentence.”

The Times is far from the only legacy media outlet to call for Biden’s withdrawal from the ballot. Several hosts from CNN and MSNBC echoed the same sentiment – most notably, Nicolle Wallace.

“You can’t change a candidate, but you can – I mean, there were people talking about how that process works, and that conversation is live and active at the highest levels of the Democratic party,” said Wallace. 

ATLANTA – President Joe Biden and Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump participate in the CNN Presidential Debate at the CNN Studios on June 27, 2024.  (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Still, the Democrat party must overcome several obstacles to replace Biden on the ticket before the Democratic National Convention in August. 

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the party could not transfer Biden’s campaign funds to a replacement candidate, unless that candidate is Kamala Harris. 

The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington, also warned of legal action, arguing the deadline to replace a candidate in Wisconsin has passed. Granted, some Wisconsin lawmakers dispute the legality of the deadline referenced. 

Nonetheless, the Times op-ed says there are other “Democratic leaders better equipped to present clear, compelling and energetic alternatives to a second Trump presidency.”

Sure. But the most likely replacement candidates appear to be Harris, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, all of whom have significant baggage. 

Then again, bypassing the usual months of scrutiny is a cunning workaround for a candidate who is not introduced until three months before the election. 

The piece concludes by acknowledging they would still endorse Biden if there is no other choice. 

“If the race comes down to a choice between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, the sitting president would be this board’s unequivocal pick. That is how much of a danger Mr. Trump poses. But given that very danger, the stakes for the country and the uneven abilities of Mr. Biden, the United States needs a stronger opponent to the presumptive Republican nominee.”

We want to empathize that outlets like the New York Times have known of Biden’s demented tendencies for most of the last three and half years. They have access to the same videos and blunders the rest of us do.

Meaning, the legacy press is not calling for Biden to step down because he lacks the mental acuity to run the country. Rather, the press is calling on Biden to step down because they now believe enough voters know about his cognitive limitations that it could win Trump the White House.