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President Joe Biden is facing more calls to step down as he hangs on in the race by the skin of his teeth.

George Clooney wrote a New York Times op-ed urging the 81-year-old to make way for a replacement while more Democrats came forward saying they need a different candidate on the ticket.

Follow all the developments below with Biden's future hanging in the balance in DailyMail.com's U.S. politics blog from our reporters in the capital and around the country.


18:02

Chuck Todd: Biden cabinet secretary told me Joe 'can't run again like this' TWO YEARS ago

13233803 NBC star Chuck Todd throws liberal hissy fit over network hiring ex-RNC chair Ronna McDaniel and demands an APOLOGY from bosses

NBC’s chief political analyst Chuck Todd has revealed that a ‘senior’ member of Joe Biden’s cabinet told him two years ago that they had serious concerns about the president running again.

The former Meet The Press host said he sees ‘no evidence’ Biden can serve four more years in his podcast on Tuesday.

This White House had to, they had to drag it out of him that they've had this neurological test... They have no credibility left on this topic.

He then went into detail about the conversation he had with the unnamed cabinet member.

I'm not gonna out the cabinet secretary, right? But I had a cabinet secretary two years ago, all out of the blue ask me, "Do you really think he's gonna, he can't run again like this?"
And I said, ‘Well, you have more interaction with him than I do.’
And they said, ‘I don't have a lot of interaction with him.’
This is a pretty senior cabinet secretary. And this was two years ago.
This is one of those, you know, it's the classic open secrets, a non-versation, right? It's the story everybody knows and no one was, everybody was afraid to talk about.
23:54

Breaking: Democrat Peter Welch becomes first senator to demand Biden step down

'For the good of the country, I’m calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race,' Welch, D-Vt., wrote in a Washington Post op-ed on Wednesday.

I have great respect for President Biden. He saved our country from a tyrant. He is a man of uncommon decency. He cares deeply about our democracy. He has been one of the best presidents of our time.
But I, like folks across the country, am worried about November’s election. The stakes could not be higher. We cannot unsee President Biden’s disastrous debate performance. We cannot ignore or dismiss the valid questions raised since that night.
I understand why President Biden wants to run. He saved us from Donald Trump once and wants to do it again. But he needs to reassess whether he is the best candidate to do so. In my view, he is not.
22:34

Chuck Schumer reportedly open to dumping Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is privately open to replacing Biden on the top of the Democratic ticket, according to Axios.

That's in contrast with what he's said publicly, that he stands with the president despite his disastrous debate.

'As I've said before, I'm for Joe,' declared Schumer to waiting reporters as he returned from a recess this week.

He reiterated that position following lunch with fellow Democratic senators on Tuesday.

So far at least eight House Democrats have publicly called on Biden to withdraw from the race, but there have yet to be any open defectors in the Senate, at least not yet.

22:30

Biden hit with barrage of questions about George Clooney's call that he step back as he meets new British PM Starmer

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, meets with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, D.C, during his visit to the United States to attend the NATO 75th anniversary summit, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. (Stefan Rousseau/Pool Photo via AP)

President Joe Biden faced a barrage of questions during his meeting Wednesday with new British PM Keir Starmer about George Clooney’s stunning op-ed calling for him to step aside.

Biden’s response, as he faces calls in Congress to step down, was to say: ‘AFL-CIO. Go, go, go!' Biden pumped his fists as he spoke. His response suggests he puts more stock in the powerful labor union, which issued a statement saying it stood in ‘strong solidarity’ with him on July 3, following his debate fiasco.

Biden visited AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington earlier Wednesday.

Starmer told Biden he had watched part of the Eurocup final with his Dutch counterpart while the two teams played an intense match. They walked away when it was 1-1, before England’s win. ‘By the way, soccer has become incredibly popular here in the United States,’ Biden said.

21:45

Five Democrats join Republicans to STOP illegal aliens from voting in 2024 election by passing Trump-backed voter ID bill: 'Most important vote of your career'

A new voter ID bill aimed to keep illegal migrants from voting for President Biden in the 2024 election cleared the House, with the help of several Democrats.

The SAVE Act would force election officials to verify citizenship of voters. It has the strong backing of Donald Trump who urged the House to pass it, or else 'go home and cry yourself to sleep.'

Speaker Mike Johnson insisted legislation to make voters prove their citizenship could be one of the 'most important' bills to go through Congress in a lifetime.

'This will be one of the most important votes that members of this chamber will ever take in their entire careers,' he said on the House floor Wednesday.

'And it's an issue we never thought we would have to actually address, but that moment has come to us now,' he added.

21:32

Democrat senator slugs back 'vodka cran' at popular D.C. bar after making damning admission about Biden's reelection chances

A Democratic Senator facing a brutally tough reelection fight this cycle was spotted solo at a bar with a bright red cocktail looking distant as his party turmoils over Joe Biden.

Montana Sen. Jon Tester knocked back a 'vodka cran' alone on Tuesday evening at the French restaurant Bistro Cacao just blocks away from the Senate office buildings, sources told the Daily Caller.

Reports indicate the photo must have been snapped within hours of him privately venting to his Senate colleagues that he does not believe the 81-year-old Biden can defeat Donald Trump in November.

21:12

China is trying to genetically modify American soybeans in latest infiltration plot warns top Republicans

The top Republican lawmaker is sounding the alarm after a Chinese agricultural firm was approved to create 'genetically engineered soybeans' for consumption in the U.S.

The suspiciously rapid approval by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) of Chinese biotech firm Qi Biodesign should raise major alarm bells, says Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich.

That company, which specializes in gene editing, is partially funded by the Chinese government, he claims in a letter to President Biden's USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com.

And the company specifically poses a threat to U.S. farming companies' secrets, he says.

His concern comes at a time of heightened anxiety about China's meddling in U.S. agricultural efforts - as the country owns over 347,000 acres of farmland near sensitive military bases.

20:40

Mia Fallow joins George Clooney in pushing that Biden should step aside

Mia Farrow joined actor George Clooney's call for President Joe Biden to step aside so another Democrat can run against former President Donald Trump in the 2024 general election.

On Wednesday afternoon, Farrow posted to X 'time to pass the torch.'

'Or we lose the Senate, the House and our Democracy.'

Clooney sent shockwaves through Bidenworld earlier Wednesday by penning an editorial for The New York Times stating that the 81-year-old president should save democracy by ditching his reelection campaign.

The actor and humanitarian argued that 'the one battle he cannot win is the fight against time.'

'It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fund-raiser was not the Joe "big f-ing deal" Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020. He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate,' Clooney wrote.

Clooney was one of the co-hosts of a Hollywood fundraiser with Biden in mid-June where one of the so-called 'freezing' episodes occurred - with former President Barack Obama walking him offstage - that White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later labeled a 'cheap fake.'

20:35

Breaking: Republicans want to haul in three of Biden's top aides for questioning on his 'declining cognitive state'

The three aides targeted include: First Lady Jill Biden's senior staffer Anthony Bernal, Annie Tomasini, who serves as deputy chief of staff, and Ashley Williams, another senior advisor.

20:08

How Congress's ability to play the stock market could be stymied by the very lawmakers raking in BILLIONS

A bipartisan group of senators are pushing a new stock trading ban for members of Congress on an expedited schedule.

The announcement comes as lucrative stock trades by lawmakers have been under more scrutiny as over $1 billion in trades were made in 2023 alone.

Though there are some laws in place to restrict members from trading on their inside knowledge in Congress, critics say that doesn't always happen.

A recent report from DailyMail.com found many members were trading millions of dollars in stock, including risky options, and others had traded a total volume of over $100 million.

Four senators introduced a measure Wednesday that would ban members, their spouses and dependents from trading stock and other securities.

19:32

New York's Democrat lieutenant gov demands Biden drop out

Antonio Delgado, the lieutenant governor of New York and former House Democrat, called on Biden to drop out of the running.

'I join with millions of Americans ... who are expressing legitimate concerns about President Biden's ability to wage a successful campaign against Trump,' he said in a statement.

'I believe we should move forward with a nominee who is capable of reinvigorating and re-energizing Americans.'

19:16

NBC will host Biden's second post-debate television interview as clean-up continues

President Joe Biden is sitting down for another teleivison interview after his terrible clean-up efforts in his post-debate interview with ABC News.

NBC host Lester Holt's one-on-one with Biden wil tape Monday in Austin, Texas – and the full interview will air the same day at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

This will be the second televised interview with Biden since his car crash debate performance as the president conducts a massivve damage control effort by barnstorming the campaign trail and increasing his media appearances.

Biden's debate performance led to a chorus of calls from Democrats who want to see him step aside, but he is working overtime now to assure he is still mentally and physically fit for a second term.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock (14452089ga) Lester Holt 2024 White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner, Washington, DC, USA - 27 Apr 2024

19:16

NBC will host Biden's second post-debate television interview as clean-up continues

President Joe Biden is sitting down for another teleivison interview after his terrible clean-up efforts in his post-debate interview with ABC News.

NBC host Lester Holt's one-on-one with Biden wil tape Monday in Austin, Texas – and the full interview will air the same day at 9 p.m. Eastern Time.

This will be the second televised interview with Biden since his car crash debate performance as the president conducts a massivve damage control effort by barnstorming the campaign trail and increasing his media appearances.

Biden's debate performance led to a chorus of calls from Democrats who want to see him step aside, but he is working overtime now to assure he is still mentally and physically fit for a second term.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock (14452089ga) Lester Holt 2024 White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) Dinner, Washington, DC, USA - 27 Apr 2024

18:24

Fury grows at White House as Karine Jean-Pierre admits she MISLED reporters about Parkinson's expert visiting Biden

The White House was forced to make yet another embarrassing clarification after Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that a meeting between the president's personal physician and a neurological specialist was not related to Joe Biden's personal care.

In fact, it was part of Biden's annual physical, as she later had to admit.

It is the most recent gaffe by officials as the nation's oldest president fights for his political life amid questions about his fitness for the job.

The clarifications have led to a growing sense that aides are being less than straight with reporters.

18:06

White House pushes back at RNC clip of 'wax figure' Biden

The White House is pushing back after a Republican National Committee X account compared him to a wax figure with a short video clip.

White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates posted the RNC's video, which is closely cropped, and added his own link. That link shows the president waiting and standing, arms at his side, before greeting and shaking hands with German Prime Minister Olaf Scholtz.

Biden grins and raises his eyebrows during the grip-and-grin with Scholtz.

18:01

Senate Democrats to meet with senior Biden officials on Thursday

By Sarah Ewall-Wice, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

DailyMail.com has confirmed Senate Democrats will be meeting with senior Biden officials on Thursday at 12:30pm ET.

They will hear from rom senior advisors Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti as well as Biden Campaign Chair Jen O'Malley Dillon.

It comes as some Democratic senators have begun expressing doubts publicly over whether Biden can win in November.

17:42

Now it is Biden’s turn to host Italy’s Giorgia Meloni after she guided him at Bari summit

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is greeted by U.S. President Joe Biden during NATO's 75th anniversary summit in Washington, U.S., July 10, 2024. REUTERS/Yves Herman

This week’s NATO summit reunited Biden with world leaders including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who hosted the recent G7 summit in Bari.

A clip of the two went viral when it showed Meloni guiding Biden back toward a group of leaders for a photo after a parachute demonstration, when Biden walked a few feet away to speak to a parachutist nearby.

17:38

AOC introduces articles of impeachment against conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., introduced articles of impeachment against Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas over their failure to report gifts from wealthy friends and alleged conflicts of interest in cases before the court.

The article for Thomas lists off: 'failure to disclose financial income, gifts and reimbursements, property interests, liabilities and transactions,' 'refusal to recuse from court matters' concerning his wife's legal interests and financial interests.

The one for Alito lists: 'refusal to recuse from cases in which he had a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party in cases before the court,' 'failure to disclose financial income, gifts and reimbursements, property interests, liabilities, transactions.'

'The Congresswoman maintains that such conduct — while under a Judicial Oath to "faithfully and impartially discharge and perform" duties ... warrants impeachment.'

17:33

Gov. Ron DeSantis WILL speak at GOP convention after 'change in schedule'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is now expected to have a slotted speaking position during next week's GOP Convention in Milwaukee.

It comes after it was believed that he was intentionally left off the public-facing schedule.

But DeSantis will be delivering a forceful public speech in support of Donald Trump - his former political foe.

17:31

Biden shakes hands with NATO leaders and poses for ‘family photo’

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, U.S. President Joe Biden, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Finland's President Alexander Stubb, and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban stand together as they attend NATO's 75th anniversary summit in Washington, U.S., July 10, 2024. REUTERS/Yves Herman

The president put his decades of diplomatic chops to use at the NATO summit while facing political threats in his party.

Biden and outgoing Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg shook hands with leaders of 31 NATO countries and posed for grip-and-grin photos.

Then leaders joined for the traditional ‘family photo,’ which required them to look into a camera for eight seconds. Biden didn’t respond to a question about whether he still has support for former Speaker Nancy Pelosi following her comments on MSNBC, but shook his fist in a show of confidence.

'I will now ask the press to depart so that we can get started,' Biden said at the conclusion of his remarks.

17:23

Biden warns NATO summit that Russia is on ‘war footing’

President Joe Biden arrives for the opening session of the NATO Summit as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer watch, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

President Joe Biden warned NATO allies in Washington that Russia is on a ‘war footing’ as the alliance works to boost defense production at home to meet the needs exposed by the Ukraine war.

‘Right now Russia is on a wartime footing with regard to defense production,’ Biden said as the NATO summit meetings begin in earnest.

‘We cannot in my view, we cannot allow the alliance to fall behind,’ he said. Biden quoted former President Harry S. Truman calling the alliance a ‘shield against aggression.’ The president said a new pledge to improve industrial capacity sends an ‘unmistakable message’ to the world that every ally is ‘doing their part to keep the alliance strong.’

With growing calls by Democrats to step down or prove he can run for reelection, Biden read from printed remarks but looked up occasionally when emphasizing a point, while seated at a large table in D.C.’s sprawling convention center.

17:05

Biden's energy czar dumbstruck after Nancy Mace tears into $50M grant to 'anti-police' climate group

16:57

Jill Biden hosts NATO spouses brunch and makes a call for unity

First lady Jill Biden speaks at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, Wednesday, July 10, 2024, during an event with spouses of NATO leaders as part of the NATO Summit. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

By Emily Goodin, senior U.S. political reporter

Jill Biden hosted the wives of NATO leaders for brunch at the American History Museum on Wednesday, noting that very few in the room probably could have predicted that they would be 'supporting partners' one day to people leading the world.

She also thanked the museum curators for having items from its collective available for their viewing, noting she liked the ruby slippers from 'The Wizard of Oz.'

In her remarks, she made a call for unity.

'This moment in history calls for our collective strength. And I hope that we too can forge the kind of partnerships where we can always reach out to one another and take each other's hands and share in the challenges and the joys as our roles as first spouses,' she said.

First lady Jill Biden, front row center, poses with the spouses of NATO leaders during an event as part of the NATO Summit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Pictured from front row left are Sanja Music Milanovic, spouse of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Ingrid Schulerud, wife of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Emine Erdogan, First Lady of the Republic of Turkey, Biden, Agata Kornhauser-Duda, spouse of the President of the Republic of Poland, Diana Nausediene, first lady of the Republic of Lithuania and Olena Zelenska, first lady of Ukraine. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The first lady told the spouses she looks forward to learning more about 'what drives you' and how they could all continue to support one another.

She reminded everyone to dress comfortably when they gather at Camp David on Thursday, where she will host the spouses at the presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains.

16:49

Biden campaign in the market for a 'meme page manager' as it attempts to reinvigorate flailing reelection bid after Biden's blunders

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ting Shen/UPI/Shutterstock (14580811b) US President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting of national union leaders at the AFL-CIO in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Biden is turning to Black, Hispanic and progressive leaders to curb an intraparty uprising over his fitness for office, an unexpected lifeline for a president whose standing among voters in those groups has diminished. Biden Makes Comments to Union Leaders in Washington, District of Columbia, United States - 10 Jul 2024
The Biden for President (BFP) campaign is looking for a Partner Manager to join the Digital Partnerships team. In this role, you will initiate and manage day-to-day operations in engaging the internet’s top content and meme pages.
The ideal candidate for this role is passionate about bringing political content to voters where they already are on the internet. They have a deep interest in politics and thrive in a fast-paced environment. This position is full-time and based in Wilmington, DE.

The plea for a meme manager comes as now eight Democrat lawmakers have said they want Biden to step down and allow another to take his place at the top of the 2024 ticket.

16:37

Bipartisan Senate group announces congressional stock trading ban

A bipartisan group of Senators announced they would review a stock trading ban for members of Congress.

Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced a measure that would ban members from trading stock and other securities.

'Democrats, Independents, Republicans, overwhelmingly agree that members of Congress should not be playing the stock market,' Ossoff said at an event announcing the legislation.

Hawley said, 'There is no reason that Congress ought to be profiting off of information that only they get.'

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 28:  Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and other Democratic members of Congress hold a news conference  to push for a solar tax credit at the U.S. Capitol on September 28, 2021 in Washington, DC. The House and Senate Democrats are pushing for a refundable tax credit for solar manufacturers to spur domestic production to be included in the budget reconciliation.   (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

16:35

NY Rep Pat Ryan becomes eighth House Democrat to call on Biden to step aside

Vulnerable New York Democrat Pat Ryan said that President Biden needs to step down 'for the good of the country.'

'I really hope, with all my heart, that he will listen,' he told the New York Times.

Now eight House Democrats have demanded Biden step aside in on-the-record statements to the press.

16:28

Vice President Harris rallies black women for November while speaking at sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha's annual meeting in Dallas

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. annual convention during the 71st biennial Boule at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Vice President Harris has been a member of the sorority since she joined while a student at Howard University. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

By Sarah Ewall-Wice, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

Vice President Kamala Harris is in Dallas delivering the keynote address at the black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha's annual meeting.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is one of the largest Greek-letter organizations in the country and the first intercollegiate historically African American sorority.

Her remarks come as the vice president's work has taken on greater focus amid questions over President Biden's health.

The sorority said 20,000 members are in attendance for Harris' speech.

The vice president started by touting the Biden-Harris administration's work over the past three and a half years, before turning her sights on the future.

'We have more work to do,' she said. 'Across our nation, we are witnessing a full on assault on hard fought, hard won freedoms and rights,' Harris said.

The vice president mentioned voting rights, gun violence and women's ability to make choices about their own bodies.

She attacked Donald Trump by name numerous times and vowed when Congress passes a law to restore Roe 'our President Joe Biden will sign it.'

Harris called the 2024 election the 'most existential, consequential and important election of our lifetime' and challenged the thousands of women in the room to organize and vote.

Black women in 2020 helped propel Biden and Harris to victory with 90 percent supporting the Democratic ticket.

Vice President Kamala Harris is greeted before speaking at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. annual convention during the 71st biennial Boule at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Wednesday, July 10, 2024. Vice President Harris has been a member of the sorority since she joined while a student at Howard University. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

16:25

Michael Douglas tells The View he's as 'deeply concerned' as George Clooney after calling for Biden to step down

The View on Wednesday, Michael Douglas  13619797

Hollywood legend Michael Douglas said he shares George Clooney’s concerns of President Joe Biden staying in the presidential race.

The actor and producer was on The View discussing his new documentary ‘America’s Burning’ when he was asked about Clooney’s scathing New York Times op-ed calling for the 81-year-old president to step aside.

Like Clooney, Douglas has also been a staunch supporter of Biden and hosted a fundraiser at his home. The American President star also appeared in a video supporting Biden alongside actors who have played the commander-in-chief.

I adore the guy, you know 50 years of public service, and this just happens to be one of the elections that’s so crucial.
I don’t worry necessarily today or tomorrow but a year down the line...I worry. I am concerned.

When asked about Clooney's bombshell call for Biden to be replaced, Douglas said:

I think it’s a valid point. I’m deeply, deeply concerned. Especially it’s difficult because the Democrats have a deep bench, I mean they got a lot of heavy hitters. A lot of talent.

16:10

Trump complains Nikki Haley 'stayed too long' in her run against him and will 'take a look' after she said she wasn't invited to the convention

DORAL, FLORIDA - JULY 09: Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves after speaking at a campaign rally at the Trump National Doral Golf Club on July 09, 2024 in Doral, Florida. Trump continues to campaign across the country. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

Donald Trump isn’t ready to roll out the red carpet for Nikki Haley just yet, after she said she won’t be attending the GOP convention next week and an aide said she hadn’t been invited.

‘I’ll take a look at that. I have heard that this morning, so I’ll take a look at that,’ Trump told Brian Kilmeade on Fox News when asked about a report the former South Carolina governor won’t attend but is urging her delegates to back Trump.

Then he started grousing about his defeated rival. ‘You know there was a lot of bad blood there. She stayed too long,’ he said. He compared her to 2016 rival former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who carried on his campaign after winning his home state of Ohio in 2016.

‘You know Ron DeSantis left right after Iowa. She should have left right after Iowa. She came in third,’ Trump vented. Trump also denied Haley would help him pick up support of moderates, saying they wouldn’t vote for Joe Biden.

16:06

George Clooney calls on Biden to STEP DOWN from the race and gives scathing review of debate performance

Lifelong Democrat George Clooney has turned on President Joe Biden and demanded he step aside from the 2024 race after his disastrous debate and widespread concerns about whether he can serve four more years.

The Hollywood megastar, who has hosted fundraisers for the 81-year-old, said Biden can't win the 'battle against time' in a scathing op-ed for the New York Times on Wednesday morning.

The actor also condemned Democratic party leaders for ignoring 'every warning sign' of Biden's declining physical and mental health and for trying to defend his car-crash performance against Donald Trump.

He added that Democrat voters ‘collectively hold our breath or turn down the volume whenever we see the president, who we respect, walk off Air Force One or walk back to a mic to answer an unscripted question.'

Clooney joins the scores of Democrats and Biden allies who have called for the president to step down in the two weeks since his meandering and mumbling showing on CNN. The actor hosted some of the biggest fundraisers in the party's history, including one last month for Biden's reelection.

Biden has insisted he is not going anywhere and firmly believes he will still beat Trump in November, but Clooney's comments are an enormous blow to his embattled campaign.

15:36

Do the Democrats need a doctor? Inside the 'tears' and tantrums of the mutiny in ailing Joe's party... and the mess over whether to kick him off the ticket

If you were walking through Capitol Hill on Tuesday you may have stumbled on a funeral procession.

There were 'tears', drooped shoulders and shrugs as a line of glum men and women left a building after reminiscing about the accomplishments of an 81-year-old man.

But the listless group wasn't made up of mourners, it was made up of Democrats leaving a closed-door meeting at the Democrat National Committee headquarters to try and decide whether they would be able to keep their jobs if President Joe Biden remains the party's leader.

Members of the ailing commander-in-chief's party have been scrambling over whether it is time to choose a different candidate after Biden's disaster debate performance.

On Wednesday Nancy Pelosi - a staunch Biden ally - sent shockwaves through the party by stopping short of telling Biden he should stay in the race, and suggested he should reconsider.

14:46

Trump is now 'looking at' extending Nikki Haley an invite to GOP Convention after snub

Nikki Haley disclosed this week that she has not been invited to participate in the upcoming Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

She wrote on X that she's encouraging her delegates to 'support Donald Trump' next week.

'Joe Biden is not competent to serve a second term and Kamala Harris would be a disaster for America.'

When asked about the snub by Fox News' Brian Kilmeade, Trump responded that he may reconsider.

He's still quite angry with Haley for staying in the GOP primary for 'months' longer than necessary.

14:29

Ritchie Torres calls for 'unsentimental analysis of the cold hard numbers' in determining whether Biden should remain in running

'In determining how to proceed as a party, there must be a serious reckoning with the down-ballot effect of whomever we nominate,' New York Democrat Ritchie Torres said in a cryptic statement.

'If we're going to choose a particular path, we should be clear-eyed about its consequences. Blindness is not bliss amid the terrifying threat of a Trump presidency.'

'An unsentimenal analysis of the cold hard numbers — which have no personal feelings or political loyalties — should inform what we decide.'

Days ago, Torres put out a statement saying the 'intra-party mixed-messaging' was 'deeply destructive.'

'Weakening a weakened nominee seems like a losing strategy for a presidential election,' he said on Monday.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 03: Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) speaks during the The Jerusalem Post New York conference on June 03, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

14:17

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky makes plea for continued support at the Reagan Institute

The Ukrainian leader was introduced Tuesday evening by Senator Mitch McConnell at the Reagan Institute in Washington, D.C.

McConnell told the crowd it's 'no mystery' where former President Ronald Reagan would’ve stood on this issue.

'...while a proud nation gave its sons and daughters to beat back neo-Soviet imperialism, asking only that America and the West have its back.'

Zelensky is in D.C. this week for the NATO Summit.

14:16

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries says he's going to talk to Pelosi about her Biden comments

'I’m not going to make a comment about the former speaker's comments until I talk to her,' Jeffries, Pelosi's successor and House Minority leader, told reporters.

He said he had not seen her comments on Morning Joe.

12:36

Democratic Senator: Biden will lose to Trump 'by a landslide'

Democratic Senator Michael Bennet warned that Joe Biden will lose to Donald Trump in a ‘landslide’ in November.

The Colorado lawmaker said the 81-year-old president ‘isn’t capable’ of beating his rival in one of the most scathing criticisms from a member of his party.

He told CNN:

12:18

Biden biographer: One of Joe's closest friends wants him to take a 'complete neurological exam'

One of President Joe Biden’s closest friends wants him to take a ‘complete neurological exam’ and release the results to the public as concerns about his cognitive decline grow, his biographer has said.

Chris Whipple, who wrote The Fight of His Life: Inside Joe Biden’s White House in 2023, told CNN that Joe’s inner circle believe he is ‘fine’, but have urged him to do the test to put worries to bed.

I will tell you that one of the president’s closest friends thinks that Joe Biden should go up to Walter Reed, have a complete neurological exam, release the results, and let the chips fall.
Now, I don’t think that friend has said this out loud to Joe Biden because that’s a hard thing even for a close friend to tell him, but I don’t think he’s going there without a major push.
12:13

Biden, 81, glares into the teleprompter and almost makes disastrous slip-up during NATO speech to world leaders trying to prove he is fit to serve

President Joe Biden avoided a near disastrous slip-up during his welcome speech to NATO leaders on Tuesday as the eyes of the world watched him to judge his fitness to serve four more years in the White House.

The president, visibly reading from the teleprompter, read a three-word instruction to himself as he awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg - but was saved from utter embarrassment by the audience applause.

'Ask the military aide,' Biden said while preparing to award Stoltenberg the nation's highest civilian honor.

Biden then quickly caught himself, while the crowd drowned up the flub with cheers.

'Military come forward,' he said. He proceeded to award the medal, hanging it around Stoltenberg's neck, without incident.

12:08

Democrats in Las Vegas give brutal assessment of Joe Biden's condition: 'He reminded me of my mother five years before she passed away'

Democratic voters in Las Vegas are still committed to voting for President Joe Biden – even though they are painfully aware of his mental decline.

Voters attending Vice President Kamala Harris' rally in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday told DailyMail.com that they are assessing whether they would be OK if she would need to take over for Biden, 81.

Many shared that they felt it was a binary choice in 2024 and that they would still vote for Biden if he were running from a nursing home because it would mean not voting for former President Donald Trump.

'He reminded me of my mother five years before she passed away,' Kat, 67, said when asked about Biden's disastrous debate performance. 'She passed away at the end of this past September and he reminded me of her for about five years before she passed away. He's on that downward trend, you know?'

Harris stepped out on the campaign trail this week as the Biden team continues damage control from the president's car crash debate against Donald Trump.

12:07

Biden responds to Trump's proposal for another debate next week and a round of golf with four challenges of his own

Joe Biden responded to Donald Trump's challenge to debate again and a game of golf that would be worth $1 million.

Trump issued the ultimatum to his election rival at a rally in Doral, Florida on Tuesday night - proposing an event he said would be bigger than the Ryder Cup or the Masters.

'I'm also officially challenging Crooked Joe to an 18-hole golf match right here. On Doral's Blue Monster considered one of the greatest tournament golf courses anywhere in the world,' Trump said. 'It will be among the most-watched sporting events in history.'

Via a spokesperson, Biden put out an immediate response to the missive from Trump shortly after.

He refused to take him up on a debate - perhaps considering his disastrous performance last time around - but instead offered up a few challenges of his own.

11:58

Nancy Pelosi stops short of saying Biden should stay in the race

epa08133705 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks to the media about the Senates impeachment trial in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, 16 January 2020. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate trial against US President Donald J. Trump, on the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, will begin on 21 January.  EPA/JIM LO SCALZO

Nancy Pelosi sent shockwaves through the Democratic party on Wednesday morning by stopping short of giving Joe Biden a full endorsement to stay in the race.

One of the most prominent members of the 81-year-old president's party said the decision was 'up to him' and 'time is running short.'

Pelosi passionately defended Biden after his disastrous debate performance and even suggested it was Donald Trump who had a long-term cognitive condition.

But on Wednesday morning she wouldn't say Biden is the best candidate to lead the Democratic ticket.

She spoke with her party in chaos. Seven House Democrats have publicly called for Biden to drop out, while dozens have shared concerns about his physical and mental health behind the scenes.

The former speaker told MSNBC's Morning Joe:

It's up to the president to decide if he is going to run. We're all encouraging him to make that decision. Because time is running short.
I want him to do whatever he decides to do. And that's the way it is. Whatever he decides we go with.

Pelosi said she wants Biden to get through the NATO conference, before the conversation about his future restarts.

Let's just hold off. Whatever you're thinking, either tell somebody privately, but you don't have to put that out on the table until we see how we go this week.

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