![Manchin called for Biden to drop out of the 2024 election. [Screenshot/Rumble/CNN]](https://images.dailycaller.com/image/width=960,height=411,fit=cover,f=auto/https://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/IMG_9258-e1721573059601.jpeg "Manchin called for Biden to drop out of the 2024 election. [Screenshot/Rumble/CNN]")
Independent West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin called for President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid Sunday morning on CNN’s “State Of The Union.”
Biden has faced increasing pressure to step aside from the race following his June 27, 2024 debate performance against former President Trump. Manchin, who left the Democratic Party in late May, joins 36 other Democrats in Congress who have publicly called for Biden to drop his reelection bid.
Manchin first explained his three weeks of silence, stating how the first week was for Biden to consort with family members and staff and the second week was to examine House and Senate Democrats facing “difficult” races. Manchin told CNN’s Jake Tapper how seeing donors abandon Biden made it “really challenging” for the Democratic incumbent because “campaign finance is the mother’s milk of campaigning.”
“My prayers are with the health and well-being of my friend, the president. And I believe that he has a chance, an opportunity to finish the five months of his presidency with what he has always, you know, basically overseen his office — whether it be as senator or as president — wanting to be that uniter, bringing us together. Being able to bring peace to the Middle East. Being able to support Ukraine in the fight for freedom. And also, being able to show the whole world how the transfer of power can be done by the superpower of the world in the most respectful way,” Manchin said.
“I’m hoping for that because I think it will leave him with a tremendous legacy as one of the greatest leaders that we’ve had,” he continued. “And I say this, I came to the decision with a heavy heart that I think it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation.”
Manchin said he hopes an “open process” will be used to select the Democratic Party’s next presidential nominee. The senator told Tapper he is partial to Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. (RELATED: ‘An Absolute Miracle’: Trump’s White House Doctor Releases Medical Update After Shooting)
“I’ve got two tremendous governors right next door to me in Andy Beshear in Kentucky and Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania, who are operating with legislatures evenly split or completely opposite of their party affiliation,” Manchin said. “They haven’t divided their state. They haven’t made you pick a side and demonize the other side. They’ve brought people together.”
Democratic Vermont Sen. Peter Welch was the first Senate Democrat to call for Biden’s withdrawal in an op-ed published July 10 by the Washington Post. Welch was joined Montana Sen. Jon Tester on Thursday, New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich on Friday and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown late Friday.
Biden canceled a campaign event in Las Vegas late Wednesday after testing positive for COVID-19. Earlier that day, Biden said doctors could convince him to drop out if a “medical condition” emerges.
