Biden has a lot of skeletons in his closet. But none bigger than this one.
And Chuck Schumer just let a massive secret slip about Joe Biden that no one was expecting.
Senator Chuck Schumer, a prominent figure in the Democratic Party and former Senate Majority Leader, played a pivotal role in convincing President Biden to step aside from the presidential race.
Behind closed doors, Schumer made his case during a private conversation at Biden’s Rehoboth Beach residence, as reported by The New York Times. The contents of this secret and private conversation are now being revealed.
“If you run and you lose to Trump, and we lose the Senate, and we don’t get back the House, that 50 years of amazing, beautiful work goes out the window,” Schumer reportedly told Biden. “But worse — you go down in American history as one of the darkest figures.”
Schumer delivered his message with unflinching clarity: “If I were you, I wouldn’t run, and I’m urging you not to run.”
The private conversation came on the heels of Biden’s faltering debate performance against President-elect Donald Trump in late June, which raised questions about Biden’s ability to lead a competitive campaign. Democratic power brokers, including Schumer, began exploring the implications of Biden continuing his bid.
Schumer worked to manage the growing unease among Democratic donors and allies. According to the Times, he privately encouraged them to keep their concerns about Biden’s age and stamina under wraps while urging them to engage with the White House and campaign staff directly.
“Do not be public,” Schumer advised. “That will get his back up, and you’ve got to let the dust settle. But if you can, call whoever you know in the campaign. Call the White House.”
Representative Hakeem Jeffries, another influential Democrat, also joined the effort to persuade Biden to bow out.
Jeffries pushed for Vice President Kamala Harris to step in as the candidate, framing her potential candidacy as emblematic of the change American voters were seeking.
“We don’t have data at this moment,” Jeffries reportedly told allies at the time. “But the most powerful narrative in American politics is change. Vice President Harris would represent change.”
Despite mounting concerns from within the party, some of Biden’s closest and most loyal supporters continued to defend his ability to serve.
Steve Ricchetti, one of the president’s key advisers, pushed back against suggestions that Biden was unfit for the grueling demands of the campaign.
“We can get through it,” Ricchetti declared, according to reports from the Times. “We think our allies on the Hill are wrong.”
In the aftermath of Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race, revelations from the Times, The Wall Street Journal, and other outlets highlighted longstanding concerns among the president’s advisers about his health and energy levels.
One December report from the Times described the president’s declining physical vitality, noting:
“[Biden] looks a little older and a little slower with each passing day. Aides say he remains plenty sharp in the Situation Room, calling world leaders to broker a cease-fire in Lebanon or deal with the chaos of Syria’s rebellion. But it is hard to imagine that he seriously thought he could do the world’s most stressful job for another four years.”
As Biden steps back from the spotlight, the Democratic Party faces a moment of significant reflection, as leaders like Schumer and Jeffries think back on how they could’ve handled the 2024 election better.
Stay tuned to the Conservative Column.
