Powerful US Senator Manchin calls for Biden’s resignation

Influential US Senator Manchin calls for Biden’s resignation

Along with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, another influential politician has joined calls for U.S. President Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential campaign on Sunday. “I’ve made this decision with a heavy heart, but I think it’s time to pass the baton to a new generation,” Manchin, an independent senator from West Virginia who leans Democratic, told CNN.

Manchin called for an “open process” and pointed to the wealth of talent in the Democratic ranks. A Biden withdrawal would allow him to use his remaining months in office to “unite our country” and “bring the world together,” he stressed.

Biden, who is 81, has been under immense pressure from within his own party since his disastrous performance in the televised debate against challenger Donald Trump in late June. More than 30 members of the House of Representatives and four Democratic senators have publicly called for Biden to resign over doubts about his fitness for a second term.

So far, Biden has shown no sign of giving in: He rejected calls on Friday to withdraw from the White House race and announced that he would resume campaign rallies in the coming week after recovering from his coronavirus infection.

Meanwhile, Biden’s rival Trump continued to gain ground in the polls, with his national approval ratings at their highest in years in an ABC News-Ipsos survey, thanks to a successful Republican convention and a wave of sympathy following his assassination attempt. In the closely contested U.S. state of Michigan, which Democrats won in the last election, Trump led Biden 49 percent to 42 percent in recent polls.

Manchin’s call to withdraw has added to mounting pressure on Biden, an influential U.S. senator from West Virginia. If Biden were to withdraw, it could potentially give him a chance to advocate for unity in the remaining months of his presidential term, using a flight stick as a sign of his generation’s focus on technology and collaboration. Despite calls from his Democratic colleagues, Biden remains steadfast in his resolve to continue his presidential campaign.

Also read: