Biden book haunts Schumer
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Schumer watching Biden speak in June of 2024. Photo: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer blew off questions this week about whether he was honest with voters about President Biden in 2024.
Why it matters: Schumer — and other Democrats seeking to restore the party's trust — can run from questions about Biden's cognitive ability.
- But it's going to be harder to hide, given the details in a forthcoming book by Axios' Alex Thompson and CNN's Jake Tapper, "Original Sin."
- That's especially true for Schumer, who publicly vouched for Biden, even as he raised private doubts about Biden's age and electability.
📞 Zoom in: Sometimes Biden called Schumer and forgot why he'd called. Sometimes he'd ramble and forget names, Thompson and Tapper report.
- The book is based on interviews with more than 200 people, mostly Democratic insiders, with knowledge of the events that unfolded during the final two years of Biden's presidency. Almost all of the interviews took place after the 2024 election.
🎥 Schumer was asked twice on Tuesday about the book and the role he played in supporting Biden.
- When pressed about whether he was being straight with voters about Biden's condition, Schumer told CNN's Manu Raju: "We're just looking forward."
Between the lines: The irony is that Schumer had his doubts about Biden. He actually liked the idea of an early debate, because it would allow the party to swap out candidates if Biden stumbled.
- And after the June 27 debate, as Biden was fighting for his political life, Schumer signaled to donors he was open to a switcheroo, Axios reported on July 10.
- Then in mid-July, at Biden's Delaware beach house, Schumer urged the president to get out of the race, citing concerns about his polling numbers, according to the New York Times.
- After the meeting, Biden begrudgingly complimented Schumer for having "bigger balls than anyone I've ever met."
The intrigue: As Schumer was building his case against Biden, he also urged a growing tide of Democratic lawmakers who were concerned about Biden's chances of winning to keep those worries private, the Times reported.
- Schumer thought public calls from senators would only make the situation worse.
- Just three weeks before the debate, Schumer had insisted on X that Biden was "in command and impressive" in their meetings.
- This week, when Kasie Hunt pressed Schumer on CNN if he had any doubts about Biden after being "up close and personal" with him, Schumer said: "Kasie, we're looking forward."
