President Joe Biden’s first major press conference in more than six months did little to create unity among state Democrats who are bickering over his political future.
While Gov. Kathy Hochul continues to be a cheerleader for the president, some state delegates for the party’s national convention next month are hoping he’ll drop out of the race.
What You Need To Know
- While Gov. Kathy Hochul continues to be a cheerleader for the president, some state delegates for the party's national convention next month say they hope Biden drops out of the race
- The Republican National Convention in Wisconsin is slated to start on Monday, July 15 and conclude on Thursday, July 18
- Democrats have a little over a month until they head to their national convention scheduled to begin Aug. 19
“I’ll take him any day of the week over anyone else,” Hochul told reporters during an Albany-based press conference Friday morning — confirming she’s sticking with Biden. “Did anybody watch the press conference last night? OK? OK. That’s who I want dealing with Putin and President Xi and anybody else and dealing with the challenges we have in the Middle East and dealing with NATO. That is the person to preserve world order.”
Despite her own unwavering support for the embattled president over the last several weeks, other New York Democrats disagree.
“Every time that a mistake is made, like saying Trump instead of Harris, like confusing the president of Ukraine for Vladimir Putin, that reinforces that message and it steals headlines,” Democratic Manhattan Councilmember Erik Bottcher said.
As a pledged delegate for President Biden at next month’s Democratic National Convention, Bottcher is holding out hope that the commander-in-chief steps aside.
“Come to the convention as someone who has passed the torch to the next generation of leaders and I actually want to look at this as not so much of a bad thing, but as an opportunity because a new candidate would unleash a wave of enthusiasm,” he said.
Others, like Brooklyn Democratic City Councilman Justin Brannan, will also be heading to the Chicago convention as an appointed Biden delegate.
“The fact that Joe Biden is old, the fact that Joe Biden is 81 years old is not breaking news, right? He’s been 81 years old for quite a while, right?” Brannan said.
Brannan said the discord is taking Democrats’ eyes off the ball: keeping former President Donald Trump from a second White House term.
“We’ve got about 80 days until the election, so I think we really should be focused on defeating Donald Trump and that’s it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Trump delegate and Republican Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is heading to the Republican National Convention next week. He says disagreement among Democrats shows the country is ready for a change.
“It’s just adding more fuel to the fire that we need a replacement. We need a new president and Donald J. Trump is the one that can be president again and restore us to peace and prosperity. So, we’re very positive and optimistic going into this convention,” Blakeman said.
Certain New York districts favored the GOP over the last several election cycles, which is how Blakeman got elected to his job.
“They still are trying to sell the same failed policies that people are rejecting, so I do think New York is in play,” he said.
Democrats have a little over a month until they head to their national convention scheduled to begin Aug. 19.