Pressure is building on Biden to step aside. But many Democrats feel powerless to replace him

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bernie Sanders describes President Joe Biden’s recent debate performance as “painful.” In an interview, he says he’s not confident that Biden can win this fall.

But the progressive senator from Vermont does not want Biden to step aside.

Instead, Sanders, who served as Biden’s chief rival in the Democratic Party’s 2020 nomination fight, is calling on voters to adopt “a maturity” as they view their options this fall.

“A presidential election is not a Grammy Award contest for the best singer or entertainer. It’s about who has the best policies that impact our lives,” Sanders said. “I’m going to do everything I can to see that Biden gets reelected.”

That’s putting the best face on it. Nearly a week after Biden’s disastrous debate performance, questions about his ability to remain in the race are intensifying among concerned Democrats. But there is also a growing sense that the party has trapped itself in a bad situation with no clear solution, caught in a primary process set up to protect Biden with elected officials unwilling to say out loud what some say quietly.

Some allies, like Sanders, are acknowledging Biden’s problems but contrasting his policies and record with those of Republican Donald Trump. But many donors, strategists and party insiders want Biden to suspend his reelection campaign to avoid what they see as certain defeat come November.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«RELATED COVERAGE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> RELATED COVERAGE </bsp-custom-headline> <bsp-custom-headline custom-headline=«div»> Biden plans public events blitz as White House pushes back