Reps. Scott Peters and Mike Levin joined a growing group of Democrats nationwide calling on President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race.
Peters released a statement moments after Biden concluded a high- stakes briefing with reporters at the NATO Conference in Washington, D.C., which the White House had characterized as a "big-boy press conference" that would assuage fears about his age and mental acuity that arose after the president appeared to lack energy and lose his train of thought during the presidential debate on June 27.
"The nation owes an enormous debt of gratitude to President Biden for saving us from a second term of a Trump Presidency in 2020 and for leading with his huge heart and a steady hand in challenging times," Peters' statement said. "His debate performance did not diminish his remarkable accomplishments and record of service. It's now clear, however, that the president's record of accomplishments will not translate into similar success in his reelection campaign.
"After a long primary process, we were on track to lose coming into the debate. The debate raised real concern among elected leaders, supporters, and voters that the president will not be able to wage a winning campaign. This was not a blip. And while the Biden campaign claims the post-debate national polls remain relatively unchanged, polling in the swing states has worsened alarmingly.
"Today I ask President Biden to withdraw from the presidential campaign. The stakes are high, and we are on a losing course. My conscience requires me to speak up and put loyalty to the country and to democracy ahead of my great affection for, and loyalty to, the president and those around him," Peters continued.
"We must find a candidate from our deep bench of talent who can defeat Donald Trump. That means fielding a ticket that can win in the swing states where Democrats are not dominant but where this election will be decided. The candidate must be selected through a fair and transparent process, and then, when we leave our convention next month in Chicago, we must rally together and fight like hell. I hope all Democrats will join me in putting the country first, preserving the progress of the past four years, and solidifying Joe Biden's legacy as one of the great leaders of our time — by defeating Donald Trump."
North County Rep. Mike Levin echoed Peters.
In a statement, he said, "Like so many of you, I was naturally concerned about President Biden's performance in the recent debate, since then, I've made my opinions known in the appropriate manner with House Democratic leadership and my colleagues," Levin continued. "And I called upon all Americans to give the president a window to make an expeditious decision about his candidacy."
But despite praise for Biden as an "outstanding leader," and his "deep respect" for the president's decades of public service, the congressman said he believed it was time for Biden to "pass the torch."
Levin added, "We must prevail against the incalculable threat Donald Trump poses to the American institutions of freedom and democracy. Donald Trump actively seeks a bleak authoritarianism and the overthrow of the values which have guided us towards justice and prosperity for nearly two and a half centuries."
KPBS talked to San Diego political science professors Carl Luna and Thad Kousser about the Peters and Levin announcements. Luna said at this point, it doesn't look like Biden is going anywhere.
"The polls have not shifted dramatically enough. He can still argue he's the comeback kid, except now he's the comeback octogenarian. It's not certain what short of that, would penetrate the bunker that Biden currently is in," he said.
Kousser said the announcements from Peters and Levin are a sign.
"Many Democrats across the country are starting to fear that President Biden will become a drag on the ticket, make districts that were leaning blue into purple, districts that will be tough for them to defend, and potentially cause the Democrats to lose not only the presidency, but the US House and the US Senate if the Democrats don't have a new nominee," said Kousser.
As he has in multiple appearances since the debate, Biden dug in Thursday on his determination to stay in the race.
"I'm not in this for my legacy. I'm in this to complete the job I started," Biden said.
"... My schedule has been full bore. So if I slow down and I can't get the job done, that's a sign that I shouldn't be doing it. But there's no indication of that yet — none," he insisted.
Several Democratic members of the House and one Democratic U.S. senator — Peter Welch of Vermont — have called on Biden to withdraw.
On Wednesday, major Democratic Party donor George Clooney said the president needs to step aside amid concerns about his age and ability to run the country, citing what he implied were signs of decline he witnessed from Biden during a record-setting Los Angeles fundraiser Clooney co-hosted for Biden with former President Barack Obama on June 15.
Peters, 66, is a former San Diego City Councilman who has represented the area in the House of Representatives since 2013. He is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, a group of 100 centrist Democrats in the House.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, a Democrat, is still backing Biden. Gloria posted on Tuesday on social media that "The President met with @DemMayors tonight to share his vision for a second term. His agenda for cities, families and workers is solid — and far better than Donald Trump's scary Project 2025. Mayors have @JoeBiden's back and we'll help reelect him and @KamalaHarris this fall."
