Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said Sunday that he thinks Vice President Kamala Harris could win “in a landslide” against former President Donald Trump, but President Joe Biden remains in the race as the Democratic nominee amid backlash against her disastrous results. must decide. debate performance.
Asked about a poll showing Harris ahead of Trump if he were to replace Biden, Schiff said during an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that he thought he would be a “phenomenal president.”
“I think he has the experience, judgment and leadership to be an extraordinary president,” Schiff told moderator Kristen Welkere.
Pressed again by Welker that Harris could win “overwhelmingly” against Trump, Schiff said he thought he “very well could win” before stressing that it was up to Biden to decide the fate of his presidential campaign.
“Before deciding who else should be, the President has to decide if he is,” he said.
Asked whether Biden should drop the torch and pass it to Harris, Schiff again argued that it was up to Biden to make that call.
“I think Biden needs to take the time to talk to people outside his inner circle, talk to people he respects, talk objectively, talk to people at a distance and make the right decision for the country,” he said. “And I’m sure Joe Biden has always made a major difference between him and Donald Trump.”
Schiff also noted the president’s age and raised concerns about the president’s position against Trump in the general election.
“Given Biden’s incredible record and Trump’s terrible record, he should have a word with Donald Trump,” Schiff said. “It should not even be close, and the reason it is close is the age of the president.”
Schiff said Biden’s interview with ABC News, which aired Friday, was not enough to quell growing concerns among Democrats about his mental health.
“The interview did not calm the concerns. No interview will do that,” he said. “I think the President needs to decide, can he put these concerns aside? Can he demonstrate to the American people that what is happening on the debate stage is an aberration, that he can and will defeat Donald Trump.”
Asked in an interview with ABC News whether he thought Biden should take a cognitive test after refusing to take one, Schiff said he would be happy if both Biden and Trump were willing to take the test.
“I think, frankly, the test will show Donald Trump as having some kind of serious illness,” he said. “But ultimately the decision will come down to what Joe Biden thinks is best, and if his decision is to run, then run hard and beat this SOB, and if his decision is to pass the torch, the president should do everything in his power to make the other candidate successful.”
Schiff’s answers follow Biden interview with ABC News did little to relieve anxiety From Democrats calling for Biden to step aside after his lackluster debate performance last month. Front line Democrats speaking to NBC News they say they fear his debate performance will irreversibly damage his candidacy.
In an interview with ABC News, the president sought to reassure that he remains the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump in November, claiming he had a “bad night” and deflecting growing concerns about his age and mental health. poor discussion performance.
Biden went against the public calls for some Democrats to drop out of the racehe repeatedly said that only “the Lord Almighty” could convince him to give up his bid for a second term in power.