Schakowsky Backs Biden To Remain In Race, Warns Of 'Chaos' If Replaced

EVANSTON, IL — Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky expressed confidence in President Joe Biden's ability to defeat former President Donald Trump in the November election, even as growing numbers of her Democratic colleagues call for Biden to step aside.

In a television interview Friday, the Evanston Democrat and chief deputy whip warned that it would not go smoothly if Biden were to drop his reelection bid, even if he went on to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him.

"I want to tell you something: if people think it's going to be a simple matter —Democrats are going to kumbaya [and say,] 'This is what we want to do. Here's the choice that we have,' — it is going to be absolute chaos," Schakowsky said.

"I think there would be all kinds of people trying to throw their name into it, all kinds of fighting."

As of Monday, at least nine House Democrats have joined calls for Biden to step down in the wake of his fumbling first debate with Trump last month, which raised more questions than ever about his cognitive abilities.

Among them is one member of the Illinois delegation — Rep. Mike Quigley, of Chicago.

"Mr. President, your legacy is set," Quigley said. "We owe you the greatest debt of gratitude. The only thing that you can do now to cement that for all time and prevent utter catastrophe is to step down and let someone else do this."

Quigley earlier said it was important to be honest that it "wasn't just a horrible night" and declined to elaborate "out of my respect and understanding" of the president

"It was certainly not Joe Biden's best day," Schakowsky said of the president's debate performance. "But I want to tell you even on his worst day he is so much better than Donald Trump. And that is frustrating me that there was very little talk about that."

When Schakowsky was asked about polls indicating that Biden is trailing Trump in key states and that age was a major factor, she said she was "not so sure," and cited a SurveyUSA poll conducted the day after the debate, which she said showed Biden had support to remain in the race.

According to that poll, 55 percent of likely Democratic voters say Biden should continue his reelection campaign, 34 percent said he should drop out and 10 percent were not sure.

The poll also shows that only 29 percent of all voters say Biden is up to the job, while 57 percent say is is not. And fewer than two of three of his own voters say he is up to the job.

A more recent poll from the Florida Atlantic University’s Political Communication and Public Opinion Research Lab showed 45 percent of Democrats calling for Biden's replacement atop the ticket and 40 percent in support of keeping him on the ballot.

Following an interview with ABC intended to assuage concerns in which he declared that he "might" end his campaign only "if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that," the president sent a letter to congressional Democrats Monday reiterating his commitment to continuing to pursue a second term.

"This was a process open to anyone who wanted to run," Biden said, of this year's adjusted primary process.

"Only three people chose to challenge me. One fared so badly that he left the primaries to run as an independent. Another attacked me for being too old and was soundly defeated," the president told fellow Democrats. "The voters of the Democratic Party have voted. They have chosen me to be the nominee of the party."

In several Democratic primaries where it was included as an option, "uncommitted" received significant portions of the vote — more than 10 percent in Michigan and New Mexico — as part of a campaign to criticize Biden's support for Israel's military operations.

In her interview Friday on MSNBC, host Chris Hayes asked Schakowsky, 80, to address those who are still undecided or who have moved away from supporting the president, 81, after the debate due to concerns about his age.

"Let me give you an example of the work that they're doing continuing right now, Joe Biden just is doing — what do you call it for people to be able to work, who have been, who are immigrants here — work permits," Schakowsky said.

"So I think there are a lot of people maybe in the Hispanic community who have felt, 'Oh, you know, what are we getting from this? We're going to do it.'"