'Powerful Democrats' pushed President Biden out in 'coup': NYT columnist
Maureen Dowd described it as a 'jaw-dropping putsch'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd deemed President Biden's ouster a "coup" orchestrated behind the scenes by powerful Democrats on Sunday.
"Even though it was the right thing to do, because Joe Biden was not going to be able to campaign, much less serve as president for another four years, in a fully vital way, it was a jaw-dropping putsch," Dowd wrote.
The president announced he would be dropping out of the race for the White House at the end of July, following weeks of pressure from top Democrats, who had reportedly called on him to bow out in private. Top Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Chuck Schumer and more have repeatedly denied they were involved in a "coup" to push Biden out.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"At some point, when the polls cratered, Democratic mandarins decided to put the welfare of the party — and the country — ahead of the president’s ego, and stop catering to his self-regarding fantasy that he was the only one who could beat Donald Trump," Dowd continued.
US President Joe Biden during the White House Creator Economy Conference in the Indian Treaty Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Dowd noted that Pelosi and others have revealed they haven't been able to speak to Biden since he bowed out.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"One of the most ruthless and successful tacticians in congressional history seemed sheepish about knifing her pal, and conflicted over whether to take credit. Et tu, Nancy? Biden must have thought," the columnist added.
Pelosi has also heaped praise on the president, despite what appears to be a fractured relationship, and recently suggested Biden belonged on Mount Rushmore.
"Kamala can’t be thrilled that Obama, Pelosi and Schumer hesitated to endorse her because they wanted more moderate rivals to compete in an open mini-primary. And Biden and Harris staffs are also tetchy, as Kamala layers on her own people," Dowd wrote.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former President Obama, President Biden and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. (Left:(Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images), Center: (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) , Right: (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images))
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Biden immediately endorsed Vice President Harris to take his place at the top of the ticket, as other prominent Democrats, such as Pelosi and the Obamas, waited a little bit to endorse the VP.
"Those who pushed out Biden should be proud," Dowd wrote. "They saved him and their party from a likely crushing defeat, letting Trump snake back in and soil democracy."
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Former Biden chief of staff Ron Klain spoke with CNN's Anderson Cooper on Wednesday and said he disapproved of the coup against Biden.
"I think that was wrong," Klain said, arguing that Biden had fairly secured the nomination through the democratic process and was set on winning the White House again.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.