JOE BIDEN does not have the capacity to be president of the United States for another four and a half years, his former deputy staff director has said.
Dr Jamie Metzl, who worked under Biden when he chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said it’s time for the 81-year-old to “pass the torch”.
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On Thursday, Biden made the terrible error of referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “President Putin,” the despot who has terrorised the country for more than two years.
The painful faux paus came after a days-long crunch session between Nato countries that focused extensively on the war in Ukraine.
Biden’s recent slip-up is the latest in a series of mishaps that have led to criticism and calls for his resignation from prominent Democratic colleagues.
The founder and chair of One Shared World and the author of “Superconversions,” recently discussed his views on Joe Biden’s recent speech and broader implications for the Democratic Party.
Despite his years-long admiration, Dr Metzl expressed significant concern about Biden’s cognitive decline and ability to serve another term as President of the world’s powerhouse nation.
He likened Biden’s current state to that of an aging grandparent, suggesting that it is time for Biden to “pass the torch” to a new generation of leaders.
Dr Metzl told The Sun: “I know President Biden pretty well, I’ve worked closely with him and he’s someone who I love and respect and I think he’s actually done a fantastic job as President of the United States over these past three and a half years.
” It just seems relatively clear that President Biden does not have the capacity to be president of the United States for another four and a half years.
“And that’s not an insult to President Biden. It’s just, unfortunately, a recognition of the ravages of age.
“We’ve all seen the same thing with our parents and our grandparents as they’ve gotten older. And that’s what we’re seeing with President Biden.
“It’s really no insult, no disrespect to President Biden to say that it’s time to pass the torch to a new generation, and I certainly very much hope President Biden very, very soon will come to that realisation.”
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Dr Metzl is worried that Biden’s continued candidacy could harm the Democratic Party’s chances, particularly in crucial down-ballot races.
He believes that if Biden insists on running again, he will likely lose and take the Democratic Party down with him.
This scenario could pave the way for a Donald Trump victory, which Dr Metzl argues would be disastrous not only for American democracy but also for the world.
He pointed out that a Trump administration, coupled with Republican control of Congress and a politicised Supreme Court, could fundamentally threaten American democratic institutions.
The potential reelection of Trump, according to Dr Metzl, would also undermine the very foundations of American democracy and international stability.
On the international stage, he stressed the importance of the US in maintaining global security, and for that the country needs a strong and stable leader.
Dr Metzl said: “If President Biden insists on being the democratic nominee, he’s going to take the Democratic Party down with him.
“The Democratic Party needs to have the strongest possible candidate at the top of our ticket.
“If President Biden insists on staying in the race, he can’t win. And not only can he not win, he will drag down many important down-ballot races.
“If we should have President Trump, with Republican control of the House and Senate, and a Supreme Court that seems to be doing the bidding of President Trump, I think that American democracy will be fundamentally at risk.”
Despite acknowledging Biden’s current capabilities and successes, particularly in standing up to Putin, supporting alliances, and addressing challenges posed by China and Iran, Dr Metzl is skeptical about Biden’s ability to maintain this level of performance over the next four and a half years.
He claims that Biden’s decline is accelerating, which raises serious concerns about his capacity to handle the demands of the presidency in the future.
He argued that it is unrealistic to expect that Biden’s condition will not worsen, given the immense pressures of the presidency.
Dr Metzl said: “His decline is accelerating. It was the Biden campaign that had fought for the CNN debate, and they did it at a time when they thought that he could be competitive.
“But between the time when that debate was organised and when that debate was held, the President has declined very significantly.”
Looking forward, Dr Metzl advocates for a “mini primary” to select the Democratic nominee rather than simply anointing Vice President Kamala Harris as Biden’s successor.
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He believes that an open, competitive process is essential to ensure that the strongest candidate is chosen.
Dr Metzl added that interested candidates should step forward for a rigorous vetting process, involving debates and town hall forums, to engage with the public and demonstrate their capabilities.
This approach, he argued, would allow the Democratic Party to put its best foot forward as it heads into the convention.
Dr Metzl also emphasised the need for a candidate who is a coalition builder and can win in key battleground states, which are crucial for securing victory in the US electoral system.
He suggests that governors from these states could be strong contenders but insists that the selection process must be democratic and inclusive.
The expert said: ” I believe that President Biden should announce that he will not accept the nomination.
“I also believe that it would be a terrible mistake by the Democratic Party to try to simply anoint Kamala Harris as his successor.
“The Democratic Party is a coalition of many different people and many different groups of somebody needs to be a coalition builder, but they also need to be somebody who can win in the key battleground states because of the unique nature of our system.”
Despite his concerns, Dr Metzl makes it clear that he would still vote for Biden or Harris if they were the nominees, due to his strong opposition to Trump.
Ultimately, his call for a new leadership reflects his deep concern for the future of American democracy and global security.
Dr Jamie Metzl is one of the many experts who have insisted time is up for the fumbling leader – notorious now for his painful public slip-ups.
Former British Army colonel Richard Kemp told The Sun Biden needs to be replaced in office immediately as he poses a “danger to the free world”.
He said: “He’s not in a fit state to be leading the world’s greatest superpower, perhaps the world’s only superpower.”
Alan Mendoza, director of transatlantic foreign policy and security think-tank The Henry Jackson Society, agrees that Biden presents a serious risk to the West.
He told The Sun the 81-year-old President failed to quell doubts about his mental capacity at the summit and is an embarrassment.
Alan said: “It is embarrassing, I think, because these kind of gaffes, public, in front of the world’s eyes, are not what you’d expect a president to be doing.”
Richard told The Sun Biden’s performance this week would have been “very, deeply concerning for many members of Nato”.
He said: “To mistake Zelensky for Putin is about the worst thing he could do.
“It’s very, very, offensive, obviously, unintentionally offensive, but nevertheless… The President of the United States cannot afford to give unintentional insults of that sort.”
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