Media

Charlamagne tha God urges Democrats to take on Biden at convention

by Tara Suter - 07/09/24 4:03 PM ET

President Joe Biden speaks at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s Annual Days of Remembrance ceremony at the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, May 7, 2024 in Washington. Statue of Freedom stands behind the President. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Charlamagne tha God pushed Tuesday for Democrats to take on President Biden at the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

“All I hear is ego,” the radio host said on “The Breakfast Club” in response to recent comments by the president in which he dared other Democrats to face off with him at the upcoming convention.

“And I hope they take him up on his offer,” he continued. “Every single Democrat who feels like the Democrats can’t win if President Biden is the nominee needs to challenge him at the convention. Take him up on his offer.”

On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Monday, Biden called in to the show and said he was “getting frustrated by the elites in the party, ‘Oh, they know so much more.’”

“Any of these guys that don’t think I should run, run against me. Announce for president, challenge me at the convention,” Biden said.

Biden, 81, has been facing political headwinds ever since a rocky debate performance last month gave new momentum to questions about his age and health. That debate performance sent Democrats into a panic spiral and raised questions about whether Biden can remain at the top of his party’s ticket.

On Tuesday, there were signs that Biden was regaining control of the conversation. House Democrats at a caucus meeting generally rallied to his side, though there were doubts expressed by some members.

In a letter to Congressional Democrats on Monday, Biden said “voters — and the voters alone — decide the nominee of the Democratic Party.”

“How can we stand for democracy in our nation if we ignore it in our own party?” he said.

Charlamagne said he’s had doubts about Biden for some time.

“I can’t believe we’re just having this conversation, ‘cause I’ve been saying this for several months and asking the question, ‘Are Biden and [Vice President Harris] a winnable ticket?’ And if the answer is no, Biden should step aside, and people shouldn’t be upset when folks say that, especially if y’all want to win,” Charlamagne said Tuesday.