BREAKING: Chuck Schumer Open To Replacing Biden At Top Of Ticket

Despite President Joe Biden's best attempts to stop the bleeding earlier this week as his candidacy hangs in the balance, more Democrats have begun to come out against him and suggest that he reassess his chances of winning re-election in November. A new report from Axios reveals that one of the top Democrats in the nation, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), has been privately exploring ways to replace Biden at the top of the ticket despite publicly voicing his support for the president's nomination.

According to three sources familiar with the deliberations, Schumer has been listening to donors' suggestions and attempting to find the best path forward for the party. The Senate leader, who served with Biden for two decades, is one of a handful of Democrats who would have the influence to encourage President Biden to exit the race, a necessity given that Democrat delegates are pledged to vote for the president at the Democratic National Convention thus locking up the nomination.

According to Axios, Schumer has yet to make any suggestions as to who would replace Biden at the top of the ticket, but he doesn't seem fully convinced that Biden can't turn his campaign around either. Schumer invited some of Biden's senior campaign aides to speak to Democrat senators later this week. 

The report of Schumer's wavering support of President Biden comes after former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said that "time is running short" for Biden to reconsider his decision to stay in the race. During an interview on MSNBC on Wednesday morning, Pelosi, despite the president doubling down on his commitment to being the Democratic nominee earlier this week, seemed open to an alternative. When asked if she wants Biden to run for re-election, Pelosi explained that she wants the president to "do whatever he decides to do" but added that "time is running short" for a final decision to be made given the upcoming Democratic National Convention next month. "He's beloved. He's respected, and people want him to make that decision, not me," Pelosi said.

Rep. Pelosi explained that Democrats are going to restart conversations on Biden's eligibility to run for re-election following the NATO conference in Washington, D.C., where President Biden will hold his first press conference following the debate on Thursday.

Many Democrats have voiced a similar message with Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV), an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, that congressional Democrats will wait until this weekend to make a final decision on whether to come out more publicly against the sitting president or remain loyal and support the president's re-election bid. 

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