As President Joe Biden fights for his political life due to concerns over his age and ability to beat former President Donald Trump, Chicago Sun-Times interviews with Illinois delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago reveal cracks in the once solid support for the president.
Biden’s disastrous debate with Trump June 27 sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party and triggered widespread uncertainty over whether the president should remain at the top of the ticket.
Yet most Illinois delegates — whether elected or appointed — continue to back the nominations of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for a second term.
The tumult over whether Biden should stay or go has, to the consternation of the Biden-Harris campaign, drawn attention away from Trump’s impeachments, indictments and convictions — along with the dozens of false claims he made during the debate.
An unscripted news conference Biden held Thursday after the NATO summit in Washington did not resolve for Democrats doubts about Biden’s viability, even as the president repeated his vow to stay in the race.
This past week, the Sun-Times reached out to the state's roster of Democratic delegates and interviewed 37 of them, all before the Thursday news conference.
Of those who responded, four declined to answer questions about Biden, and three said they do not back the president. One delegate was unsure, and another said it was too soon to say. The remaining 28 delegates said they are continuing to back Biden.
That nine delegates out of 37 did not offer robust endorsements of Biden at this time reveals cracks in his Illinois delegate support. The three who said they want Biden to drop out asked to remain anonymous.
Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins, an elected delegate from the 7th congressional district, said he backs Biden staying in the race, though he recognized the situation remains fluid.
"I would like to see President Biden do what he feels is best for the country. But if he decides to step down, then I think Vice President Harris should be the candidate,” Hoskins said.
State Sen. Adriane Johnson from Buffalo Grove, a delegate elected from the north suburban 9th congressional district, said “Biden should stay on the ticket, and he has my full support.”
“Biden had one bad debate. We all fall down occasionally, but we get back up,” Johnson said. “Biden knows the job — he’s doing the job well right now. He knows right from wrong, and he tells the truth. Let’s switch gears and talk about how Trump should be removed from his party’s ticket because he is unfit, unqualified and uncouth.”
State Rep. La Shawn Ford, from Chicago’s West Side and an elected delegate from the 7th congressional district, said he stands behind Biden, “but he needs to quiet the storm.”
Ford also warned that if Biden steps down, he needs to do so in a way that avoids a divisive battle over who should replace him. “Democrats can win whether it’s Kamala or Biden. We just need one of them to be the nominee.”
Ald. Emma Mitts (37th), also elected from the 7th, said the party should “close ranks” around Biden.
Lake County Clerk Anthony Vega, an elected delegate from the 9th congressional district, said he remains with Biden “even though he is 81 years old. You can’t take away the great things he’s done to bring our country back. He has delivered time and time again.”
Robert Reiter, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor and an elected delegate elected from the 1st congressional district, said, “I am with Biden,” adding that the president has been “one of the most consequential presidents supporting the American worker."
Another union leader, American Federation of Teachers vice president Dan Montgomery, elected from the 9th congressional district said he's "absolutely, unequivocally behind our president, and I will throw my full support behind him happily."
State Sen. Laura Murphy, from Des Plaines, an appointed at-large delegate, said Biden’s debate performance “was very disappointing, but that looks like the way the convention is going to break, and I want anyone that’s going to defeat Donald Trump."
Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, an elected delegate from the 10th congressional district, said she's sticking with Biden because he "is excellent on so many issues that matter: gun violence prevention, reproductive freedom, accessible health care, support for Israel, and strengthening the economy."
The top Democrats in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson, as hosts for the Aug. 19-22 convention, have made strong public comments backing Biden as he is struggling to save his candidacy. So has Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a co-chair of the Democratic National Committee and a Biden-Harris campaign co-chair.
Last Wednesday, Sen. Dick Durbin asked by reporters in the Capitol, “How concerned are you about Biden’s chances?”
Durbin replied “I am very concerned. It’s going to be a close race.”
Three of 14 Illinois Democrats in the House called for Biden to step aside.
