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Democrat freak out over Biden's reelection bid put on temporary pause in aftermath of Trump assassination attempt
For two weeks, Democrat calls to replace President Joe Biden at the top of the 2024 ticket had been mounting over concerns about his age and mental ability.
But the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump's life has temporarily put a halt to the onslaught of demands that Biden drop out of the 2024 race.
In the days before a gunman attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Washington had been abuzz over whether Joe Biden would remain the Democratic presidential candidate.
Joe Biden's longtime friends and colleagues like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., signaled - Pelosi publicly on MSNBC and Schumer privately - their openness to a new candidate atop the ticket.
Polling shows Trump surging since the debate and some betting markets have favored Vice President Kamala Harris to secure the nomination amid Biden's mental and physical ability concerns.
But according to Democrat insiders, the mounting coup to replace Biden has been thrust aside as the party reacts to the very real attempted assassination aimed at the former president.
President Joe Biden speaks from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, Sunday, July 14, 2024, about the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Party insiders say he has staved off a political insurrection from within - at least for the time being - as the focus shifts to Trump's shooting
'You just lose all momentum,' because of the shooting, a Biden ally told NBC News. The bid to oust Biden, they added, 'I think it's over.'
An experienced Democratic strategist said, 'They were having a very bad political day, and then we had this supernova event. Now, it's frozen.'
'If you're an advocate for: 'How do we tell the old man it's time to go?' — it's really hard to have that conversation publicly. This event blocks out the sun right now.'
After the shooting Saturday evening, the Biden campaign announced it would suspend attack advertisements against Trump set to air on TV and other platforms.
The president also called an emergency press briefing to address the shooting.
Wearing a blue sport coat and no tie, he addressed the nation, condemning the violence in no unclear terms.
'There's no place in America this kind of violence. It's sick. It's sick,' he said Saturday night.
'It's one of the reasons we have to unite this country.'
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures while surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is helped off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024
Inside the Democrat party, operatives scrambled to cut the political talk and counter attacks to Trump and those calling for Biden to step down.
Internal files obtained by NBC News reveal the quick reaction by the campaign to the devastating assassination attempt that left the shooter and a bystander dead.
'Refrain from issuing any comments on social media or in public' the Biden campaign said internally, and 'pause any proactive campaign communication across all platforms and in all circumstances until we know more.'
Another Biden ally mentioned how it would be unbecoming of the Democrat to attack an opponent who recently just escaped an assassination attempt.
'It's likely the effort to dislodge Biden has ended. He's not going to voluntarily step aside in this moment,' the second ally said. 'Biden demonstrated he's going to fight.'
The caution is warranted given the deadly attacks shocking results.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, opened fire at former President Donald Trump with an AR-style rifle from a roof 130 yards from his campaign rally stage at 6:15 p.m.
Bullets from his gun killed Corey Comperatore, the retired fire chief of Buffalo Township, who died a hero protecting his family.
A bullet grazed the former president's ear before he leaned forward and eventually was covered by a huddle of Secret Service workers.
Lawmakers have since called for investigations into the Secret Service and its leadership.
They have also began work on a bill to enhance Secret Service protection for candidates like Trump, Biden and even Robert F Kennedy Jr.
The president addresses his supporters just moments before the gunfire
Former Navy SEAL Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., who has experience in setting perimeters in combat zones, said the shooter being able to access a 'nearby roof' to take aim at Trump was an 'absolute failure of security.'
And House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told DailyMail.com in a statement that he plans to hold a hearing with the Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to get to the bottom of the failures.
The House Homeland Security Committee also released a statement indicating their desire to hold a hearing with the Secret Service.