Vice President Kamala Harris will make a hastily organized address to Democratic donors on a call Friday afternoon as leaders of the party urge President Biden to step aside, according to a report.
The precise purpose of the call is unknown, though Harris, 59, has publicly stood by Biden — as other Democrats say she’s the most likely candidate to replace him if he drops out before the Nov. 5 election.
The call was promoted by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, a top donor to Democrats, who invited other Silicon Valley titans to join, the New York Times reports.
“We continue to find ourselves in a rapidly evolving environment,” Hoffman reportedly wrote in his invite.
“With the stakes as high as they are this cycle, we have to remain focused on the critical work that needs to be done to protect our democracy.”
Hoffman said the call would “discuss urgent, emerging needs” and that participants would “also hear from leaders working on the front lines with voters.
The incumbent is facing a full-scale rebellion from other Democratic leaders following his dismal June 27 debate performance.
Former President Barack Obama, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) privately have expressed concern that Biden can’t win, according to reports this week — as down-ballot Democrats fret that a Biden loss would doom them too.
Biden campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg, the co-founder of film studio DreamWorks, reportedly warned the president Wednesday that donor funds were shriveling amid mounting calls from elected Democrats to end his candidacy for a second term.
