‘He has a record to run on’: Rep. Crockett defends Biden amid Democratic concerns

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• Geoff Bennett:

  And let's turn now to Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Texas, who has defended President Biden amid concerns about his age and calls that he withdrawal from the race. I spoke with her earlier today.

  Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, welcome to the "NewsHour."

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX):

  Thank you so much for having me.

• Geoff Bennett:

  When you hear your Democratic colleagues like Congressman Mike Quigley say that President Biden just has to step down because he can't win or Congressman Adam Smith say the president is an ineffective messenger, as Smith said on this program last night, what's your reaction? What's your response?

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett:

  My reaction is that President Biden is the Democratic nominee, and nothing that they say is going to change that.

  Listen, when it comes down to it, we have a democratic process. And he was duly elected as our nominee. He has said that he's not stepping down, and at the end of the day, he has a record to run on. Now, if he is an ineffective messenger to certain people, then maybe they should get out and spread the good news.

  That's what I have been doing. I have been working hard to make sure that people understand why it matters to have this president in office, to make sure that they understand that, if we are still allowed to have history books, that he will go down in history as one of the most effective presidents that we have ever had in the United States.

  So, instead of complaining, what I need my colleagues to do is to put on their big girl and big boy pants and decide that they're going to do the work, because this is bigger than whatever five minutes of fame that they're going to have. We are supposed to be working on behalf of the American people and let them know about the dangers of Project 2025, let them know about the dangers of MAGA and the fact that right now they don't want to feed people in this country.

  Let them know about the fact that they are pushing for a national abortion ban. Let them know about the fact that they are trying to invoke loyalists as the only people that can work in the federal government. Let them know about the fact that he is going to go after those political enemies that he perceives.

  Let them know that this is all about him staying out of prison and it has nothing to do with delivering to the American people. That's what we need to focus on.

• Geoff Bennett:

  So far, no congressional Black Democrat has called on President Biden to withdraw from the race. The Congressional Black Caucus, the CBC, has really rallied to his side. Why? What accounts for that level of support?

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett:

  I don't know if there was ever a consensus, but I can tell you that, as a Black woman living in this country, I understand the harm that will be felt if Donald Trump is back in office. And I think that what we as Black Caucus members understand is that Black people will be the first ones harmed and we will be the most harshly harmed.

  And so, for us, this is about doing what is right and recognizing what this president has done. Even if it hasn't said, oh, this was for the Black folk, we can tell you that he has done a lot specifically for the Black community, whether we're talking about the debt relief that has been sustained as a result of the student loan debts, or whether we're talking about the fact that he has decided that those that had felony convictions or federal convictions as relates to marijuana, making sure that he could clear that up.

  There is so much that he's done, whether we're talking about putting the first Supreme Court justice that is a Black woman on the Supreme Court or appointing more African Americans to our benches as a whole or investing over $14 billion in HBCUs, a number that has never been had. In fact, the previous administration did about $253 million.

  So let me tell you, we understand what this president has done and is willing to do specifically for our community. We know that we will be the hardest-hit if Trump is allowed to take the White House back. And we also know that this president has specifically delivered for the Black community.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Would the Democratic Party have a better chance of beating Donald Trump with another nominee?

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett:

  I absolutely don't believe that that's true.

  First of all, your question presupposes the fact that there could be another nominee. Listen, we are in the last quarter. This is not time to play fantasy president. That's not what we do in this country. We have a democratic process.

  And so you don't decide that, because somebody is polling bad, that you're going to withdraw and subvert the will of the people in the primary. If somebody felt like he was a problem, then they should have ran and they should have beat him in the primary. They didn't do that.

  So, at the end of the day, he has a record that spans not only his presidential career, but spans approximately a total of 50 years. That is what he can run on. And what people need to understand is that, even though the Supreme Court has decided that we will anoint presidents and make them kings, we don't have that currently.

  We have a democracy. And so it's bigger than just the president. So, at this point, I just want to keep it real with everybody. This isn't about having the perfect candidate. What we need to focus on is the threat that's on the other side and the fact that the Republicans have not asked a convicted criminal who has 34 felony convictions and still has more pending against him to step down.

  If he can run for office, I can guarantee you this man who actually has a record of success can run for office, and he can win.

• Geoff Bennett:

  Final question. How much longer can this open debate in the party about President Biden's fitness go on and how much damage do you think it has done to the ticket?

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett:

  I don't think that there is an open debate. I think there's a lot of people — and I don't even know if it's a lot of people. There are people that are yapping their gums.

  But what is there to debate when there is no mechanism for having another nominee? The president has been very clear. He has said it over and over and over. Whether people want to accept it or not, the president has said that he is not stepping aside. So there is nothing to debate. There is nothing that can be done.

  So, essentially, they have to decide, do they want Donald Trump to end up back in office or do they want to go out and tell the good news of what this president and what this administration has accomplished? So, at this point, I don't know why we're even saying that it's a debate. You have people that are out there expressing their feelings, but there is no debate.

  The president has shut that down by saying that he is running and that he's going to win.

• Geoff Bennett:

  That is Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Texas.

  Thank you for being with us this evening. We appreciate it.

• Rep. Jasmine Crockett:

  Thank you.