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REPORT: Chuck Schumer ‘Broke Down In Tears’ During Meeting About Trump

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A teary-eyed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) reportedly had a meltdown after meeting with President Joe Biden, during which both men discussed the real possibility that the Democratic ticket was on track for a historic loss in November.

Schumer, 74, met with Biden at the White House on July 13th, two days after President-elect Donald Trump avoided an assassination attempt, to lay out the stark reality facing Democrats. There, he became the face of the party’s coup, telling the then-81-year-old Biden there was no longer a scenario where he could win a second term.

The New York Democrat “broke down in tears” while recounting the meeting to aides, according to a Friday report by the New York Times.

Their time together ended without a clear indication of what Biden planned to do, but Schumer told his confidants that he felt like he’d gotten through to him.

Before they parted, Schumer warned Biden that he risked going down in history as one of America’s “darkest figures” if he stayed aboard a flailing campaign and contributed to Trump’s return. Even if Biden had a 50-50 shot at winning, Schumer said, he would have told his friend to keep going.

“Fifty-fifty, to do this, to stay here; it’s worth it,” he said. “But, Mr. President, you’re not getting the information as to what the chances are.”

Biden then acknowledged he hadn’t spoken recently with his pollsters about the state of the race.

“Well, I have talked to them,” Mr. Schumer said. “My guess is you have about a 5 percent chance. None of your pollsters disagree with me.”

Biden, who in recent weeks has publicly suggested he could have won if he stayed in the race, twice interrupted Schumer to ask, “Do you really think Kamala can win?” The Senate leader said he was uncertain but believed the vice president stood a far better chance than Biden.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates commented on the revelation Friday, stating, “The president was fully briefed on campaign polling and fully briefed on his pollsters’ assessments. Internal and public numbers showed a competitive race.”

As they shuffled to Schumer’s waiting car, Biden put a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve got bigger balls than anyone I’ve ever met,” he said, telling Schumer he would “need a week” to make a final decision.

Weeks earlier, other top Democrats gathered to watch Biden’s debate with Trump and were dumbstruck by the president’s catastrophic performance. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was among those who pressed his colleagues to remain calm after a rapidly deteriorating Biden struggled through his answers.

Schumer, who was in California for a fundraiser at the time, was asked by donors how he thought Biden had done.

“We’ll have to see,” he told them vaguely.