President Joe Biden has made it clear to his team that the coming days are crucial for his reelection campaign. In a private conversation on Tuesday, Biden acknowledged the importance of this period, stating that he understands what could lead him to reconsider his candidacy: “It’s just not working.” This sentiment was shared by an ally who spoke to CNN, emphasizing that Biden is fully aware of the potential consequences if his campaign does not gain traction.
Biden’s recent debate performance has raised concerns among Democrats nationwide. Some elected officials have even publicly urged him to step aside for the good of the party. The New York Times reported that Biden admitted he might not be able to salvage his campaign if he does not perform well in upcoming public events. However, both the White House and Biden’s campaign have denied these reports.
In a private conversation, Biden took responsibility for his debate performance, attributing it to his extensive foreign travel and a cold. He mentioned that his back-to-back trips to France and Italy before the debate had taken a toll on him. Despite having nearly two weeks between his return from Italy and the debate, Biden suggested that the jet lag and exhaustion from his travels were detrimental.
During a fundraiser in Virginia on Tuesday night, Biden joked about his poor debate performance, blaming it on his grueling travel schedule. He remarked that he “almost fell asleep onstage” during the debate, a comment that was met with brief laughter from those in attendance. Multiple reporters in the room believed that Biden’s “fell asleep” line was intended as a joke, but it did not land well.
Since the debate, Biden has faced one of the toughest stretches of his presidency. His reelection campaign is struggling, and campaign officials are working to reassure donors who were shocked by his performance. The White House announced that Biden is expected to meet with Democratic governors and congressional leaders after some demanded a meeting with the president. Some officials have been turned off by the Biden campaign’s dismissiveness over their concerns about the president’s health. On Tuesday, a Democratic member of Congress publicly asked Biden to drop out of the race.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris called into the Biden campaign’s all-staff call on Wednesday. The call was described as a “pep talk” in which Biden and Harris detailed the stakes of the election. Biden reiterated that when one gets knocked down, they need to get back up, and said, “Let’s go win this.” He emphasized that he is running for reelection and is determined to beat Donald Trump.
Harris, who is dismissing calls to replace Biden, told the team that she will follow Biden’s lead. “We will not back down. We will follow our president’s lead. We will fight, and we will win,” Harris said. Biden concluded the call by expressing his confidence in his team and urging them to link arms and get the job done together.
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients held a brief all-staff call to encourage his team to focus on their work despite the swirling questions about Biden’s candidacy. Zients emphasized the importance of “execution, execution, execution” and urged staff to be proud of their accomplishments and to support each other. He also highlighted the need for the White House staff to focus on executing the administration’s work while the campaign team handles reelection efforts.
Zients decided to convene the call with White House staff to acknowledge the challenges of the post-debate period. In a previous meeting with senior staff, Zients and senior adviser Anita Dunn discussed the president’s debate performance and the expected difficult period ahead. On Wednesday’s call, Zients echoed the president’s sentiment, declaring, “When you get knocked down, you get back up.”
Biden’s commitment to his reelection campaign is evident, and he has urged his team to stay focused and execute their tasks effectively. As the president navigates this critical period, he remains determined to overcome the challenges and secure a second term in office.
Source: CNN, The New York Times
