President Biden’s family has pointed fingers at his campaign staff for his lackluster debate performance, according to multiple reports. The president and First Lady Jill Biden spent the weekend at Camp David, where family members urged him to stay in the race despite the debate setback. They criticized his staff for not adequately preparing him, allowing him to become overworked, and failing to focus his efforts on outlining his vision for the next four years.
Sources familiar with the discussions revealed that the family’s frustration was directed at senior adviser Anita Dunn, her husband Bob Bauer, and former chief of staff Ron Klain. They were blamed for not preparing Biden to go on the offensive and for allowing him to be bogged down in defending his record. The family also questioned why Biden appeared pale during the debate, attributing it to poor makeup choices.
Despite the criticism, Biden’s family remains supportive of his campaign. Hunter Biden, in particular, was a strong advocate for his father to continue his bid for re-election. The family believes Biden is still the best candidate to defeat the Republican presumptive nominee, Donald Trump, and that he is capable of serving another term.
Over the weekend, Biden consulted with his inner circle to gauge their thoughts on continuing his campaign. He was seen speaking on the phone with Jon Meacham, a trusted confidant, as he boarded Air Force One. His granddaughters, Finnegan and Natalie Biden, accompanied him to several fundraising events in New York and New Jersey.
The campaign has been working to address concerns from major donors, who have expressed frustration over the debate performance. A conference call was scheduled for the national finance committee to discuss the situation with campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon. Preserving the donor base is seen as crucial for Biden’s campaign moving forward.
Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz defended the staff, stating that the aides who prepped the president have been with him for years and have seen him through various challenges. He emphasized that Biden maintains strong confidence in his team.
John Morgan, a top Democratic donor, publicly criticized Dunn, Bauer, and Klain for their roles in the debate preparation. He likened the situation to putting a prizefighter in a sauna for 15 hours before a title fight, calling it political malpractice.
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki also weighed in, defending the debate prep team and stating that the issue was not the preparation but the performance itself. She acknowledged that it was a bad debate but argued that the focus should be on what happens next rather than blaming the prep process.
The Biden family’s criticism highlights the internal tensions within the campaign as they navigate the fallout from the debate. While the family remains supportive, the scrutiny on the campaign staff is intensifying. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether any changes will be made to the campaign team and how Biden will move forward in his re-election bid.
Source: Fox News, CNN, Reuters
