As President Joe Biden returned to the White House after a weekend at Camp David, he geared up to tackle growing concerns among Democratic Party officials and voters over his 2024 reelection bid following a lackluster performance in the first debate with former President Donald Trump last week.
Over the past four days, Biden campaigned in North Carolina and New York, attempting to regain momentum despite dismal polling numbers. His supporters have been urging him to quit the race, but Biden remains convinced he can still take down Trump in November.
On Tuesday, he shifted the focus to himself, reassuring donors at a Virginia fundraiser that his subpar performance was merely the result of lingering jet lag from a foreign trip. Biden also made phone calls to top Democratic lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Sen. Chris Coons.
On Wednesday, the president dialed up additional meetings and calls, speaking with Senate and House Democratic leaders, as well as his ally, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Later that day, he held a closed-door gathering with all but one of the country’s 23 Democratic governors, attending personally were Governors Tim Walz, Wes Moore, and Kathy Hochul.
After the meeting, Walz reaffirmed Biden’s commitment to running in November, stating that the governors and all 23 Democratic governors are behind Biden’s candidacy. Both Governors Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer, who were floated as potential Biden successors, attended the meeting and committed to supporting the president in his bid.
Biden has been trying to keep his campaign on track, with both he and his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, addressing staff members in separate phone calls, emphasizing their collective determination to win the election. While Biden faces an uphill battle, there has been no full-fledged revolt within the Democratic Party, albeit some lawmakers have expressed growing reservations about his candidacy.
Despite criticism over his debate performance, Biden still refuses to release additional medical records to put concerns about his health to rest. When pressed on the issue, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre attributed his struggles to a “cold” and an individual’s varying responses to common illnesses.
The president’s popularity has taken a significant hit, with recent polling indicating he is trailing behind Trump in every battleground state. A recent poll published by the New York Times and Siena College shows Trump opening up a six-point national lead over Biden.
