Publicly, Joe Biden did very little on Wednesday, but behind the scenes, the president was working overtime to address growing concerns among Democrats about his 2024 reelection bid.
Following a dismal performance at the first debate with former President Donald Trump last week, Biden spent the next four days campaigning in North Carolina and New York before retreating to Camp David with his family. There, he reiterated his determination to stay in the race despite mounting calls for him to step aside.
Biden returned to the White House late Monday evening as his team scrambled to reassure Democratic donors, lawmakers, operatives, and voters that he remains the only viable candidate to take on Trump in November, rather than Vice President Kamala Harris or any of the younger Democratic hopefuls waiting in the wings.
Taking more responsibility for damage control, Biden attended a fundraiser in Virginia on Tuesday evening. He told donors that his debate performance was merely a “bad night” exacerbated by lingering jet lag from an international trip that ended 12 days before the debate.
Biden also made calls to senior Democratic lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Sen. Chris Coons, continuing these efforts on Wednesday with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Rep. Jim Clyburn, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He recorded two interviews with black radio stations set to air Thursday and held a closed-door meeting with all but one of the nation’s 23 Democratic governors, ten of whom attended in person.
Governors Tim Walz, Wes Moore, and Kathy Hochul spoke to the press after the meeting, confirming Biden’s commitment to stay in the race and emphasizing that Democratic governors “have his back.” Walz, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, voiced concerns shared by many: “We are worried because the threat of a Trump presidency is not theoretical. We are all looking for a path to win, and President Biden agrees with that.”
The Biden campaign released a statement after the meeting, reiterating a shared commitment to ensuring a Biden-Harris victory in November. Despite speculation about potential successors like Govs. Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer, both attended Wednesday’s meeting and expressed their support for Biden as the nominee.
Newsom stated, “I heard three words from the President — he’s all in. And so am I. Joe Biden’s had our back. Now it’s time to have his.” Whitmer added, “Joe Biden is our nominee. He is in it to win it, and I support him.” Biden and Harris also participated in an all-staff call hosted by the Democratic National Committee, where Biden firmly declared his intent to stay in the race: “I am running. No one is pushing me out.”
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients echoed this sentiment in a call with White House staff, urging them to ignore the “noise,” take pride in the administration’s accomplishments, and remain united behind Biden. Despite these efforts, Biden faces a significant challenge in erasing the memory of his poor debate performance from voters’ minds before November.
Reporters pressed the White House on why Biden had not released additional medical records to prove his performance was just a “bad night” rather than a sign of deeper issues. White House officials have not committed to releasing such records, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisting, “He did not get checked out by the doctor. It’s a cold, and I know that it affects everybody differently. We’ve all had colds.”
