Biden rejects pressure to abandon his campaign, vows to stay "to the end"
Kyiv • UNN
Biden vowed to stay in the 2024 presidential race despite calls to drop out after a poor debate performance, assuring Democratic governors and campaign staff of his determination.
US President Joe Biden vowed to stay in the 2024 presidential race during conversations with campaign staff and meetings with Democratic lawmakers and governors on Wednesday, as he sought to shake off calls for him to drop out after a shaky performance in last week's debate, Reuters reports, UNN writes.
Details
According to two sources familiar with the call, Biden called worried members of his campaign team and told them he was not going anywhere.
"No one is pushing me out. I'm not leaving. I'm in this race to the end," Biden said in a separate email blast by his campaign, urging supporters to "pitch in a few bucks" to help defeat his Republican rival Donald Trump in the Nov. 5 presidential election.
On Wednesday evening, the US president reportedly met virtually and in person with 24 Democratic governors and the mayor of Washington, D.C., to assure them that he is ready to serve as the party's standard-bearer after a failed debate.
Only three governors - the leaders of New York, Minnesota, and Maryland - met with journalists afterward, pledging to support Biden after what they called an honest discussion of his poor performance in last week's debate.
"The President of the United States has always supported us. We are going to support him as well," said Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, said Biden's performance in Thursday night's debate against former President Trump was poor, but added that he believes Biden is the right man for the job.
Concerns about Biden's age and mental acuity have risen sharply after the debate with Trump on Thursday, during which the US president, as the newspaper writes, "mumbled to himself, lost his train of thought at times and at one point talked about defeating Medicare." The US president said he was tired after two foreign trips, and the White House said he had a cold.
Asked on Wednesday whether Biden was considering resigning, White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre replied: "Absolutely not.
Shortly after her speech, two national polls showed that Biden's chances against Trump, who, as the newspaper writes, "made a series of outdated false statements during the debate," had deteriorated.
A Wall Street Journal poll showed Trump leading Biden by 48% to 42%, up one percentage point, while a New York Times/Siena poll showed Trump's lead over Biden increased by three points to 49%-43%.
It is noted that in the meantime, Vice President Kamala Harris has received support as his potential replacement.
It is noted that some of the governors who met with Biden on Wednesday could become potential rivals if pressure on him to resign intensified, but many of them also supported Biden during the campaign.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear were mentioned as possible replacements for Biden, the publication writes.
