The United States President Jeo Biden is “absolutely not” considering withdrawing from the 2024 US election race and he is “moving forward with his campaign,” according to the White House on Wednesday.
Despite a disastrous television debate against Republican challenger Donald Trump leaving him up to six points behind in the polls and calls from some concerned senior Democrats for him to withdraw, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that Biden would not be stepping aside.
“The president is moving forward,” she told reporters. “He’s moving forward as being president, he’s moving forward with his campaign, that’s the president’s focus. Anything else that we’re hearing or that’s being report is absolutely false.”
‘I run’
Earlier today, The Parami News had reported that Biden had spoken to a supporter and said he must move fast in order to convince American voters he can do the job starting from this Friday when he gives his first post-debate TV interview.
“The way that goes two more times we are somewhere else,” the ally told The Parami News about Biden.
Biden joined a conference call with worried members of his campaign team earlier today telling them he is fit for reelection; two sources familiar with the call told Reuters news agency Wednesday night.
“I am running,” according to reports by The Associated Press news agency quoting him as saying later on Wednesday while adding: “I am still head of my party” but also complaining about being push out.’
Later today, Biden met all 23 Democratic governors either personally or virtually convincing them of his candidacy ability.
President attributed poor performance of Tuesday night debate to fatigue occasioned by repeated travelling saying much later during the debate I almost fell asleep on stage.”
What did they tell governors?
Three Democratic governors spoke at length after a meeting between them and President Jeo Biden. Maryland’s Governor Wes Moore was among those who gave positive feedback regarding their presidential candidate.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York stated Biden is “in it to win it.”
Similarly, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota and Chair of the Democratic Governors Association admitted that Biden’s debate performance was not the greatest.
“Obviously we, like many Americans, are a little worried. We’re worrie because the threat of a Trump presidency is not theoretical,” he said.
Trump campaign: Biden ‘not fit for the White House’
The former president’s campaign team released a statement calling Biden “weak, failed, dishonest and unfit to lead in the White House.”
They also pointed out that those Democrats now demanding for his resignation had earlier supported “his disastrous policies” over the last four years which they argued have caused “hyperinflation, open borders and anarchy at home and abroad.”
Some Democrats want Biden to quit
There were a few exceptions within the Democratic Party about how they felt towards Joe Biden.
In Arizona Raul Grijalva has joined Lloyd Doggett from Texas as the second House Democrat publicly calling on President Jeo Biden to step down.
According to the New York Times, he told them that “If he is a candidate, I will support him but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere”. This was follow up by a writing from the Boston Globe on Wednesday in which they echoed the call for withdrawal made by the Times last week.
There is however hope amidst demoralization, panic and anger rocking the party. There are plenty of potential candidates waiting to take on Trump including vice-president Kamala Harris and governors of Michigan, Pennsylvania and California among others.
They just need Biden to step down from his presidential bid and then allow his delegates to vote for another person during the Democratic National Convention.
Biden must do this for America, his political legacy as well as his party. He should hurry up about it too.
