The First Lady, Jill Biden, is reportedly expressing her discontent towards Democrats who are advocating for the removal of President Joe Biden from the 2024 Democratic nomination, in the aftermath of last week's debate.
Despite the President's assertion that he has no intention of stepping down, it is understood that he is engaging in discussions with a multitude of individuals, yet only heeding the opinions of a select few, including his wife.
According to the Daily Mail, Jill Biden has shown disapproval towards those who wish to oust her husband from the ticket, as she is believed to be the driving force behind his determination to remain in the race. This claim was made by ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz, shortly after Biden's crucial interview with the network on Friday night.
The President's 'inner circle', comprising a select group of advisors, including his son Hunter, are encouraging Biden, 81, to persevere with his re-election bid, asserting that he can indeed secure a victory. Following last weekend's debate, the Bidens retreated to Camp David for a post-debate analysis and a prearranged photoshoot with renowned celebrity photographer, Annie Leibovitz.
From the presidential log cabins, Jill Biden made a call to Vogue magazine, providing a last-minute update to her cover interview, scheduled for release on Monday. She stated, "[We] will not let those 90 minutes define the four years [Joe's] been president. We will continue to fight."
Earlier in the week, a source revealed, "The only person who has ultimate influence with him is the first lady. If she decides there should be a change of course, there will be a change of course." The source further added, "The decision-makers are two people it's the president and his wife. Anyone who doesn't understand how deeply personal and familial this decision will be isn't knowledgeable about the situation."
Senior administration officials have reported that Biden's top aides have encouraged his staff to remain resilient, echoing the mission statement, "We'll weather the storm, just like we always have." The President himself attempted to steer his re-election bid back on track in a taped interview that lasted a mere 22 minutes. In this interview, Biden dismissed his poor poll numbers as unreal and assured that the Democratic party harbors no doubts about his ability to lead.
Biden stated that the only circumstance under which he would withdraw from the race is "if the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me." His interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos was intended to serve as damage control, but it has only further incensed Democrat politicians and major donors who, since the disastrous Trump debate, have been advocating for the President to step down.
Biden attributed his poor debate performance to 'exhaustion' and being 'sick', which has thrown his entire reelection campaign into disarray. However, there is a growing movement within the party to persuade him to step aside, with critics warning that he faces almost certain defeat and could potentially drag other Democrats down with him.
A group of House Democrats and senators are expected to convene on this topic when they return to Washington next week. A few Democrats have publicly urged Biden to withdraw from the race, while there's a movement in the Senate, led by Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, to encourage Democrats in the upper chamber to do the same.
Warner, a highly regarded moderate Democrat, has invited Democratic senators to a meeting on Monday to discuss Biden's campaign. The Washington Post reported that Warner intends to ask the group to pressure Biden to withdraw from the race.
When questioned about Warner's call for him to step down, Biden responded, "Well, Mark Warner, to my understanding, is the only one considering that." Despite such efforts, Biden has remained defiant, stating in a passionate speech in Madison earlier on Friday: "I'm staying in the race."
Several public opinion polls have shown Trump extending his lead since the debate, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that one in three Democrats want Biden to quit the race. However, Biden dismissed this movement on Friday, stating, "We had a little debate last week. Cant say it was my best performance. But ever since then there's been a lot of speculation. `What's Joe gonna do? Is he gonna stay in the race? Is he gonna drop out?' Well here's my answer: I am running and gonna win again."
In the same stance, he added that he was ready to beat Trump 'again in 2020.' When Stephanopoulos asked the 81-year-old 'did you ever watch the debate afterwards?' Biden indicated that he wasn't sure, responding, "I don't think I did, no."
During the interview, Biden also revealed that he had received more medical attention than what press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre initially disclosed to the press. He said, "Matter of fact the docs with me. I asked if they did a COVID test because they're trying to figure out what was wrong. They did a test to see whether or not I had some infection, you know, a virus. I didn't. I just had a really bad cold."
Biden spoke to Stephanopoulos in a voice that resembled the weak rasp of his debate showing after questioning whether he'd even re-watched it, saying "I don't know why" he had such a bad performance. He insisted that he was not more frail and that he is 'still in good shape.' He said he has an 'ongoing assessment' by his personal doctors and they 'don't hesitate to tell me' if something is wrong.
During the interview, Biden said he undergoes 'ongoing assessment' by his personal doctors and they 'don't hesitate to tell me' if something is wrong. "Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No. But Im still in good shape," Biden said.
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