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President Joe Biden is reportedly evaluating his continuation as the Democratic presidential nominee following concerns about his performance and cognitive abilities, exacerbated by a challenging debate and slipping poll numbers.
While the White House denies Biden considering stepping aside, internal deliberations and mounting pressure from polls indicate doubts about his viability.
“The president, who the ally emphasized is still deeply in the fight for re-election, understands that his next few appearances heading into the holiday weekend — including an interview scheduled for Friday with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News and campaign stops in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — must go well,” the report said.
“That claim is absolutely false. If the New York Times had provided us with more than 7 minutes to comment, we would have told them so,” White House Spokesman Andrew Bates said.
A CBS News/YouGov poll revealed a significant portion of Americans questioning Biden’s mental and cognitive capacity to serve as president, with a growing sentiment across party lines that he should not seek reelection.
Despite familial support and discussions around potential staff changes, Biden faces a crucial period in his candidacy as he navigates doubts about his leadership capabilities and reelection prospects.
“The conversation is the first indication to become public that the president is seriously considering whether he can recover after a devastating performance on the debate stage in Atlanta on Thursday. Concerns are mounting about his viability as a candidate and whether he could serve as president for another four years. Campaign officials were nervously watching polls, recognizing that bad numbers could fuel the crisis. A CBS News poll on Wednesday showed former President Donald J. Trump edging ahead of Mr. Biden since the debate with 50 percent to 48 percent nationally and 51 percent to 48 percent in battleground states,” another report noted.
The report added, “Biden is slowly reaching out to Democratic elected officials and has a meeting with Democratic governors at the White House scheduled for Wednesday evening. He is also continuing to reach out to people he has long trusted and has told at least one person that he is open to the possibility that his plans to move on from his debate performance — and flip the focus back to his challenger, Mr. Trump — may not work.”
“Several allies of Biden, who has huddled with the family and advisers since the debate on Thursday, have underscored that the president is still in the fight of his political life and largely sees this moment as a chance to come back from being counted out, as he has done many times throughout his half-century career.”
“Biden’s family, including First Lady Jill Biden, son Hunter Biden, and their grandchildren, convened at Camp David for a previously scheduled get-together and implored the president to keep fighting in his bid for reelection, Biden advisers told CNN. One adviser described the family members as offering their ‘unequivocal support,’” another report stated.
“The family – clearly frustrated with the team that prepared President Biden ahead of his alarming debate with former President Donald Trump – discussed whether any of Biden’s top advisers should be fired and whether campaign staffing changes should be made, one adviser said,” it added.
“Biden and his family convened Sunday for a long-planned photo shoot with renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. Senior advisers had insisted to CNN on Saturday that the gathering was not aimed at discussing whether the president would remain in the race. Angst toward some of Biden’s key staff members has started to spill out into public view. Florida attorney John Morgan, one of the Democratic Party’s most prolific and prominent donors, singled out senior adviser Anita Dunn and her husband, Bob Bauer, who is Biden’s personal attorney.”