In the wake of President Joe Biden’s stumbling debate performance against Donald Trump last week, key Democrats have rallied to defend his reelection bid, urging him to continue focusing on his record and the stark contrast with his opponent.
The debate, held on Thursday, left many Americans questioning Biden’s ability to lead, prompting a vigorous defense from his supporters.
Representative Jim Clyburn, a pivotal figure in Biden’s 2020 campaign, acknowledged the president had a “bad” debate but maintained that Biden should persist in his campaign.
“There were some trepidations among House members afterward,” Clyburn admitted on CNN’s State of the Union. “But he should stay in this race and demonstrate going forward his capacity to lead the country.”
The fallout from the debate has intensified scrutiny on Biden’s health and leadership abilities. A CBS News poll of registered voters published Sunday revealed only 27% believe the president has the mental and cognitive health to serve, down from 35% in early June.
Despite these concerns, Biden’s campaign is pushing back against the negative narrative.
In a series of memos to donors and surrogates over the weekend, the campaign dismissed the alarm as a creation of pundits and operatives disconnected from ordinary Americans.
They asserted that Biden would unequivocally be the 2024 Democratic nominee and any dip in support was merely a temporary reflection of the media’s overreaction.
Biden’s allies took to Sunday political talk shows to reinforce their support.
“I understand there’s a lot of hand-wringing and concern and pearl-clutching amongst the commentariat,” said Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat and Biden campaign co-chair, on ABC’s This Week. “That’s great. That’s expected, frankly.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also weighed in on CNN, stating, “Biden had a bad night. Let’s move on from that. It’s all an opportunity.”
In an effort to bolster confidence, Biden spent Sunday at Camp David with family members, a visit that had been scheduled prior to the debate.
He also engaged in a two-day campaign and fundraising swing, which included events with affluent donors in New York’s Hamptons and New Jersey.
“I understand the concern about the debate,” Biden said Saturday at a fundraiser hosted by hedge fund manager Barry Rosenstein and his wife, Lizanne, in the Hamptons. “I get it. I didn’t have a great night.”
Biden’s campaign reported on Sunday that it had raised more than $33 million since the debate, with $26 million coming from grassroots donations.
Thursday marked the campaign’s best grassroots fundraising day yet, with Friday coming in second.
Biden, 81, acknowledged after the debate that voters might have concerns about his age but remains determined to stay in the race.
Jill Biden, a significant influence in his decision to run in 2020, reinforced this resolve on Friday, saying, “We are not going to let 90 minutes define the four years that you’ve been president.”
While Biden’s debate performance has led to a temporary dip in support, his allies remain steadfast in their belief that his record and vision for the future will resonate with voters.
As the campaign continues, they are committed to showcasing Biden’s achievements and the critical differences between him and his opponent.
The CBS poll conducted June 28-29 surveyed 1,130 people and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
