Reports have revealed that First Lady Jill Biden criticized Democrats who want President Joe Biden to step down from the Democratic nomination for 2024 following his poor performance against Republican opponent Donald Trump in last week's debate. While President Biden stated that he has no plans to withdraw, it is known that he speaks to a large number of people but listens primarily to a very close circle, including his wife Jill.
Jill Biden is reportedly the driving force behind his insistence on remaining in the race, according to ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz, shortly after Biden's interview with the network on Friday night. Jill Biden stated, "We will not let those ninety minutes determine the four years Joe has been President." She insisted in her remarks to Vogue magazine, "We will continue to fight."
A source earlier in the week mentioned, "The only one who has a definitive influence on him (Joe Biden) is the First Lady... If she decides that a change in course is needed, there will be a change." The source added, "The decision makers are two people, the president and his wife... Anyone who does not understand how deep this personal and family decision is does not understand the situation."
Amid attempts to mitigate damage, the president made his own effort to regain his reelection footing lost during the debate in a recorded 22-minute interview, insisting that the terrible polling numbers were not true and that the Democratic Party had no concerns about his fitness to lead. Biden stated the only way to exit the race would be "if the Lord tells me to."
The Friday night interview with George Stephanopoulos was meant to serve as damage control, but it only increased the fury among Democratic politicians and major donors who have reacted since the disastrous Trump debate. Biden blamed "fatigue" and "illness" for his poor debate performance, which has turned his entire reelection campaign upside down.
However, there is a movement within the party to convince him to withdraw, with critics warning that he faces an almost certain defeat and may drag other Democrats down with him. Democrats in the House and a group of Senators are expected to convene on this issue when they return to Washington next week. A handful of Democrats have publicly called for Biden to withdraw from the race, and there is a movement in the Senate - led by Virginia Senator Mark Warner - to encourage Senate Democrats to push as well.
A source indicated that Warner, a highly respected moderate Democrat, is calling Democratic senators to a meeting on Monday to discuss Biden's campaign. The Washington Post reported that Warner was seeking to urge the group to pressure Biden to withdraw from the race.
Biden told reporters he has spoken to at least 20 lawmakers who are requesting he remain. In response to Warner's call for him to leave, Biden said, "Well, Mark Warner, to my knowledge, is the only one thinking about that." Biden has resisted such efforts, stating in a fiery speech in Madison earlier on Friday, "I will stay in the race."
Polling has shown that Trump is widening his lead since the debate, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll showing that one in three Democrats wants Biden to pull out of the race. Biden dismissed the movement on Friday, saying, "We had a little debate last week. I can’t say it was my best performance. But since then there has been a lot of speculation... 'What will Joe do? Will he stay in the race? Will he withdraw?' Well, here’s my answer: I’m in the race... and I will win again."
However, he added in the same setting that he is ready to beat Trump "again in 2020." When Stephanopoulos later asked Biden, "Did you watch the debate afterward?" Biden indicated he was unsure, stating, "I don’t think I did, no."
