President Biden had intended to use his first televised interview post-debate to reassure supporters and silence critics within the Democratic Party urging him to withdraw from the race. However, feedback from Democrats following the ABC News interview indicated that it had little impact on their views, whether they supported Biden staying in the race or dropping out.
Several current and former Democratic officials who had called for Biden to end his re-election bid stated that the interview did not address their concerns. Conversely, loyal supporters of Biden’s campaign reiterated their commitment to him on various television networks.
Critics of the President within the Democratic Party, including those advocating for his withdrawal, criticized Biden for seeming out of touch or in denial about his chances for re-election. Representative Lloyd Doggett of Texas, the first House Democrat to call for Biden to drop out, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating that Biden should not want his legacy to be handing the country over to a tyrant.
Representative Mike Quigley of Illinois also called for Biden to step aside, citing concerns about his vigor and ability to overcome deficits in the race. Some Democratic lawmakers expressed continued support for Biden, with Senator Chris Coons and Representative Robert Garcia affirming their readiness to help Biden secure re-election.
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania urged Democrats to stand by Biden, emphasizing his belief in the President. Representative James Clyburn of South Carolina echoed this sentiment on social media, stating that Biden is the leader the country needs. Representative Nanette Barragán of California dismissed talks of replacing Biden, praising his performance in the interview.
Representative Ro Khanna of California, a Biden surrogate, called for more transparency from the White House and emphasized the need for Biden to earn the trust of voters through further engagement with the media.
Criticism of Biden’s performance persisted, with former presidential candidate Julián Castro and former Representative Tim Ryan voicing concerns about his denial of decline and lack of connection with voters. Donor Mark Buell expressed apprehension about Biden’s trajectory, indicating that he may need to make significant changes to avoid becoming a negative outcome.
Contributions from Maya C. Miller, Robert Jimison, and Zolan Kanno-Youngs in Washington, as well as Simon J. Levien in Massachusetts, contributed to this report.
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