Several longtime aides to President Joe Biden are reportedly suggesting that he should consider withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race. These aides are actively exploring strategies to persuade Biden to step down, according to three sources who spoke with The New York Times.
Despite the advice, Biden remains confident in his ability to defeat former President Donald Trump, even though both national and battleground state polls indicate he is trailing, the Times reported.
“Unequivocally, this is not true,” Andrew Bates, a White House spokesman, told the Times. “President Biden’s team is strongly behind him.”
“Patently false,” T.J. Ducklo, a spokesman for the Biden campaign, told the Times. “This team stands with the president.”
However, other associates close to Biden, including family members, believe he should remain in the race despite widespread criticism of his recent debate performance, the Times reported.
Ten House Democrats, along with Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), have called for Biden to withdraw. Celebrities such as George Clooney, Stephen King, and Rob Reiner have also urged him to step down.
Biden believes he has a better chance of defeating Trump than Vice President Kamala Harris, the Times noted. His team thinks it will require concrete data, such as polling showing a significant drop in support, to convince him to consider stepping aside.
A memo circulated to staff on Thursday, which was obtained by the Times, reiterated the belief that Biden remains the strongest candidate to beat Trump.
“The movement we have seen, while real, is not a sea change in the state of the race,” read the memo, authored by Jen O’Malley Dillon, the campaign chair, and Julie Chávez Rodríguez, Biden’s campaign manager.
{Matzav.com}