Many Democrats not reassured by Joe Biden’s interview

Joe Biden participated in an interview with ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos. This interview was intended to help Joe Biden present a different image from the one he presented during the debate. Result? There are Democrat politicians in Washington DC who still believe that Joe Biden should step aside. However, they want that decision to remain mainly with Biden.

From Axios:

Driving the news: In the 22-minute interview, Biden insisted he has the stamina to take on Trump and refused to take a cognitive test.

• The president rejected polls indicating he’s trailing his Republican rival and minimized the extent to which his Democratic allies have pressured him to withdraw from the race.
• And Biden made clear he’s not dropping out: “If the Lord Almighty came down and said ‘Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race. The Lord Almighty’s not coming down.”

What we’re hearing: “No one’s mind has been changed,” a House Democrat said, adding that a growing number of lawmakers agree “it’s time” for Biden to step aside and are “hoping to give him space to do this on his own.”

• Another House Democrat said their colleagues feel Biden’s interview was “not impressive” and that “he’s toast” in November.
• Said a third: “The interview hardly inspires confidence. It changes nothing.”
• A fourth House Democrat said they were “shocked” by Biden’s “refusal to recognize reality” in terms of polling and his “failure to make an argument about why he wants a second term.”

The other side: The Biden campaign painted the interview as energetic and eloquent, arguing the president laid out a clear case for a second term.

• They also pointed to statements of support and approval from lawmakers like Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Reps. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas).
• More broadly, Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) criticized colleagues who have pressed Biden to drop out as “undermining this incredible actual leader who has delivered real results for our country.”

Additional Reading:

Solender, A. (2024, July 6). “He’s toast”: Biden’s ABC interview flops with Hill Democrats. Axios. Link.

Category: 2024 Election, Joe BIden