Washington CNN reported that President Joe Biden's campaign asserted on Friday that he remains steadfast in his commitment to continue his 2024 presidential bid, despite internal divisions emerging between close advisors urging perseverance and a broader Democratic contingent leaning towards a potential late-stage change following Biden's widely criticized debate performance with former President Donald Trump on CNN Thursday night.
Biden, in acknowledging his rather catastrophic debate, delivered a more animated address in North Carolina on Friday, recognizing his physical and verbal limitations with statements like, "I know I’m not a young man. I don’t walk as easily as I used to. I don’t talk as smoothly as I used to. I don’t debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job, I know how to get things done. And I know what millions of Americans know: When you get knocked down, you get back up."
Throughout Friday morning, Biden's advisors from the West Wing to Wilmington were engaged in calls with Democratic lawmakers, donors, and key supporters in an effort to alleviate widespread concerns stemming from the debate.
Biden's performance — marked by a raspy voice, frequent open-mouthed expressions, and a notable moment of losing his train of thought — created panic amongst Democratic voters as the horrific show led them to belief that perhaps another candidate would be a better fit to represent the party.
When asked directly if Biden would withdraw from the race, campaign spokesperson Seth Schuster firmly responded, "No." One Biden advisor echoed this sentiment to CNN, stating, "There’s no indication from voters that they agree with that notion."
Mitch Landrieu, the campaign’s co-chair, reaffirmed his full confidence in Biden during an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on Friday night, emphasizing that the decision to continue rests solely with Biden.
Amid the outward show of confidence from the White House and re-election campaign, questions persist within Biden's circle about whether advisors will advocate for him to suspend his campaign.
