- According to the Times and CNN, Biden has told key allies that it could cost him his chances at reelection.
- The White House has categorically denied the allegations, with a spokesman calling them “completely false.”
- Support for Biden among Democrats is fading, with some turning to Kamala Harris as a potential candidate.
President Joe Biden’s cognitive abilities may be a topic of debate right now, but the president knows one thing: If he doesn’t change public perception soon, he could lose his chance at reelection, one of the president’s key allies told both The New York Times and CNN that Biden told him that in recent conversations.
The ally stressed that while Biden remains committed to his reelection bid, he is keenly aware of how important his upcoming public comments are. Biden gave his first post-debate interview with ABC News on Friday and is scheduled to visit key battleground states over the weekend.
“Trump knows if he holds two more events like this, things will change,” the ally told The Times about the debate.
The White House has categorically denied these reports.
White House press secretary Andrew Bates told The X Show: “This allegation is completely false and, if we had been given more than seven minutes, we could have said this before it was made public.”
Biden has come under increasing pressure in recent days to resign, with Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas on Tuesday becoming the first Democrat to publicly call on him to step down.
No other Democrat has gone that far, but the presidential dam appears to be breaking, with Vice President Kamala Harris gaining new attention as a possible candidate. And it’s not just politicians who are paying attention to Harris. Gamblers in the betting markets are also betting on her as a candidate. As of late Wednesday morning, betting on Harris’ name was going for 49 cents on PolyMarket, compared with 31 cents on Biden’s name.
Biden is scheduled to meet with key Democratic governors on Wednesday in an effort to shore up trust in elected officials.
Seeking to ease donor fears after Thursday’s debate, Biden’s campaign touted record fundraising figures, with the president acknowledging his own underperformance, blaming a hectic travel schedule and jet lag in part.
But despite all the explanations, new polls suggest the president’s road ahead will be even tougher: Post-debate numbers show Trump edging ahead, 49% to 43%.
