WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has invited all Democratic governors to meet on Wednesday, as he attempts to solidify support among his party’s top leaders after last week’s shaky debate performance.
The discussion is likely to be mostly virtual, according to two people familiar with Biden’s plan, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss a schedule that hasn’t yet been made public.
The meeting comes after Democratic governors held their own call previously and asked Biden to speak with them, according to three people with knowledge of the president’s schedule. Biden denounced the Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity on Monday night but had otherwise announced a largely politics-free and business-as-usual postdebate schedule — including planning to host July 4 celebrations at the White House for Thursday’s holiday.
The meeting is the strongest indication yet that Biden is attempting to calm fears among some Democrats, who worry he may not be up to continuing a campaign — much less defeat Donald Trump — following his sometimes raspy and halting performance during last week’s debate in Atlanta.
Texas Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett called Tuesday for Biden to formally withdraw from the race, and that followed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying on MSNBC that it is fair to ask whether Biden’s debate showing was an anomaly or part of a larger pattern.
“I think it’s a legitimate question to say, is this an episode or is this a condition,” Pelosi said.
There is also no indication that the president is seriously considering stepping aside.
His campaign has downplayed the president’s political problems in a series of memos and private meetings with donors, strategists and party insiders, insisting that Biden can put the bad debate performance behind him without hurting his long-term chances in November.
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President Joe Biden has reached out to all Democratic governors for a meeting scheduled to take place on Wednesday, as he aims to reinforce support among key party figures after a lackluster debate showing last week. The gathering is expected to be primarily held virtually, as revealed by sources who preferred to remain unnamed due to the schedule not being officially disclosed yet.
The decision for the meeting follows a previous call by Democratic governors who requested Biden to engage with them, according to sources familiar with the president’s agenda. Apart from denouncing a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity, Biden has opted for a post-debate schedule primarily devoid of politics, planning instead for July 4 festivities at the White House for the upcoming holiday.
This meeting signifies a significant effort by Biden to allay concerns within the Democratic Party, particularly amidst worries about his ability to sustain his campaign and compete against Donald Trump following his uneven performance in the Atlanta debate last week. There have been calls for Biden to step down from the race, including remarks from Texas Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett, along with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi raising questions on whether Biden’s debate display was an isolated incident or part of a broader trend.
Pelosi stated, “I think it’s a legitimate question to say, is this an episode or is this a condition.” Despite these concerns, there is currently no indication that Biden is seriously contemplating withdrawing from the race. His campaign has sought to downplay the impact of the debate misstep, assuring supporters through memos and private meetings that Biden can move past the setback without jeopardizing his prospects for the November elections.