- Biden rejects calls to drop out of presidential race
- US President Joe Biden has reassured senior Democrats and his campaign team that he’s committed to the race
- “I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party. No one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving,” according to a source
- Concerns about Biden’s fitness for office and ability to win the election have grown since the debate
- On Friday, Biden will attend a rally, and a new interview with ABC News will air – aimed at calming voters
Biden rejects calls to drop out of presidential race
US President Joe Biden reassured senior Democrats and his campaign team on Wednesday, confirming his commitment to running for re-election despite a challenging debate performance against Donald Trump. At a private lunch with Vice-President Kamala Harris and later in a broader campaign call, Biden emphasised, “I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party. No one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving,” according to a source.
Concerns about Biden’s fitness for office and ability to win the election have grown since the CNN debate, marked by verbal lapses and weak responses. Polls have shown Trump widening his lead, with a New York Times poll showing a six-point advantage and a CBS News poll indicating a three-point lead in key battleground states. Some Democratic donors and lawmakers have publicly called for Biden to step aside.
Recent reports in the US suggested that Biden had told an unnamed ally he was evaluating whether to stay in the race as he was aware his re-election bid was in danger. But the White House and the Biden campaign have rejected the reports and say he is fully committed to defeating Trump.
On Friday, Biden will attend a rally, and a new interview with ABC News will air. Both events are key to his re-election and calming the nerves of voters and donors.