President Joe Biden is not bowing to pressure from his own Democratic Party to step down as its 2024 nominee, according to the White House.
“Absolutely not,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday when she was asked whether Biden is considering standing aside after last week’s debate.
“What I can say is the president is moving forward. He’s moving forward as being president. He’s moving forward with his campaign,” she said. “That is his focus.”
Jean-Pierre similarly denied a report Wednesday that Biden had told an ally he understands his debate performance jeopardized his campaign, with only days for him to right the ship, after she asked the president about the report directly.
“We cannot forget his record and what he’s been able to do,” she said. “We cannot forget how he’s been able to deliver for the American people for almost four years. That matters too.”
Biden is in the middle of an outreach campaign, calling congressional Democrats, campaign aides, and Democratic National Committee members on Wednesday as part of an effort to ease concerns about his age and mental acuity and to acknowledge that he takes their concerns seriously. White House chief of staff Jeff Zients held a separate call on Wednesday in an attempt to ameliorate any morale issues, with Jean-Pierre describing the mood on the executive campus as “challenging.”
Hours earlier, Biden told donors Tuesday night during a fundraiser that his debate performance was affected by his two trips to Europe in the weeks before. That is in addition to a cold, which the White House and campaign confirmed to reporters during the debate.
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Jean-Pierre also downplayed questions raised by former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi whether Biden’s performance was an “episode” or “condition,” contending instead it was “a bad night.”
“There’s a cold. There’s a jetlag. You combine that — he continues to work on with for the American people day in and day out, around the clock. Things happen,” she said.