Several prominent Democrats sought to present a united front on Sunday, rallying on the morning news to defend President Biden following his shaky performance in the June 27 debate against former president Donald Trump. The appearances come amid reports of tension within the party over whether Biden – who is expected discuss your re-election campaign with the family on Sunday – you should stay away. Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi Appeared in CNN state of the Union where she was asked about the main editorial boards, like the New York Timeswho have called for Biden to drop out of the race since the debate.
“We see Joe Biden up close, we know how in tune he is with the issues, how informed he is. When I debate with him on legislation — and I don’t debate, but I argue with him, he’s there,” Pelosi told Dana Bash. “So, either way, it was a bad night. Let’s not sugarcoat it. It was a bad night. It was a great presidency.”
NBC News reported Saturday that Pelosi is among the top Democrats who have privately expressed concern about Biden’s “viability.” She denied it through a spokesperson and publicly supported the president on CNN.
Pelosi admitted that “members are always worried about the top of the ticket,” but declined to comment on whether people in her party are more anxious after the debate. Pelosi said it could be “chaotic” if Biden ends his campaign at this stage, arguing that the president must take the race “past the finish line.”
.@SpeakerPelosi reacts to calls to replace President Biden on the ticket: “There is nothing as good as Joe Biden getting up and taking the ball to the finish line. Something else could be chaotic.” pic.twitter.com/Z6r8L9RHbq
— State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) June 30, 2024
Democratic Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, a close Biden confidant, also joined the show. He was asked if he was worried about Biden’s ability to not just win but lead the country in November.
“I don’t believe Joe Biden has any trouble leading over the next four years because he’s done an excellent job of leading over the past three and a half years,” Clyburn responded.
On NBC Meet the press, Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock said Biden should “absolutely not“quit the race.
“Bad debates happen, like [former] President [Barack] Obama said,” Warnock said. “And that lasted 90 minutes. But let me tell you about those 90 minutes. Donald Trump lied for the entire 90 minutes.”
Host Kristen Welker asked Warnock about the rising calls for Biden to step aside and potentially clear the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to run.
“I have great respect for Vice President Harris, with whom I spent a lot of time, but Joe Biden is the nominee,” Warnock responded. “I will do everything I can to ensure we elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”
Maryland Governor Wes Moore appeared on the CBS show Face the nation where did he say he will “not” seek the Democratic nomination and “will proudly support the president.”
“Joe Biden is not going to get out of this race, nor should he,” Moore said, adding: “Joe Biden is our candidate, Joe Biden is our leader, and Joe Biden has earned – and Joe Biden deserves – the trust, respect and frankly the partnership we now have to provide you.”
Moore admitted that Biden particularly fumbled his approach to abortion on Thursday night — “it wasn’t a great moment for the president,” he said. But he stuck to the Democratic argument that Trump lied during the 90-minute debate.
Maryland @GovWesMoore says President Biden’s response on abortion during Thursday’s debate was “not a great moment for the president, and no one can argue with that.” But Moore adds that Biden’s position that Roe v. Wade is “the law of the land is very, very clear.” pic.twitter.com/gvnF9r0bk2
– Face the Nation (@FaceTheNation) June 30, 2024
Biden himself acknowledged his lackluster debate performance during a rally in North Carolina on Friday, telling a crowd of supporters, “I don’t debate as well as I used to.”
“I know I’m not a young man. I don’t walk as easily as I used to. I don’t talk as well as I used to… but I know what I know – I know how to tell the truth,” the 81-year-old said.
Biden arrived at Camp David on Saturday night for a pre-planned meeting with his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, his children and grandchildren, the New York Times reported. Although the Bidens were initially gathered for a photo op, multiple media outlets have reported that the president will discuss the future of his re-election campaign with his family. Publicly, Biden has given no indication that he plans to drop out of the race after a busy 48 hours of campaigning across the country.
