Analysis: Biden tries but fails to turn back rising tide threatening to swamp his reelection bid | CNN Politics

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the challenges facing President Joe Biden as he battles to save his political career and secure his re-election campaign. It highlights Biden's need for a "slow news day" on July 4th to regroup, as he faces growing doubts and criticism from within the Democratic party about his ability to defeat Donald Trump. The article also covers Biden's attempts to reassure his campaign staff and Democratic power brokers, as well as the emerging polling data and reactions from key figures that suggest his political standing is deteriorating.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Biden's Challenges

1. What are the key challenges Biden is facing in his re-election campaign?

• Biden is battling to save his political career as he faces a rising tide of doubts and criticism from within the Democratic party about his ability to defeat Donald Trump
• Biden had a disastrous debate performance that has created an image of him as an "incoherent, weak and struggling president"
• There are growing concerns about Biden's fitness and acuity to serve a new term, with super majorities of voters doubting his ability
• Biden is struggling to control the narrative and erase the impression created by his debate performance, with his team's attempts at damage control only refocusing attention on his struggles

2. How is Biden trying to address these challenges?

• Biden is gathering family members at the White House for Independence Day, hoping for a "slow news day" that would allow him to regroup
• Biden met with 20 Democratic governors to try to prove he has the energy and acuity to win and lead for four more years
• Biden is conducting interviews and making calls to key Democratic power brokers to shore up support
• Biden has vehemently declared that he is running and will not be pushed out of the race

[02] Democratic Reactions

1. How are other Democrats reacting to Biden's struggles?

• A second Democratic elected official, Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, has called for Biden to step aside from his re-election campaign
• There are many more Democrats who share the views of Grijalva and Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who spoke out earlier
• Some of the top Democrats in the House have said it was time for the president to step aside, though they are also concerned about the potential fallout
• However, other prominent Democrats, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, have expressed their continued support for Biden

2. How are potential alternative nominees reacting?

• Several possible alternative nominees, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Vice President Kamala Harris, were present in Biden's meetings with the governors
• The article suggests that there is no political incentive for any Democratic Party power player eyeing the future to risk being seen to destabilize an already wounded president

[03] Polling and Political Landscape

1. What do the latest polls indicate about Biden's standing?

• A New York Times/Siena College survey found that Trump now leads Biden by 49% to 43% among likely voters nationally, a three-point swing from a week earlier before the debate
• In the CNN Poll of Polls, the ex-president leads Biden by five points (49% to 44%) in head-to-head polls conducted entirely after last Thursday's presidential debate

2. How is the Trump campaign responding to the possibility of Biden stepping aside?

• The Trump campaign has issued a statement warning that any replacement for Biden could expect a hammering for hiding "the truth from the American public" about Biden's condition
• The statement refers to the potential replacement as the "Cackling Copilot Kamala Harris", suggesting the Trump campaign is calibrating how to respond if Biden does abandon his re-election bid