Biden’s Family Tells Him to Keep Fighting as They Huddle at Camp David

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the aftermath of President Biden's "disastrous" debate performance, and how his family is urging him to stay in the race despite the criticism. It also covers the internal discussions within the Biden campaign and the Democratic party about how to move forward.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Advertisement

1. What is the main focus of the article?

• The article focuses on how President Biden is trying to address the fallout from his poor debate performance, with his family urging him to stay in the race and his campaign trying to calm nerves among donors and party figures.

2. What are some of the key points raised about Biden's debate performance and the response from his family and campaign?

• Biden's family, including his son Hunter, are urging him to stay in the race and show that he is still capable of serving another term.
• Biden's campaign is discussing whether he should hold a news conference or give interviews to defend himself and change the narrative.
• The campaign has scheduled a call with the national finance committee to calm nerves and take temperatures.
• Some family members are critical of Biden's debate preparation team, including Ron Klain, Anita Dunn, and Bob Bauer, for how they prepared him.
• Biden's campaign advisers have been reaching out to major donors who are angry about the situation, in an effort to prevent defections.

3. What are some of the views expressed by Democratic allies and critics about Biden's performance and future?

• Some Democrats, including Senator Raphael Warnock and Governor Wes Moore, have defended Biden and argued that he has demonstrated his character and abilities over the past four years.
• However, there is also concern among Democrats about Biden's age and cognitive health, with a CBS News poll finding that 45% of Democrats want a different candidate to take on Trump.
• Some Democrats, including Representative Jamie Raskin, acknowledge that there are "very honest and serious and rigorous conversations" taking place within the party about Biden's future as the candidate.

[02] Family Involvement and Campaign Response

1. What is the role of Biden's family in the discussions about his future?

• Biden's family, including his children and grandchildren, are heavily involved in the discussions about how to respond to his debate performance.
• His son Hunter Biden is one of the strongest voices urging him to stay in the race, wanting Americans to see the "scrappy and in command of the facts" version of his father.
• At least one of Biden's grandchildren has expressed interest in getting more involved with the campaign, perhaps by talking with social media influencers.
• The family is said to be focused on Biden's staff, including Anita Dunn and Bob Bauer, and are questioning why they allowed him to be overloaded with statistics and made to look pale and pallid for the debate.

2. How is Biden's campaign responding to the fallout from the debate?

• Biden's campaign has scheduled a call with the national finance committee to calm nerves and take temperatures.
• Campaign advisers have been reaching out to major donors who are angry about the situation, in an effort to prevent defections.
• The campaign has rejected advice that Biden step aside for another candidate, but some Democrats believe the door is not yet closed on that possibility.
• Biden's campaign is trying to present a version of him that is more in line with the "energized, emphatic and willing to keep fighting" person they describe, rather than the stumbling, aging president seen in the debate.

[03] Discussions within the Democratic Party

1. What are the views expressed by Democratic allies and critics about Biden's future?

• Some Democratic allies, like Senator Raphael Warnock and Governor Wes Moore, have defended Biden and argued that he has demonstrated his character and abilities over the past four years.
• However, there is also concern among Democrats about Biden's age and cognitive health, with a CBS News poll finding that 45% of Democrats want a different candidate to take on Trump.
• Some Democrats, like Representative Jamie Raskin, acknowledge that there are "very honest and serious and rigorous conversations" taking place within the party about Biden's future as the candidate.
• Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi has expressed support for the Biden-Harris ticket, but her use of the phrase "right now" has not gone unnoticed, and Democrats are watching to see if senior leaders might intervene privately with the president.

2. How are senior Democratic leaders responding to the discussions about Biden's future?

• Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi has publicly expressed support for the Biden-Harris ticket, saying she is "not abandoning Joe Biden right now, for any speculation."
• However, her use of the phrase "right now" has not gone unnoticed, and Democrats are watching to see if senior leaders might intervene privately with the president.
• Representative Jamie Raskin has acknowledged that there are "very honest and serious and rigorous conversations" taking place within the party about Biden's future as the candidate, and that the party would be unified "whether he's the candidate or someone else is the candidate."