White House denies NYT report that Biden weighing pulling out of presidential race

The White House flatly denied a New York Times report claiming that US President Joe Biden is weighing pulling out of the presidential race.

“That claim is absolutely false. If the New York Times had provided us with more than 7 minutes to comment we would have told them so,” White House deputy press Secretary Andrew Bates said in a tweet posted on X.

The Times cited an ally of the president, who said that Biden is weighing whether he should bow out of the race if upcoming TV interviews and appearances don’t do enough to soothe voter fears following last week presidential debate in which President Biden performed poorly.

Democrats sounded the alarm bells after Biden’s debate performance, where he appeared to be confused at times, re-igniting concerns that he is too old to serve another term. Biden has attempted to recover in public appearances, but some Democrats have begun publicly calling for him to step aside and cede the ticket to another candidate.

In a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the president is still in the race and is committed to continuing his work to serve the American people and winning the election set to take place in November.
In a briefing that was defensive and, at times, combative, reporters raised questions about Biden’s ability to govern and questioned whether he had a responsibility to review and respond to polls and donor concerns.

Ms. Jean-Pierre said any reporting that Biden has told aides the next few days are critical to determining if he can stay in the race are false, reiterating Bates’ comment that the White House was not given adequate time to respond to the New York Times story.

When asked about the president’s comments that jet lag was to blame for his debate performance despite having been back in the country for more than a week, Ms. Jean-Pierre noted that in addition to the travel, the president had been performing his duties and had been doing debate preparations as well as having a cold.

The Biden campaign also held an all-hands staff meeting Wednesday morning to boost morale. According to a source familiar with the call, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris attended to thank the people on the ground.
Biden reportedly acknowledged that it has been a tough few day but pledged to beat former President Donald Trump in November with Harris expressing support.

On Wednesday, Biden is set to have a private meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and is also set to have a last-minute meeting with Democratic governors. That meeting is said to include several who have been named as potential replacements, including California Governor Gavin Newsom and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.

Other top Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, have made comments suggesting they are open to putting another candidate on the ticket.

The Biden campaign has repeatedly pushed back on those who were disappointed in his debate performance, continuing to insist Biden is fit to run and serve a second term. Polling numbers show voters may be less convinced, the president falling behind former President Donald Trump in recent polls.

If Biden does decide to step aside or Democrats launch a push to replace him at the party convention this August, it could be a complicated process.

Biden faced no meaningful challenges during the primary, which means a majority of state delegates are already pledged to support him. While it’s not a strict requirement for delegates to adhere to the primary results of their state, it’s expected that they “in good conscience” represent the wishes of voters.
Should Biden step aside voluntarily, it’s not entirely clear what would happen with delegates already pledged to him. If he were to suggest a preference for a replacement, it’s likely that would carry heavy weight with the party.
The president is set to have several appearances and interviews in the coming days, which could prove critical when it comes to determining if he will still be the Democratic Party’s candidate against Trump.