Hours after Biden said no one will take him out of the presidential race, Democratic governors expressed their support for the candidate who is “in shape” and “in the race to win.”
Democratic governors are backing Joe Biden to run for president again, two governors said after a meeting with the current US head of state.
The 81-year-old Democrat is “fit” to carry out his presidential duties, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said Wednesday.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said Joe Biden was “in the race to win” after a meeting with all Democratic state leaders.
Following the meeting, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on social media X (formerly Twitter): “Joe Biden is our candidate. He is here to win and I support him.”
.@Joe Biden He is our candidate. He is in this to win and I support him.
– Gretchen Whitmer (@gretchenwhitmer) July 4, 2024
Hours earlier, Biden had said that no one will kick him out of the presidential race and that he is in the race until the end, according to sources within the Democratic Party who attended a virtual meeting, which the president entered unexpectedly.
Biden says no one will “oust” him: “I’m in this race to the end and we will win”
“Let me say this as clearly as possible: I am a candidate,” Joe Biden said. “I am the leader of the Democratic Party. Nobody is going to kick me out,” he said. “I am not walking away. I am in this race to the end and we are going to win.”
The President’s remarks were reported by several media outlets, including the Associated Press and Politico, which did not reveal the identity of their sources.
The unscheduled intervention at the Democratic National Committee meeting came at a time of mounting pressure on Biden since his disastrous performance in the debate with Donald Trump.
Lots of personal attacks and even a discussion about golf. Trump debate leaves Democrats worried about Biden’s ability
A survey published by the New York Times shows that, After the debate, Donald Trump significantly increased his lead over Joe Bidenwith six percentage points more: 49% against 43% of voting intentions. The survey indicates that 74% of voters surveyed are concerned about Joe Biden’s abilities, after he has shown himself to be fragile and hesitant in the debate.
Vice President Kamala Harris also took part in the meeting, reiterating her commitment to the campaign, seeking to squash the debate over whether Biden should give up.
Kamala Harris is the first choice to replace Biden if the US president withdraws his candidacy
At the same time, White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients sought to cheer up staff in the wake of the post-debate debacle, asking them to tune out the noise caused by Biden’s poor performance. Zients quoted the President, who, at the end of the debate, said that when he is knocked down, he gets back up.
The roughly 500 staffers listened as the chief of staff listed the administration’s accomplishments and highlighted the importance of governance as campaigning intensified ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Calls for Joe Biden to drop out of the race have multiplied in recent days. The Boston Globe newspaper published an editorial on Wednesday calling on the president to drop out of the race “for the good of the country and his legacy.” Several editorials and opinion pieces have echoed the same sentiment.
In Washington, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated that Biden has “absolutely” no intention of withdrawing his candidacy and “is still campaigning” and “is in the running.”
Source: Observadora
