The New York Times is reporting that President Biden intends to stay in the presidential race after discussing his political future with his family at Camp David on Sunday.
Biden huddled with his wife, children and grandchildren at Camp David on Sunday as he attempted to plot a course of action after a catastrophic debate performance on Thursday evening. “While his relatives are acutely aware of how poorly he did against former President Donald J. Trump, they argued that he could still show the country that he is capable of serving for another four years,” the New York Times reported.
The president is also reportedly soliciting ideas from advisors about how to proceed, while his staff has been suggesting whether he should sit for interviews or hold a press conference in order to shift the narrative.
In response to reports that Democrat donors, strategists and elected officials have been discussing the possibility of replacing Biden, the president’s aides have been “burning phone lines over the weekend” to prevent key allies from abandoning him.
One of the strongest voices urging President Biden to stay in the race was his son Hunter Biden, a source familiar with the meeting said. “Hunter Biden wants Americans to see the version of his father that he knows — scrappy and in command of the facts — rather than the stumbling, aging president Americans saw on Thursday night,” the New York Times reported.
Other family members also attempted to encourage the president and offered ways in which they could be helpful. At least one of Biden’s grandchildren has expressed interest in getting more involved with the campaign by talking with social media influencers.
The issue of President Biden continuing his campaign has ignited a feud within the Democrat Party. John Morgan, a top Democratic donor, publicly blamed a number of the president’s advisers for Thursday nights performance. Morgan named Ron Klain, Anita Dunn and Bob Bauer.
“Biden has for too long been fooled by the value of Anita Dunn and her husband,” Mr. Morgan wrote in an X post. “They need to go … TODAY. The grifting is gross. It was political malpractice.”
Morgan reiterated his point in a follow-up interview. “It would be like if you took a prizefighter who was going to have a title fight and put him in a sauna for 15 hours then said, ‘Go fight,’” he said. “I believe that the debate is solely on Ron Klain, Bob Bauer and Anita Dunn.”
Members of Biden’s family are also reportedly blaming Biden’s advisers, including Dunn, and her husband Bob Bauer, who played the role of former President Trump in debate rehearsals.
President Biden himself does not appear to be blaming Klein, Bauer and Dunn for the performance, however, as the source told the New York Times that the president is maintaining confidence in them. One member of Biden’s inner-circle stated that “no one was happy with how the debate turned out and that it was human nature to look for someone to blame.”
Klain did not comment on the discussion surrounding debate preparations, though he did express confidence that Biden will be staying in the race. “He is the choice of the Democratic voters,” Klain told the New York Times. “We are seeing record levels of support from grass-roots donors. We had a bad debate night. But you win campaigns by fighting — not quitting — in the face of adversity.”
