President Joe Biden said he will continue his reelection campaign during a rare solo news conference Thursday, dismissing concerns about his health and promising to “keep moving,” despite a growing list of Democratic officials calling for him to step aside. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Biden Thursday night, but did not offer his endorsement, according to a source. In a letter to colleagues on Friday, Jeffries said he “directly expressed” views from the caucus to Biden. Former President Barack Obama and Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have spoken privately about the future of his 2024 campaign. Both the former president and ex-speaker expressed concerns about how much harder they think it has become for the president to beat Donald Trump. Next week, the Republican National Convention, where the GOP will nominate Trump as its presidential candidate, kicks off in Milwaukee.
Quick Read
- Biden Continues Campaign Amid Concerns: President Joe Biden said he will continue his reelection campaign during a rare solo news conference Thursday, dismissing concerns about his health and promising to “keep moving,” despite a growing list of Democratic officials calling for him to step aside.
- Meeting with Jeffries: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries met with Biden Thursday night but did not offer his endorsement, according to a source. In a letter to colleagues on Friday, Jeffries said he “directly expressed” views from the caucus to Biden.
- Private Discussions with Obama and Pelosi: Former President Barack Obama and Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have spoken privately about the future of Biden’s 2024 campaign. Both expressed concerns about how much harder it has become for Biden to beat Donald Trump.
- GOP Convention Next Week: The Republican National Convention, where the GOP will nominate Trump as its presidential candidate, kicks off next week in Milwaukee.
- Jeffries’ Letter to Colleagues: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries informed colleagues in a letter Friday morning that he met with Biden and shared the caucus’s views about the path forward.
- No Endorsement from Jeffries: A source revealed that Jeffries did not offer Biden his endorsement during their meeting.
- Biden’s Upcoming Calls with Lawmakers: Biden will hold virtual meetings with Democratic lawmakers on Friday and Saturday, including the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
- Democratic Donors Withhold Funds: Some Democratic donors are freezing $90 million to the pro-Biden super PAC Future Forward, citing concerns about Biden’s reelection viability.
- Calls for Biden to Step Aside: Colorado Rep. Brittany Pettersen joined more than a dozen congressional Democrats in calling for Biden to step aside.
- Biden Advisers Relay Concerns: Biden’s closest advisers are promising anxious Democrats that their concerns about his political viability are being relayed directly to the president.
- Biden’s Travel Plans: Biden will travel to Texas and Nevada next week as he continues his campaign efforts.
- Rep. Clyburn’s Support: Rep. James Clyburn expressed support for Biden but acknowledged the possibility of Biden stepping away from the race, stating the conversation should focus on Biden’s record and alternatives to his election.
The Associated Press has the story:
Hakeem Jeffries met with Biden, shared Caucus views, but withheld endorsement
Newslooks- (AP)
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a letter to his colleagues Friday morning that he met with President Joe Biden on Thursday night. “That meeting occurred yesterday evening. In my conversation with President Biden, I directly expressed the full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives and conclusions about the path forward that the Caucus has shared in our recent time together,” Jeffries said in a letter to his colleagues Friday morning. The meeting occurred after Biden’s presser, according to a source familiar with the meeting.
Jeffries did not offer Biden his endorsement, source says
One thing that House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries did not offer President Joe Biden during their meeting Thursday night at the White House: his endorsement. A person familiar with the meeting said that Jeffries “bluntly” shared the views of the caucus — as he stated in his letter — but intentionally did not offer an endorsement or say publicly that the decision to step aside from the campaign is Biden’s to make.
While it is uncertain if Biden directly asked Jeffries for his tacit endorsement, a person familiar with the matter said, Jeffries did not extend it at the meeting or in the public letter Friday.
Biden will hold calls with more lawmakers today and tomorrow
President Joe Biden will hold virtual meetings with a few groups of Democratic lawmakers on Friday and Saturday, several sources familiar with the meetings said.
Friday:
- The Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- The Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
Saturday:
- The New Democrat Coalition
- The Congressional Progressive Caucus
NYT: Some Democratic donors are freezing $90 million to pro-Biden super PAC as he stays on top of the ticket
Democratic donors plan to withhold around $90 million to a pro-Biden super PAC, Future Forward, the New York Times reported Friday, in the latest fallout resulting from concerns about Biden’s reelection viability.
The pause on contributions — which include multiple eight-figure commitments, the Times’ sources said — follow a disastrous debate performance from the president last month and a growing list of Democratic officials calling for him to step aside.
The Times also reported that another donor said the super PAC has approached him multiple times since the debate, but he is “holding off.” An adviser for Future Forward said the group expects donations to resume when the presidential ticket uncertainty is resolved.
Biden has vowed to continue his reelection campaign and his staff remains publicly adamant he will stay in the race. During a news conference on Thursday, Biden said, “There’s a long way to go this campaign, and so I’m just going to keep moving.”
Colorado congresswoman calls on Biden to withdraw from race
Colorado Rep. Brittany Pettersen is the latest congressional Democrat to call on President Joe Biden to step aside from the 2024 campaign in a new statement posted to X. In her statement, she said that Biden “is a big reason I went down the path of public service myself.” “I have a deep admiration and love for Joe Biden and all he has done for our country, which is why this decision is so painful, but my son and my constituents can’t suffer the consequences of inaction at this critical moment,” she continued.
The freshman representative joins more than a dozen members of Congress to call on Biden to step aside.
Biden advisers are promising Democrats their concerns are being relayed directly to the president
President Joe Biden’s closest advisers are promising frustrated and anxious Democrats that they are conveying the deep concerns about Biden’s political viability directly to the president himself. When a group of some of the president’s closest aides — including campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and advisers Mike Donilon and Steve Ricchetti — met with senators behind closed doors Thursday, a number of lawmakers demanded to know how they could be sure that the worries they were airing in that private meeting would actually reach the president, one person in the room said.
Ricchetti told the members that he had taken “copious notes” from their meeting and pledged that their views would in fact make their way to Biden himself. “I promise I am sitting down with him to go over this,” Ricchetti said, according to the source. After the meeting of Senate Democrats disbanded Thursday, lawmakers coming out made clear there was no consensus among the members about the president’s political future. Biden’s closest aides remain adamant for now that he’s staying in the race.
In the aftermath of his disastrous debate performance last month, Biden is said to have privately asked allies for input and advice on what he should be doing, CNN has previously reported.
Biden heads to Texas and Nevada next week
President Joe Biden is expected to continue his on-the-road push next week as he looks to show voters he’s up for a second term. As the Republican National Convention gets underway on Monday, the president will deliver remarks at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas, as part of an event celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. Biden will also use the remarks to “lay out proposals to address the role of the Supreme Court moving forward,” a campaign official said. The president has become increasingly critical of the Supreme Court in recent months, including following its decision in the presidential immunity case.
While in Austin, the president will also sit down for another high-stakes national interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt.
The president will spend Tuesday and Wednesday in Las Vegas, Nevada, courting Black and Latino voters at NAACP and UnidosUS conferences. He’s also expected to talk about efforts to “make housing and rentals more affordable,” the official said.
Biden ally Rep. Clyburn expresses support for president but leaves the door open for him to step away
South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, a top congressional ally of President Joe Biden, said that the conversation about replacing Biden as Democrats’ 2024 nominee should not continue, though he noted later that “we have until the 19th of August to open our convention.” During an interview on NBC’s “Today” show Friday morning, Clyburn faced pointed questions about Biden’s political viability. He was asked: “Should the conversation about the president getting out of this race, should that conversation continue?”
“No, it shouldn’t,” Clyburn responded.
When asked again whether “the conversation should be over,” Clyburn answered, “No, the conversation should focus on the record of this administration, on the alternative to his election, and let Joe Biden continue to make his own decisions about his future.” Clyburn continued: “He’s earned that right. And I am going to give him that much respect. If he decides to change his mind later on, then we will respond to that. We have until the 19th of August to open our convention.” Clyburn was also asked whether he thought Biden was “the same man” to whom the South Carolina Democrat had offered a pivotal endorsement four years ago during his 2020 presidential bid.
“No — I’m not the same Jim Clyburn that I was a few years ago,” he responded. But, Clyburn added, “I am a bit wiser than I was before.” Clyburn conceded that Biden has physically aged, but insisted that “mentally … He is still grasping what this country is all about.” He suggested that Biden hold more town hall-style events with voters to allay concerns. The congressman also said he’d “absolutely” endorse Vice President Kamala Harris if Democrats replaced Biden with her at the top of the ticket.
