Opinion | The author's opinion does not necessarily reflect Sarah Palin's view.
Vice President Kamala Harris reaffirmed support for President Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee amid reports suggesting Biden’s contemplation of stepping down from the 2024 race due to concerns about his performance and cognitive abilities following a challenging debate.
While some sources indicate Biden’s acknowledgment of the political challenges he faces, including slipping poll numbers, a CBS News/YouGov poll reflects increased doubts about his mental and cognitive capabilities among Americans, with a majority suggesting he should not seek reelection.
“And speaking about the stakes, you just came out of a fundraiser. We know that many in your party have expressed concerns about President Biden’s health. Just this morning, Congressman Doggett said that he’s calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race, given that there’s too much at stake to risk a Trump victory. What’s your response to this?” a reporter questioned Harris.
“Look, Joe Biden is our nominee. We beat Trump once, and we’re going to beat him again, period,” Harris said.
“Are you ready to lead the country if necessary?” the reporter asked.
“I am proud to be Joe Biden’s running mate. Thank you,” Harris said.
“The president, who the ally emphasized is still deeply in the fight for re-election, understands that his next few appearances heading into the holiday weekend — including an interview scheduled for Friday with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News and campaign stops in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — must go well,” one report said.
“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 Spokesman Andrew Bates said.
“The conversation is the first indication to become public that the president is seriously considering whether he can recover after a devastating performance on the debate stage in Atlanta on Thursday. Concerns are mounting about his viability as a candidate and whether he could serve as president for another four years. Campaign officials were nervously watching polls, recognizing that bad numbers could fuel the crisis. A CBS News poll on Wednesday showed former President Donald J. Trump edging ahead of Mr. Biden since the debate with 50 percent to 48 percent nationally and 51 percent to 48 percent in battleground states,” another report read.
“Biden is slowly reaching out to Democratic elected officials and has a meeting with Democratic governors at the White House scheduled for Wednesday evening. He is also continuing to reach out to people he has long trusted and has told at least one person that he is open to the possibility that his plans to move on from his debate performance — and flip the focus back to his challenger, Mr. Trump — may not work. Several allies of Biden, who has huddled with the family and advisers since the debate on Thursday, have underscored that the president is still in the fight of his political life and largely sees this moment as a chance to come back from being counted out, as he has done many times throughout his half-century career,” it added.
Despite family support and discussions on potential campaign changes, Biden faces mounting scrutiny, with various voices expressing concerns about his candidacy’s viability and calls for him to stay in the race.
“Biden’s family, including First Lady Jill Biden, son Hunter Biden, and their grandchildren, convened at Camp David for a previously scheduled get-together and implored the president to keep fighting in his bid for reelection, Biden advisers told CNN. One adviser described the family members as offering their ‘unequivocal support,’” another report stated.
“The family – clearly frustrated with the team that prepared President Biden ahead of his alarming debate with former President Donald Trump – discussed whether any of Biden’s top advisers should be fired and whether campaign staffing changes should be made, one adviser said,” it added.
“Biden and his family convened Sunday for a long-planned photo shoot with renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. Senior advisers had insisted to CNN on Saturday that the gathering was not aimed at discussing whether the president would remain in the race. Angst toward some of Biden’s key staff members has started to spill out into public view. Florida attorney John Morgan, one of the Democratic Party’s most prolific and prominent donors, singled out senior adviser Anita Dunn and her husband, Bob Bauer, who is Biden’s personal attorney.”
