Biden Reportedly Told Ally He Is Considering Dropping Out of Race
July 3 2024, Published 11:41 a.m. ET
President Joe Biden has reportedly told a "key ally" that he is considering dropping out of the race if he cannot convince Americans that he is still up for the job following his disastrous debate performance against former president Donald Trump last week, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Although the anonymous ally emphasized that Biden is still "deeply in the fight for re-election," according to The New York Times, the president is also aware that his next several appearances, including an interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News schedule for Friday and upcoming campaign stops in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, "must go well."
"He knows if he has two more events like that, we’re in a different place," the ally told the newspaper. A top advisor to Biden, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, added that the president was "well aware of the political challenge he faces."
Andrew Bates, a White House spokesman, denied the accuracy of the report, calling it "absolutely false" and claiming that the White House had not been given enough time to respond.
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Despite increasing calls from within the Democratic Party for Biden to step aside in favor of another candidate, this is the first indication that the president may be seriously considering bowing out of the 2024 election in the wake of the debate.
As RadarOnline.com reported, the 81-year-old incumbent has previously brushed aside suggestions that he end his re-election campaign and vowed to return for the next presidential debate in September. Sources close to Biden told Axios on Monday morning that he has "zero interest in stepping aside."
Biden is reaching out to Democratic elected officials to discuss the election and has a meeting with Democratic governors at the White House scheduled for Wednesday evening. He is said to be determined but "cleareyed" about the uphill battle he faces to reassure voters and donors that the debacle in the debate last week was an anomaly.
Trump has been edging ahead of Biden in the latest polls, and according to TMZ, one top campaign official has privately told at least one donor that "there's little hope the polls are going to improve" and "it's only a matter of time" until Biden drops out of the race.