Biden Letter Tells Congressional Democrats He's Staying in Race

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Facts

  • Pres. Joe Biden on Monday sent a letter to congressional Democrats informing them he's continuing with his reelection campaign despite calls from an increasing number of party members asking him to step aside in the weeks since his debate performance against former Pres. Donald Trump.1
  • In the letter, which was timed to coincide with Congress' return from its July recess, Biden said he's 'firmly committed to staying in the race' — a decision he made after 'extensive conversations' with party leaders, elected officials, and Democratic voters.2
  • Biden also wrote he 'wouldn't be running again' if he didn't 'absolutely believe' he's the best person to beat Trump this November.2
  • This letter comes after Biden on Friday sat for an interview with ABC News host George Stephanopoulos, during which the president attributed his poor debate performance to exhaustion and said he would only exit the race if 'the Lord Almighty' were to come down and tell him to do so.3
  • A recent New York Times/Siena poll showed Democrats are split over whether to back Biden, who's scheduled to host a NATO summit this week, or call for a change in the nominee. The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for next month.4
  • Meanwhile, at least 15 Democratic House leaders Sunday held a private call, with at least four privately calling for Biden to get out of the race. And House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries is still formulating his opinion while meeting with lawmakers privately.4
  • This controversy started after Biden was hesitant and often stumbled over his words during the Jun 27 debate — including finishing a mistake-filled answer about the national debt during Trump's presidency by saying 'if we finally beat Medicare.'5

Sources: 1USA Today, 2New York Times, 3ABC News, 4Associated Press and 5Sky News.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Huffington Post. This decision isn't about Biden or the Democratic elites, it's about the people. The president had one bad debate, but that doesn't change the fact that the people overwhelmingly chose him as the party's nominee, and during recent campaign stops and talks with voters, it's become evident his support is still rock-solid among those he wants to continue to represent and those who want to defeat Trump.
  • Narrative B, as provided by MSNBC. Biden is going on the offensive, but not as much to defend himself against the calls to step aside as he's continuing the strategy of downplaying peoples' concerns over his health and ability to serve, let alone beat Trump. These worries go well beyond the party elites, as polling shows voters are losing faith in the president and could be thinking they voted for someone without knowing all the details.
  • Republican narrative, as provided by New York Post. Biden's letter shows his desperation in the face of his party turning on him. But his letter did little to allay concerns over his health, ignoring that question while using much of its text to just attack Trump. Even a follow-up television appearance did little to convince anyone the president could express thoughts in a coherent manner. Never mind running for reelection — he may not be competent to continue holding office.

Predictions