BIDONE: The Rolling Stone claims that the White House is telling them that reports Biden is Done are complete fiction. The New York Times reported that the president spoke with a close ally about the prospect of ending his candidacy.https://t.co/93EwVobjpz
— @amuse (@amuse) July 3, 2024
Biden Told Ally That He Is Weighing Whether to Continue in the Race
President Joe Biden has told a key ally that he knows he may not be able to salvage his candidacy if he cannot convince the public in the coming days that he is up for the job after a disastrous debate performance last week.
The president, who the ally emphasized is still deeply in the fight for reelection, 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.
“He knows if he has two more events like that, we’re in a different place” by the end of the weekend, said the ally, referring to Biden’s halting and unfocused performance in the debate. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive situation.
After the article published, Andrew Bates, a White House spokesperson, said it was “absolutely false.”
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 June 27. Concerns are mounting about his viability as a candidate and whether he could serve as president for another four years.
A top adviser to Biden, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the situation, said the president was “well aware of the political challenge he faces.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/biden-told-ally-weighing-whether-151745457.html
VP Harris top choice to replace Biden in election race if he steps aside, sources say
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Vice President Kamala Harris is the top alternative to replace U.S. President Joe Biden if he decides not to continue his reelection campaign, according to seven senior sources at the Biden campaign, the White House and the Democratic National Committee with knowledge of current discussions on the topic.
Biden’s fumbling, sometimes-incoherent and widely-panned first-debate performance against Republican rival Donald Trump last week set off a wave of panic within the Democratic party over concerns that he may not be fit enough to serve a second term, and prompted calls for top aides to resign.
Some influential Democrats have floated alternatives to Biden besides Harris, including popular cabinet members and Democratic governors like Gavin Newsom from California, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. But trying to sidestep Harris is wishful thinking and would be nearly impossible, these sources, who did not wish to be named, said.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/vp-harris-top-choice-replace-100732018.html