Despite a disastrous debate performance, President Biden still enjoys majority support from Democratic voters. However, top Democrats are increasingly concerned and unsatisfied with his handling of the situation.
President Biden's disastrous debate performance has sent shockwaves through the Democratic Party, with top aides scrambling to contain the political fallout. However, CNN polling analyst Harry Enten reports that Biden still enjoys majority support from the Democratic base.
White House chief of staff Jeff Zients called an all-staff meeting Wednesday to urge team members to "tune out the noise" and focus on governing. Zients acknowledged the challenging days since the debate but stressed the Democratic administration's accomplishments.
Biden's Debate Fallout: White House Staff Urged to Ignore 'Noise'
Meanwhile, Biden has begun reaching out to senior Democratic lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. On Capitol Hill, however, there is growing anxiety over Biden's slow response to top Democrats.
Unidentified members expressed outrage to Axios about Biden's deflection, claiming it could jeopardize Democratic chances in the November elections. They feel Biden should have handled the situation sooner and put them in a difficult position.
Biden's Debate Fallout: White House Staff Urged to Ignore 'Noise'
Within the White House, Zients tried to rally staff confidence in Biden's re-election team. He emphasized the strong campaign apparatus and Biden's resilience in overcoming adversity. Zients encouraged aides to "continue being a team" and ignore the increasing political chatter.
Staff-wide calls are not uncommon in the White House, but this 15-minute check-in came amid rattled lawmakers, donors, and allies questioning Biden's competence for a second term.
Biden's Debate Fallout: White House Staff Urged to Ignore 'Noise'
Major Democratic donors are now considering shifting contributions to House and Senate candidates, anticipating a likely Trump victory. Biden's re-election campaign plans to use emails and all staff calls more frequently to keep its team informed.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris held a lunch meeting, and Biden hosted a dinner with Democratic governors, including Tim Walz, J.B. Pritzker, and Gavin Newsom.
Biden's Debate Fallout: White House Staff Urged to Ignore 'Noise'
The White House has also denied reports that Biden is considering dropping out of the race. White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates called the claim "absolutely false."
Biden has agreed to an interview with George Stephanopoulos on ABC News on Friday.
Despite the ongoing damage control, top Democrats remain concerned about Biden's handling of the debate fallout. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
