“The feedback was, we are all looking for the path to win. All the governors agree with that, president Biden agreed with that,” said Minnesota governor Tim Walz, speaking outside of the White House with New York governor Kathy Hochul and Maryland governor Wes Moore, The Hill reported.
“A path to victory in November is the number one priority and that’s the number one priority of the president,” he continued.
According to a report in The Hill, despite acknowledging that the presidential debate was a ‘bad performance’, Walz asserted that Biden is fit for office
President Biden’s re-election campaign announced that after a meeting with over 20 governors, both in-person and virtually, all participants “reiterated their shared commitment” to supporting Biden’s victory in 2024. The campaign claimed that the purpose of the meeting was to “discuss their continued partnership” and seek the “advice and expertise” of the governors on defeating former President Trump in the upcoming election.
The campaign also emphasized the significance of electing Democrats at all levels of government, including governors, Congress, and statehouses across the country. Governor Moore, considered a rising star in the Democratic party and a potential replacement for Biden, described the meeting as “honest” and “candid,” noting that the governors openly expressed their concerns and the concerns they have heard from others.
“We said we will stand with him. The president has always had our backs, we’re going to have his back as well,” Moore said. Governor Hochul added that the governors “pledged our support” to Biden during the meeting. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who attended the meeting in person, echoed her colleagues’ sentiments on X, stating, “Joe Biden is our nominee. He is in it to win it and I support him.”
The governors’ meeting was part of the White House and Biden’s efforts to address the fallout from his poor debate performance. Despite calls from Democratic operatives, former aides, and two sitting House Democratic lawmakers for Biden to withdraw from the race, the president and his team are adamantly maintaining that he will continue his campaign.
Biden also spoke with Democratic congressional leadership, including Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, as part of the campaign’s damage control efforts. However, Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) expressed doubts about the current strategy, stating that he is “taking time to seriously consider the best strategy for Democrats to win this election” and noting that “when your current strategy isn’t working, it’s rarely the right decision to double down.”
Meanwhile, the White House also asserted that Biden is absolutely considering stepping down from the race.
“Is President Biden considering stepping down in the race?” reporters asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during her daily news conference.
“Absolutely not. And you heard, I believe directly from the campaign as well,” she said amid a volley of similar questions from White House reporters.
“Given the groundswell of concern from fellow Democrats, from donors, from supporters, doesn’t he owe it to the American public to reflect on whether he should step down?” she was asked again.
“He’s done it a couple times at this point and laid out what happened that night, talked about how he understands, and it was not his best night,” Jean-Pierre said.
“He understands that it is fair for people to ask that question, but we cannot forget his record and what he’s been able to do. We cannot forget how he has been able to deliver for the American people for almost four years,” she added.
