President Joe Biden is forging ahead with his reelection campaign while ignoring calls from within and outside the Democratic base for him to step down, leaving his staff in a “miserable” state, according to a report on Friday.
The revelation comes as the octogenarian president enters a week of make-or-break events with his campaign on the brink of collapse.
Axios Reports Biden’s determination to press on after his disastrous debate defeat is best exemplified by his insistence that he will not be challenged, much to the despair of those whose job it is to keep him functioning at the highest possible level.
“Everybody is feeling miserable and the senior advisers are a complete black hole,” a White House official told the outlet. “They’re trying to focus on their jobs, but they’re not getting any progress and they’re not getting any recognition from their superiors.”
Ashley Biden (R) points to her father, President Joe Biden, as they arrive to watch Independence Day fireworks from the Truman Balcony at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 4, 2024. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The Axios article also quoted a senior Democratic National Committee official as saying, “The only way to allay concerns is for the president to demonstrate that he is capable of running this campaign.”
“Everything else feels like a ‘Weekend at Barneys’ created by his aides to prop him up.”
There have been major concerns within the campaign about the 81-year-old Biden, with aides reportedly “initially appearing to be serious about protecting him but now realizing in the aftermath of the debate that this may have been deceptive.”
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One of the tasks given to Biden’s closest advisers is to help alleviate his mental weaknesses, including by encouraging him to remember people he’s known for a long time.
Despite efforts to reassure staff, not everyone is convinced that it’s working, as the president continues to suffer one disappointment after another.
Axios reported that Biden’s remarks to campaign and Democratic National Committee officials on Wednesday “appeared awkward and scripted, raising further questions among staffers who wonder whether aides are being honest about Biden’s abilities.”
Biden heads to Madison, Wisconsin on Friday for an in-person interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, his first on-camera interaction since last week’s debating disaster.
