President Biden participated in a conference call with donors on Monday as part of an intensifying effort to ease concerns about his fitness to serve in the presidency and whether he could beat former President Trump in November.
The Biden campaign said Biden told donors he plans to stay in the race and thanked them for their help in defeating Trump, and also answered their questions.
“The Democratic Party has spoken. I am the Democratic nominee. And I am going to be the party’s nominee,” Biden told donors.
“I can’t waste any more time on distractions. My job is one and only: to defeat Donald Trump. I believe I am the best person to do that,” he said, adding that Trump must be put “at the center of the target.”
He added that he’s “not going anywhere” and promised to defeat Trump.
Asked by a donor about his strategy for the second debate with Trump, Biden replied, “Attack, attack, attack, attack.”
Another donor told Biden on the conference call that she would “crawl over broken glass” to get him elected, then asked what her 30-second pitch would be for going door-to-door on Biden’s behalf.
The president responded: “Joe Biden comes from a middle-class background, just like you. Joe Biden grew up in a three-bedroom home with four kids. And Joe Biden knows that ordinary people are all about what’s left to survive at the end of the month.”
“And number two, Donald Trump has vowed to undo everything I’ve done,” the president added.
The midday Biden Victory Fund National Finance Committee conference call was hosted by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon.
The Biden campaign said the donors supported the president and were grateful for his continued support in the campaign.
“We really appreciate you staying in the race,” one donor said. “Bring Scranton Joe to the next debate because Scranton Joe can beat Donald Trump.”
Donors questioned not age but the Biden campaign’s focus on Project 2025, the conservative Heritage Foundation, which Trump has distanced himself from.
“He’s only three years younger than me,” Biden replied.
“Thank you for supporting me. This is important. I’ve been knocked down, but we get back up. This country has been knocked down, but we get back up,” Biden concluded.
The Democratic National Committee also held a conference call with donors last week to try to ease fears, but sources told The Hill at the time that the DNC didn’t take questions, so attendees were unable to air their concerns.
