The Biden campaign sent an email to supporters detailing how to respond to friends who criticize Biden’s debate performance.
“If you’re like me, you’ve been getting a lot of texts and calls since Thursday about the state of the race,” the email read. “Maybe it was a panicked aunt, a MAGA uncle, or a bunch of self-absorbed podcasters. Things are tough, so I thought it might be helpful to send a few responses.”
The email was sent after last week’s first presidential debate between Biden and former President Trump, which sparked widespread criticism of the president’s performance.
Biden debate debacle: 10 surprising media reactions, from MSNBC panic to ‘The View’ calls for change
President Biden stands at the podium during a debate with former President Trump, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. (Kevin D. Lyles for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“This has been a dramatic debate in the sense that there is now deep, widespread and very intense panic within the Democratic Party. It began within the first few minutes of the debate and is continuing,” CNN’s John King said shortly after the debate ended. “You’ve got party strategists, elected officials, fundraisers. They’re talking about the president’s performance, they think it was disastrous and it’s damaging to the other candidates in the party, and they’re talking about what to do about it.”
Biden’s performance has led to growing calls, including from within his own party, for the president to step aside and field another candidate.
A campaign email acknowledged that “the debate got off to a rough start” but argued that the real takeaway was that “voters learned what a threat Donald Trump is to the country.”
President Biden exits with First Lady Jill Biden after the CNN presidential debate on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Biden campaign remains silent as party reeles from ’embarrassing’ debate performance
The email denounces those calling for the president to drop out of the race as part of the “bedwetting crowd” and urges his supporters to fight back forcefully.
“That is the best way for Donald Trump to win and for us to lose,” the email argues. “Joe Biden will be the Democratic nominee, that’s it. End of story. The voters have voted. He has won in a landslide victory.”
President Biden walks off stage after the June 27, 2024 debate. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The email also claims that Biden’s withdrawal would “lead to weeks of chaos,” including “intraparty food fights” and “candidates limping into violent convention brawls.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
“Meanwhile, Donald Trump has time to speak to the American electorate unopposed,” the email continued, “all to benefit a candidate who enters the general election in the most vulnerable position: zero money in his bank account. Want a path to loss? This is it.”
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
