Republican strategist Karl Rove suggested former President Trump and his campaign were in a celebratory mood as President Biden strengthened his intention to continue the campaign.
“There’s a lot of cheer at Mar-a-Lago about that sentiment,” he said Monday on Fox News’ “The Story” when asked about Biden’s renewed commitment not to withdraw. “Polls are showing this race is widening in Trump’s favor.”
“And this debate confirmed the sentiment that a majority of Americans have had for over a year and a half that Joe Biden is too old to be an effective president, especially since if he’s re-elected he’ll be 82 and serve until he’s 86,” he said.
Rove said he thinks voters will be more inclined to vote for Trump after last month’s debate.
“That debate was not an incident. That debate was not an out-of-place moment. It was not a bad night. It reflected the reality of who Joe Biden is at 81 years old,” he said. “And while he has a right to be stubborn, the people he’s pleasing by being stubborn are the highest-ranking members of the Trump campaign, because they know what they have.”
“The American people believe he lacks the physical strength, intelligence and judgment to be an effective president. Whatever doubts they and the public may have about Trump, they will choose a strong leader over a weak one,” he added.
Rove had previously predicted Biden would end his campaign following his poor performance in last month’s debate. Biden has maintained he has no plans to withdraw from the campaign, and on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Monday insisted he is the best candidate to beat Trump.
“The bottom line is, we’re not going anywhere. I’m not going anywhere,” Biden said Monday. “I’m not letting up, Joe. I’m not letting up one bit.”
A small number of Democrats, including some current lawmakers, have called on Biden to step aside and let someone else take the reins. Those calls continue to grow as Congress returns from the holidays, even as the Biden campaign and White House have tried in recent weeks to ease concerns about Biden’s ability to do the job and win a second term.
