Biden’s defiant turn

As calls ring out for President Biden to step aside, the campaign hunkers down.
The president went on a media blitz over the weekend to quell the unrest among Democrats, appearing in a rare television interview with ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos on Friday. By Monday morning, Biden had sent a letter to congressional Democrats defiantly declaring his intentions to stay in the race and had called into MSNBC’s Morning Joe to sound off on “elites” in the party.
But with nine House Democrats now publicly and privately calling for Biden to step down, are the president’s efforts actually working?
Senior political reporter Aaron Blake sits down with White House reporter Matt Viser to game out the campaign’s political calculations. What are the forces weighing on Biden’s decision-making? And if Biden backs down, is Vice President Harris really the heir apparent?
Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Reena Flores and Mary Jo Murphy. It was mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy.
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[@kddixson4216]

This is about the fight to win independents… which doesn’t give y’all much hope lol

[@jamesstewart8377]

I think this strategy will end up costing Democrats hugely in November.

[@markpenfield5314]

Yes Pennsylvania show was weak. Watch Dana Carvey's impressions. That is what I'm seeing

[@FishareFriendsNotFood972]

So he can bring the passion when he's trying to hold on to power, even against those who ideologically agree with him, but not when he's talking about the issues actually relevant to voters in the debate. His priorities are not in the right place, clearly.

[@joshntn37111]

Its a BOLD strategy Cotton let's see if it pays off him.

[@reubenhandel210]

He's been this way the whole time Everyone except for liberal media has known he was senile and has been calling for him to resign for years

[@frederickcombs8661]

It was pieced together

[@susanvaillant3090]

Sundowning... term for dementia which increases as the day wears on... which is why he can't do much after 4:00... and even then, during daytime stints, he needs teleprompters, cards with pictures (think kindergarten), the Easter bunny, Obama, his wife, secret service, all leading him around. Sundowning, which is late day onset dementia, includes, but is not limited to behaviors such as : confusion, disorientation, aggression, anger, decreased motor movement, lack of facial expression, inability to speak correctly, difficulty finding words, poor memory, inability to identify people, places, things, decreased comprehension, the list is long, and Biden demonstrates almost every single behavior. You don't need a neurologists, just trust your lying eyes and ears

[@tamieckert4548]

He has very much clarity. He’s been doing the work Trump never has been for. President Biden took us out of Covid saving us having Dr. Fouci, This rude unthankful demeanor against President Biden is just unjust. He’s a nice person that doesn’t need to be a fighter all the time. Trump’s a fighter but only to become a nightmare so he can keep his wares, but he belongs in the criminally insane asylum prison.

[@aensti9077]

It‘s not just the „elite“ who‘s worried about his fitness…it seems a bit like a disingenuous attempt to pander to the „non-elites“…still, i want Biden in the office. He got the skills, the humanity, the experience for that job…

[@aquababy2012]

He seems crisp when he's angry.

[@Yes10292]

I'm sick of this canard that he won the primary. He muscled out or intimidated other candidates with the backing of the white house and his campaign. He followed the rules but it's a joke to say he won a competitive primary.

[@frederickcombs8661]

He has lied, about his schoolong plagerized, stolen someone's wife, kids are on drugs, taken money y from adversaries and money laundered.

[@surpriseimblack]

Sounds like a Wednesday for Hunter

[@dr_flunks]

we are idiots for even having a 'bkack caucaus'. do we have a circumsized caucaus?

[@lawcrisis]

Stay in the race, Joe. At least you'll do something I tell you to do.

[@marilynjohnson8784]

Oh yeah, what about Project 2025? Let’s talk about that. Freedom over favor. What about the Supreme Court?

[@mitzilinn]

Determined not defiant.

[@EquitableTrolling]

Completely senile and destined to lose you blind fool.

[@Ldozx]

Hi

[@user-yt6le1hx1e]

Rational people WILL vote for anyone who can beat Tramp. A hamster. But we should not rely on finding enough adults. PUBLICLY ASK DR. JILL'S OPINION. If his mind is not better soon and in second debate... AND ask Joe...has he SEEN his performances recently?

[@ntran74]

but "he answered ALL of the question!"

[@McGeeification]

CS asked a very reasonable question: "Did you watch your performance in the debate?" Biden said, "I don't think so." Seriously?

[@ntran74]

@@user-yt6le1hx1e don’t worry, dementia gets better with time!

[@EquitableTrolling]

Nobody is voting for a hospice patient with dementia except the smallest segment of partisan hacks (like yourself)

[@surpriseimblack]

​@@EquitableTrolling The Black caucus will!

[@thinkabout602]

He is so damn old he can't figure out that he my just hand this nation over to a monster. Yes, I will vote for him but it's not looking good !!!!!

[@rhondacalderone862]

This would be a good time to support the man with your full support. Switching up just a few months before the election is a recipe for Trump to take advantage of the chaos. He loves chaos. He feeds on it. Don't feed that crazy bastard. Biden has done a good job and will continue to do so.

[@thinkabout602]

@@rhondacalderone862 🤔 🙏

[@EquitableTrolling]

@@rhondacalderone862 GFY, you aren't going to cajole people into supporting a man whose mind is completely gone. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[@itsallfunandgames723]

Not sure why after electing a man too far into dementia to be President in 2020 there was a general expectation for improvement with enough time.

[@talbotcolleen]

@itsallfunandgames723 ... well, if the man had dementia in 2020 and was still able to accomplish everything he did, with an obstructionist opposing party, then I'll take more of the dementia over a Fascist dictator wannabe.

[@dianaagnoli9377]

Go Joe!!

[@seshat1111]

I am happy to vote for Joe Biden again in ‘24! 🗳️💙

[@EquitableTrolling]

Because you're in a cult

[@kathleencheatham8085]

Elite’s I thought that was a conspiracy

[@lawcrisis]

the goodest job I could do? good, gooder, goodest fails grammar exam. Can we get a better or the best candidate on the ballot? Not interested in the goodest. A good job would have been to have a replacement candidate ready to go who could do a better job than Joe. He failed to do that job at all.

[@rhondacalderone862]

You are asking this question, NOW? Go ahead and feed right into the chaos of Trump.

[@tmlavenz]

Media and Dems thought they could squeak through the election being totally dishonest about the mental health of Biden, as they have been for years. They're still trying to do it. But when you lie, you cannot get mad at people who resent you for it and stop trusting you. And at that point, the more you say "Don't talk about it!" the more you prove that you are in cahoots with the liars.

[@dr_flunks]

i haven't spoken to anyone or even read a youtube comment advocating biden staying.

[@user-cn8vj5rs5c]

There are such people. They do not, however, seem sane

[@davidguss5277]

Harris rocks!

[@McGeeification]

How is that?

[@AndrewColomy]

Pffffff! What?!

[@ImperialRis]

He still has my vote.

[@pearlrival3124]

you are one of few. he is intentionally sabotaging our election. we need a new candidate before congress acts. invoking the 25th is obvious here.

[@Mrpoopy5]

You didn’t even watch the video so you don’t even know what you’re talking about

[@alumpyhorse]

ditto

[@EquitableTrolling]

That's because you care more about party than the country. You are traitors.

[@LHallinan71]

But how? I voted for him last time, but this is terrifying. We’ve clearly been lied to.

[@talbotcolleen]

Why are you slanting your criticisms only towards Biden? Recently, Trump cancelled an interview after receiving the list of questions that the interviewer was going to ask. Isn't that Trump controlling interviews as well? But we only hear about Biden. Also, so what if his campaign makes changes to suit his age... isn't that what anyone would do when another has mobility issues? That"s called compassion... something you two are lacking as you view this as a detriment to Biden.

[@rhondacalderone862]

They make me sick. Corporate media has the potential to ruin our ability to beat Trump. It's all about creating enough insanity to increase the panic and their ratings.

[@alumpyhorse]

well said.

[@tmlavenz]

We only hear about Biden? The media has done nothing but slam Trump on a daily basis for eight years. Meanwhile a mentally incapacitated Biden has been shielded for equally as long. And now two weeks of the media no longer shielding him you're whining about the coverage? Maybe you should be wondering why, for the majority of the country, the constant hit-campaign on Trump hasn't worked.

[@tmlavenz]

You speak like Biden has a right to the Presidency. The entire country should just adjust everything to suit his dementia. No thanks. You know what's compassionate? Telling him his run in politics is over and help him withdraw in peace. Rather than letting his pride and grandpa obstinacy run his whole legacy into the ground.

[@EquitableTrolling]

"If we only show people who Donald Trump really is, they'll have to vote for Biden!" You all live in a fantasy world.

[@ChristineOubre-yt4vs]

Trump 2024-2025 ❤

[@b14m23]

Biden's biggest problem is not his age or ability. His main problem with many voters is his number 2 VP if anything happened to Biden.

[@rhondacalderone862]

Why?

[@user-yt6le1hx1e]

She's OK. Rational, truthful. She would listen to advisers. But Trump would be dangerous plus.