More than 20 Democratic congressional leaders and governors gathered in Washington, D.C. to attend a meeting hosted by President Joe Biden amid the fallout from his disastrous debate performance last week.
As Republicans and Democrats call on Biden to drop out of the 2024 race, the president refuses to listen. Instead, he used his meeting to put pressure on his defiant message that he won’t be backing out.
Biden met with the group of Democrats for more than an hour on Wednesday in an attempt to reassure them he is mentally and physically fit to serve another four years in office.
Some of the Democrats described the meetings as “candid” and some downplayed Biden’s ailing health.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) excused Biden’s debate malfunctions, saying that the 81-year-old president is a “healthy gentleman… sharing ideas at the highest level with 25 governors.”
During an interview with CNN’s Paula Newton, Green was grilled over Biden not seeing a doctor since February.
“[T]he White House tells us, again, that the President has not seen a doctor since February. This is a man who is not just your President, he’s your friend. What would you say to him, as a physician?” Newton said.
Newton claimed Biden is a “busy” man and that “no one” likes going to the doctor.
“I’m a physician, but I hate going to the doctor too, so it doesn’t surprise me. He’s been very busy,” the Democrat said. “And what I will tell you is this, of course, everyone’s going to judge each of these candidates, and they should and they absolutely should. But it’s their values and what they can get done [that matter] most. The President himself will pull himself from this election if he feels he is not up to it if he can’t do what is necessary to be President, and we respect that.”
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) became the first House Democrat to urge Biden to step down from office.
A CBS News poll found that three-quarters of the electorate have doubts about Biden’s ability to serve another four years in office.
Post-debate, 72 percent of voters believe Biden does not have the mental and cognitive health to serve as president-- a sharp contrast from earlier this month when 65 percent said the same thing about him.
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