The political climate for President Biden is worse this morning than it was a few days ago.
First, the polls: A New York Times/Siena College poll, released yesterday, shows Biden is down six points against Donald Trump among likely voters — a three-point drop since his poor performance in the debate. Other surveys show a similar, though slightly smaller, variation after the debate, with a trend against Biden and toward Trump.
Why? One reason is Biden’s age. According to a Times poll, the share of voters who believe Biden is “too old to be an effective president” has increased from 69% to 74%, and the majority of voters are Democrats. Four years ago, only 36% of voters thought Biden was too old.
At the same time, more and more of Biden’s allies have turned against his reelection campaign. Yesterday, Raúl Grijalva of Arizona, became the second Democrat in the House to publicly call on Biden to withdraw from the race. Reed Hastings, the co-founder of Netflix and one of the biggest Democratic donors, called on Biden to make way for “a strong Democratic leader” to defeat Trump and ensure our security and prosperity”Other wealthy donors have also I think Biden should step downbut they didn’t say it publicly, to avoid helping Trump.
Biden has taken note of the situation. He has privately told allies that the next few days could determine whether he can salvage his candidacy, according to my colleague Katie Rogerswho covers the White House. He has scheduled a rare interview with ABC News tomorrow and campaign stops in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in the coming days. He hopes to show that his debate performance was an anomaly and that he is truly fit for the presidency.
As Katie wrote, Biden knows he’s fighting for his political survival. But while he’s defied the odds in the past, he may have a tough time making a comeback this time around.
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Biden’s poll numbers have been weak for years, writes Nate Cohn, the Times’ chief political analyst. The debate’s most pronounced effect has been to force Biden’s supporters to address long-standing concerns.
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For now, Biden insists he will remain the Democratic nominee. “I’m in this race until the end,” he told campaign staffers yesterday, adding: “No one is pushing me out.” The next few days will be decisive.
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Last night, Biden told a group of Democratic governors that he remained in the race. Although they publicly supported him, several of them expressed concerns. One, Janet Mills of Maine, told him that voters did not think he was fit to run.
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He also told the governors he had a medical examination after the debate and everything was fine, Politico reports.
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Biden had lunch with Vice President Kamala Harris, who some Democrats believe should replace him as the nominee.
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Democratic leaders in Congress do not urge their members to rally behind Bidenbut rather to adopt a position that best suits their districts. This chart shows what prominent Democrats have said.
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Democrats see benefits (younger candidate, potential increase in donations) and risks (untested candidate, accelerated campaign) to replace Biden.
Answers across the country
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First lady Jill Biden tried to reassure Michigan Democrats at the opening of a Biden campaign office there. Outside, two people held signs calling on Biden to step down.
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Coconut Tree Memes and Emojis:Harris supporters — known as the KHive — are flooding social media with signals that they are ready to back her if Biden steps down.
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The House Republican campaign arm is running an ad calling Harris a Biden “enabler.”
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Bet: Former Toronto Raptors center Jontay Porter, who the NBA banned in April, faces federal charges for his role in an apparent sports betting ring.
ARTS AND IDEAS
It’s the Fourth of July in New York City. That means it’s a day of fireworks, sweaty subway rides, and family barbecues. But it’s also time for the famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island.
This year’s edition, which tests how many hot dogs they can eat in 10 minutes, promises to be particularly thrilling. For the first time in nearly a generation, the men’s competition has no clear favorite. Learn more.
