Election 2024 post-debate: The road ahead for Biden and Trump

For Democrats, Thursday night's debate was a nightmare. President Joe Biden's performance at the Atlanta face-off, viewed by more than 50 million, sparked a panic, with a flurry of editorials and commentators pleading with the 81-year-old Biden to drop out.

New York Times reporter Katie Rogers, who covers the Biden White House, said, "There is an acknowledgment writ large that the president performed badly. It went poorly. It was a bad night. But there have not been any big sit-downs, big soul-searching sessions. It's just right back to work."

Rogers, who wrote a book that deeply examines the influence of first lady Jill Biden, said she has not picked up on any efforts inside the Biden family questioning whether this run for reelection is worth it. In fact, Rogers says calls for Biden to step aside will likely only strengthen the first family's resolve for him to stay in: "The naysayers are key to understanding him. I mean, they drive him. They help reinforce his idea of who he is. You can't overcome an obstacle if people don't put it in your way, or life doesn't put it in your way."