White House bats down reports Biden assessing exit from presidential race
Al Jazeera
Biden tells campaign team he will remain candidate despite dismal debate showing, growing pressure from some Democrats.
United States President Joe Biden has pledged to stay in the presidential race, despite media reports he was assessing an exit following a dismal debate showing against his Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump, last week.
Biden was resolute when he joined a call with campaign staff on Wednesday, despite growing concern about the 81-year-old’s viability in the race in November against Trump, including from members of his own party.
“I am running,” Biden said during the call, two sources told the Reuters news agency. He added he would not be pushed out as the Democratic Party’s nominee.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre later echoed the sentiment in comments to reporters, saying that Biden was “absolutely not” considering stepping down.
Jean-Pierre was responding to a slate of reports in US media that Biden had told confidants that he was aware his candidacy had suffered in the wake of his performance in his first live face-off with Trump of the election cycle.
