While his family was aware of how poorly he performed against Donald Trump, they also continue to think he’s the best person to beat the Republican presumptive nominee.

President Joe Biden’s family used a Sunday gathering at Camp David to urge him to stay in the race and keep fighting despite his dreadful debate performance, and some members criticized how his staff prepared him for the faceoff, according to four people familiar with the discussions.

Biden spent the day sequestered with first lady Jill Biden, his children and grandchildren. It was a previously scheduled trip to the presidential retreat in Maryland for a photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz for the upcoming Democratic National Convention.

But the gathering was also an exercise in trying to figure out how to quell Democratic anxiety that has exploded following Thursday’s performance.

While his family was aware of how poorly he performed against Donald Trump, they also continue to think he’s the best person to beat the Republican presumptive nominee. They also believe he is capable of doing the job of president for another four years, according to the people who were not authorized to speak publicly about internal discussions and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

  • @werefreeatlast
    10•5 months ago

    There is no other space filler. We need Biden to run! But we really need a candidate for next time.

    • @IndustryStandard
      8•5 months ago

      Is anyone voting for Biden because they really love him?

      He could be replaced at the snap of a finger and it would not cost votes.

      • @[email protected]
        7•5 months ago

        I am voting for Biden because he’s a good president.

        He could not be replaced at the snap of a finger, he’s had an extremely active first term and already pursued and heavily invested in najor progressive reforms.

        Unnecessarily replacing a candidate 4 months before the election would absolutely throw the election to the conservatives.

        • Verdant Banana
          -2•5 months ago

          the country is less progressive now then when Biden was in office with Obama

          on that note US citizens enjoy less rights than their counterparts living in the 60s

          fucking sad Americans are willingly ready to suck Biden or Trump depending on your favorite color

          all voters could just protest by voting someone else if the top two choices suck but hey the democrats wouldn’t like that because that would be a vote for Trump

          • @[email protected]
            -2•5 months ago

            I see and hear a more progressive population inundated with more conservative news.

            Totally agree about voting.

        • John Richard
          -4•5 months ago

          Not it wouldn’t. A different candidate results in much higher odds of beating Trump. Do you actually want to beat Trump? Biden has done some good things but he will not be remembered for that if his elder abusing family gets their way.

          • @[email protected]
            6•5 months ago

            That is absurd.

            Biden led a good first term with many solid beneficial policies, let him lead a second good term.

            You are high as a kite if you think replacing a known candidate with solid support 4 months before an election is a good election strategy.

            It’s a terrible idea and puts the Democrats at a significant disadvantage showing political instability, poor decision making and confusing builders.

            It’s a terrible idea to unnecessarily replace a good president.

            • John Richard
              -9•5 months ago

              Biden already hurt his numbers tremendously by supporting genocide. Now you’re asking we support elder abuse as well? Polls have shown choosing other candidates help Democrats. Not sure why we should support elder abuse as well when it also hurts our own chances of even beating Trump. I think the only people in denial are the ones saying Biden should stay in. Maybe go look at some polls. Or we can bury our heads in the sand and blame Progressives and Palestinians when Biden loses, sort of like Dems blaming Bernie supporters in 2016.

              • @[email protected]
                6•5 months ago

                He doesn’t support genocide, he’s actively against it.

                The only people that believe that are idiots voting against him anyway.

                Pulls are idiotic and do not predict anything useful.

                You’re repeating bandwagon myths and making inaccurate assumptions.

                • @Ensign_CrabEnglish
                  1•5 months ago

                  He doesn’t support genocide, he’s actively against it.

                  He doesn’t even admit it is a genocide.

              • @[email protected]
                2•5 months ago

                If you think what Biden is doing is “supporting genocide”, I’m quite sure you don’t want to see what other candidates will do. 1

      • @[email protected]
        7•5 months ago

        As much as I don’t think Biden should run at his age, you’re basing the “changing the nominee now wouldn’t cost votes” on nothing whatsoever. There is a proven benefit to incumbency. I don’t like it, but it’s true. And the other massive question mark is who does a majority of the country like enough in the Democratic Party (that the Democratic Party actually wants being its nominee) to just install? Because you also have to factor in the mileage the right would get out of “the Democratic Party’s nominee was installed like a dictator!” shit. No to mention the optics of a party elite-chosen candidate. You can’t say a change wouldn’t lose votes without a definitive other candidate to compare to and without considering the optics.

        So basically, what you’re saying is mostly just nonsense. This is a terrible situation for us to have to be I . But we’re in it. No use pretending.