President Joe Biden addressed calls for him to step down from the 2024 presidential race, saying, "I'm not lost," on Monday.
Biden was asked on MSNBC's Morning Joe about the concerns following his performance in the June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump and remarks he made during a recent interview with ABC News's George Stephanopoulos.
Biden said while calling into the show that losing to Trump "is not an option" and that "I'm not lost."
"I haven't lost. I beat him last time. I'll beat him this time," Biden said.
Newsweek reached out to Biden's campaign via email for comment.
The Context
During the ABC News interview, Stephanopoulos asked Biden how he would feel in January if Trump won the 2024 presidential election. To which he said, " I'll feel as long as I gave it my all and I did the good job as I know I can do; that's what this is about."
Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough noted during Monday's show that Biden's answer prompted some apprehension from Democrats who believe that "losing is not an option."
What We Know
Biden, who has faced concerns about his age, encountered a wave of criticism following his debate performance. Viewers noted that the 81-year-old sounded hoarse and lacked energy.
A Biden aide told Newsweek following the debate that the president was battling a cold during the debate.
He has faced calls, including from Democrats, to be replaced as the party's presidential nominee. Biden has repeatedly insisted that he is not stepping down.
On Monday, the Associated Press reported that Biden sent a letter to congressional Democrats saying, "The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it's time for it to end."
Views
During his interview with Stephanopoulos, Biden chalked up his performance during the debate against Trump as "a bad episode. No indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted."
Some Democratic lawmakers, such as Illinois Representative Mike Quigley and New York Representative Jerry Nadler, have said that Biden should step aside and let another candidate run against Trump in November.
Politico previously reported that Nadler and Democratic Representatives Adam Smith of Washington, Mark Takano of California and Joe Morelle of New York "forcefully" called for Biden to leave the race during a private call with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
What's Next
Biden will face off against Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, in November. Real Clear Politics average polling shows Trump leading Biden by an average of 3.3 percentage points in several recent polls.
Update 07/08/24, 10:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 07/08/24, 11:08 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
About the writer
Matthew Impelli is a Newsweek staff writer based in New York. His focus is reporting social issues and crime. In ... Read more
