Still, some congressional Democrats were not convinced by his performance.
Just moments after the briefing ended, Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called for Biden to end his bid, saying the president’s legacy of “unparalleled public service, undeniable achievement, and unconditional patriotism” is at risk if he does not step away from the campaign.
“The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA authoritarianism,” Himes said. “I no longer believe that is Joe Biden, and I hope that, as he has throughout a lifetime of public service, he will continue to put our nation first and, as he promised, make way for a new generation of leaders.”
Democratic Rep. Eric Sorensen, who is running in a competitive Illinois district, said he is “hopeful” that Biden will put “country over party” and “step aside in his campaign for President.”
And Rep. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) — who just Tuesday had told reporters he believed Biden “deserves reelection” — in a statement first obtained by Politico said that while the nation “owes an enormous debt of gratitude” to Biden for “saving us from a second term of a Trump Presidency in 2020,” the president should now withdraw from the campaign because “the stakes are high, and we are on a losing course.”
As of Thursday night, 20 congressional Democrats have either publicly or privately urged Biden to step aside since his faltering debate performance two weeks ago, fearing he will lose the White House to former president Donald Trump and endanger the party’s gains in the House and Senate.
During the briefing, Biden insisted to reporters that he’s not in the race to protect his legacy, but rather to “complete the job I started.” And while he insisted he is running, Biden acknowledged that he must reassure not only the American public but also members of his own party that he will be able to win the election.
“I’m determined on running, but I think it’s important that I allay fears,” Biden said.
Biden’s performance Thursday may have led to some defections — but other congressional Democrats doubled down on their support for the president. Many of them were from safe seats where their individual reelection hopes are all but assured.
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) told CNN after the news conference that he believes Biden “convinced a lot of people he should stay in the race.” And Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said Biden demonstrated “how a world leader with his hand firmly on the tiller of our ship of state manages the country, U.S. national security interests and the naysayers.”
“Let’s go Joe!” Rep. Nikema Williams, chair of the Georgia Democratic Party, posted on X.
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) said Biden “again showed he knows a million times more about policy than the convict conman.”
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.), who is running for reelection after losing the Houston mayoral contest, said Biden “knocked this press conference out of the park.”
And no additional senator immediately emerged to ask Biden to step aside in the news conference’s wake.
“Tonight President Biden was knowledgeable, engaging, and capable,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), the co-chair of Biden’s reelection campaign. “He displayed a level of depth on foreign policy that Donald Trump has never and could never. No one is more prepared to lead our nation forward than Joe Biden.”
Theodoric Meyer contributed to this report.
