Red Bank, N.J. (Associated Press) President Joe Biden saw Recovering his magic He reassured donors at a fundraiser on Saturday that he was up to the challenge of winning. Donald Trump.
“Tonight was not a good night, but we're going to try harder,” Biden told attendees at the home of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. “Donald Trump is a real threat to the nation,” Biden stressed, noting that his predecessor, Trump, It would undermine democracy If Trump returns to the White House, his economic policies will likely exacerbate inflation.
81 year old Problematic performance Biden's comments during the first presidential debate on Thursday upset many Democrats who continue to see Trump as a danger after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Biden's incoherent responses and struggle to deal with Trump led The New York Times editorial board to declare Friday that Biden should drop out of the race and that staying would be a “reckless gamble.”
A White House official on Saturday disputed the premise of an NBC News report that suggested Biden would discuss the future of his reelection campaign with his family, saying Biden planned to hold family photos at Camp David on Sunday and Monday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss Biden family matters.
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Biden was seen talking on the phone with historian Jon Meacham on his way to Camp David on Saturday night.
Biden and his wife, Jill, attended an afternoon campaign event in the beach town of East Hampton, New York, on Long Island, where real estate firm Zillow puts the median home price at $1.9 million. The event, which was off-limits to media, took place at the home of Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner Avram Glazer, according to public records.
The couple then attended a second event at the East Hampton home of financier Barry Rosenstein, whose wife, Lizanne, said the president was “an example of someone who gets knocked down time and time again and still gets back up.”
“Comparing debate nights is a waste of time,” she continued, “but I think comparing presidencies makes more sense.”
Speaking at the rally, Biden sharply criticized Trump's record as president, including his treatment of veterans, and called out Trump's own poor performance on Thursday night.
Biden argued that polls he had seen showed Democrats gained support after the debate, and said of Trump, “the big lesson was he lied.”
In the aftermath of the debate, Biden It showed more vitality Speaking in North Carolina and New York on Friday, Trump said he believes “with every fiber of my being” that he can fulfill the presidency.
The Biden campaign announced it raised more than $27 million on Thursday and Friday, including $3 million at a fundraiser in New York City focused on the LGBTQ+ community.
Jill Biden told supporters on Friday that after the debate Biden told her, “Look, Jill, I don't know what happened. I wasn't feeling very good,” to which she responded, “Look, Joe, we're not going to define your four years as president in 90 minutes.”
The Democratic president still needs to assuage the fears stirred by the debate, which has seeped into the national conscience thanks to viral videos, memes and public pressure for him to drop out of the race.
Democratic donors in New York, Southern California and Silicon Valley privately expressed deep concern about the viability of Biden's campaign following his performance in the debate.
In a series of text messages and private conversations, they discussed a short list of potential successors, including Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Vice President Kamala Harris.
But there was no formal pressure on Biden to step down on Friday, and some doubted there ever would be any given the logistical challenges involved in replacing a presumptive nominee just four months before Election Day.
Some donors have said they plan to suspend personal contributions, saying Biden's weekend fundraisers will almost certainly bring in more revenue because tickets were sold and paid for before the debate.
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Peoples reported from New York.
