After Joe Biden’s mediocre debate performance drummed up immense support from the pundit class for him to drop out of the race, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and other Democratic lawmakers rallied around the president.
Clinton, who lost to Donald Trump in 2016, framed the race as a choice between Trump’s ego and President Biden’s record.
“It’s a choice between someone who cares about you—your rights, your prospects, your future—versus someone who’s only in it for himself,” Clinton, who debated Biden during the 2008 Democratic primary, wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“I’ll be voting Biden,” the former Secretary of State declared, linking the Biden campaign’s website.
While the New York Times editorial board — the paper seemingly looking for any excuse to drag Biden through the mud — called for him to step off the presidential ticket, top Democrats disagree, including former President Barack Obama
“Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know,” the former president and Biden running mate said in an X post. “So much is at stake in November.”
Biden, who seemed to regroup on Friday after his low-energy performance, also garnered support from Senate Democrats, including Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, who tweeted “f*** that,” in response to the Times editorial board.
House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters “no” when asked if he thought Biden should step down.
Other Democratic leaders pointed out that Biden’s performance, while uninspiring, wasn’t campaign-ending.
“Well, the president didn’t have a good night, but neither did Donald Trump with lie after lie and his dark vision for America,” North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper told The Associated Press.