A co-chairman of President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign says it’s unlikely that the president will be replaced by another Democrat after Thursday night’s debate performance.
Mitch Landrieu, national co-chair of the Biden Campaign, told CNN, “I don’t think that you can call the debate a great time for President Biden,” adding, “I think he had a rough time—there’s no question about it.”
But he said calls to replace President Biden are premature, and strongly signaled that it won’t happen. When asked if Democrats should consider a replacement, he said it is “not likely” that will happen.
“As the dust clears on this thing, this campaign has still got four months to go, and I think that Joe Biden is going to be the nominee,” he said.
Responding to concerns about President Biden’s health, Mr. Landrieu stated: “I think he had a cold tonight. I think he looked a little sluggish when he came out, but as the night went on, I think he really kind of rose to the occasion.
“I’ve seen him recently. I think that he’s fine.”
Mr. Landrieu said he was “proud” that President Biden stood up to the former president. “He tried to lay his plan out for the American people,” he said.
The debate covered a wide range of topics, including the economy, crime, illegal immigration, inflation, the Jan. 6 Capitol breach, former President Donald Trump’s recent felony conviction, and more. However, post-debate coverage on the top three news channels appeared to focus primarily on President Biden’s performance.
Although campaign officials have signaled otherwise, several top Democrats speculated that he would be replaced or called for him to step down. During the debate, President Biden’s voice sounded low and raspy, and he often struggled with his words and at times finishing sentences.
David Axelrod, a top strategist for former President Barack Obama, told CNN on Thursday night that “there are gonna be discussions on if he should continue.” Thomas Friedman, a New York Times columnist, wrote in an opinion article that in order to stop former President Donald Trump, “the president has to come forward and declare that he will not be running for reelection.”
But under current Democratic Party rules, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to replace President Biden as the party’s nominee without his cooperation or without party officials being willing to rewrite its rules at the August national convention.
The president won the overwhelming majority of Democratic delegates during the state-by-state primary process. And party rules state that “Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.”
The Epoch Times contacted President Biden’s reelection campaign for comment.
In a statement posted online, Biden Campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon contrasted President Biden’s performance with that of his Republican predecessor, saying he provided “a positive and winning vision for the future of America ... one in which every American has a fair shot at the American dream.”
Speaking to reporters at a Waffle House location in Atlanta hours after the debate, President Biden said of his performance, “I think we did well.”
On Friday, President Biden was scheduled to campaign in North Carolina while Vice President Kamala Harris was slated to appear in Nevada.
A CNN flash poll of voters who viewed the debate showed that about 67 percent believed former President Trump won the debate and 33 percent said President Biden won.
