Chief White House correspondent Peter Baker discusses the intense discussions within the Democratic party about potentially replacing President Biden as nominee following a poor debate performance. Biden's family urges him to keep fighting despite concerns about his age and capacity. The episode sheds light on the delicate decision-making process involved in selecting a new nominee and explores the internal dilemma within the Democratic Party.
Democratic officials discussed replacing Biden due to poor debate performance.
Biden focused on shoring up support and addressing concerns post-debate.
Deep dives
Challenges Post Biden's Debate Performance
Joe Biden's poor debate performance sparked intense discussions among Democratic officials and strategists about his viability as the nominee due to concerns about his age and ability to compete against Trump.
Calls for Biden to Step Down
Prominent figures like Senator Claire McCaskill and former White House personnel expressed concerns post-debate, with even Andrew Yang suggesting that it was time for Biden to consider stepping down.
Criticism of Biden's Debate Performance
Biden's debate performance raised doubts about his mental sharpness, highlighting ongoing concerns about his age and capability to lead, leading to a deeper discussion within the Democratic Party.
Biden's Response and Campaign Blitz
Following the criticism, Biden engaged in damage control, meeting with donors to reassure them, proceeding with a campaign blitz to project vitality and address his performance, while his team worked to manage doubts and concerns.
President Biden’s disastrous debate performance last week set off a furious discussion among Democratic officials, donors and strategists about whether and how to replace him as the party’s nominee.
Peter Baker, who is the chief White House correspondent for The Times, takes us inside those discussions and Biden’s effort to shut them down.
Guest: Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for The New York Times.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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