'I'm not leaving': Biden expands effort to tamp down calls to step aside
The president will meet with Democratic governors Wednesday evening as the White House and his campaign hold separate all-hands calls during the day.
July 3, 2024, 10:37 AM CDT / Updated July 3, 2024, 1:08 PM CDT
By Alexandra Marquez, Natasha Korecki and Monica Alba
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday increased his outreach to lawmakers, Democratic governors, and staff after days of criticism that he hasn't done enough to personally tamp down on nervousness that he should abandon his run for re-election.
The outreach includes calls to congressional Democratic leaders and a scheduled meeting on Wednesday evening with Democratic governors. Nearly a week after the debate, he and senior aides are still scrambling to recover from his devastating performance last week and quash growing calls for him to step down as the party's nominee in the November election.
On an all-hands call with campaign staffers, Biden made clear that he didn't plan to exit the race, telling attendees, "Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can, as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running," according to one campaign official on the call.
“No one is pushing me out," the president added, also saying, "I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end, and we’re going to win.”
Moments later, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated Biden's comments at a press briefing, telling reporters that the president is "absolutely not" considering stepping down.
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https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/biden-meet-democratic-governors-seeks-tamp-calls-step-rcna160104
