"He's toast": Biden's ABC interview flops with Hill Democrats
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President Biden at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin on July 5, 2024. Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images.
President Biden's interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos did little to tamp down mounting concerns from Democratic members of Congress about his ability to defeat former President Trump.
Why it matters: Four House Democrats have publicly called for Biden to step down from the ticket, with lawmakers saying they expect more to follow soon.
- "The drip drip is about to be more than that," said one.
- Another told Axios: "We'll certainly amp up the public pressure as needed."
Driving the news: In the 22-minute interview, Biden insisted he has the stamina to take on Trump and refused to take a cognitive test.
- The president rejected polls indicating he's trailing his Republican rival and minimized the extent to which his Democratic allies have pressured him to withdraw from the race.
- And Biden made clear he's not dropping out: "If the Lord Almighty came down and said 'Joe, get out of the race,' I'd get out of the race. The Lord Almighty's not coming down."
What we're hearing: "No one's mind has been changed," a House Democrat said, adding that a growing number of lawmakers agree "it's time" for Biden to step aside and are "hoping to give him space to do this on his own."
- Another House Democrat said their colleagues feel Biden's interview was "not impressive" and that "he's toast" in November.
- Said a third: "The interview hardly inspires confidence. It changes nothing."
- A fourth House Democrat said they were "shocked" by Biden's "refusal to recognize reality" in terms of polling and his "failure to make an argument about why he wants a second term."
The other side: The Biden campaign painted the interview as energetic and eloquent, arguing the president laid out a clear case for a second term.
- They also pointed to statements of support and approval from lawmakers like Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.), and Reps. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas).
- More broadly, Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.) criticized colleagues who have pressed Biden to drop out as "undermining this incredible actual leader who has delivered real results for our country."
Between the lines: For other Democrats, the interview is just the first step on Biden's path to revitalizing his image in the eyes of voters and lawmakers.
- Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) said Biden did a "very good job" but should do an "extended live interview that focuses on where Biden plans to lead us over the next four years."
- Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a Biden ally, said in a statement: "Voters select our nominee and they chose him. Now, he needs to prove to those voters that he is up to the job and that will require more than just this one interview."
- "I expect complete transparency from the White House about this issue and a willingness to answer many legitimate questions from the media and voters about his capabilities."
Reality check: No matter how Biden performed, the interview was unlikely to significantly strengthen his standing on Capitol Hill, members told Axios ahead of time.
- "Nobody thinks that having a decent interview is the end of the problem," one House Democrat told Axios before the segment aired.
The bottom line: "It makes me wonder what the Biden campaign is thinking, to build up so much expectation around this interview ... and then serve up a 22-minute mixed bag," one House Democrat said.
- "We needed more than that."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with a statement from Khanna.
