Biden slams "elites," dares critics to challenge him at Democratic convention
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A defiant President Biden expressed frustration Monday at Democratic "elites" who have called for him to drop out of the race, daring critics to "challenge [him]" at next month's Democratic convention in Chicago.
Why it matters: Ahead of a pivotal week to prove his skeptics wrong, Biden called into MSNBC's "Morning Joe" to reinforce a simple message: He's not going anywhere.
What they're saying: "If any of these guys don't think I should run, run against me. Go ahead. Announce for president — challenge me at the convention," an animated Biden told his favorite cable news program.
- "It drives me nuts people are talking about this," Biden said Monday of the discourse following his debate performance.
- "The bottom line here is, we're not going anywhere. I'm not going anywhere," Biden said.
Zoom out: Biden's "Morning Joe" interview came just after he sent a letter to congressional Democrats telling them that it's time to "end" the pressure on him drop out.
- "I wouldn't be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024," Biden wrote in the letter to lawmakers.
Reality check: Biden is the presumptive nominee because he won a majority of delegates during the Democratic primary. If he doesn't release his delegates, it's exceedingly difficult to imagine how a challenger could defeat him.
Go deeper: Inside House Democrats' anti-Biden vent session
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional quotes from the interview and context.
