National

Sneak Peek

Axios Sneak Peek

The Biden White House has a blunt message for doomscrolling Democrats fretting about the president's old age and bad poll numbers: Clam up and chill out.

Driving the news: Mike Donilon, a senior White House adviser, is telling anxious Democrats that two issues — abortion and Donald Trump — will propel Biden to re-election, according to people familiar with the matter.

In those private conversations, Democrats have been struck by top White House aides' confidence. Some worry it's hubris.

Why it matters: Biden officials dismiss most of the growing concern over impeachment headlines, Hunter Biden's indictment, an immigration crisis, the president's age, an economy that voters don't love, and an auto strike that's testing Biden's union support.

Instead, the White House plans to continue its Rose Garden strategy, with a three-pronged message that focuses on protecting democracy, abortion rights and a resilient economy, including a historically low unemployment rate.

The recent calls for Biden to step aside are seen internally as just the latest example of elite Democrats underestimating Biden. 

The big picture: Trump's upcoming court appearances will allow Biden to sharpen the contrast between his commitment to democracy and the former president's alleged role in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

"I'm running because democracy is at stake," Biden told donors in New York late Monday.

While stressing democracy, abortion and LGBTQ rights, Biden has launched a defense of his economic record that aims to define the GOP's fiscal plans as "MAGAnomics" — an assault on Social Security, Medicare and the middle class.

What they're saying: "We don't take the ups and downs of individual polls to heart," a senior Biden adviser told Axios. "What will matter next year is when our voters are fully engaged."

"While Republicans are going after each other, we are already reaching persuadable voters in battleground states," the adviser said. "Our eyes are focused on the long game."

Zoom out: Democratic anxiety over Biden's advanced age and low approval ratings reached a new level last week when The Washington Post's David Ignatius, one of Biden's favorite columnists, wrote: "President Biden should not run again in 2024." 

That column dropped during a week in which the White House was buffeted by bad news and bad polls.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) directed the House to begin an impeachment inquiry into Biden. Meanwhile, the president's son, Hunter, was indicted on three counts related to his alleged illegal possession of a firearm.

Just one in three registered U.S. voters think Biden would complete a second term if re-elected, according to a  CBS News/YouGov poll released last weekend. It also showed voters prefer Trump over Biden 50-49%, despite the four felony indictments clouding Trump's bid for another term. 

Meanwhile, gas prices are surging and internal divisions among Democrats on immigration and the border security are bursting into the open.

Zoom in: Top Biden officials are trying to convince Democratic lawmakers and donors that they have a theory about how the election will play out — and are sticking to it.

"A bad column doesn't cause big strategy meetings here," the Biden adviser said. "The basics of governing is what we're trying to deliver on."

In his remarks to donors Monday night, Biden acknowledged his age, but also tried to turn it into an asset.

"When Russia invaded Ukraine, I knew what to do to rebuild NATO and the alliances, and rebuild our alliances and rally the world," he said.

The bottom line: The president's core team is convinced that the media and Beltway pundits are discounting Biden again. They point out that many insiders left him for dead in the 2020 primaries, underestimating Biden's level of support.

They also like to note that pollsters who have Biden underwater now also wrongly predicted a red wave of Republican wins in the 2022 midterms.

Biden's team tells nervous Dems: Just chill

Despite challenges, aides believe abortion and Donald Trump will propel Biden to re-election.

President Biden walks across the South Lawn of the White House, wearing a blue suit and sunglasses.

President Biden leaves the White House for a weekend in Delaware last week. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Joe Biden

Politics & Policy

Joe Biden's re-election campaign is deploying California Gov. Gavin Newsom to the second Republican presidential debate next week in Simi Valley, Calif., Biden campaign advisers tell Axios.

Why it matters: It's the latest example of Biden's increasingly warm relationship with Newsom after earlier tensions between the two — and comes as the California governor continues to build his national profile.

Driving the news: GOP frontrunner Donald Trump isn't likely to attend the GOP debate Wednesday, but Biden's team also is deploying top officials — including campaign manager Julie Chávez Rodríguez — to contrast the president's agenda with what they call "MAGA Republicans' extreme and out of touch views."

The debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library will be hosted by Fox Business and Univision, so the Democratic National Committee is focusing its messaging on economics and Latino voters.

Chávez Rodríguez and DNC chair Jaime Harrison will host Latino organizing events including one focused on Latino men, Biden campaign advisers told Axios.

The DNC also is hiring a plane to fly over Southern California reading "2024 GOP: A Race for the Extreme MAGA Base," according to a Biden adviser.

Biden re-elect spokesperson Kevin Munoz told Axios: "The campaign response builds off the strong and effective plan from the first debate with a clear north star: Push back on Republicans' lies and highlight their extremism at every turn."

Between the lines: Newsom, whose appearance at the upcoming debate was first reported by The Messenger, has become an enthusiastic booster of Biden's re-election bid, even as the governor has been building a national network of supporters and donors.

Newsom told The New York Times this month that it was time for Democrats to rally around Biden: "The train has left the station…We're all in. Stop talking. He's not going anywhere. It's time for all of us to get on the train and buck up."

Newsom's growing profile has annoyed some allies of Vice President Kamala Harris, NBC News reported in August.

In June, Biden called Newsom "one of the best governors I've ever worked with" and a "buddy," as POLITICO reported of their growing bromance.

The big picture: The debate is the latest instance of the Biden campaign trying to push a contrast between what it's calling "Bidenomics" and "MAGAnomics."

Biden's GOP debate strategy: Send Newsom

It's the latest example of Biden's increasingly warm relationship with the California governor.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom wears a bule suit against a blue background.

California Gov Gavin Newsom speaks during the Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York in September. Photo: John Nacion/WireImage

2024 presidential election

California Gov. Gavin Newsom wears a blue suit against a blue background.

Joe Biden&#x27;s re-election campaign is deploying <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="California Gov. Gavin Newsom" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/11/09/gavin-newsom-california-election-results" data-vars-content-id="a107fcfe-52cf-4dc9-ba11-316332360170" data-vars-headline="Biden&#x27;s GOP debate strategy: Send Newsom" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/11/09/gavin-newsom-california-election-results" target="_self">California Gov. Gavin Newsom</a> to the second Republican presidential debate next week in Simi Valley, Calif., Biden campaign advisers tell Axios.Why it matters: It&#x27;s the latest example of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Biden&#x27;s increasingly warm relationship" data-vars-click-url="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/21/biden-gavin-newsom-00102887" data-vars-content-id="a107fcfe-52cf-4dc9-ba11-316332360170" data-vars-headline="Biden&#x27;s GOP debate strategy: Send Newsom" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/06/21/biden-gavin-newsom-00102887" target="_blank">Biden&#x27;s increasingly warm relationship</a> with Newsom <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="after earlier tensions" data-vars-click-url="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/07/newsom-labor-union-biden-00055305" data-vars-content-id="a107fcfe-52cf-4dc9-ba11-316332360170" data-vars-headline="Biden&#x27;s GOP debate strategy: Send Newsom" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/07/newsom-labor-union-biden-00055305" target="_blank">after earlier tensions</a> between the two — and comes as the California governor continues to build his national profile.

Hunter Biden sued Rudy Giuliani Tuesday for allegedly sharing his private digital data in what his lawyers say is a violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.

Why it matters: It's the latest in a flurry of lawsuits filed by the president's son, whose new lawyer, Abbe Lowell, has sought to go on the offensive.

The lawsuit accuses Giuliani and attorney Robert Costello of allegedly "hacking into, tampering with, manipulating, copying, disseminating, and generally obsessing over data that they were given that was taken or stolen from Plaintiff's devices or storage platforms, including what Defendants claim to have obtained from Plaintiff's alleged 'laptop' computer."

The big picture: The purported contents of the hard drive have fueled repeated attacks against Hunter Biden from Republicans and conservative media.

The suit states that Biden's data was "manipulated, altered and damaged" before being copied and sent to Giuliani and Costello.

Giuliani and Costello's alleged "illegal hacking and tampering" has resulted in "further alterations and damage to the data" — to an extent that is currently unknown to Biden, the suit stated.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court in California, seeks a jury trial to determine damages.

What they're saying: "Hunter Biden has previously refused to admit ownership of the laptop. I'm not surprised he's now falsely claiming his laptop hard drive was manipulated by Mayor Giuliani, considering the sordid material and potential evidence of crimes on that thing," Ted Goodman, an adviser to Giuliani, told Axios in a statement.

Costello did not immediately respond Tuesday to Axios' request for comment. 

Zoom out: Hunter Biden filed a lawsuit against the owner of the Delaware computer repair shop in March alleging violation of privacy.

In June, his lawyers deposed the shop's owner, John Paul Mac Isaac, as part of an effort to fight more aggressively against those who spread Biden's personal data across the Internet.

Editor's note: This story was updated with additional details.

Hunter Biden sues Rudy Giuliani over hard drive data

It's the latest in a flurry of lawsuits filed by Hunter Biden's lawyer Abbe Lowell.

Hunter Biden departs to the J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building in Wilmington, Delaware on July 26. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Hunter Biden

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Hunter Biden" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/06/special-counsel-indict-hunter-biden-gun-charges" data-vars-content-id="ae6abc1c-4b84-41d4-b8b1-5f7156aef99f" data-vars-headline="Hunter Biden sues Rudy Giuliani over hard drive data" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/06/special-counsel-indict-hunter-biden-gun-charges" target="_self">Hunter Biden</a> sued Rudy Giuliani Tuesday for allegedly sharing his private digital data in what his lawyers say is a violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.Why it matters: It&#x27;s the latest in a flurry of lawsuits filed by the president&#x27;s son, whose new lawyer, Abbe Lowell, has sought to go on the offensive.

President Biden and his campaign are working on a critical project for his re-election bid: Make sure he doesn't trip. 

Driving the news: As voters express deep concerns about the 80-year-old president's age and fitness for office, Biden's team is taking extra steps to prevent him from stumbling in public — as he did in June, when he tripped over a sandbag at the Air Force Academy.

With a physical therapist, Biden has been doing exercises to improve his balance as far back as November 2021.  

Since his stumble in June, he has been wearing tennis shoes more often to avoid slipping — and using the short stairs on Air Force One, entering the plane on a lower deck than before. 

Why it matters: Democrats, including some in the administration, are terrified that Biden will have a bad fall — with a nightmare scenario of it happening in the weeks before the November 2024 election.

Zoom in: Some senior Democrats privately have been frustrated with Biden's advance team for months, citing the sandbag incident and noting that the president often appears not to know which direction to go after he speaks at a podium.

Often without context, Republicans have used video clips of Biden looking confused about where to go after speeches to raise further questions about his age.

Biden's balance difficulties are likely the result of what his physician has diagnosed as "a combination of significant spinal arthritis" and "mild post-fracture foot arthritis."

Biden works out many mornings with physical therapist Drew Contreras, who also worked with former President Obama.

Biden's doctor has recommended exercises for balance, which he called "proprioceptive maintenance maneuvers." 

"I have never heard the term 'proprioceptive maintenance maneuvers.' It is not a clinical term in standard use," said Professor James Gordon, associate dean and chair of the Division of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California. 

Asked for more detail, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Axios: "This isn't new — it was proactively and transparently disclosed in a 2021 report from the president's doctor and again this year."

"This article fits an unfortunate pattern of media attempting to sensationalize something that has long been public, rather than covering the president's very real achievements for hardworking Americans," Bates added.

Zoom out: Recent polls have shown Biden's age is among voters' chief concerns about him. Voters also have significant age concerns about former President Trump — the likely GOP nominee.

Three-fourths of Americans see Biden as too old for office, according to an AP-NORC poll last month. About half also saw Trump, 77, as too old.

Beyond Trump's legal issues, his erratic behavior — as evident this week in his social media posts — has raised concerns about the former president’s mental state. 

In a flurry of posts this past weekend, Trump accused exiting Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley of a "treasonous act" and suggested he could be executed. 

Trump also mentioned "treason" in vowing to use the presidency to investigate NBC News' parent company, Comcast, over "vicious" coverage of him. 

Between the lines: Biden's team is betting that any mockery he receives over using the shorter Air Force One steps and wearing tennis shoes will be worth it to avoid another public stumble.

The Biden campaign's calculus is similar to its efforts in 2020 to prevent him from getting COVID, even as those steps — such as strict limits on in-person campaigning— led to memes mocking Biden's "basement campaign."

Flashback: Some Democrats worry about Biden having an accident like Republican Bob Dole did in September 1996, when he accidentally fell off a stage at a rally weeks before the election.

Democrats already had been knocking Dole, then 73, about his age — comparing him to the more energetic Bill Clinton, who at 50 was seeking his second term as president.

The video of Dole's fall, and a photograph of him grimacing in pain afterward, were widely republished and played.

In a flurry of posts on Truth Social this past weekend

Scoop: Biden team's don't-let-him-trip mission

Democrats, including some in the administration, are terrified Biden will have a bad fall.

President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden walk across a driveway at the White House. The president is wearing a sports jacket, casual trousers and tennis shoes.

President Biden, here with First Lady Jill Biden on Sept. 2, has been wearing tennis shoes more often as a precaution. Photo: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Joe and Jill Biden walk across a driveway at the White House. Joe Biden is wearing a sports jacket, casual trousers and tennis shoes.

President <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Biden" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/joe-biden" data-vars-content-id="dd1e5799-3fb5-4b91-b286-e2f08ebd24df" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Biden team&#x27;s don&#x27;t-let-him-trip mission" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/joe-biden" target="_self">Biden</a> and his campaign are working on a critical project for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="his re-election bid" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/20/biden-nervous-democrats-calm-2024-election" data-vars-content-id="dd1e5799-3fb5-4b91-b286-e2f08ebd24df" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Biden team&#x27;s don&#x27;t-let-him-trip mission" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/20/biden-nervous-democrats-calm-2024-election" target="_self">his re-election bid</a>: Make sure he doesn&#x27;t trip. Driving the news: As voters express deep concerns about the 80-year-old <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="president&#x27;s age" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/05/biden-poll-age-economy-concerns-2024-election" data-vars-content-id="dd1e5799-3fb5-4b91-b286-e2f08ebd24df" data-vars-headline="Scoop: Biden team&#x27;s don&#x27;t-let-him-trip mission" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/05/biden-poll-age-economy-concerns-2024-election" target="_self">president&#x27;s age</a> and fitness for office, Biden&#x27;s team is taking extra steps to prevent him from stumbling in public — as he did in June, when he tripped over a sandbag at the Air Force Academy.

Fox's Dana Perino tells Axios she didn't try to persuade Donald Trump to attend the second GOP presidential debate, which she'll co-moderate Wednesday.

"Personally, no. I did not," she said. "I think that he had already made it clear ... he wasn't going, and so I didn't reach out."

State of play: With a large polling lead, Trump’s team has concluded he doesn’t need to participate in the debates.

So Perino took a different approach than her colleague Bret Baier, who personally called Trump to pitch him on attending the first GOP debate.

What they're saying: In an interview previewing Wednesday's debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Perino said she's focused on getting other GOP candidates off their talking points and to drill down on their leadership philosophies.

"What I feel like the candidates did not do enough of last time is explaining the character of their leadership style," she said.

"As commander-in-chief and leader of the free world, one of the things that you do — just like a CEO does at a company — is you look 10, 15, 20 years ahead. Where are you leading us to? Where do you want to get to?"

She added that candidates parroting talking points "drives me up the wall."

Between the lines: Perino will moderate Wednesday's debate with Stuart Varney and Univision's Ilia Calderón. It begins at 9 p.m. ET on Fox Business and Univision, and also will stream on Rumble.

At least seven candidates — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; businessman Vivek Ramaswamy; former UN ambassador Nikki Haley; former Vice President Mike Pence; former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; Sen. Tim Scott (S.C.) and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum appear to have qualified for the debate and plan to appear, according to their campaigns.

Between the lines: This is the first presidential debate Perino — a White House press secretary under President George W. Bush and co-host of "The Five" and "America's Newsroom" — has moderated.

She says she'll try to push the candidates without making herself a participant.

"I'm the least important part of this debate."

One fun thing: Perino said her pre-debate routine will include a pilates workout using the Peloton app.

"Hannah Marie Corbin and Ally Love, they're the best," she said of the Peloton instructors.

Fox's Perino didn't try to recruit Trump to this GOP debate

Perino took a different approach than her colleague Bret Baier, who personally pitched Trump on attending the first GOP debate.

Fox&#x27;s Dana Perino tells Axios she didn&#x27;t try to persuade <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Donald Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="e0ff749a-75e8-48f4-ac2f-f1c386c14418" data-vars-headline="Fox&#x27;s Perino didn&#x27;t try to recruit Trump to this GOP debate" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">Donald Trump</a> to attend the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="second GOP presidential debate" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/19/second-republican-debate-2024-candidate-qualify" data-vars-content-id="e0ff749a-75e8-48f4-ac2f-f1c386c14418" data-vars-headline="Fox&#x27;s Perino didn&#x27;t try to recruit Trump to this GOP debate" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/19/second-republican-debate-2024-candidate-qualify" target="_self">second GOP presidential debate</a>, which she&#x27;ll co-moderate Wednesday.<ul><li>&quot;Personally, no. I did not,&quot; she said. &quot;I think that he had already made it clear ... he wasn&#x27;t going, and so I didn&#x27;t reach out.&quot;</li></ul>

Alex Thompson

Stories

Hunter Biden sues Rudy Giuliani over hard drive data

Scoop: Biden team's don't-let-him-trip mission

Fox's Perino didn't try to recruit Trump to this GOP debate

Biden's GOP debate strategy: Send Newsom

Biden's team tells nervous Dems: Just chill