White House says Biden not dropping out despite pressure from some Democrats

Our live coverage has concluded for the day. Please scroll through the posts below to learn about all the developments Wednesday in the 2024 election campaign, especially related to the reaction to President Joe Biden’s performance at last week’s CNN debate.

President Joe Biden speaks to to the media at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 1.

President Joe Biden’s interview with ABC News will now air as a “primetime special” on Friday evening at 8:00 p.m. ET, the network announced Wednesday evening. 

The high-profile interview will be the first televised interview Biden is expected to participate in since his poor showing at last week’s CNN presidential debate and an opportunity for the president to show those calling for him to step aside ahead of the 2024 race that he is still up for the task.

The first clip will still air on “World News Tonight” on Friday evening. When the interview was first announced, it was not set to air in full until Sunday morning.

Biden will be interviewed by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos on the campaign trail on Friday and ABC News says a transcript of the unedited interview will be made available on Friday too.  

CNN’s MJ Lee reported earlier Wednesday that the president privately acknowledged the next stretch of days are critical (including the president’s interview with ABC) to whether he can save his reelection bid, making clear to an ally that he understands what would prompt him to accept: “It’s just not working.”

Biden’s last major interview was with David Muir in Normandy last month. He previously spoke to CNN’s Erin Burnett on May 8 and with Time magazine’s Massimo Calabresi on May 28.

The message from Democratic governors after their meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House is that the president is “in it to win it.”

“@JoeBiden is our nominee. He is in it to win it and I support him,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a post on social media.

“.@JoeBiden is in it to win it. The stakes this November could not be higher,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on social media, reiterating what she said outside of the White House after meeting with the president.

Nine governors attended the meeting in person, only three came out to speak to the media afterword – Hochul, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

Some of the top Democrats in the House expressed their belief that President Joe Biden needs to step aside in a call with House Democratic leadership on Wednesday, a source familiar with the call told CNN.

Other Democrats raised concerns about the frenzy that could ensue if Biden did in fact step aside, the source added.

The call was led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and included Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and representatives from the House Democratic policy committee and powerful steering committee. 

The point of the call, the source added, was to take stock of the pivotal moment the Democratic Party is in and make sure all perspectives are heard.

President Joe Biden listens during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 3.

President Joe Biden “reiterated his determination” to defeat former President Donald Trump in November during his White House meeting with Democratic governors, the president’s reelection campaign said.

Every Democratic governor, except Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, participated in the meeting with Biden. 

Britt Cudaback, Communications Director for Evers, said in a post on social media that the governor did not attend the White House meeting because he’s “focused on moving forward and winning Wisconsin.”

Wisconsin was a key state in Biden’s 2020 election victory and is a key state for the president in 2024 as well.

The Biden campaign dismissed the talk of a Democratic contingency plan on Wednesday, pointing to the president’s pledge to stay in the race.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom reiterated his support for President Joe Biden following a Democratic Governors meeting that he attended at the White House.

Newsom is hitting the trail on behalf of the Biden-Harris campaign headlining events in Michigan, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire over the Fourth of July holiday and weekend. 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, flanked by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, speaks to repoters after meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 3.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he believes that Joe Biden is fit for office after dozens of Democratic governors participated in a meeting with the president on Wednesday.

The conversation during the meeting was “honest and open,” he said.

Walz, who is also the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, said that governors are receiving feedback from people in their states.

He said they relayed their concerns and came to the agreement that “we are all looking for the path to win. All the governors agree with that. President Biden agrees with that.” Walz reiterated that winning in November is the top priority.

“What we saw in there today was a guy who was the guy that all of us believed in the first time who could beat Donald Trump and did beat Donald Trump,” he said.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore speaks to reporters after meeting with President Joe Biden at the White House, on July 3.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore described the conversation with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as “great” and “honest.”

Gov. Moore said he told the president, “We would stand with him.”

“The president has always had our backs. We’re going to have his back as well. Because the results that we have been able to see under this administration have been undeniable in all of our individual states,” he added.

He expressed hope for the work to be done to win in November.

The headline and post have been updated with more of Moore’s remarks.

President Joe Biden speaks during a Medal of Honor Ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC, on July 3.

President Joe Biden admitted in a new interview that he “screwed up” during last week’s CNN presidential debate, adding that he “made a mistake.”

But as the president faces questions about his political future, Biden made the case for voters to look beyond his debate performance and consider his record.

Ingram, appearing in an interview with CNN’s Erica Hill on “Erin Burnett Out Front,” said that Biden did not “appear to show me signs of a guy who’s ready to throw in the towel.”

The White House has insisted that Biden is not dropping out despite pressure from some Democrats.

Democratic donor Whitney Tilson speaks with CNN on July 3.

A year ago, Democratic donor Whitney Tilson said he agreed with Joe Biden that he was the best chance to defeat Donald Trump. Now, he wants the president out of the race because he thinks that Biden could lose in a landslide in November.

He pointed to the latest polling that shows Biden trailing Trump.

Remember: A new CNN Poll of Polls on the presidential race finds former Trump currently leading Biden, 49% to 44%, in head-to-head polls conducted entirely after Thursday’s presidential debate. It is the first CNN Poll of Polls this year to find the candidates separated by a margin of more than three points.

Tilson, who considers himself a hardcore Democrat and supporter for Biden, said the clamor for the president to step aside will only grow over the days.

“The dam has broken,” he told CNN’s “Situation Room.” “More and more people will come out publicly.”

Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump arrives to a rally in Chesapeake, Virginia, on June 28.

Most Americans think that former President Donald Trump will not concede if he loses the presidential election in November, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS.

Despite the vast majority of Americans agreeing that the loser of an election has an obligation to accept the results and concede, only about half of registered voters see Trump’s false claims that he won the 2020 presidential election as a reason to vote against him in 2024.

A 78% majority of Americans say they think that President Joe Biden will accept the results and concede if he loses the election this November.

But roughly 7 in 10 Americans (71%) doubt that Trump will concede if he loses again in November, while only 28% believe he will. Half of Republicans now say they think Trump would concede a loss, up from 41% in a January poll taken amid the primary season.

Among the public overall, doubts that Trump would concede are little changed from January but remain heightened compared with October 2020, when a smaller 58% majority of US adults said they didn’t expect him to concede if he lost the 2020 election.

In CNN’s June presidential debate, Trump refused to state unequivocally that he would accept this year’s election results, twice deflecting the question before saying he would do so “if it’s a fair and legal and good election” and repeating claims about election fraud. There is no evidence of election fraud that would have altered the outcome of the 2020 election.

Former President Donald Trump waves to the crowd at a campaign rally in Chesapeake, Virginia on June 28.

Massachusetts Rep. Seth Moulton is the latest Democratic congressman voicing concerns about President Joe Biden’s viability against former President Donald Trump in the 2024 election, while calling on him to demonstrate that he can prosecute his case in the media, at town halls and campaign stops.

“I’ve always said that America needs to elevate a new generation of leaders, and I respect those colleagues who have already spoken out. We should have all viable options on the table,” he added.

Moulton noted his deep respect for Biden but said, “I have grave concerns about his ability to defeat Donald Trump.”

Moulton also said he is “taking time to seriously consider the best strategy for Democrats to win this election and set our country on a positive path forward.”

President Joe Biden will host a July 4th barbecue and celebration at the White House on Thursday.

The barbecue is slated for 5:15 p.m. ET and the celebration will be at 8:00 p.m. ET, per the White House. 

Then at 9:09 p.m. ET, the president is expected to watch the fireworks display from the White House grounds.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are meeting with governors from across the country, according to a pool reporter. The meeting started at 6:30 p.m. ET., a source familiar said.

Some governors are attending the meeting virtually.

Here’s who is participating, according to the White House:

Joe Biden, his White House and his campaign are all digging in after his disastrous debate performance: The president isn’t going anywhere.

But, even in the highest levels of Biden’s own administration, serious doubt is starting to set in about whether the president will be able to ride this one out.

A senior Biden administration official speaking on the condition of anonymity told CNN that they personally view the current trend of the gradual erosion of support for Biden among Democrats as “waves crashing into the shore.” 

“First it’s the donors. And then it’s elected officials. Now it’s going to be polling. It just breaks down the resistance,” the senior official said. “There’s a group that started small and is getting bigger and bigger.”

This person said Biden would likely need some time to “reconcile” the “pull and the push” as he navigates and digests the coming days and hears from those who believe he should dig in, as well as others who will tell him to step aside for the good of the party. Two sitting House Democrats have so far called on the president to abandon his re-election bid. 

President Joe Biden attends a medal of honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 3.

Questions are swirling Wednesday about the viability of President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign after his disastrous CNN debate performance last week.

Biden has privately acknowledged that the next stretch of days are critical to whether he can save the campaign, making clear to an ally Tuesday that he understands what would prompt him to accept: “It’s just not working.”

The president joined a call with all his campaign staffers today while the White House press secretary emphasized that Biden will remain in the race and Democratic lawmakers also held a call to discuss the fallout.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Biden’s all-staff campaign call: A source said Biden and Harris detailed the stakes of the election. Biden reiterated that when you get knocked down, you get back up — a familiar refrain from the past week. Biden “acknowledged the tough past few days, and said unequivocally he is running for reelection and he is going to beat Donald Trump,” another source familiar with the call told CNN. “No one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving,” he told the staffers, according to a source.

Kamala Harris’ role: Biden is keeping Harris intentionally close today. The overarching message, a senior campaign adviser tells CNN: “He’s with her.” The president continues to publicly declare his intention to stay in the race. But should he decide to step aside, a succession plan for the Democratic presidential campaign against Trump is taking shape that is expected to fully highlight the Biden-Harris relationship. Meanwhile, Harris’ camp is digging in and dismissing calls for her to replace Biden on the ticket.

What Democratic lawmakers are saying: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer continues to support the president, saying, “I’m with Joe Biden.” Meanwhile, one Democratic lawmaker told CNN that their assessment is that Biden’s candidacy is over. “We are just waiting for the announcement. He (Biden) is not there yet, will take a bit to get there, but it’s over.” Other Democrats described chaos and fear. One House Democrat told CNN that Biden’s “performance was so bad so early, it was the first time I thought I could lose my race as well.”

Conversations at the White House: White House chief of staff Jeff Zients held an all-staff call for less than 10 minutes to encourage the team to tune out the chatter and press ahead with their work. Meanwhile, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday that Biden is “absolutely not” considering stepping down.

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrive at McGuire Air Force Base in Burlington County, New Jersey, on June 29.

The White House is pushing back against criticism around first lady Jill Biden’s role and responsibility as President Joe Biden tries to salvage his candidacy.  

Alexander lamented the “inherent tension” that previous first ladies have endured that she believes is being amplified in this moment for Jill Biden. 

“You are supportive, but can’t be so supportive that your motives are questioned,” Alexander said. “Society has put all first ladies, including Dr. Biden, in an impossible situation with Twitter/X magnifying this on steroids in today’s world.”

Asked if the first lady is hiding a medical condition of her husband, she replied, “No. An emphatic no.”

Separately, an ally of the president and the first lady told CNN that calls for Jill Biden to step up at this moment are ludicrous. 

“It’s unfair to put the future of the Democratic Party on a spouse. She’s not elected, not a professional political advisor; she’s not a pollster or a campaign manager,” the person said, adding that Jill Biden will continue to be the president’s biggest defender. 

The Boston Globe editorial board has called for President Joe Biden to “step aside” and not run for reelection. The editorial, published Wednesday, said that the “nation’s confidence has been shaken.”

The editorial board pointed to CNN’s polling this week after the president’s poor debate performance. It shows that three-quarters of US voters say the Democratic Party would have a better shot at holding the presidency in 2024 with someone other than Biden at the top of the ticket. 

The board cast the Democratic Party as “demoralized, panicked, and angry” but said there is a “ray of hope” in the number of younger Democrats — including Vice President Kamala Harris — who could take on the GOP presumptive nominee, former President Donald Trump if Biden were to step down. 

“All that they need is for Biden to graciously bow out of the race and free his delegates to cast their votes for someone else at the Democratic National Convention,” the editorial board said. “For the good of the country, his party, and his legacy, Biden must do this. And soon.”

On Friday, The New York Times Editorial Board called on Biden to leave the race after his performance in the debate.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green told CNN’s Pamela Brown that one of the questions that needs to be asked of President Joe Biden in light of his debate performance is, “Are you up to this?”

When asked whether he believed that Biden was the best person to beat Trump in November, Green said, “You don’t pull a president because he’s had one bad night.”

Green also recalled his experience with Biden during the devastating 2023 Maui wildfires which left 101 people dead and $6 billion in damages.

“He’s been there for me over the last year and I’ve talked to him day in and day out and his team day in and day out. They’ve been on it. But I never heard from President Trump during Covid.” Green said.

“I want America to judge these people on what would be good for us long term.” 

President Joe Biden waves to supporters at a campaign rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 28.

President Joe Biden has sent a fundraising appeal email to supporters saying “I’m running.”

The language echoes what CNN reported he said on the all-staff call earlier today.

“I would not be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul that I can do this job,” he adds.

A Democratic lawmaker told CNN that their assessment of Biden’s candidacy is that “it’s over.”

The comments come as Biden has doubled down on his intent to remain the race, including sending a fundraising email with the subject line “I’m running.”

Asked if the next few days, Biden’s interviews and his events could change that, this lawmaker did not think so. “It’s about the data,” this member said, noting that it is “getting worse.”

The lawmaker also said a full member call is being scheduled among Democrats on the Hill. As of this afternoon the timing had not been set.

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks at the Chavis Community Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on March 26.

Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Louisiana, Texas and Indiana in July to participate in events aimed at key constituencies including Black, women and young voters, her office said on Wednesday.

Black voters were a key part of the president’s voting bloc when he ran for president four years ago. In 2020, Biden won 61% of the Black vote, which made up 56% of the Democratic primary electorate, according to CNN exit polling.

They are calling these trips the “Summer of Engagement” events and include moderated conversations at both the ESSENCE Festival of Culture and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.’s Grand Boulé.

Harris will also deliver the keynote speech at Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s 71st Boulé – Harris is a member of the sorority, which is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by Black college-educated women.

According to her office, the vice president has participated in more than 60 trips across 20 states since the start of 2024.

Hunter Biden departs a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 3.

House Intelligence Chair Mike Turner asked White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zeints in a letter today whether Hunter Biden was present in any recent White House meetings where classified information was discussed, the latest example of House Republicans going after the president’s son.

After spending two days at Camp David, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden returned to the White House with Hunter Biden, his wife Melissa and son Beau. Hunter accompanied Biden as he met with staff to prepare for his speech on the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling. 

“Hunter came back with him and walked with him into that meeting, that prep, that speech prep. And you know, and he ended up spending time with his dad and his family that night. That is basically what happened,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday. “They were together at Camp David. They came back together.”

Hunter Biden was also seen entering the East Room of the White House ahead of the Medal of Honor ceremony on Wednesday.

A federal jury found the president’s son guilty last month on all three federal felony gun charges he faced. The president’s son has been a central witness to the GOP-led impeachment inquiry into the president that remains stalled. 

President Joe Biden is keeping Vice President Kamala Harris intentionally close today, inviting her to join the evening meeting with Democratic governors at the White House, sharing lunch in his private dining room and taking part in a joint appearance during a call with campaign staff in Wilmington.

The overarching message, a senior campaign adviser tells CNN: “He’s with her.”

The president continues to publicly declare his intention to stay in the race. But should he decide to step aside, a succession plan for the Democratic presidential campaign against Donald Trump is taking shape that is expected to fully highlight the Biden-Harris relationship.

To be sure, Harris is going to great lengths to avoid being seen as getting ahead of the president. She told her team again today the timing of this decision “is Biden’s alone to make,” one aide said.

At the White House tonight, it was notable that the president and his advisers invited Harris to join the meeting with governors, which places her in the same room as some of the very men and women who could become challengers – or, as the contingency plan lays out – potential running mates of her own, should Biden end his bid for reelection.

With four months remaining until Election Day, senior campaign advisers said it would be malpractice to not make contingency plans. The virtual roll call is expected to take place weeks before the Aug. 19 convention in Chicago, which accelerates the decision facing the campaign.

If Harris ultimately became the Democratic presidential nominee, she would inherit the political infrastructure and robust war chest, considering it is the Biden-Harris campaign.

The Democratic succession plan is waiting for one thing above all, advisers say: Biden.

President Joe Biden attends a Medal of Honor Ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 3.

President Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Honor on Wednesday to two Civil War Army soldiers amid questions about his political future in the wake of last week’s CNN presidential debate.

The president detailed the stories of Philip Shadrach and George Wilson, who infiltrated a Confederate train on behalf of the Union. Both were executed for their part in a daring mission against the Confederacy. Descendants of both Shadrach and Wilson attended the ceremony.

The president pointed to Thursday’s holiday as a “reminder” of why history is important.

The president spoke for approximately 10 minutes and read his remarks off a teleprompter in the East Room of the White House. 

The president’s son, Hunter Biden, entered the East Room ahead of the ceremony. This comes after he was found guilty on three felony gun charges last month and has been reported to be sitting in on White House meetings.

Wednesday’s ceremony comes amid reporting from CNN’s MJ Lee that the president has privately acknowledged to an ally Tuesday that the next stretch of days are critical for whether he can save his reelection bid.

The White House has denied reports on Biden’s private acknowledgments of his candidacy’s peril and said he’s “absolutely not” considering stepping down after his poor debate performance.

Read more about the ceremony here.

Rep. Raul Grijalva, a Democrat of Arizona, is seen in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Wednesday, September 27, 2023. 

Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona has become the second sitting Democrat in Congress to call on President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race, according to an interview with The New York Times.

Grijalva joins Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas as just one of two elected Democrats on Capitol Hill to call for Biden to step down from the ticket.

CNN has reached out to Grijalva’s office for comment.

Read more about Grijalva’s call for Biden to withdraw.

President Joe Biden during the CNN Presidential Debate on June 27 in Atlanta.

Three House Democratic lawmakers say they have been besieged with hundreds of texts, phones ringing off the hook and numerous video calls as the party looks to blunt the fallout from President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance last week and determine what’s next ahead of November.

The lawmakers, speaking on the condition of anonymity with CNN’s Jake Tapper, painted a feverish mood within the House Democratic Caucus as Biden has privately acknowledged that the next stretch of days is crucial to his campaign as he faces a growing number of calls to step aside as the party’s presumptive presidential nominee or risk the party’s chances of keeping the White House and winning back control of the House.

One House Democrat pointed to the prevailing fear that Biden remaining at the top of the ticket could negatively affect House races. “Polling of House members is cratering. We all are out-performing the president, but that’s not sustainable,” the member told Tapper.

A third House Democrat said they had believed the Biden campaign and the White House when they publicly lauded the president as healthy — until they watched the debate.

“I thought he was older. I thought he wasn’t as quick, but, man, I didn’t think this,” the member told Tapper, adding that “sometimes when you’re with someone every day who’s declining, you don’t see as clearly. You see what you want to see.” The lawmaker went on to say, “You can see difference even from where he was at the State of The Union.”

The first House member told CNN there is a split forming in the party “between staying the course” with Biden or moving to Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s candidate.

“It’s not an easy call,” the second member said.

The third House Democrat said they don’t have in mind a “perfect candidate.”

“I just want to beat (Donald) Trump, and I don’t think Biden can do that,” they said.

During an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, California Democrat Rep. Katie Porter said that the White House “fumbled” the strategy for damage control in response to President Joe Biden’s debate performance last Thursday.

For Porter, there are “as many questions about President Biden’s advisers, both those who did the debate prep and those who are continuing to give him advice, as there are for me about President Biden himself.”

She encouraged the president to “get out there and earn the trust of the American people,” and not just contact top Democrats in Congress as Biden has done in recent days.

Should Biden step down, Porter said there should be “a robust democratic process” to determine the Democratic nominee who will face Donald Trump this fall. But she echoed other Democrats’ support of Vice President Kamala Harris’s hypothetical candidacy saying “she would be a strong candidate to take on President Trump and to win in November.”

Porter – a proponent of government transparency – also highlighted the aging population of elected representatives in Washington, DC, saying “Washington needs to be more transparent and hold itself more accountable.”

The post was updated with Porter’s comments about what should happen if Biden were to step down.

Vice President Kamala Harris looks on during a campaign event at Girard College in Philadelphia, on May 29.

Vice President Kamala Harris will attend tonight’s meeting with Democratic governors at the White House, two officials tell CNN, placing her in the same room as many potential challengers or possible running mates should President Joe Biden ultimately make the decision to step aside.

A new CNN Poll of Polls on the presidential race finds former President Donald Trump currently leading President Joe Biden, 49% to 44%, in head-to-head polls conducted entirely after Thursday’s presidential debate.

The Poll of Polls average includes four surveys conducted post-debate: a CNN poll (Trump 49%, Biden 43% among registered voters), a CBS/YouGov poll (Trump 50%, Biden 48% among likely voters), a New York Times/Siena College poll (Trump 49%, Biden 41% among registered voters) and a Wall Street Journal poll (Trump 48%, Biden 42% among registered voters).

CNN’s polling has found Trump leading by a consistent margin since last fall. CBS/YouGov and New York Times/Siena polls taken immediately pre- and post-debate both found the race relatively stable over that time, but with Trump’s margin showing a slight uptick within each poll’s margin of error. The Wall Street Journal, whose previous poll was conducted in February, also showed a shift toward Trump over that broader time period.

President Lyndon B. Johnson tells a nationwide audience that he would not seek nor accept "the nomination of my party for another term as your president," on March 31, 1968.

President Joe Biden, who is dogged by questions about his acuity, has privately acknowledged that the next few days are a critical test of his reelection campaign, according to CNN’s latest report.

He remains publicly defiant and insists he will remain in the race. But he would not be the first president to step aside rather than seek reelection if he ultimately makes that decision.

Most recently, in 1968, Lyndon B. Johnson shocked the country when he made the surprise announcement that he would not run at the end of an Oval Office speech on his plan to limit US military operations in Vietnam. Here’s part of that address:

Nearly 60 years old when he made that speech, Johnson looked much older. He would die of a sudden heart attack in 1973 at 64, before eligibility for retirement programs like Medicare, which he signed into law, and Social Security, which he expanded.

By the time he bowed out of the race, Johnson, unlike Biden, was facing multiple challenges for the Democratic nomination in the spring of 1968. Racial strife in the US, paired with a country fractured over the war in Vietnam, hurt Johnson’s popularity. In early 1968, the Tet offensive in Vietnam showed Communist forces there to be must stronger than the US military had claimed, and American casualties in the war mounted.

Read more about Johnson’s decision not to run for a second term.

President Joe Biden still believes that he is a “transition candidate,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday. She added during the news briefing that Vice President Kamala Harris is the “future of the party.” 

Campaigning alongside Harris, Sen. Cory Booker and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in March 2020, Biden called himself a “bridge” to future Democratic leaders. 

“Look, I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else,” Biden said in 2020. “There’s an entire generation of leaders you saw stand behind me. They are the future of this country.”

Trump co-campaign managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles issued a new statement Wednesday arguing President Joe Biden is “not fit for the White House,” and accused “Democrats, the main stream media, and the swamp” of lying about Biden’s cognitive state. 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre conceded Wednesday that she was aware of President Joe Biden’s jetlag and foreign trip fatigue on Tuesday during the press briefing, but did not mention it as she sought to explain his debate performance.

Biden, during a fundraiser in Virginia on Tuesday evening, pointed to his recent trips to France and Italy – though he had nearly two weeks back in the US ahead of the debate – as an explanation for his poor performance. But Jean-Pierre fielded repeated questions from reporters on the matter earlier in the day and did not include those explanations.

The excuse comes even as before the debate, top advisers had repeatedly and emphatically cited his aggressive schedules during international travel as examples of his vitality and capacity to do the job at 81.

Pressed once more, Jean-Pierre again blamed the performance on the jetlag and the cold, but emphasized that she was not making excuses but “giving an explanation” in response to questions from reporters. 

“The only reason we’re sharing this is because it was asked of me here, and the president certainly wanted to give an explanation himself. And that’s what he did yesterday. We want to — we understand that it wasn’t his best night. It wasn’t a great debate. We understand that. And we understand what supporters saw, what the American people saw and what you all saw. And so we wanted to give an explanation,” she said.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 3. 

President Joe Biden has not had a medical exam since his February physical, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday. 

Biden’s doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, said in a memo following his February physical that an “extremely detailed” neurologic exam found no findings that would be consistent with neurological disorders such as stroke, multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. O’Connor also said in his February memo that there were “no new concerns” with the president’s health revealed by this year’s physical.

President Joe Biden remained defiant and emphatically stated to his team that he’s running and “no one is pushing me out,” according to a source familiar with the all-staff call with his campaign team.

He acknowledged that “the past few days have been tough” and that aides have been getting calls and questions.

President Joe Biden is “absolutely not” considering stepping down, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday.

She was asked whether anything would change the president’s calculation on dropping out. Sidestepping, she instead said that she “cannot” lay out the circumstances that would change the president’s mind.

Separately, Jean-Pierre sidestepped a question on whether Biden takes daily naps after the New York Times reported that Biden was given time for an afternoon nap every day during his Camp David debate preparation. 

“This is a president that wakes up every morning and puts the American people first. That’s what he does. He does that every single day. That is his focus,” Jean-Pierre said, adding that he “pushed through” the debate – and a robust schedule in the hours and days afterward – despite having what sources confirmed to be a cold.

This post was updated with Jean-Pierre’s response to a question about Biden taking naps.

President Joe Biden has taped two interviews with Black radio stations in battleground states set to air Thursday, the White House said.

The interview comes as Biden takes advice from key allies to get out more in the public sphere following his debate performance and resulting turmoil. 

Biden spoke with Earl Ingram of Civic Media’s “The Earl Ingram Show” in Wisconsin, as well as Andrea Lawful-Sanders of “The Source” in Philadelphia, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday. 

The interviews mark the latest move by Biden to right the ship and calm intraparty anxiety following Thursday’s debate performance — a move aimed at reassuring voters that he is up to the task of another term.

Biden is set to meet with Democratic governors later Wednesday. He will travel to Wisconsin on Friday, where he will sit for an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. He will also travel to Pennsylvania on Sunday. And next week, Biden will host a news conference at the NATO Summit in Washington.  

But it remains unclear whether these steps will quell concerns about his age – with all eyes on the president and how he handles more casual, unscripted moments amid mounting pressure within his own party.

The House Democratic leadership are holding a call today, a source familiar tells CNN.

It is unclear what time the call is or what the specified agenda is, but the call comes as panic on Capitol Hill has reached an all-time high in the wake of President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance, including from lawmakers running in competitive districts who say Biden remaining on the ticket will hurt their chances of winning in November. 

The question in Democratic circles right now is if the dam is about to break against Biden or if the president and his campaign will be able to successfully appease concerns from anxious lawmakers and party leaders.

This Democratic lawmaker said this was the first time since Biden’s disastrous debate performance that delegates and rank and file Democratic voters expressed their desire for Biden to step aside.

President Joe Biden talks on the phone as he and first lady Jill Biden, with their granddaughters Finnegan and Natalie Biden, depart Burlington County, New Jersey, after campaign receptions in New York and New Jersey, on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

President Joe Biden’s family remains “all in” on him remaining in the 2024 race even as questions swirl about the future of his candidacy, a source familiar with the family’s thinking says.

First lady Jill Biden, the president’s closest confidant, is currently on the road in the battleground state of Michigan, attending two official White House events in Middleville to highlight summer nutrition programs and a Hidden Helpers summer camp for children from military families.

“I’m here today because my husband, President Biden, is helping to ease the stress of higher costs for parents in Michigan and across the country,” the first lady said in Middleville, according to remarks prepared for delivery.

The first lady is also set to participate in a campaign office opening in Traverse City with Chasten Buttigieg, the spouse of Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. She is expected to travel back to the White House Wednesday evening.

A former Biden aide says the president and the first lady would not make any significant decision without consulting the other.

“They don’t make significant decisions in any part of their lives without consulting the other. She is a trustworthy sounding board for him, he always wants to know what she thinks, what her opinion is,” the aide said.

Another former Biden aide said any decision on the president’s future would not be made by Jill Biden alone, but rather the very small inner circle of family members – namely, this source said, Ashley Biden, Hunter Biden and Valerie Biden.

Members of Biden’s family are expected to be on hand for Fourth of July festivities at the White House tomorrow. The president and the first lady are expected to speak together at an event in Philadelphia on Sunday and will spend the rest of the weekend at their home in Wilmington, Delaware. It is possible other family will join the couple in Delaware as well.

With his White House and campaign in crisis mode, President Joe Biden doubled down on his commitment to staying in the race during an all-staff call with his campaign Wednesday afternoon. 

Biden “acknowledged the tough past few days, and said unequivocally to his team he is running for reelection and he is going to beat Donald Trump,” another source familiar with the call told CNN.  

Vice President Kamala Harris, who is dismissing calls to replace Biden, told the team that she will follow Biden’s lead.

“We will not back down. We will follow our president’s lead. We will fight, and we will win,” Harris said, according to the source. 

Biden concluded, according to the source: “There is no one I’d rather be in this battle with than all of you. So let’s link arms. Let’s get this done. You, me, the vice president. Together.”

Former President Donald Trump leads President Joe Biden 49% to 41% among registered voters in a new poll from the New York Times and Siena College. In the last Times/Siena poll, Trump led 48% to 42%.

Among all registered voters, 60% say there should be a different Democratic nominee than Biden, that was 64% before Thursday’s debate. Among Democrats, about half, 47%, said there should be a different Democratic nominee, that was a similar 45% in the pre-debate poll.

Still, 74% of voters nationwide, including 59% of Democrats and 62% of all voters who backed Biden in the 2020 election, say they agree that the president is too old to be an effective president. Before the debate, 69% of all voters and 51% of Democrats felt that way.

As in CNN’s latest polling on the race, more have a favorable view of Trump (42%) than do so of Biden (36%), but both men are deeply underwater.

The survey finds Biden’s job approval rating at 34% approve to 62% disapprove among registered voters.

More about the poll: The poll was conducted by telephone June 28-July 2 among a random national sample of 1,532 registered voters. Results among registered voters have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients arrives for President Joe Biden's the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 7.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients held an all-staff call for less than 10 minutes to encourage the team to tune out the chatter and press ahead with their work, even as questions about President Joe Biden’s candidacy swirl following his halting debate performance last week, one source who participated on the call said.

Zients, who did not take questions on the call, told staff that the “strong campaign team” will focus on the reelection efforts while staff at the White House should focus on executing the work of the administration, the source said.

The chief of staff decided to convene a call with White House staff in part to acknowledge the challenges of the post-debate period, a White House official said. In a previous meeting with senior staff on Friday, Zients and senior adviser Anita Dunn spoke about the president’s debate performance and the expected difficult period ahead, the official said.

On Wednesday’s call, Zients quoted the president’s remarks at a North Carolina rally Friday declaring, “When you get knocked down, you get back up.”

“That’s what he is doing and that’s what we all need to do,” he said.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris called into the Biden campaign’s all-staff call today, a source familiar with the call says.

The source described it as a “pep talk” in which Biden and Harris detailed the stakes of the election. Biden reiterated that when you get knocked down, you get back up — a familiar refrain from the past week.

The call has now wrapped. 

In an email to staff earlier this morning obtained by CNN, campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said the campaign would be hosting more all-staff calls “more frequently” as they called on staff to “help everyone understand the full picture on the president’s support,” to “amplify the president’s engagements and our grassroots energy,” and to “remind people of the choice.” 

Rep. Debbie Dingell speaks to reporters outside of a closed-door interview with former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, not pictured, before the House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Coronavirus Pandemic on Capitol Hill, on June 11 in Washington, DC. 

Michigan Democratic Rep. Debbie Dingell responded to Hunter Biden joining the president in at least one White House meeting by saying “you’ve gotta be smart” during an interview on MSNBC Wednesday.

Dingell said that the American people are watching President Joe Biden’s “every single move.” She did acknowledge that she did not “know what the meetings are.”

The Michigander reaffirmed her support for the president and encouraged Biden to show voters that “he has the stamina and can do the job” by engaging with voters in a sustained manner. Dingell also praised his record, claiming “we have gotten more policy that has helped the working families put people over politics in the last four years than you’ve seen in decades.”

“I love this man,” Dingell proclaimed, detailing her long personal history with the president and first lady Jill Biden and expressed gratitude for their friendship, specifically highlighting the Bidens’ support when her husband – John Dingell – passed away in 2019. “Joe Biden at his best is when he’s with people,” she said.

The congresswoman did criticize the president for his delay in calling House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer saying, “he should have called [them] on Friday.” Biden has since called both leaders.

President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke on Wednesday morning, according to a White House official.

Biden also spoke with Democratic Rep. James Clyburn, a Biden-Harris campaign co-chair, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who sits on the campaign’s national advisory board, the official said.

Clyburn had told CNN earlier Wednesday that he had not spoken to President Biden yet.

President Joe Biden has privately acknowledged that the next stretch of days are critical to whether he can save his reelection bid for president, making clear to an ally Tuesday that he understands what would prompt him to accept: “It’s just not working.”

“He sees the moment. He’s clear-eyed,” this person told CNN.

There is no ambiguity for the president about what series of events in the coming weeks would ultimately prompt him to acknowledge that his attempt to make amends for last week’s disastrous debate on CNN aren’t working.

It would be a scenario in which “the polls are plummeting, the fundraising is drying up, and the interviews are going badly,” that person said. “He’s not oblivious.”

In the days since Biden’s stunningly halting debate showing, Democrats across the country have expressed grave concern. Some elected officials have even begun to publicly call on Biden to drop out for the good of the party.

The New York Times reported separately on Wednesday that Biden acknowledged that he may not be able to save his campaign if he does not perform well in public events over the next several days. The White House denied that reporting.

In Tuesday’s private conversation, Biden was also “chastened” as he “blamed himself” – not his staff – for the debate performance, the person told CNN. 

“He said: ‘I have done way too much foreign policy,’” this person said. “He said to me: ‘I have over done it. I did too much travel. I did too much back and forth. I did too much time change. I had a cold. That was a mistake.’ ”

The president was referring to his back-to-back trips to France and Italy right before the debate – though he had nearly two weeks back in the US ahead of the debate. But as much as Biden suggested that the jet lag and exhaustion from his travels had been detrimental, he also signaled that he wanted to put the debate in the rearview mirror in his conversation with the ally. 

And at one point in their conversation, Biden asked this person for advice – and then there was silence, the person told CNN, as the president waited for input.

The president said at a fundraiser in Virginia Tuesday night that going on two significant foreign trips right before the debate had been a bad idea.

This post has been updated with additional reporting.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear speak during the National Governors Association Winter Meeting in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 23.

President Joe Biden is expected to meet with more than 20 Democratic governors Wednesday.

The group includes some state executives mentioned as potential replacements – as the incumbent attempts to address concerns within the party following his poor debate performance.  

Two sources familiar with the meeting tell CNN that among those planning to attend in person are:

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is also expected to attend the meeting at the White House in person, according to a source familiar with her plans. 

Other governors are expected to attend by Zoom or phone, including North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

CNN has reached out to the White House for a full accounting of attendees. The event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET in the Roosevelt Room and is closed to press.

CNN’s Jake Tapper first reported Tuesday that Walz had organized a call with Democratic governors to air their concerns about Biden after his shaky debate showing last week. Some of the governors wanted to meet with the White House to discuss their concerns, sources told Tapper.

CNN’s Dianne Gallagher contributed reporting to this post.

A leading anti-abortion group is pushing back after the Republican Party decided to close off deliberations of the platform ahead of its convention later this month.

“This gag rule cannot reflect the position of President Trump,” Perkins wrote, “who has been the target of these types of tactics from the Left, who want to silence their opponents.”

The letter comes on the heels of a memo circulated last week by Trump campaign co-chairs Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita outlining plans for a scaled back party platform more closely aligned with the former president’s agenda. The intention is also for the delegates who will craft the platform to meet behind closed doors and out of the view of lobbyists and conservative groups with a vested interest in the party’s priorities going forward. For the first time in decades, the proceedings will not be televised on C-SPAN.

In the past, while only delegates could vote on the platform and speak during meetings, interest groups were allowed to watch the proceedings and could attempt to persuade platform committee members in between sessions.

The upcoming deliberations were already set to take place amid intensifying anxiety from conservative groups, especially as the party crafts its first official position on abortion since the fall of Roe v. Wade. Trump has backed off his past support for a national abortion ban that the party has advocated for in its platform for decades, and anti-abortion groups have warned against removing the language to match Trump’s latest stance on the issue.

Quentin Fulks, a top Biden-Harris campaign aide, called reporting from the New York Times “false” during an interview on CNN Wednesday.

The New York Times has reported that Biden “told a key ally that he knows he may not be able to salvage his candidacy if he cannot convince the public in the coming days that he is up for the job” after his debate performance. A Biden ally also told CNN that Biden has privately acknowledged that the coming days will be critical for his reelection campaign as he attempts to prove to the American people that he is up to the job.

When asked if Biden’s upcoming interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos and recent poor polling will play into Biden’s decision to stay into the race, Fulks said, “I don’t think that those are going to make a decision.” He added that the campaign wants the events to go well, but Fulks does not “think that [these events have] a bearing on whether somebody is going to continue running for president of the United States.”

“The president has been having conversations with a number of Democratic leaders,” Fulks said. “I think what we’re sensing from people is a sense of urgency and fear from Donald Trump.” He said Biden has been reassuring these leaders that he is still in this race.

Fulks also drew contrast with Trump, highlighting that the former president has been largely silent since the debate, participating in few campaign events.

The White House has also denied the New York Times reporting.

Sen. JD Vance and Sen. Marco Rubio.

The two Republican senators on Donald Trump’s shortlist for potential running mates may have to overcome some political baggage in the form of their home-state governors to get the nod.

If Trump picks either Marco Rubio of Florida or JD Vance of Ohio, the senator’s successor would be chosen by a Republican governor who has engaged in high-profile clashes with the former president.

In Florida, that honor would go to Gov. Ron DeSantis, a onetime ally viewed more recently by Trump as “disloyal” for launching a rival presidential campaign. If Vance is picked, his Ohio replacement would be appointed by Gov. Mike DeWine, who has rarely seen eye to eye with the former president.

It’s a fact that allies of Vance and Rubio are acutely aware of in the intensifying final days leading up to Trump’s announcement — and one they are trying to mitigate against by insisting the other senator has it worse. Pro-Rubio forces have suggested to those who will listen that DeWine would likely replace Vance with someone unaligned with Trump’s MAGA movement.

“It would be a step backwards for the America First agenda,” one such Rubio backer said in making the case against Vance.

Read more about the hurdles potential vice president candidates face.

Rep. James Clyburn speaks before US Vice President Kamala Harris at South Carolina State University during a campaign event in Orangeburg, South Carolina, on February 2.

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn, a co-chair of the Biden-Harris 2024 campaign, said that he has yet to speak directly with President Joe Biden since his debate performance six days ago.

Clyburn has also not spoken with Biden’s campaign staff but has “been in touch with his personal staff.” CNN has previously reported that top Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, received phone calls from Biden yesterday.

Clyburn also attended several campaign events in Florida and Wisconsin where he heard “nothing but full support” for Biden.

The Palmetto State congressman also reiterated his backing for Vice President Kamala Harris, if Biden decided to withdraw. Clyburn said he would encourage a “mini primary” during the Democratic National Convention’s roll call vote but said Harris would prevail.

People wave signs at a post-debate campaign rally for President Joe Biden on June 28, in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

As President Biden faces questions about the viability of his reelection bid, one of the top questions is what happens to his campaign cash if he drops out.

It’s a significant war chest that totaled $240 million at the end of June, including the Democratic National Convention and allied committees, according to an announcement from Biden’s campaign on Tuesday. At the end of May, Biden’s campaign account alone held $91.6 million, according to the most recent available data from the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

If Vice President Kamala Harris were tapped as a replacement nominee, she would take over the existing campaign account, and have control of funds deposited there, per FEC rules.

If the race were thrown open, the Biden-Harris campaign could transfer all of its cash on hand to the Democratic National Committee, as FEC rules permit unlimited transfers from candidate committees to national party committees.

The DNC could use those funds in several ways to support a new nominee, and could distribute that money to a variety of other down ballot candidates and allied committees – but in doing so, the DNC would be limited by FEC rules governing spending and contributions for national party committees. 

Biden’s campaign could also be converted into a PAC (political action committee) and largely retain control of its war chest. But it would then be governed by FEC rules for PACs, which restrict contributions to $5,000, sharply limiting its ability to distribute the tens of millions of dollars in cash on hand.

As a PAC, Biden’s funds could also be spent on independent expenditures, such as costly advertising campaigns, to support other candidates, including a new presidential candidate. The new PAC, however, would not be able to coordinate those spending activities with any of the candidates it supports, and would face disadvantageous advertising rates.

The Biden campaign is holding an all-staff call on Wednesday afternoon as President Joe Biden’s candidacy is in question, with a top official calling on the team to amplify support for the president. 

Until then, the campaign leaders called on staff to “help everyone understand the full picture on the president’s support,” to “amplify the president’s engagements and our grassroots energy,” and to “remind people of the choice.”

The memo reflects recognition at the highest levels that Biden’s support could be slipping.“We need to stay focused on our job of talking to voters about the choice in this election,” they wrote.

Dillon and Rodriguez shared internal polling reflecting a steady race, noting that polls “are a snapshot in time” and could fluctuate.

They also noted Biden’s schedule on Wednesday, including a Medal of Honor ceremony and a meeting with Democratic governors, and looked ahead to a campaign event set for Friday in Madison, Wisconsin, where the president is expected to sit for an interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos. 

Dillon and Rodriguez highlighted an ad released earlier Wednesday, and called on their team to send it to their networks: “We must remind people of the choice in this election: an unhinged dictator or Joe Biden, who is fighting for you.”

This is separate from White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients’ planned call with White House staffers.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett speaks during a news conference on July 25, 2023 in Washington, DC.

Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett says he’s been hearing “some positive comments” from his Democratic colleagues after calling for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the race on CNN News Central this morning.

Rep. Doggett tells CNN that he doesn’t know if any more of his Democratic colleagues will call on Biden to withdraw, claiming many are “not in my position” as a long-tenured House member in a safely-Democratic district and that others can’t take a position “that is different than the president” without jeopardizing their careers.

The Texas congressman said President Biden’s limited schedule since the debate “tells me they’re pursuing the wrong strategy or they have a problem” by not doing more unscripted events to assuage voters’ concerns about his mental fitness.

Biden will be interviewed by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in an interview set to air Sunday and hold a solo press conference during the NATO summit next week, according to the White House.

Doggett praised Vice President Kamala Harris as “a talented woman and someone who should be in the mix, but this is not a matter of just passing the mantle to her,” saying there should be “a fair and open process over the coming weeks to let the American people see this, develop the enthusiasm we haven’t had and get behind” a new nominee.

President Joe Biden needs to do far more to quell Democratic panic over his terrible performance at his debate showdown with former President Donald Trump, and fast.

After Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett on Tuesday became the first Democratic lawmaker to break ranks and demand Biden step aside, top party figures are now asking for more openness and details on the president’s health and mental state as the anxiety about his reelection campaign evolves into an increasingly genuine threat to his grip on the Democratic nomination.

Every effort the president and his White House and campaign teams make to fix the problem end up exacerbating it. Biden, for instance, on Tuesday evening joked to donors that he “almost fell asleep onstage” with Trump after two grueling trips to Europe last month. It was an odd way to parry claims that he is no longer fit for the demanding duties of his office as he asks for a second term at age 81.

The fallout from the debate has created another extraordinary twist in a stunning campaign featuring two presidents, one who is a convicted felon, and the other who is already the oldest to hold the job in history. The debate crystalized many fears of Democrats about Biden’s prospects and played into months of claims by Trump, 78, that his rival is weak and mentally diminished.

Read Collinson’s full analysis here.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer looks on as President Joe Biden speaks at an event marking the 12th anniversary of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) at the White House in Washington, DC, on June 18.

President Joe Biden spoke with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday, a Biden campaign official tells CNN, amid mounting concerns about his candidacy from key Democrats following last week’s presidential debate.

Yesterday marked the first time that Biden spoke with the Democratic leaders since the debate. CNN previously reported that Biden spoke with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Tuesday.

CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.

In the days since Joe Biden’s disappointing debate performance, a number of Democrats running in competitive districts have expressed their fear to the Biden campaign and the White House that the president remaining at the top of the ticket not only hurts the party’s chances of holding on to the presidency, but the coveted goal of winning back the House of Representatives from GOP control. 

The Democratic lawmakers have expressed their belief that Biden could suppress voter turnout, which will be the deciding factor in a number of key races, and therefore hurt their ability to win in November, according to multiple sources familiar with the conversations. 

Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, who represents a largely rural district in Maine that twice backed former President Donald Trump, said Tuesday in an op-ed he expects Trump to win in November “and I’m OK with that.”

Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Washington state congresswoman, said Tuesday she believes Biden will lose to former President Donald Trump but stopped short of calling for him to drop out of the race.

In particular, Democrats in the hardest to win general election matchups are feeling the heat.

“The frontliners are not hesitating to tell the campaign how they feel” one Democratic lawmaker familiar with the conversations told CNN. “They are saying they are going to lose if they have to run with Joe Biden.”

Retiring Rep. Anne Kuster, who represents a hotly contested swing seat in New Hampshire, told CNN’s Kasie Hunt she’s been in touch with both the White House and Biden campaign “about concerns about the president’s well-being are impacting house races, particularly challenging districts.”

The White House tried to quell concerns Tuesday, with spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre opening her briefing saying: “First of all, I want to say, we understand the concerns. We get it. The president did not have a great night.” She later added: “We’re not taking away from what the American people saw.”

CNN’s Kasie Hunt contributed reporting to this post.

The Biden campaign is releasing a new television ad in battleground states seizing on the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity, leveling pointed criticism toward the nation’s highest court and former President Donald Trump.

“Nearly 250 years ago, America was founded in defiance of a king, under the belief that no one is above the law, not even the president. Until now,” the narrator says as video of Trump flashes across the screen.

The 30-second TV spot then features an image of the six conservative Supreme Court justices as the narrator says, “The same Trump Supreme Court that overturned Roe v. Wade ruled that the president can ignore the law even to commit a crime because Donald Trump asked them to.”

“He’s already led an insurrection and threatened to be a dictator on day one,” the narrator continues. “Donald Trump can never hold this office again.”

The ad, titled “250 Years,” is set to run in battleground states and will be part of a seven-figure buy, according to a campaign official who declined to provide an exact dollar amount. It will run on networks that “over-index” for younger and diverse audiences, including ESPN, TNT, Bravo, FX, Freeform, and Comedy Central, the official said. The spot will also air during sporting events and other “large-viewership moments like national news programs.”

Read more about the TV ad here.

President Joe Biden called House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Tuesday.

This marked the first time the president spoke with Jeffries since Biden’s halting debate performance last week that set off widespread panic within the party, including among House Democratic lawmakers.

CNN has reached out to Jeffries’ office for comment.

On Monday, Biden reached out to Sen. Chris Coons, according to a source familiar. 

Coons is a longtime friend and co-chair of Biden’s re-election campaign, and has been one of the staunchest public defenders of the president since last week’s debate debacle.

Rep. Annie Kuster speaks in Baltimore, Maryland, in March 2023.

New Hampshire Democratic Rep. Annie Kuster, who is retiring from a swing district in a critical state, said that President Joe Biden’s has always done the right thing for the country, amid concerns around his mental fitness.

Kuster said she feels this way because the stakes are so high. “They almost killed me on January 6.The stakes are very high. I’m trying to save our democracy,” she said.

A new CBS News/YouGov poll nationally and in seven key battleground states finds the presidential race picture largely unchanged nationally after Thursday’s debate, 50% of likely voters nationwide back Donald Trump, 48% Joe Biden, about the same as in CBS’s pre-debate poll.

Across battleground states, 51% back Trump, 48% Biden. CBS did not provide a state-by-state breakdown of results in the battlegrounds, which include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

About seven in 10 registered voters in this poll say Biden should not be running (69%, slightly down from the 72% who said so in a CBS poll released over the weekend), including 41% of Democrats (a slight downtick from 46% who said so in the June 28-29 poll) and 78% of independents (that was 82% in the prior post-debate poll). 

Republicans in the poll are more likely to say they will definitely vote in the presidential election this year than are Democrats (90% of Republican registered voters nationwide say so, compared with 81% of Democrats), and CBS reports the divide is similar in the battlegrounds.

More in the poll nationwide say that Trump is energetic (65%), effective (51%) and competent (48%) than say the same about Biden (18% energetic, 40% effective, 39% competent). And 69% consider Biden’s age a factor in their vote, compared with 48% who say Trump’s age is one. 

Overall, 53% of voters say Thursday’s presidential debate made them think worse of Biden, including 61% of independents and 28% of Democrats, just 9% of all voters said it made them think better of Biden and 38% that it caused no change. For Trump, 27% say it made them think worse of him, 25% better, with 48% saying no change. 

More on the poll: The poll was conducted online among a random national sample of 2,836 registered voters from June 28 through July 2 and has a 2.3 point error margin for national results and 4.4 points for results in the battleground states. 

Meanwhile, here’s a look at what a recent CNN poll shows:

Gov. Gavin Newsom appears with a group of fellow democrats to speak to reporters in the spin room following the CNN Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump at the McCamish Pavilion on the Georgia Institute of Technology campus on June 27 in Atlanta.

Multiple Democratic governors will fly to Washington, DC, on Wednesday, seeking reassurances in a quickly scheduled meeting with President Joe Biden about whether he will remain in the campaign. 

The meeting was arranged after a phone call was held on Monday with some of the nation’s Democratic governors where they discussed their concerns following Biden’s debate performance.

Among those flying in, according to sources familiar, are Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who are both being discussed as potential replacements to be the nominee. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, who helped arrange the meeting as the Democratic Governors Association chair will also be at the meeting, as will New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and several others.

Some governors will join virtually, including New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro whom a spokesman tells CNN will “stay in Pennsylvania tomorrow and continue working with Democratic and Republican leaders in the legislature to close a budget deal.”

Vice President Kamala Harris gives remarks on June 17 in Washington, DC. 

Vice President Kamala Harris’ camp is digging in and dismissing calls for her to replace President Joe Biden on the ticket amid escalating calls for Biden to step aside and new polling showing the vice president outpacing Biden in a hypothetical race against Donald Trump. 

Harris and Biden are scheduled to have lunch at the White House on Wednesday. They have spoken multiple times since Thursday’s debate, two sources familiar with the conversations said.

The mandate among Harris campaign staff is to remain firm, stay in line, and keep the focus on the Biden-Harris ticket, one source told CNN. The vice president’s staff received similar guidance in a virtual staff meeting Monday to follow the vice president’s lead and keep heads down, another source told CNN.  

The internal marching orders echo the message Harris is taking on the trail. On Tuesday, Harris again batted down the idea of running in Biden’s place during a brief interview with CBS: “Look, Joe Biden is our nominee. We beat Trump once and we’re going to beat him again, period,” she said.  “I am proud to be Joe Biden’s running mate,” she later added. 

The latest CNN poll conducted following last week’s debate shows Harris within striking distance of Trump in a hypothetical matchup: 47% of registered voters support Trump and 45% Harris, a result within the margin of error that suggests there is no clear leader under such a scenario.

Former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan publicly called on Democrats to replace Biden with Harris. 

In the immediate fallout from the debate, Harris’ staff made phone calls to check in with Democratic officials, trying to reassure them, remind them of Biden’s record and agenda, and call on them to remain united, CNN previously reported. 

Sources close to the vice president have repeatedly maintained that she is fiercely loyal to Biden, arguing that her public statements since last week’s CNN-hosted presidential debate reflect where she is.  

CNN’s Arlette Saenz contributed reporting to this post.

President Joe Biden departs after speaking to the media following the Supreme Court's ruling on charges against former President Donald Trump that he sought to subvert the 2020 election, at the White House on July 1 in Washington, DC.

Defiance has become as much a part of Joe Biden’s psychology as Delaware.

But as the president and his inner circle dig in following his disastrous debate performance last week, a growing number of Democratic leaders are saying they want him to step aside for the good of the party – and the country.

Democratic Rep. Lloyd Doggett of Texas was the first to break ranks.

“I represent the heart of a congressional district once represented by Lyndon Johnson. Under very different circumstances, he made the painful decision to withdraw. President Biden should do the same,” Doggett said in his statement Tuesday.

“There’s a large and increasing group of House Democrats concerned about the president’s candidacy, representing a broad swath of the caucus,” another House Democratic lawmaker told CNN on condition of anonymity to speak candidly. “We are deeply concerned about his trajectory and his ability to win. We want to give him space to make a decision [to step aside], but we will be increasingly vocal about our concerns if he doesn’t.”

Biden is expected to meet Wednesday with Democratic governors and congressional leaders, the White House said Tuesday. The announcement came after CNN reported that some governors expressed concerns about the president’s debate performance. The governors, one source said, were worried about going public with their concerns out of fear it would lead to Biden digging in further.

Keep reading here about Democrats who are calling for Biden to step aside.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer continues to support President Joe Biden following his debate performance saying, “I’m with Joe Biden.”

“I’m with Joe Biden. We’ve worked hard together for four years and delivered a lot for America and for Central New York,” Schumer said speaking to reporters Tuesday in Syracuse for event awarding funding under the CHIPS & Science Law

“I’m for Biden,” he continued.

Schumer comments come as CNN reported that a growing number of Democratic leaders are saying they want Biden to step aside.

Schumer also continued to weigh in on the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling.

“I thought it was an awful decision. I thought no president should be above the law and you shouldn’t say, oh, under certain actions they can be above the law. Ok. Everyone has to obey the law from the president to the average person,” Schumer said.

Schumer on Monday called the decision a “sad day for our democracy” in a post on X.