Biden Raises Kamala Harris' Hand in Show of Unity as Donors, Voters Revolt

President Joe Biden raised Vice President Kamala Harris' hand on the Truman Balcony of the White House in a show of unity during Thursday night's Independence Day fireworks display.

The Fourth of July event occurred as donors and voters continue to revolt from the campaign of Biden, 81, following the president's poor debate performance against former President Donald Trump last week.

Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has established a sizable lead over the Democratic incumbent Biden in the White House race since the two candidates tangled on the CNN debate stage in Atlanta on June 27.

A New York Times/Siena College poll published Wednesday showed Trump building a 49 percent to 43 percent lead over Biden among registered voters whom the Times considered likely to cast ballots in the November 5 election. It was Trump's largest lead in a Times/Siena poll since 2015, when he was campaigning ahead of his 2016 presidential election victory. Among all registered voters in the poll, Trump led by nine points.

The Wall Street Journal poll showed the 78-year-old Trump with a six-point lead over Biden.

In both nationwide polls, respondents noted that Biden's age weighed on his appeal. Some 80 percent of respondents in the Journal poll, which surveyed 1,500 registered voters from June 29 through July 2, said Biden was too old to seek a second term.

Another new poll shows a 10-percentage point drop among Democrats who believe Biden should run for reelection after his dismal debate performance.

The Biden campaign has consistently looked to tamp down concerns within the party and among independent voters. On Wednesday, the campaign sent an all-staff memo with an internal poll showing Biden's debate performance hasn't changed voting intentions ahead of the 2024 election.

Biden is trailing Trump by one point across battleground states, according to the memo, which was obtained by Newsweek. The internal poll taken Monday and Tuesday found Trump leading Biden 43 to 42 percent, in contrast to pre-debate campaign polling showing both candidates deadlocked at 43 percent.

"All of this is well within the margin of error and shows a steady race," the memo said.

Prominent Democrats have called on Biden to step aside or have expressed concerns about his ability to run.

According to an NBC News report Thursday, approximately 40 Democratic lawmakers have been texting each other about Biden stepping down as the party's presidential nominee, according to a member of the House of Representatives.

One House member said, "not one of them believes Biden should stay in the race," among those that were texting.

In addition, a number of Democratic donors have withdrawn their support of Biden as he continues to receive criticism over his performance in this election cycle's first presidential debate. Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and Disney heiress Abigail Disney are among the big-money donors who have said they wouldn't donate to the Biden campaign unless he is replaced.

Other Democrats, however, have rejected calls for him to step down.

"I heard three words from the President tonight—he's all in. And so am I. @JoeBiden's had our back. Now it's time to have his," California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has often been floated as a potential replacement, posted to X, formerly Twitter.

Biden and his team have said the president will remain in the race despite the resistance. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden "is clear-eyed and he is staying in the race" at a news conference on Wednesday.

Harris is widely seen as being in the best position to defeat Trump in November's election among potential alternative Democratic nominees. The vice president has even overtaken Biden to be the most likely Democratic Party presidential nominee in November, according to a leading bookmaker.

Trump has ramped up his attacks on Harris as calls for Biden to step down as the Democratic nominee have grown louder.

The moment Thursday night between Biden and Harris was met with immediate reaction on social media.

"That's the image they want to portray. That is what they want the country to see. That they are united, that he's not going anywhere and that she is steadfast right behind him," a Fox News host said as the video of Biden raising Harris' hand played.

"Chants of 'FOUR MORE YEARS' heard from the White House as President Biden and VP Harris watch over DC Fireworks celebration," the pro-Biden account, United for The People, posted on X.

Update 07/04/2024, 11:18 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional information and background.