Democratic Governors Afraid of Raising Concerns About Joe Biden

Democratic governors are afraid to publicly raise concerns about President Joe Biden after his presidential debate performance sparked panic among some in his party about his fitness for another term.

The governors have communicated their concerns regarding Biden following last week's debate, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing anonymous sources, but "were worried about going public with their concerns out of fear that it would lead to Biden digging in further."

Newsweek reached out by email to the Biden campaign for comment.

The Context

During the debate, Biden, 81, sounded hoarse and stumbled through several of the questions, which raised new concerns about his age and capabilities. Since last Thursday's event, some Democrats have called for him to step down from the presidential race.

Before the debate, polls already showed that many voters had concerns about Biden's age. Still, some experts on aging have said his debate performance may not necessarily indicate cognitive decline.

However, the Biden campaign has maintained that the president is staying in the race, with most elected Democrats showing support for him. Vice President Kamala Harris, for instance, has said she is focused on his record as president, downplaying his debate trouble as a "slow start" with a "strong" finish in an interview with CNN.

What We Know

While no Democratic governors have publicly called for Biden to step aside, CNN reported that some have privately expressed concerns about whether he should be the candidate during a Monday call organized by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

It's unknown exactly which governors were on the call, the details of which are few.

One governor "expressed surprise that none of them had heard from Biden himself." The group reportedly agreed that they needed to hear from the president.

There are plans for a meeting with the White House, but it has not been scheduled, according to CNN. The governors also discussed the possibility of meeting with Harris, who has been named as a possible nominee if Biden does end up exiting the race.

Some Democratic governors, such as Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have been suggested as potential replacement nominees. But neither governor has expressed interest or called for Biden to be replaced.

Mahen Gunaratna, a spokesperson for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, disputed the report.

"Not accurate to say that no one had heard from him, Jake. @PhilMurphy was on the call yesterday and spent two hrs with @POTUS on Saturday night. They caught up privately and had dinner together, where they discussed topics ranging from the economy to Ukraine," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), replying to CNN anchor Jake Tapper.

Washington Governor Jay Inslee told Newsweek that Biden "had a rough debate performance, but as he aptly pointed out, our other choice is a 'one-man crime wave.'"

"We can have a presidency that preserves democracy or one that buries it," he continued. "We can have a nation that protects reproductive health or one that would rather let women die than provide safe treatment. We can take action on climate change or we can resign ourselves to climate collapse.

"We can thrive as a multiracial society or bow to white nationalism. We can stand with our allies or turn our back on the world. We can continue growing an economy where everyone has a fair shot or we can return to Trump's kleptocracy," Inslee said.

Governor Laura Kelly of Kansas also told Newsweek she will continue supporting Biden.

"While I have never been shy about standing up to Washington when it's wrong for Kansas, the president's record of delivering bipartisan results speaks for itself," she said. "His efforts will continue to allow Kansas to recruit new manufacturing businesses, rebuild our infrastructure and stand up for our fundamental freedoms. He is a decent man of strong character."

Views

Tapper posted the CNN report about the governors on X, where it drew reactions from some political observers.

"Read this thread. Democrats love talking. We're way beyond just talking as some kind of a solution here. Are we supposed to be reassured that Biden convincing democratic governors he's not senile is sufficient?" wrote Kyle Kulinski, host of the progressive show Secular Talk.

Attorney Ben Yelin wrote, "If Biden wants to assuage doubts and save his own nomination, he has to start doing s*** like meeting with Democratic Governors. If he can't, then it's further proof he needs to step aside."

What's Next

Despite calls for Biden to drop out of the race, high-profile Democrats have said he will remain the Democratic nominee and run against Donald Trump. The Democratic Convention starts August 19, and polls show a tight race in November.

Update 7/2/24, 1:35 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and background.

Update 7/2/24, 2:42 p.m. ET: This story was updated with comments from Governors Jay Inslee and Laura Kelly.