ST. LOUIS — Major media outlets called for Biden to withdraw from the presidential race after a disastrous debate performance Thursday against Trump. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the latest to join The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and The Economist in editorials urging President Biden not to seek re-election. The Post-Dispatch’s opinion piece is titled, “Editorial: Biden endangers his party and country with this campaign. He must end it.“
“Fairly or not, Biden’s age-related stumbles have long been cited by detractors as disqualifying. The debate played, devastatingly, to that theme,” states a portion of the article posted by the Editorial Board of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “The ravages of age don’t ease with the passage of time. What the nation saw on Thursday it will see again if Biden continues this campaign.”
The Associated Press reports that President Joe Biden spent the weekend trying to stabilize his campaign. Despite meandering and incoherent answers that raised fears among Democrats, Biden promised donors he would fight harder. The Democratic National Committee hosted a call with party leaders, but some supporters thought its upbeat tone misled them.
Biden and his team characterized his debate performance as an outlier, arguing it shouldn’t define his campaign. He acknowledged his struggles but emphasized his commitment to truth and his ability to perform the presidential duties.
Biden spent part of the weekend at campaign events and a fundraiser in East Hampton, where he reiterated his determination to continue his campaign. His family, including Jill Biden and his son Hunter, urged him to stay in the race during a retreat at Camp David. The Democratic National Committee and campaign staff held a call to reassure party leaders, but many left feeling more concerned.
Democratic leaders expressed mixed reactions, with some defending Biden and others acknowledging the internal debates within the party. Biden’s public schedule for the following week continued as planned, indicating a business-as-usual approach despite the recent upheaval.