The family of US President Joe Biden has encouraged him to continue his re-election campaign during a meeting at Camp David on Sunday, despite the fact that some voices in the Democratic Party urge him to withdrawfollowing his weak performance in the debate against former President Donald Trump. According to two Biden advisers, cited by cnnthe family offered the president their “unconditional support” during the meeting at the remote Camp David residence, which was attended by the first lady, Jill, her children and grandchildren.

The meeting had been planned weeks ago to do a photo session with renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. However, the meeting ended being surrounded by great expectation, since the president’s family has always played a crucial role in his political decisions. At this meeting, the family urged him to “continue fighting” with the conviction that he can do a good job during the next four years, despite his age, which at 81 makes him the oldest president in the country. history of the country, according to close sources cited by The New York Times and cnn.

One of the voices that has most urged Biden to resist pressure is that of his Son Hunterwho has had to free himself his own court battle over an investigation opened when Trump was in power and which has resulted in him being found guilty this month on charges of buying and illegal possession of a weapon. Hunter Biden wants the president to continue in the race for the White House to show voters his fighting nature, instead of the image projected on debate night, of an aging president with a hoarse voice who did not finish some of his sentences. .

Other family members have offered this Sunday to get more involved in the campaign. For example, one of the president’s grandchildren has offered to speak with social media influencers to help amplify their messageaccording to a source cited by The New York Times.

Criticism of Biden’s advisors

In addition to supporting the president, the family has also privately expressed his exasperation at how his advisors prepared him for the debateaccording to The New York Times and Politicalwhich also cite sources familiar with the conversations. Specifically, Biden’s relatives criticized Anita Dunnone of the president’s closest advisors, and her husband, Robert Bauerthe president’s personal lawyer, who played Trump (2017 – 2021) during the preparation for the debate.

One of the largest donors to the Democratic Party, John Morgan has publicly demanded the resignation both Anita Dunn and Robert Bauer, and has also criticized Ron Klain, who was Biden’s chief of staff between January 2021 and February 2023 and helped him prepare for the debate. According to Morgan on X this Sunday, the advisers made Biden “he practiced excessively” and when the debate came he was “exhausted”.

In the days since the debate, Biden has publicly acknowledged that his performance was not up to par. Rather than allaying voters’ doubts about his age, his voice sounded hoarse during the debate and he was at times incoherent, unable to finish a sentence.

Nearly half of Democratic voters want another candidate

That poor showing has already taken its toll on voters, according to polls that are beginning to be published. A new CBS poll released on Sunday showed that almost half of Democratic voters, 45%, believe Biden should withdraw so that a different candidate can take over. stand up to Trump. Moreover, after the debate, a large proportion of Americans (72%) believe that Biden is not capable of governing.

Only 27% of all voters believe Biden is cognitively healthy to serve as president, a figure that has fallen from 35% before the debate, according to CBS. Despite these data, another survey published on Saturday by the Data for Progress think tank also reveals that none of the names that are being considered as possible alternatives Biden has a better chance of beating Trump.

According to that poll, US Vice President Kamala Harris would obtain 45% of the votes in a hypothetical confrontation with Trump, who would get 48%, the same numbers that Biden is currently harvesting. The governors of California, Gavin Newsom, and of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer, who also sound like possible replacements for Biden, would also lose with 44% of votes each respectively.