President Joe Biden is urging nervous Democrats in Congress to get behind him and stop calling for him to drop out.
In a letter to Democrats released on Monday, as lawmakers return from their July 4th recess, Biden said, “I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump.”
“I have had extensive conversations with the leadership of the party, elected officials, rank and file members, and most importantly, Democratic voters over these past 10 days or so,” he continued. “I have heard the concerns that people have — their good faith fears and worries about what is at stake in this election. I am not blind to them. Believe me.”
Check out the full letter below:
Biden insisted he knows “better than anyone the responsibility and burden the nominee of our party carries.” And he stated, “I wouldn’t be running again if I did not absolutely believe I was the best person to beat Donald Trump in 2024.”
The president also noted the limited challenge he faced during the primary, and added, “One [candidate] fared so badly that he left the primaries to run as an independent. Another attacked me for being too old and was soundly defeated.”
After noting he won the primary, Biden asked, “Do we now just say this process didn’t matter? That the voters don’t have a say?”
“I decline to do that. I feel a deep obligation to the faith and the trust the voters of the Democratic Party have placed in me to run this year. It was their decision to make. Not the press, not the pundits, not the big donors, not any selected group of individuals, no matter how well intentioned,” he continued. “The voters – and the voters alone – decide the nominee of the Democratic Party. How can we stand for democracy in our nation if we ignore it in our own party? I cannot do that. I will not do that.”
The letter went on to express his belief he can beat Trump, and returned to his usual talking points about so-called MAGA Republicans for several paragraphs.
Finally, Biden said, “My fellow Democrats – we have the record, the vision, and the fundamental commitment to America’s freedoms and our Democracy to win.”
“The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump,” he said. “Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It is time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.”
The letter comes amid growing calls for the president to step aside after a disastrous debate performance, which raised fresh concerns about his age and whether he will be able to defeat former President Donald Trump in the election. Axios also reported on Sunday at least four senior House Democrats said in a call with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) they believe Biden should step aside.
However, the president told ABC News in an interview he would only step aside if “the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me” to do so.
