Biden's campaign acknowledges 'slippage' as donations dry up
ITV News' Correspondent Robert Moore has the latest developments on Biden's presidential campaign
Joe Biden's campaign has acknowledged there is "slippage" in support for the president but repeated his determination to stand for reelection in November.
Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillion acknowledged “slippage” in support for the president, but insisted he is “absolutely” remaining in the race and that the campaign sees “multiple paths” to beating Trump.
“We have a lot of work to do to reassure the American people that yes he’s old, but he can win,” she told MSNBC’s Morning Joe show on Friday.
Ms Dillion said voters concerned about Biden’s fitness to lead aren’t switching to vote for Trump. “They have questions, but they are staying with Joe Biden,” she added.
The president has been under increasing pressure to step aside from the campaign after his poor performance in the debate at the end of June brought long-ignored concerns about his mental capacity and age to the forefront of American politics.
Since then, Biden has done a flurry of speeches and media interviews to try and prove he still has the vigour to win the election and carry out the job of president, but this has so far been met with mixed success.
He has also been hindered by several gaffes in recent weeks, most notably when he confused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for President Putin at the Nato conference in Washington.
Despite his defiance in the face of calls to stand down, the president is becoming increasingly isolated from the Democratic Party that is turning against him.
This has also become a physical isolation due to the president's Covid diagnosis on Wednesday, since then he has been battling the infection at his home in Delaware.
Several notable Democrats have called publicly for the president to step aside, with even more senior leaders in the party reported to have expressed similar sentiments in private conversations with Biden.
The panic has fully set in not just among elected officials, but the donor class, as well.
One major Democratic donor who previously made seven-figure contributions to Biden’s 2020 race – and has paused donations this cycle – said recent interviews had reached the campaign’s objective of getting the president out in public, but not the goal of convincing anyone on the fence to vote for Biden.
“He’s not sharp, but he’s fine,” the donor told CNN. “The problem is: He goes from being fine to having moments like, ‘Whoa what the f**k just happened?’"
Several other key donors have also paused their donations recently, with many not wanting to give money to a campaign they consider to be doomed.
Among them was George Clooney, one of the president's most prominent backers in Hollywood and someone who is known to be close to Biden.
In a piece in the New York Times, Clooney said he loved the president but thought he would lose the election and that every senator, congress member and governor he had spoken to had the same opinion.
The revolt in his party is making its way into the halls of government with senators and members of Congress calling for the president to step aside on the house floor.
One of the senators, Peter Welch said the current state of party angst - with lawmakers panicking and donors revolting - was "not sustainable."
Many Democrats have also backed the president, including those influential on the left of American politics like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
However, among Democrats nationwide, nearly two-thirds say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to a poll by AP-NORC published earlier this week.
Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...