Biden communications director won't say whether the campaign is changing strategy ahead of Sept. debate
Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler told reporters on Air Force One there have been no high-level discussions "whatsoever" about the president stepping aside.
"The president said it himself today: You know, I think he didn’t have the best night on the debate stage," Tyler said. He roundly rejected any calls for Biden to step aside and said they are still definitely planning for the September debate.
Tyler wouldn’t say though if the campaign would change its overall strategy on how Biden will prepare for that one versus last night’s performance.
'What defines a Black job? A job's a job,' Black voters in Georgia react to Trump debate comments
Two Black voters in Georgia said Trump's Thursday night answer referencing "Black jobs" in a response about the role immigrants play in the U.S. economy, said it reveals the "type of person Trump is."
“They’re taking Black jobs now and it could be 18, it could be 19 and even 20 million people,” Trump said. “They’re taking Black jobs, and they’re taking Hispanic jobs, and you haven’t seen it yet, but you’re going to see something that’s going to be the worst in our history.”
"What defines a Black job? A job's a job," Ryan Beasley, a 45-year-old undecided voter from Atlanta, told NBC News.
Beasley, a Black resident from Decatur, had always voted for the Democratic Party prior to this election. Asked what he would do if the election was tomorrow, he responded, "Stay in bed."
He added, "I think it's time for new leadership; I think it's time for younger leadership."
Red Girma, a 24-year-old from Georgia, expressed similar concerns.
"It just felt like they were referencing, like I don’t want to say it, but like bottom-barrel jobs that are like supposed to be like Black jobs or like Hispanic jobs like," Girma said. "I don’t know what he was trying to get at that. I don’t know if that that was supposed to like win us over."
'We’re doomed': NV independent voter expresses concern over Biden's age and ability to beat Trump
John Luch, a 45-year-old carpenter and independent voter from Nevada, expressed concern over Biden’s age and performance following the Thursday night debate.
“It was just a bunch of stammering, a bunch of like, grasping for an answer,” Luch said of Biden’s performance onstage with Trump.
Luch said that he typically votes for third-party candidates in presidential elections and that his current plan is to vote for “none of the above” come November. He added that he’d be open to supporting the Democratic Party if they remove Biden from the ticket in favor of a younger candidate.
As for Biden’s chances of beating Trump in the general election, Luch remained skeptical because of the president’s age.
“I think you should be alive long enough to see the ramifications of your actions,” Luch said. “We’re doomed. This the best we got.”
Congressional Democrats admit Biden stumbled in the debate but stand by him for 2024
A debate performance by President Joe Biden that set off a five-alarm fire within his party Thursday gave way to a more measured public reaction the next morning from congressional Democrats, who acknowledged he did poorly but didn’t agree with those who called on him to drop out of the presidential race.
“It was a terrible debate. Joe Biden couldn’t communicate and Donald Trump lied every time he opened his mouth,” said Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minn., who represents a competitive district.
But when asked if Biden should step aside from the 2024 race, Craig said she’s focused on her district.
Privately, many Democrats — including some lawmakers — said that they are worried. But publicly, they’re putting on a brave face and downplaying the impact of a single debate.
Obama says Biden's performance last night doesn't change the clear choice in the 2024 election
Former President Barack Obama doubled down on his support for Biden for president in a post on X this afternoon after Democrats expressed concern over his former running mate's debate night performance against Trump.
Steve Bannon must report to prison by Monday after Supreme Court rejects last-minute appeal
Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon must report to prison by Monday after the Supreme Court rejected his last-minute bid to stave off his four-month sentence for defying subpoenas from the House Jan. 6 committee.
Bannon was convicted in Washington on two counts of contempt of Congress nearly two full years ago, in July 2022, and sentenced to four months in prison in October 2022. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols had put his sentence on hold as he pursued an appeal of his conviction, which was rejected in May. Nichols then ordered Bannon to report to prison by July 1, saying there was no basis to continue to delay the sentence. An appeals court then rejected Bannon’s appeal of the decision, leaving only the Supreme Court to help him avoid incarceration.
PA Democratic Party chair: 'I'm with him'
Asked by NBC News whether Biden should still be the nominee, the head of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party said yes.
"Joe Biden will beat Donald Trump and the people of Pennsylvania will support him," state Sen. Sharif Street said. "It's President Biden's decision what he wants to do in his life and so far he's decided he's our nominee and I'm with him."
Biden won the battleground state in 2020, but polls have shown a close race going into November.
'Disgusting and dangerous': Activists decry Trump's 'bad Palestinian' comment
Activists and community leaders criticized Trump's comment last night that Biden is seen as a “very bad Palestinian,” in relation to the president's handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
"Using 'Palestinian' as a slur is disgusting and dangerous," said Amy Spitalnick, CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs.
Trump said during the debate that the president had “become like a Palestinian, but they don’t like him because he’s a very bad Palestinian. He’s a weak one."
Imam Omar Suleiman, president of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, criticized both Biden and Trump in response to that exchange: "Truly, you’re both just bad human beings," he said in an Instagram post.
“The fact that he called President Biden a Palestinian, a bad Palestinian, was an insult to me,” Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha wrote on Instagram.
Biden backers in N.C. disappointed in debate but sticking with him
Biden supporters at his rally in North Carolina told NBC News they were disappointed with his performance in yesterday's debate but are still standing behind him.
"I thought there was a debate between a good man and a bad man. So you know, the good man may have had an off night, but he’s still a better man, and I’m going to vote for him. Not a problem," said one attendee, John Burns.
Another, David Tillem, said Biden's performance in the debate was "a disappointment," but he thinks he's still fit for the job. Asked if he was the best person to lead the Democratic Party right now, Tillem said, "Who else is there? That’s the question. He’s the one who’s been out front. Can he do it? Yeah."
A third, Tara Waters, said Biden has been "counted out before, and he’s shown how resilient he is, and so we’ll just have to wait and see. But I am rooting for President Biden, and I’m thankful for what he’s done for our country."
Biden leaves the stage to 'I Won't Back Down'
Biden left the podium to the tune of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" — an interesting song choice amid growing calls for the president to drop out of the race following his debate performance.