Biden campaigns in Pennsylvania as some Democrats urge him to consider stepping down

Updated July 7, 2024 at 2:27 p.m. ET

PHILADELPHIA — President Biden campaigned in the key swing state of Pennsylvania on Sunday as he tries to resurrect his reelection bid, even as some Democrats spoke on television saying he should seriously consider dropping out of the race.

Biden, 81, said “the Lord Almighty” could convince him to withdraw from his campaign for a second term after he faltered badly in a debate with former President Donald Trump — a performance that alarmed Democrats worried he no longer has what it takes to run, win and govern.

He tried to make the case that his debate blunder was just a bad night and not a sign of something bigger. He attended Sunday services at Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, where a praise group sang the song “I Need You to Survive” and Bishop J. Louis Felton gave a call and response for Biden and called for unity.

“Forgive us for allowing the enemy to drive a wedge between us,” Felton prayed. “For if we ever come together and unite, there will be no election we cannot win.”

Later, Biden stopped by a campaign office where he made some forceful, off-the-cuff remarks on economic issues important to voters, like grocery and insulin prices.

“Dark Brandon is coming back,” Biden told the group of about 150 cheering volunteers, referencing a superhero-like meme his campaign uses to mock his opponents. “And guess what: In the next 120 days or so, they’re going to get a really good look at who Donald Trump is,” he said.

Biden was flanked by Sen. John Fetterman and Rep. Madeleine Dean. “There’s only one person in the country who’s ever kicked Trump’s butt in an election — and that’s your president,” Fetterman said. “He’s going to do it twice.”

House Democrats meet Sunday, some going on television to voice their concerns

House Democratic leaders convened a virtual meeting Sunday with top Democrats on House committees. Some of them appeared on Sunday morning political talk shows, reflecting the diversity of views within the party on whether Biden should remain at the top of the ticket.

California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said he wants Biden to “look for people with some distance and objectivity” as he considers his decision. He noted that an ABC interview Biden gave Friday “didn’t allay concerns” about his candidacy — particularly Biden’s assertion that even if he loses to Trump in November, what matters most is that he gives it his all.

“It’s not just a question of whether he did his best in college, but rather whether he made the right decision to run or pass the torch,” Schiff told NBC. Meet the pressHe also said he believes Vice President Harris could beat Trump if Biden decides to step down.

But Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Michigan Democrat, said she heard from voters during the Independence Day recess that Biden should stay in office. “I’ve had people in the parades yelling at me, ‘Tell him to stay, we support him,’” she told CNN. State of the Union“I really think that even though you hear a lot of different opinions from other people, that’s what’s happening,” she said.

California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla said he spoke with Biden on Saturday. The president discussed what he sees in internal polling data and his plans for the days ahead. “He’s as motivated and eager as I’ve seen him to make sure he takes this campaign seriously,” Padilla told MSNBC.

Biden visits his third ‘blue wall’ state in a week on Friday

Biden faces a critical week in Washington, as his party’s lawmakers return to Congress — and world leaders descend on the city for a NATO summit, where Biden is expected to give a rare solo news conference, where he will face more questions about his age and abilities.

On Friday, Biden will travel to Michigan to campaign, visiting the third “blue wall” state in a week, following Pennsylvania on Sunday and Wisconsin on Friday. All three states are seen as critical to Democrats’ victory in November.

In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Tom Brush called the current state of the Democratic race a “sad moment,” saying he doubted Biden could make it through the election and hoped the president would step aside voluntarily for the good of the party — perhaps for Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

“My experience is that people can reach a point in their lives where they’re not as vital as they used to be,” Brush, 90, a longtime Democratic voter, said in an interview at his home.

But back in Philadelphia, Katie Decker, a campaign volunteer who heard the president speak just before heading to the polls, said she has become a Biden fan since 2020 because of his legislative accomplishments. She wants him to stay in the race.

“This is not the time to switch sides, even if we wanted to, and historically it would be a very bad idea if we did,” Decker told NPR, saying she would like to see a Harris-Buttigieg ticket in 2028.

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