In a virtual meeting with about 500 donors, President Joe Biden’s campaign chair, Jen O’Malley Dillon, addressed concerns about Biden’s poor debate performance on Thursday night. Dillon defended Biden’s health and reassured donors that he is not considering ending his bid for a second term.
Dillon emphasized Biden’s fitness to serve, pointing to his health report released earlier this year. Despite criticism from some donors about Dillon downplaying concerns, she remained firm in her defense of Biden.
During the meeting, questions were allowed but read by staff members, not donors themselves. One donor raised concerns about how Biden would perform better in the next debate and what the campaign planned to do if Biden’s numbers dip in the polls.
Campaign officials assured donors that Biden had a bad performance in the last debate but would be better prepared for the next one. They also stated that internal polling showed strong support for Biden.
However, some top Democratic officials and supporters close to the White House expressed frustration with the campaign’s tone, especially its reference to critics as the “bedwetting brigade.” Multiple people found this language dismissive and disrespectful of valid concerns about Biden’s ability to seek re-election.
In a fundraising email under the name of deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty, the campaign acknowledged the panic caused by Biden’s debate performance. The email criticized calls for Biden to drop out, stating that it would only benefit Donald Trump.
During Monday’s call with donors, the party’s finance chair, Chris Korge, urged donors to unify behind Biden and not panic about his race with Trump. Deputy campaign manager Quentin Folks attributed any drop in the polls to negative media coverage rather than Biden’s debate performance.
Overall, the campaign remains confident in Biden’s ability to bounce back in future debates and secure a second term.
