Biden enters a crucial period for his embattled presidential campaign

On Thursday, President Joe Biden initiated a crucial phase in his bid to rescue his faltering reelection campaign. There's a growing sentiment that he has only a few days to convincingly demonstrate his suitability for office before losing Democratic support altogether.

Following a disastrous debate performance against Republican Donald Trump last week, some financial supporters have been delaying or canceling upcoming fundraisers, according to an anonymous source familiar with the discussions.

"I’m not going anywhere," Biden declared to a crowd at a July Fourth barbecue on the White House South Lawn. During the evening fireworks, he stood on the balcony with his family, Vice President Kamala Harris, and her husband, Doug Emhoff, in a show of solidarity. At one point, Harris raised Biden's hand and later embraced him.

In a Wednesday night meeting with Democratic governors, Biden acknowledged the need for more sleep and fewer evening events to stay rested, as reported by three anonymous sources familiar with the meeting. One source mentioned Biden joking that his health was fine, but his brain faced challenges. Governor Gavin Newsom, campaigning for Biden in Michigan, commented, "I like when a president acknowledges they’re human."

Biden stressed that the stakes extended beyond his political future. In a Thursday interview with a Wisconsin radio station, he said, "The stakes are really high. I know you know this. For democracy, for freedom ... our economy, they’re all on the line."

The interview, aired on the Earl Ingram Show on the Civic Media Radio Network and taped Wednesday, was part of a media blitz deemed crucial by Biden and his team.

At the July Fourth barbecue, Biden formally welcomed military families and then mingled with the crowd, briefly taking a microphone to explain he needed to head back inside to allow others to enter the event. "Keep up the fight!" a supporter shouted. "You got me, man," Biden replied.

He also made a brief reference to Trump, noting the former president’s absence from a 2018 World War I cemetery visit in France that Biden had recently attended.

Biden is scheduled to campaign in Wisconsin on Friday and participate in an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, set to air as a prime-time special that night. He plans to be in Philadelphia on Sunday and hold a full news conference during the NATO summit in Washington next week.

There’s a possibility that Biden's campaign might not survive if he fails to deliver a strong performance in the ABC interview. Discussions about potential replacements, should Biden step down, have intensified.

For now, Biden has communicated to Democratic governors, allies, and campaign staff that he is not ready to step down. However, the window for a change is closing. The Democratic National Committee announced weeks ago a virtual roll call for formal nomination before the party’s national convention starting August 19.

“I’m proud to be running for reelection as a president who’s made his promises and I’ve kept them,” Biden said in the radio interview. Reflecting on the debate, he admitted, “I had a bad night. A bad night. I screwed up,” but emphasized, “90 minutes on stage does not erase what I’ve done for 3 1/2 years,” in another interview with Philadelphia-area WURD Radio.

In private conversations, Biden has discussed strategies to recover from the debate and highlighted the critical nature of this year’s presidential election. During one call, he emphasized the importance of the race and his commitment to putting the country first if his efforts to correct course do not succeed, according to an anonymous source.

Biden's Wednesday meeting with Democratic governors, attended by over 20 governors both in person and virtually, was described as “candid.” Despite concerns about a Trump victory in November, the governors expressed support for Biden. Details about Biden’s comments on needing more sleep were first reported by The New York Times.

During the meeting, Biden mentioned a medical checkup following his debate performance, according to two anonymous sources. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had earlier stated that Biden had not been examined by a doctor. The White House attributed Biden's debate performance to a cold and jet lag from recent foreign trips.

Biden’s staff has resisted calls to release more detailed medical records for the 81-year-old president. After his last full physical in February, his doctor declared him fit for duty.

Two Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for Biden to drop out of the race. Most Democratic lawmakers are waiting to see how the situation unfolds through new polling and the TV interview, according to anonymous sources. Some suggest Harris as the leading candidate to replace Biden if necessary, while others view Newsom and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer as viable alternatives. Harris is seen by some as the best option to quickly unify the party and avoid a contentious convention.

Newsom, when asked if he would support Harris if Biden dropped out, responded, “I don’t even like playing in the hypotheticals.” Trump, in a video, declared Harris his new rival, calling her “pathetic.” It was unclear when he made the comments, which were posted on his social media.

Later Thursday, Trump called for a second debate, proposing “no holds barred ... with just the two of us on stage.”

Despite some Democratic allies' silence since the debate, there is growing frustration over the Biden campaign's response at this critical juncture—particularly Biden's delay in addressing the situation directly with senior party members.