Biden camp dismisses New York Times call for him to step down

The Biden campaign dismissed a New York Times opinion piece from the outlet's editorial board on Friday evening. The op-ed was in response to the incumbent president's lackluster debate performance on Saturday.  

In response to the Times' op-ed, Biden campaign co-chair Cedric Richmond told CNN “The last time Joe Biden lost the New York Times editorial board’s endorsement it turned out pretty well for him." In the 2020 race, the outlet had endorsed Senators Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar instead of Biden.  

The editorial board at the Times wrote, “The greatest public service Mr. Biden can now perform is to announce that he will not continue to run for re-election. As it stands, the president is engaged in a reckless gamble. There are Democratic leaders better equipped to present clear, compelling and energetic alternatives to a second Trump presidency." 

"There is no reason for the party to risk the stability and security of the country by forcing voters to choose between Mr. Trump’s deficiencies and those of Mr. Biden. It’s too big a bet to simply hope Americans will overlook or discount Mr. Biden’s age and infirmity that they see with their own eyes," the outlet's editors added.  

Biden's Thursday debate sparked widespread panic in the Democrat Party, as the aged president appeared to be confused at times, shaky, and incoherent on several occasions. After the debate was over, Biden was guided down the steps by First Lady Jill Biden. Many were also concerned about footage of the president at the after-debate festivities looking worn out.  

Staffers on the Biden campaign have had to reassure large donors that Biden is up to the task, with one staffer commenting that the debate wasn't a "campaign killer." Staffers for Biden have also acknowledged that the president gets fatigued easily or has verbal hiccups outside of the hours between 10am and 4pm.