Hours before President Joe Biden’s post-NATO summit press conference Thursday night, he met with a group of Democratic U.S. senators concerned about his impact on down-ballot races if he stays at the top of the ticket. And his pitch made at least one sale: Sen. Maggie Hassan.
“I have continued to support the president. This is a really strong campaign. Here’s President Biden, one of the most successful presidents — perhaps the most successful president — in my lifetime,” Hassan told reporters after the meeting.
“We talked about what our thinking was about how best to proceed with the reelection of Joe Biden and making sure we defeat Donald Trump,” she said.
But she acknowledged many of her colleagues aren’t prepared to say the same. “We have different perspectives about how to proceed to defeat former President Trump.”
If Biden’s less-than-stellar performance in what the White House billed as his “big boy press conference” changed her mind, Hassan didn’t say.
Hassan is one of the few Granite State Democrats who is unapologetically “Ridin’ With Biden,” as the meme puts it.
In the wake of the national Democratic Mayors Association’s (DMA) endorsement of Biden on Wednesday, Keene Mayor Jay Kahn (D) told NHJournal “I do not wish to comment” when asked if he shared their view.
A day after Biden’s June 27 debate with GOP challenger Trump — an event that saw the chief executive make a series of nonsensical statements, causing alarm among his Democrats — Khan told his hometown newspaper he supports Biden, who he said “presents a set of values that I find supportable.
But he added, “his ability to convey that last night was not always convincing.”
Keene, a Democrat-run city with a population of just over 23,000, is not part of the DMA, which is composed of mayors representing American cities with at least 30,000 residents.
In fact, as of Thursday afternoon, none of the New Hampshire Democratic mayors representing populations of 30,000-plus had responded to requests from NHJournal regarding their support, or lack thereof, for another four-year Biden term. That list includes Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess, Concord Mayor Byron Champlin, and Dover Mayor Robert Carrier.
Reached by phone, an aide to Donchess said the mayor “typically doesn’t get involved in national politics” but would pass along the request for comment.
In fact, the Nashua mayor endorsed Pete Buttigieg in the 2020 First in the Nation presidential primary, and Hillary Clinton in the 2016 primary.
The DMA’s endorsement followed a conference call the association had with Biden.
“I was on a call with the president and mayors from across the country last night. I’m supporting our nominee, President Joe Biden,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Biden, meanwhile, is stubbornly rebuffing concerns regarding his cognitive health and is vowing to be the Democratic nominee for president this fall, despite a growing number of party insiders claiming he lacks a pathway to victory.
Asked during the press conference what he would say to assure Democrats concerned about whether he is up to the job, Biden said, “The best way to assure them is the way I assure myself: Am I getting the job done? If I slow down, I can’t get the job done. But there’s no indication of that.”
After Biden’s press conference, CNN reported former President Barack Obama and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have been discussing their concerns about Biden’s ability to defeat Trump in November. But, CNN reports, “Neither is quite sure what to do.”
“They are watching and waiting for President Biden to reach a decision on his own,” one longtime Democrat close to the inside circle told CNN. The Biden campaign declined to comment, the network reported.
And just after Biden wrapped up, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) became the 17th member of Congress to call for Biden to step down as the party’s nominee.
“The 2024 election will define the future of American democracy, and we must put forth the strongest candidate possible to confront the threat posed by Trump’s promised MAGA [Make America Great Again] authoritarianism. I no longer believe that is Joe Biden.”
Meanwhile, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is downgrading Biden’s prospects of remaining the nominee.
During an appearance on Fox News Thursday morning, the Republican governor said he thinks “there’s a 60 percent chance” Biden is still on the ballot in November.
“Obviously the Obamas, the powers that be, the folks that pull a lot of the strings in the Democratic Party, are trying to make sure that’s not the case.”
