Joe Biden will lunch with Kamala Harris Wednesday for the first time since his disastrous debate performance–amid calls for him to step aside in her favor.
It is the first face-to-face meeting for the two parts of the Democratic ticket since last Thursday. The VP was praised for her defense of Biden after the debate in a series of TV interviews which only served to boost her support as an alternative to the 81-year-old president.
The 12.30 p.m. meeting was on the president’s official schedule published by the White House along with another meeting that may prove critical to his future: a gathering with members of the Democratic Governors Association.
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Some of the Democrats’ most powerful governors will be present for talks with Biden at a pre-July 4th gathering planned before the debate which is certain to turn into a key meeting about his future.
Among those who will fly to Washington D.C. are Gavin Newsom of California and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois. While Newsom has been unfailingly publicly supportive of Biden, Pritzker offered a less certain version to CNN on Tuesday night. He told Kaitlan Collins, “I’m 100 percent on board with supporting him, unless he makes some other decision. And then I think we’re all going to be discussing what’s the best way forward.”
The chair of the association, Minnesota’s Tim Walz will also be present, a day after internal polling leaked to Puck suggested that the recently reliably Democratic state could be in play because of plunging support for Biden. The polls also suggested New Hampshire and New Mexico could also be tightening. Even the prospect of having to spend more money defending what were regarded as safe states raises headaches for Democrats.
It was unclear Wednesday whether Gretchen Whitmer, the Democratic Michigan governor whose name has been the most floated as an alternative to Biden or Harris, would attend in person or remotely. She denied a claim, leaked to Politico by a rival Dem governor, that she had told the Biden camp his debate performance would cost the party Michigan.
Another governor whose name has been widely circulated, Andy Beshear of Kentucky, was thought likely to be attending virtually. He had offered a lukewarm endorsement of Biden to local TV station WLKY, saying, “Only he can make decisions about his future candidacy. So as long as he continues to be in the race, I support him.”
Beshear is one of the few Democratic governors to lead a Trump-supporting state, along with Roy Cooper of North Carolina. While North Carolina has trended purple and has been the subject of on-off speculation it could be won by Democrats in 2024, Donald Trump won Kentucky 62 to 36, underlining Beshear’s cross-party appeal.
