Apparently weighing bowing out, Biden tells ally he knows upcoming appearances must go well — report

US President Joe Biden speaks about the protests over Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza that have roiled US college campuses, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 2, 2024. (Drew Angerer / AFP)
US President Joe Biden speaks about the protests over Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza that have roiled US college campuses, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 2, 2024. (Drew Angerer / AFP)

US President Joe Biden reportedly told a key ally that he recognizes that he won’t be able to salvage his re-election campaign after last week’s disastrous debate performance if a series of public appearances in the coming days don’t go well.

Biden has an interview scheduled for Friday with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos along with campaign stops in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

“He knows if he has two more events like that, we’re in a different place” by the end of the weekend, the ally tells The New York Times on condition of anonymity.

The comments reveal for the first time that Biden himself is weighing whether to stay in the race after days of reporting that indicated he had no plans of bowing out.

Biden is “well aware of the political challenge he faces,” a top adviser told The Times, also speaking on condition of anonymity.

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