The White House announced Tuesday that Joe Biden will hold a meeting at the White House with Democratic Party governors Wednesday night to reassure them after Biden’s disastrous debate last Thursday with President Trump. The Democrat governors held a conference call on Monday where they rejected a suggested meeting with Kamala Harris, saying they needed to hear from Biden himself, according to reports. The meeting will be a mix of in-person and video conference attendance.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom plans fly in to attend in person. Newsom gave loyal support for Biden in the spin room after last week’s debate debacle in Atlanta.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told CNN Tuesday that he wanted Biden to “tell us a little bit more about how you’re doing.”
Excerpt via the Kentucky Lantern:
On CNN, Beshear noted he and Brown, the daughter of the late Kentucky Gov. John Y. Brown Jr., are from Kentucky, where southern hospitality includes asking someone how they are doing out of concern.
“When you see somebody, one of the first things you ask is, ‘How are you doing?’ And oftentimes we get way too much information in that response,” Beshear said. “It’s something that we are used to talking about. Now, that’s part of our culture. So, I don’t think it’s an attack on the White House or an attack on the president — who is a good man and a nice man — to just say, ‘Tell us a little bit more about how you’re doing.’”
Beshear’s comments come on the heels of the governor telling reporters on Monday he plans to support Biden, 81, as long as he remains in the presidential race.
Biden’s schedule for Wednesday as announced by the White House Tuesday night has him meeting with Kamala Harris for the national security briefing and then for lunch. The meeting with the governors is set for 6:30 p.m. EDT, after a Medal of Honor ceremony. (KJP briefs the press at 1:30.)
The Medal of Honor ceremony is the only public appearance by Biden scheduled for Wednesday.
11:30 AM THE PRESIDENT receives the President’s Daily Brief; THE VICE PRESIDENT attends.
Oval Office
Closed Press
12:15 PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT have lunch
The President’s Private Dining Room
Closed Press
4:45 PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks at a Medal of Honor Ceremony at the White House
East Room
Pre-Credentialed Media and Pooled for TV
6:30 PM THE PRESIDENT meets with Democratic Governors
Roosevelt Room
Closed Press
Briefing Schedule
1:30 PM Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
President Biden plans to hold a meeting with Democratic governors Wednesday, CBS News has learned, as the White House and his reelection campaign work to shore up support for him after last week’s shaky debate performance.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the chair of the Democratic Governors Association, will be at the White House for the meeting. Some governors plan to attend in person, while others will attend virtually.
…The meeting with governors is notable because up until this point, it’s mostly been Mr. Biden’s top aides and advisers who have been reaching out to elected Democrats to reassure them after his debate performance. Members of the Democratic Governors’ Association held a call Monday to discuss the ongoing response to last week’s debate and a widespread concern among the state chief executives that Mr. Biden has done little outreach to governors, specifically over the course of the campaign year, according to two people familiar with arrangements for the call.
The Biden campaign had been trying to arrange time for Vice President Harris to speak with governors, but the governors decided Monday they wanted to hear directly from the president.
“They’d like to hear from him directly before going and sticking out their necks for him again,” said one of the people familiar with the plan, granted anonymity to speak frankly about them.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, widely considered a candidate to replace Biden on the ticket, will attend:
Some news via @Click_CA: Gov. Gavin Newsom will head to White House tomorrow to attend the governors meeting “and to stand with the president.”
— Christopher Cadelago (@ccadelago) July 3, 2024
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers is not planning on participating in the meeting:
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers did not participate in a call with Democratic governors yesterday and isn’t planning to join a call tomorrow, according to Evers’ spokeswoman.
He tentatively plans to attend an event President Biden is scheduled to hold in Madison on Friday, she said. https://t.co/kL2TpX0jSj
— Molly Beck (@MollyBeck) July 2, 2024
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro will virtually attend:
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro plans to attend President Biden’s meeting with Dem govs virtually, per @manuel_bonder
“Governor Shapiro will stay in Pennsylvania tomorrow and continue working with Democratic and Republican leaders in the legislature to close a budget deal.“
— Julia Manchester (@JuliaManch) July 2, 2024
As will Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs:
Update: @GovernorHobbs will attend (virtually) a meeting with President Biden and governors on Wednesday, according to her office and campaign. https://t.co/ECZZf65ihf
— Stacey Barchenger (@sbarchenger) July 2, 2024
And Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker:
Gov. @JBPritzker will be among fellow Democratic governors attending a meeting with President Biden on Wednesday to address the debate drama that’s engulfed the presidential campaign. Pritzker will attend virtually.
— Shia Kapos (@ShiaKapos) July 2, 2024
UPDATE: Pritzker now to attend in person. Pritzker is one of the leading Democrats, along with Newsom, talked about as a possible replacement for Biden if Kamala Harris is not acceptable:
Just in: Confirmed. Illinois @GovPritzker meeting @JoeBiden at the White House in person Wednesday night with other Democratic governors in the wake of the debate debacle
— Lynn Sweet (@lynnsweet) July 3, 2024
Biden is trying fend off calls for him to drop out of the race in order to save the Democrats from a looming wipeout in November.
