Biden party allies close ranks as poll signals voter concern

His allies fanned out on Sunday political talk shows, arguing that the president had a bad night and seeking to turn the focus to what Clyburn called Trump’s “30-some-odd lies” during the debate.

“I understand there’s a lot of hand-wringing and concern and pearl-clutching amongst the commentariat,” Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat and Biden campaign co-chair, said on ABC’s "This Week." “That’s great. That’s expected, frankly.”

Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, said Biden deserves his party’s respect and confidence. “Joe Biden is not going to take himself out of this race, nor should he,” Moore said on CBS’s "Face the Nation."

Immediately after the debate, Biden and first lady Jill Biden made a two-day campaign and fundraising swing that included receptions with deep-pocketed donors in New York’s Hamptons and New Jersey.

“I understand the concern about the debate,” Biden said Saturday at the oceanfront Hamptons estate of hedge fund manager Barry Rosenstein and his wife, Lizanne, who hosted him at a fundraiser. “I get it. I didn’t have a great night.”

Biden’s campaign said Sunday it had raised more than $33 million since Thursday, with $26 million coming from grass-roots donations. Thursday was the best grass-roots fundraising day yet and Friday was the second-best, according to the campaign.

Biden, 81, acknowledged after the debate that voters might have concerns about his age and vowed to stay in the race. Jill Biden, a key force in his decision to run for reelection, said Friday she told her husband “we are not going to let 90 minutes define the four years that you’ve been president.”

Polls have consistently showed that many U.S. voters are unhappy about the choice between Biden and Trump, who turned 78 this month. In the CBS poll, 50% said Trump has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president.

The June 28-29 survey of 1,130 people has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.

“Let us not make a judgment about a presidency on one debate,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on CNN. “Let’s move on from that. It’s all an opportunity.”

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(With assistance from Ian Fisher, Victoria Cavaliere and Justin Sink.)

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