President Biden insisted he is “firmly committed” to staying in the 2024 presidential race in a wordy letter to Congressional Democrats Monday — which made no mention of his disastrous debate performance or concerns over his age and cognitive health.
The letter, which instead largely focuses on bashing former President Donald Trump, comes after four more senior House Democrats called for the 81-year-old commander-in-chief to end his reelection bid following a private call with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Sunday.
“Now that you have returned from the July 4th recess, I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump,” Biden wrote in his letter, addressed to “fellow Democrats.”
“I have had extensive conversations with the leadership of the party, elected officials, rank and file members, and most importantly, Democratic voters over these past 10 days or so. I have heard the concerns that people have – their good faith fears and worries about what is at stake in this election. I am not blind to them.”
Biden argued voters chose him as the Democratic nominee, and dropping out now would say that “this process didn’t matter.”
“I feel a deep obligation to the faith and the trust the voters of the Democratic Party have placed in me to run this year. It was their decision to make. Not the press, not the pundits, not the big donors, not any selected group of individuals, no matter how well intentioned. The voters – and the voters alone – decide the nominee of the Democratic Party. How can we stand for democracy in our nation if we ignore it in our own party? I cannot do that. I will not do that.”
The octogenarian leader then argued that Democrats will have to come together to defeat former President Donald Trump, and that he is the best candidate to rival him.
“The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end. We have one job. And that is to beat Donald Trump. We have 42 days to the Democratic Convention and 119 days to the general election. Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us. It is time to come together, move forward as a unified party, and defeat Donald Trump.”