After President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance last Thursday, an interesting appointment popped up on his calendar: he's meeting Vice President Kamala Harris this afternoon for "lunch."
And while the Harris team is downplaying calls for Biden to pass the baton to his VP, one can't help but wonder what other reasons Biden might have for his sudden interest in stepping off the campaign trail for a spot of tea.
Furthermore, later in the day, Biden is meeting with California's Gavin Newsom and as well as a few other governors, including J.B. Pritzker of Illinois and, possibly, Michigan's Gretchen Whitmer. Although this gathering had already been on the books prior to his debate, perhaps the pre-4th-of-July shindig will turn into more than just a long weekend holiday for the president.
From Daily Beast:
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.
The 12.30 p.m. meeting was on the president's official schedule published by the White House along with another meeting which may prove critical to his future: a gathering with members of the Democratic Governors Association.
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 Chicago. While Newsom has been unfailingly publicly supportive of Biden, Prtizker offered a less certain version to CNN on Tuesday night. He told Kaitlan Collins, "I'm 100 per cent 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."
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.
Previously: Kamala Harris can beat Trump easier than Biden (or anyone else) can, says new CNN poll