Biden’s Madison trip vital for revitalizing campaign

“Let me say this as clearly as I can: I’m staying in the race,” Biden said at the start of a make-or-break series of appearances and interviews aimed at pulling his campaign out of a nosedive since his disastrous debate against Trump last week.

The Madison appearance was to be followed by a prime-time interview with ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos that was seen as a significant test on his fitness to run for office. In the interview, he called his debate performance a “bad episode” and said there were “no indications of any serious condition.”

“I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing,” Biden told Stephanopoulos in an excerpt that aired early Friday evening.

In front of roughly 300 supporters gathered in the Sherman gymnasium, Biden again acknowledged poor debate last week, saying he “can’t say it was my best performance” but that amid speculation over what he would do, he had an answer: “I am running, and I’m going to win again.”

“I’ll beat Donald Trump,” a forceful Biden said, as the crowd cheered and waved campaign signs.

Then, in another unforced error, he said: “I will beat him again in 2020” before correcting himself. “And by the way, we’re going to do it again in 2024.”

Almost from the outset of his brief remarks, Biden attacked his presumptive Republican challenger, noting the former president once said that “George Washington’s army won the revolution by taking control of the airports from the British.”

As the crowd laughed, Biden continued, “Talk about me misspeaking.”

While private angst among Democratic lawmakers, donors and strategists is running deep since the debate, most in the party have held public fire as they wait to see if the president can restore some confidence with his weekend travel schedule and his handling of the Stephanopoulos interview.

Most in the Madison crowd seemed to want him to stay in the race. Some said they were confident that Biden was still mentally and physically fit for the job. Others were less sure but emphasized that the election is between two parties — not just two candidates — with a few saying Biden’s record spoke for him.

“This is an absolute turning point for our country,” said Dan Raasch, who came from Oconomowoc for the event.

A handful of attendees dressed up for the occasion, including Jean Larocque of Madison, who painted the word “VOTE” in white on her black T-shirt and matching top hat.

“My heart is with him,” she said of Biden.

Not everyone thought Biden should be the nominee, however. Emma McAleavy, a Madison resident and longtime Biden supporter, said she believes it’s time for him to step aside.

“I just really hope he does the right thing and passes the torch,” McAleavy said.

There were also a few signs of discontent at the rally Friday, with one supporter on stage waving a sign that read “Pass the torch Joe” as the president walked onto the stage.

Across the street from the school, scores of pro-Palestinian protesters lined the sidewalk chanting slogans against the president’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas. The issue has been a fraught one for Democrats, divided over longstanding support for Israel and shock at the scale of devastation in Gaza, which Palestinian health authorities have put at more than 35,000 dead and up to 2 million displaced.

“Joe, stop the gazacide,” the group shouted, and “Biden, Biden, what do you say, how many kids did you kill today.”

In the Democratic primary in April, Biden received more than 511,000 votes, or 88.6%. But more than 48,000 voters, or 8.3%, chose the “uninstructed delegation” option — likely spurred by activists to signify opposition to his administration’s stance toward Israel over its handling of the war in Gaza.

Inside Sherman school, Biden sought to address head-on the criticism that he has grown too old and unsteady for the job.

“I wasn’t too old to create over 50 million new jobs,” he said, or take on the big pharmacy companies to force a reduction in the cost of insulin.

“Was I too old to relieve student debt for over 5 million Americans? Too old to put the first Black woman on the Supreme Court of the United States? To sign the Respect for Marriage Act?”

In a call-and-response series of questions, Biden asked his supporters: “Do you think I’m too old to restore Roe v. Wade to the law of the land?” to ban assault weapons, protect Social Security?

“No,” the crowd shouted back after each question.

In his own remarks ahead of Biden’s address, Gov. Tony Evers credited the administration with helping the state, citing the news earlier this week that Wisconsin has been named a regional tech hub, which is expected to bring in $49 million over five years to expand the state’s biohealth industry.

“That deserves a holy mackerel,” he said.

Many Democratic lawmakers, who are hearing from constituents at home during the holiday week, are split on whether Biden should stay or go. Lawmakers have been deeply frustrated by his campaign’s response to the crisis. Privately, discussions among the House Democrats flared this week as word spread that some of them were drafting public letters suggesting the president should quit the race.

Yet pushback from other House Democrats was fierce, and none of the letters from either Democrats in competitive reelection bids or those in easier races that were reportedly being discussed were ever made public.

“Any ‘leader’ signing a letter calling for President Biden to drop out needs to get their priorities straight and stop undermining this incredible actual leader who has delivered real results for our country,” said Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., an influential member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Biden’s reelection campaign is pushing ahead with aggressive plans despite the uncertainty. It plans to pair his in-person events with a fresh $50 million ad campaign this month meant to capitalize on high viewership moments like the Summer Olympics that begin in Paris on July 26.