Biden To Meet With Democratic Party Governors Tomorrow

President Biden will meet with Democratic Party governors tomorrow. The meeting could offer a firmer indication of Biden's strategy in light of his underwhelming debate performance on Thursday.

• Calls from the liberal media persist for Biden to step aside and allow an open Democratic Party Convention in August to select a new nominee. As Biden comprehensively won the Democratic Party primaries, he would have to voluntarily step aside to release delegates at the convention. The baseline view is that this remains unlikely, with the Biden camp committed to his re-election campaign. CBS notes the meeting is designed to "shore up support."
• Names floated as potential Biden replacements include Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI), California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D-MD), Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL), and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY).
• Of those, Whitmer appears the logical choice, despite buzz around Newsom. She has won re-election in a Midwest state, crucial as the Rust Belt is the primary pathway for Democrats to retain the White House. Politico reported yesterday that Whitmer warned the Biden campaign that Michigan, "in the wake of the debate, was no longer winnable for Biden."
• Notably, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told MSNBC today: "I think it's a legitimate question to say is this an episode or is this a condition... It's going to be up to Joe Biden to do what he thinks... I'm not a doctor, I can't say what happens 3,4 years down the road..."
• Her comments could be interpreted as a subtle message for Biden to step aside, as she did in 2022.