Moore said the governors were frank in relaying negative
feedback from constituents about Biden's poor performance during
the debate with Republican rival Donald Trump. He said there was
clearly work to do before the Nov. 5 election, but Biden had
made it clear he would stay in the race.
"The president ... he's our nominee. The president is our party
leader," Moore said. There has been growing talk among Democrats
in recent days that 81-year-old Biden should drop out of the
race.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she felt confident after the
meeting and all the governors pledged their support to Biden.
The president is "in it to win it," she said.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the chair of the Democratic
Governors Association, said Biden's debate performance on
Thursday was bad but he felt Biden was fit for office.
"Obviously we, like many Americans, are a little worried. We're
worried because the threat of a Trump presidency is not
theoretical," Walz said, adding that the previous Trump
presidency was marked by "chaos, destruction."
Nearly a dozen of the state leaders attended the meeting in
person, but only three spoke with reporters afterwards.
California Governor Gavin Newsom, who participated in person,
posted his reaction on social platform X: "I heard three words
from the President tonight -- he’s all in. And so am I."
Biden's campaign said the president reiterated his determination
"to defeat the existential threat of Donald Trump at the ballot
box in November" and discussed the importance of electing
Democrats up and down the ballot.
"All participants reiterated their shared commitment to do
everything possible to make sure President Biden and Vice
President Harris beat Donald Trump in November," it said
(Reporting by Andrea Shala and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Sandra
Maler and Cynthia Osterman)
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