Maryland's Democratic governor dismissed concerns about Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance and insisted the embattled president will keep fighting for re-election.
Despite widespread reports of intraparty chaos, Governor Wes Moore told Face The Nation that Biden will not be replaced with another presidential nominee. Moore said he has no interest in seeking the job either.
"I will not. And Joe Biden is not going to take himself out of this race, nor should he. He has been a remarkable partner," Moore said.
Moore was one of a handful of Biden surrogates to defend the embattled president on the Sunday morning talk shows, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) and James Clyburn (D-Sc.), who clinched Biden's crucial primary win in South Carolina four years ago.
During his chat with CBS's Margaret Brennan, Moore conceded that Biden's performance was poor, but Moore said it was no big deal.
“I think that the president had a difficult night just like every single one of us do,” he said.
Moore has been campaigning for Biden's re-election in Wisconsin, a key swing state. According to Politico, another governor mentioned as a Biden successor, Gretchen Whitmer (D), no longer believes Biden can win the state of Michigan.
When asked if Biden is the only Democrat who can beat Donald Trump, Moore dodged.
"Joe Biden is our nominee. Joe Biden is our leader. And Joe Biden has earned, and Joe Biden deserves the confidence, the respect, and frankly the partnership that we now have to provide to him," he said.
As panic sweeps the Democratic party, some argue that replacing Biden is not realistic this late in the campaign and could even damage the party's efforts.
Biden's campaign dismissed naysayers as "bedwetters" in a fundraising email and warned that replacing Biden would help Donald Trump win.
"The bedwetting brigade is calling for Joe Biden to 'drop out.' That is the best possible way for Donald Trump to win and us to lose," Biden deputy campaign manager Rob Flaherty argued an email to supporters.
Biden was advised by his wife Jill Biden and son Hunter to keep fighting during a meeting Sunday.
Democrats are used to toeing the party line, but for once, the marching orders are unclear. While some Democrats think it's best for the party and their careers to keep ignoring Biden's obvious decline, it is hard to imagine they can do so without painful consequences in November.
