Oregon, Washington governors join President Biden in post-debate meeting
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — After last week’s heated presidential debate, Democratic state leaders in the Pacific Northwest held a virtual meeting with President Joe Biden to talk about his campaign.
Thomas Wheatley, Oregon Gov. Kotek’s political advisor, confirmed that the governor would attend the meeting. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s Director of Communications Jaime Smith told KOIN 6 that Inslee, who is not seeking re-election, would also participate.
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Biden’s meeting with Democratic leaders occurred Wednesday afternoon. In a follow-up communication with KOIN 6 News just after 5:30 p.m., Wheatly gave a breakdown of how the meeting went between Kotek and Biden, in part signaling a continued support for the President:
“Oregon Governor Tina Kotek met virtually with President Biden today, along with other Democratic Governors, some of whom were in attendance at the White House. The meeting was a productive conversation about how the President can win in November to make sure our democracy is protected in the face of the clear and present danger posed by Donald Trump.”
The meeting comes after some leaders expressed concerns with the president’s ability to run the nation due to his performance in the debate. On Tuesday, Texas Rep. Lloyd Doggett became the first Democratic leader to urge Biden to step down.
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The representative said he hoped the debate would improve the presidents’ standings in polls, but Biden instead “failed to effectively defend his many accomplishments….”
A CNN poll released on Tuesday revealed that 75% of voters believe Democrats would have a better chance of winning the presidential election if they had another candidate.
“My decision to make these strong reservations public is not done lightly nor does it in any way diminish my respect for all that President Biden has achieved,” Doggett added in a statement. “Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw.”
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In response to concerns spurring from the debate, the White House held a briefing in which Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was fighting a cold and experiencing jet lag.
Meanwhile, the president has said that he “might not” debate like he used to, but is still capable of doing his job. He has also averted the focus to Trump, asserting that he set the record for the most lies ever told during a debate.
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