President Joe Biden defended his place at the top of the Democratic ticket Monday in a surprise television interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” after more lawmakers and donors came forward over the weekend with concerns about his reelection bid.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Biden said in the phone interview. “I absolutely believe that I am the best candidate to beat Donald Trump in 2024.”
“I’m getting so frustrated by the elites in the party” calling on him to step down, the president fumed. “I don’t care what the millionaires think.”
Biden’s comments came after a weekend where his political wounds only deepened, despite his efforts to stem the bleeding.
On Monday, Biden sent a letter to congressional Democrats doubling down on his commitment to the 2024 race as they all returned to Washington after the holiday recess.
“The question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And it’s time for it to end,” Biden wrote in the letter. “Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the task ahead only helps Trump and hurts us.”