Biden Defies Critics, Declares He's "Not Going Anywhere

President Biden dismisses calls to drop out of the 2024 race, challenging critics to contest him at the convention.

President Biden has boldly rebuffed mounting pressure within his party to step aside from the 2024 presidential race, defiantly declaring during an MSNBC phone call, "I'm not going anywhere."

Biden's resolute stance has sparked a firestorm of reactions, drawing criticism from political commentators and even some allies who contend that his confrontational tone and defensive posture may damage his electoral prospects.

Biden Defies Critics, Declares He's "Not Going Anywhere

"Overall takeaway: He is absolutely DARING the party to try to get rid of him. Positively Trumpian about his crowd sizes -- and what that means. Defiant bordering on arrogant," wrote political commentator Chris Cillizza.

Former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau, while acknowledging Biden's "energy," criticized his messaging as "sucks." "Angry, defensive, lashing out at all the wrong people," Favreau lamented. "Just please, please talk about voter concerns, how you'll address them, and how Trump will make them worse."

Biden Defies Critics, Declares He's "Not Going Anywhere

In response, Semafor reporter Benjy Sarlin characterized the intraparty conflict as a "murder-suicide." "Biden has not made much progress since the debate convincing Democrats he's up to the job of beating Trump, but he's made progress in telegraphing to them it will be a murder-suicide if they try to take the nomination and fail," he posted.

Conservative figures also joined the chorus of criticism, with Nikki Haley's former press secretary Ken Farnaso questioning the wisdom of Biden's media strategy. "Letting your boss call into a cable TV show, hiding his face and possibly a stack of talking points and white board full of answers, is certainly a choice that will quell the concerns of the American people," Farnaso remarked.

Biden Defies Critics, Declares He's "Not Going Anywhere

RedState writer Bonchie suggested that Biden's irritability and anger were symptoms of an underlying condition. "How easily he's angered is a symptom of his condition," Bonchie wrote.

CNN host Jim Acosta compared Biden's phone call to a "page out of Donald Trump‘s playbook," while Vanity Fair correspondent Brian Stelter acknowledged a "Trumpian" element in Biden's approach. Stelter questioned whether it would "move the needle" with "nervous" party members.

Biden Defies Critics, Declares He's "Not Going Anywhere

Despite the criticism, some supporters praised Biden's combative stance. Filmmaker Rob Reiner tweeted, "If we see the Joe Biden that appeared on Morning Joe today every day until Nov.5, he’ll be able to shut up people like me who think he should step aside."

Biden's defiance comes amid growing calls for him to step aside after his widely criticized performance in the June 2024 CNN debate, which raised concerns about his mental acuity and re-election chances. In response, Biden has embarked on a media blitz, including interviews with MSNBC, ABC, and Fox News.