Witness alleges Jill Biden prompted POTUS to thank megadonor at recent White House event
WASHINGTON, DC: First Lady Jill Biden was purportedly seen discreetly assisting President Joe Biden during a crucial White House encounter.
According to an unnamed source, Jill Biden intervened as the President appeared momentarily adrift while greeting a prominent Democratic megadonor and family friend.
Jill Biden whispers Joe Biden megadonor's name
During the incident, Mrs Biden reportedly discreetly prompted her husband, reminding him of the donor's name and encouraging him to express gratitude. The President nodded in agreement but seemed somewhat disconnected from the moment.
According to the outlet, the individual claimed that Biden repeated the exact words conveyed to him by his wife. "It hasn't been good for a long time, but it's gotten so, so much worse," the source told Intelligencer, per Business Insider.
The report, which lacks details about the donor or exact timing, reflects growing concerns about President Biden's performance. This concern has been amplified by his lackluster debate performance against former President Donald Trump on June 27.
Since then, Biden's campaign has been in damage control mode, attributing his performance to health issues like a cold and fatigue.
Aftermath of Joe Biden's debate debacle
During the 90-minute televised debate, Joe Biden frequently mumbled, trailed off mid-sentence, and struggled to articulate his points.
Trump seized the opportunity to ridicule Biden's occasionally unclear statements. The incumbent frequently stumbled during his responses and, at one instance, paused before stating, "I beat Medicare."
Public criticism has intensified, with influential figures like millionaire heiress Abigail Disney and Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings openly calling for Biden to step down for the sake of the party's electoral prospects.
Disney announced to CNBC on Thursday that she would suspend donations to the Democratic Party "until they replace Biden at the top of the ticket."
"If Biden does not step down, the Democrats will lose. Of that, I am absolutely certain," she warned, emphasizing the potentially dire consequences of a defeat.
Netflix co-founder and major Democratic donor Hastings echoed similar sentiments in The New York Times, urging Biden to withdraw from the race to give another Democratic contender a chance to defeat Trump.
"Biden needs to step aside to allow a vigorous Democratic leader to beat Trump and keep us safe and prosperous," Hastings asserted in an email to the Times.
Despite this pressure, Biden has adamantly stated his intention to remain in the race, a stance reinforced during recent communications with campaign and convention staff.
Meanwhile, investor Whitney Tilson, a longstanding supporter of Biden, indicated in a recent post that he is reevaluating his backing following Biden's lackluster performance last week.