In a candid admission of fatigue, US President Joe Biden told a gathering of Democratic governors that he needs to get more sleep and work fewer hours, including not scheduling events after 8 pm.
According to the New York Times, the revelation came during a meeting aimed at reassuring over two dozen crucial supporters of his continued commitment to his role and readiness to engage in a vigorous campaign against Republican rival Donald Trump.
The 81-year-old President's remarks about needing more rest indicated that he was aware of mounting concerns regarding his more frequent and noticeable slips in recent months. His faltering performance at last month’s presidential debate was roundly panned by critics and triggered panic among Democrats.
Despite these concerns, Biden said he was determined to stay in the presidential race during his meeting with governors, some physically present at the White House while others joined virtually.
Citing sources, the report stated that Biden attributed his recent performance issues to his extensive international travels leading up to the debate, which the White House as well as his allies have cited as the reason for his halting performance.
Initially, his campaign blamed a cold, but the President acknowledged pushing himself too hard and disregarding advice on his schedule, and said he needed a lighter workload and more rest, particularly avoiding late-night events.
During the meeting, Biden made a joke about his health, saying, "I'm fine — I don't know about my brain, though." His campaign chair, Jen O'Malley Dillon, later clarified that he was "clearly making a joke".
Despite some governors' private concerns about Biden continuing his campaign, none directly suggested that he should drop out of the race, as per the report.
However, on another occasion, Biden has reportedly acknowledged to allies that he knows he may not be able to save his candidacy for a second term if he can't demonstrate his abilities to voters following the debate.
