Biden ‘looking forward to getting back on campaign trail’ as clock ticks down to DNC

President Biden on Friday pushed back on rising pressure from fellow Democrats to drop out of the race amid widespread questions about his age and fitness to beat former President Trump and serve another term in the White House.

The embattled Democratic incumbent insisted he would return to the campaign trail next week after he recovers from COVID, even as more lawmakers called on him to step aside.

“I look forward to getting back on the campaign trail next week to continue exposing the threat of Donald Trump’s Project 2025 agenda while making the case for my own record,” Biden said in a statement.

Top aides portrayed a united front backing Biden but acknowledged the 81 year old faces a tougher road to victory after three weeks of raging criticism of his shaky performance at last month’s debate and a series of less-than-convincing appearances since.

“We have a lot of work to do to reassure the American people that, yes, he’s old, but he can win,” Biden campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show.

Dillon conceded that polls show some “slippage” in Biden’s support since the debate but a silver lining is that Trump appears to be struggling to gain much support.

“They have questions, but they are staying with Joe Biden,” she said.

NBC News reported that some Biden family members have started to discuss a potential Biden exit from the race behind closed doors.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates trashed the report, which quoted two unnamed sources, and predicted it would be “proven wrong.”

“That is not happening, period,” he said. “The individuals making those claims are not speaking for his family or his team … Keep the faith.”

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) Friday became the third sitting Democratic senator to call on Biden to end the campaign, along with more than 20 House lawmakers.

Trump’s rambling speech on Thursday night at the Republican National Convention could give ammunition to Biden loyalists urging him to stay in the race because the Republican former president showed his own flashing political liabilities on a national stage.

Some Democrats say Trump may have reminded voters why he is so divisive and missed a big opportunity to effectively deliver a message of unity after he survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally last weekend.

“This is the first good thing that’s happened to Democrats in the last three weeks,” said David Axelrod, a Democratic strategist said on CNN. “[Trump’s speech] really reminded everyone why Donald Trump is fundamentally unpopular.”

Biden himself remained out of sight Friday as he battles what his doctors say is a mild case of COVID-19.

Biden’s campaign took a series of fresh hits Thursday as reports said former President Obama has told allies that Biden faces an increasingly uphill battle to stay in the race and beat Trump.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have told Biden to his face that he should strongly consider leaving the race, other reports have said.

Fellow Democrats fear Biden could lose to Trump and drag congressional Democrats down to defeat with him.

The political clock is ticking loudly for Biden and Democrats, who have just over three weeks before they gather for their own convention.

If Biden does step aside, party leaders would want as much time as possible to prepare for whatever happens next.

Most Democrats believe Biden would endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor to ensure an orderly transition and give the party the best possible chance of unifying to beat Trump. Harris would have an easier time than other candidates taking over Biden’s campaign war chest, experts say.

But others say he could allow some kind of contest between Harris and other wannabe Democratic White House candidates before or during the convention.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Friday she believes Biden’s opponents are seeking to force both him and Harris off the ticket so they can replace Harris with a more moderate pick.

The Democratic National Committee’s rule-making body plans to meet Friday and is expected to press ahead with plans for a virtual roll call in early August to nominate the party’s presidential pick, a move that could short-circuit any convention floor fight.