Pritzker: "I'm All In For Joe Biden"
President Joe Biden and Gov. JB Pritzker in a 2021 visit by the president to Illinois.
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In his first time in front of reporters since President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance on June 28, Governor JB Pritzker Tuesday offered full-throated support for Biden even as calls grow in Washington for the 81-year-old President to step aside.
Speaking to reporters after an event on Chicago’s west side Tuesday, Pritzker described a meeting at the White House last week and defended Biden’s performance.
“He was fully engaged,” Pritzker said. “[We] had a very good discussion between us and, again, the President did a great job of answering questions throughout that meeting.”
Pritzker’s statement following the meeting was less than a ringing endorsement, which led to speculation that Pritzker may be angling to take Biden’s spot at the top of the ticket this fall.
Pritzker shut down any of those theories Tuesday.
“Joe Biden is our nominee. I am for Joe Biden,” Pritzker said. “I have been campaigning for Joe Biden. Joe Biden is going to be our nominee.”
Though, Pritzker admitted Biden’s debate performance was a problem.
“I don’t think it’s helped the party,” he said. “Obviously, the President had a bad performance at a debate. That doesn’t help anybody. He knows that.”
When a reporter asked Pritzker if he believed Biden was physically and mentally capable of serving another four years, Pritzker responded “of course.”
But he failed to join Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in a declaration she wouldn’t seek the Democratic nomination even if Biden withdraws.
“What I can tell you is I’m not engaging in any hypotheticals,” Pritzker said. “You can see that I’m all in for Joe Biden. Joe Biden is going to be the nominee of the Democratic Party. I’m gonna go out there and wholeheartedly campaign for him.”
Before departing the meeting with governors at the White House last week, Pritzker said he offered Biden advice: get out of the Rose Garden.
“I said you’ve gotta get out there and talk to the American public more,” he said. “I think they took too long, I think he admitted this, after the debate to really go out and do press that would get national attention. It’s important for him to answer questions and talk about the issues.”