Biden says he ‘nearly fell asleep’ during US presidential debate after world travel

“It looks like the dam has broken,” the source said.

US Representative Lloyd Doggett became the first congressional Democrat to call for Mr Biden to withdraw from the presidential race on July 2. He told NBC News in an interview that he hoped other Democratic lawmakers would follow his lead.

Vice-President Kamala Harris, asked in a CBS News interview about her response, said: “Look, Joe Biden is our nominee. We beat Trump once and we’re gonna beat him. Period.”

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi emphasised Mr Biden’s multiple legislative accomplishments during an interview with MSNBC but said it was legitimate to ask whether his debate performance was a one-night thing or a broader health problem. She said Trump should be given the same scrutiny.

“I think it’s a legitimate question to say, ‘Is this an episode or is this a condition?‘ And so when people ask that question, it’s legitimate, of both candidates,” Ms Pelosi said.

After the debate, Ms Pelosi had shown strong support. “Joe Biden’s decision to go forward is a decision that we will all embrace because of the record he has and the performance that will come with it,” she said then.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on July 2 that Mr Biden did not have an “episode,” just a bad night.

Mr Biden’s verbal stumbles and occasionally meandering responses during the debate heightened voter concerns that the 81-year-old might not be fit to serve another four-year term.

“He has to be honest with himself,” Democratic Representative Mike Quigley, a moderate from Illinois, told CNN on July 2. “It’s his decision. I just want him to appreciate at this time just how much it impacts, not just his race, but all the other races coming in November.”

US Representative Jim Clyburn told MSNBC he would support Vice-President Harris to be the Democratic nominee if Mr Biden stepped aside.

Representative Jared Golden, a Maine Democrat, predicted in an opinion piece published in the Bangor Daily News on July 2 that Trump would win the election.

The president and his campaign are working to bolster support. Mr Biden will hold a meeting with Democratic governors on July 3 and speak to lawmakers this week, White House officials said.

The meeting, which will be held at the White House but may be largely virtual with governors attending remotely, will give the president a chance to reassure leaders in his party that he is of sound mind.

Mr Biden will also meet leaders from Capitol Hill this week as he seeks to shore up support among party stalwarts and tamp down talk that he should step aside, one official said.

One of the House Democratic aides said members were disappointed about the lack of outreach thus far.

Mr Doggett told NBC News he had asked the White House to speak personally with Mr Biden about his call for him to drop out, but had not heard back from him.

The meetings are part of a broad effort to stabilise the president’s re-election bid after his halting, stumbling display on the Atlanta debate stage.

His team held difficult phone calls on June 30 and July 1, with important campaign funders who questioned whether Mr Biden should stay in the presidential race.

Asked why Mr Biden had not done more media interviews or press conferences after his debate raised questions, Ms Jean-Pierre pointed to his visit to a Waffle House in Atlanta on the evening of the debate and subsequent interactions with supporters.

Asked whether Mr Biden had Alzheimer’s disease, she said no.

Mr Biden is scheduled to do an interview with ABC and plans to hold a news conference at the Nato summit next week. The Democratic Hill aide said a lot was riding on the ABC interview, with lawmakers looking to see that he can handle rapid-fire questions and not just orchestrated campaign appearances.

Meanwhile, Mr Biden’s campaign said it and its Democratic allies raised US$264 million (S$358 million) in the second quarter, including US$127 million in June and a record “grassroots” fundraising haul on the day of Mr Biden’s debate. REUTERS