Biden campaign works to calm Democrat nerves as pressure mounts

President Joe Biden and his team remain in damage control mode nearly a week after a disastrous debate performance sparked fears among Democrats that his age could make winning reelection impossible.

His leadership team in the White House called meetings and sent internal memos to staff members on Wednesday.

The next several days will determine whether Mr Biden can ride out panic over his mental fitness or if political headwinds following the 27 June debate will prove too strong.

Top Democrats like Vice President Kamala Harris and California governor Gavin Newsom, appear to be backing the president, and Mr Biden’s campaign maintains publicly that he will stay in the race.

“He is absolutely not dropping out," spokeswoman Mia Ehrenberg told the BBC on Tuesday.

Mr Biden plans to lunch privately with Ms Harris in the White House Wednesday, according to his public schedule.

White House chief of staff Jeff Zients will hold an all-staff call on Wednesday at 12:30 local time, the Washington Post reported.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a top Biden surrogate who fielded questions immediately after the debate about whether he would be the party’s nominee, planned to visit Washington to “stand with Joe Biden” and other top Democrats, a spokesman announced on X.

The governor will campaign for Mr Biden in key swing states Michigan and Pennsylvania later this week, according to spokesman Brandon Richards.

But Democratic lawmakers are voicing concerns about the president's ability to take on former president Donald Trump in November.

Congressman Lloyd Doggett, a 77-year-old Democrat from Texas, said Tuesday he was "hopeful" Biden would make the "difficult decision to withdraw."

But former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was more circumspect in an MSNBC appearance this week.

"It's going to be up to Joe Biden," she said.