(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Axios: Biden, Family Camp David Decision is in: Time to Double Down [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-07-01 Axios reports some good news this morning: The latest: During a family gathering at Camp David on Sunday, Biden family members, including Hunter, went through with a long-scheduled session with celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz. The Bidens insisted the president stay in the race, we're told by people close to them. "They're all-in, and want him to stay in," a Biden source told us, adding that the campaign is "charging ahead." And, in even better news, it looks like Biden and the family are going to stop trying to pretend he’s not old and finally fully deal with this issue and do interviews and talk about it and discuss what he can and cannot do. This is, I believe, possibly the turning point in us winning this campaign. The intrigue: Biden, who has ducked tough interviews and avoided no-holds-barred press conferences, is now considering both. Look for a town hall or big one-on-one interview this month. I don’t think they have much choice anymore. The debate has made it impossible. Reporters are now circling the Bidens and their staff and are going to get the truth which is that President Biden is very effective but is old and has good days and bad days and clearly has senior moments. Axios is already all over this and you know the NYT is sending a battalion of investigative reporters to cover this story. The campaign and Biden need to get ahead of the story so they can tell their version (and not let the NYT do what it does). Here’s some good news about this from the Axios story. Ignore/engage the media. On the one hand, Biden allies want everyone to ignore the prominent columnists who loved Biden and are now calling for his resignation. On the other, the campaign and White House are deeply engaged with reporters (like us) writing about presidential fitness. I am so relieved to hear this. According to other Axios reporting (which we should take with a huge grain of salt but which does drive political coverage), Biden has been long closely protected by Jill and a few others from staff. I think this was to control issues about his age but mainly to protect him from staff possible loyal to Trump and so they could live a normal life (in the glass house that is the White House). It was a good strategy but is no longer possible. And, I’m concerned that the NYT and others (with huge amplification from the right wing media ecosystem) will try to paint a narrative of Jill and others to protect Joe in the most uncharitable way going forward. They need to control this narrative which is good for them and the campaign. Oh, and the campaign understands that Biden needs to get away from his penchant for 10 point answers and hopefully lean in to what works on the campaign trail (and what he can execute) which is good old, likable folksy Joe (and not policy wonk Joe). Unfairly and not surprisingly, they are blaming “staff” for this past penchant for overcomplication (when this is Biden’s well known preference) but I’m just glad he’s going to move away from this Behind the scenes: Some Biden friends and family blamed longtime aides who had prepped Biden. They complained about everything from data-heavy answers to his makeup to his briefing on camera angles. To me this is all good news. I want to caution my fellow Kossacks, that this might work. Joe might be too diminished to do town halls and one on one interviews but I think he is more than capable and, if he is not, we need to find out now. Go Team Biden and Dems. Let’s win this thing. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/7/1/2250152/-Axios-Biden-Family-Camp-David-Decision-is-in-Time-to-Double-Down?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/