Thirteen sources close to the White House and familiar with the family dynamics have told NBC News that the divide between the president’s family and some of his closest aides has long been simmering, and his dismal performance in the June 27 debate has worsened the situation. This has led the family to take a more active role in protecting the President.
“The debate fiasco has opened up a lane for the family to surpass staff and start helping out their father and brother who they love dearly,” someone with knowledge of the family dynamics told NBC News.
The president’s family members have allegedly argued that the debate was the result of misguided direction from aides who they think have not helped Biden best demonstrate his political appeal to voters.
The reported inside conflicts have angered some of Biden’s staffers, who assert that the arguing between the family and aides is hindering their efforts to help the president make it past this obstacle in his campaign. Yet, the view of some Biden’s allies is that his aides are doing the majority of managing and coordinating his post-debate strategy, while the family is approaching the situation more emotionally.
Another person close to the president told NBC News the Biden family is not seeing the political reality clearly enough. “It’s Shakespearean,” they said, alluding to the high drama and angst usually found in The Bard’s tragedies.
Two sources said Biden’s family members have discussed whether he should fire senior White House adviser Anita Dunn and her husband, Bob Bauer, who is Biden’s personal lawyer. Yet, four sources close to the Biden family said there is currently no active effort to drastically change staffing, and those close to the president are making sure to be measured, focused, thoughtful and deliberate.
“The president and first lady have full confidence in their team, including Anita and Bob,” White House chief of staff Jeff Zients said in a statement. “There is absolutely no truth to these unfounded and insulting rumors.”
On Friday, Biden said he took full responsibility for his debate performance in an interview with ABC News, saying that it was “nobody’s fault but mine.” He also rejected any calls for him to step down, saying only the “Lord Almighty” could convince him to get out of the race, and that the “Lord Almighty’s not coming down.”
