Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz defended President Joe Biden after a halting debate performance Thursday that has sparked renewed concerns from some Democrats about his campaign for a second term.
Walz, who is an official surrogate of Biden’s reelection campaign, said on Fox News Friday morning that the president had a “bad night” on the debate stage but he still believes he should be the party’s nominee and can beat former President Donald Trump in a November rematch.
“The bottom line is how do you deliver as president. As a governor, I’ve had the job under President Trump and under President Biden and the difference couldn’t be more stark,” Walz said. “The ability to be able deliver what governors need, the ability to deliver on things like infrastructure, simple things.”
Walz, who is serving his second term as Minnesota governor, is also head of the Democratic Governors Association, helping raise money and elect governors in critical states this fall. Asked directly if Biden should drop out of the race, Walz said Biden had “one bad night.”
“I think we could learn something from Republicans,” Walz said. “Republicans will not abandon President Trump through indictments, through whatever it may be.”
Biden’s raspy voice and uneven performance in the debate reinforced concerns for some that the 81-year-old is too old to run and serve a second term as president. He’s faced criticism from within his own party, including from Minnesota U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, who said the nation needs a new generation of leaders in the White House. Phillips challenged Biden but suspended his campaign in March after a poor showing in states on Super Tuesday.
But many other Democrats have defended Biden throughout the campaign, dismissing concerns about his age. DFL U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar said Friday that she is standing with Biden post-debate and doesn’t think he should step aside for another Democrat to run.
“I think the president will be successful and we’re going to make sure he does defeat this monster,” said Omar, who said the focus should be on Trump.
“In the debate, what I watched was somebody who was convicted, [a] liar, fraudster and a sexual assaulter, stand to be elected as the president of this country, which is just disastrous and I think that’s where the focus should be,” she said.
Walz said the debate was not Biden’s “finest hour” but that he will get another chance at the debate stage in September.
He criticized Trump for his positions on abortion rights and his answers related to the Jan. 6 insurrection in the U.S. Capitol, but he acknowledged that the former president is a “performer, I will admit it, he’s entertaining,” Walz said. “But that’s not governing. That’s not what it takes to get things done.”
“I hear the concerns on this. The president is going to get another opportunity to do this. We all have these days. Not every broadcast is perfect,” he said.
“He needs to come back. I’ll give you that. He needs to come back and make the case.”