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President Joe Biden was reportedly given instructions with large print and photos, including "verbal and visual instructions on how to enter and exit a room" by staffers prior to a speaking event, according to an event template obtained by Axios.com.
Several Democrats who attended and helped set up Biden events have expressed their concerns about his team's focus on details since the president's disastrous first debate performance last month. The White House reportedly sent event staffers a document prior to a fundraiser, which included one large picture of the event space on each page along with large text that stated, "View from podium" and "View from audience," as well as two pages with "Walk to podium."
"It surprised me that a seasoned political pro like the president would need detailed verbal and visual instructions on how to enter and exit a room," a staffer who helped with a fundraiser told Axios.com.
“I staffed a simple fundraiser at a private residence, but they treated it like it was a NATO summit with his movements,” the staffer also said.
A White House spokesperson downplayed the documents, claiming that “high levels of detail and precision are critical to presidential advance work — regardless of who is president — and these are basic approaches that are used by any modern advance team, including the vice president’s office and agencies.”
The documents were shared amid reports of uncertainty regarding the president's re-election campaign as a top campaign official reportedly told at least one megadonor that Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 election is "only a matter of time" privately according to TMZ, as well as multiple Democratic officials publicly calling for him to drop out. The official reportedly said that focus had shifted from singular support of the president's re-election to "Democrats have to retain The White House" following Biden's disastrous performance in the first presidential debate against former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee.
Biden, 81, the oldest president in history, appeared opposite Trump, on the debate stage for the first time since the 2020 election and did little to quell concerns about his vigor and energy. The president appeared to struggle with his voice, clearing his throat and coughing multiple times, and was often seen open-mouthed and staring when Trump spoke, occasionally struggling to finish sentences.
Biden's performance reportedly led to "panic" among Democrats, according to longtime Democratic operative and CNN senior political commentator David Axelrod.
“He seemed a little disoriented. He did get stronger as the debate went on. But by that time, I think the panic had set in,” Axelrod said, adding that "there are going to be discussions about whether he should continue.”