Gov. Maura Healey (left) reportedly said President Joe Biden’s political situation is “irretrievable,” according to a report from The New York Times. (Evan Vucci/Associated Press)
Gov. Maura Healey described President Joe Biden’s political situation as “irretrievable” earlier this week following a damaging debate performance last month that has since spooked Democrats across the nation, The New York Times reported Thursday.
Healey offered the assessment of Biden’s position to White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients, which she later relayed to fellow governors during a Monday call, the Times reported.
The stark evaluation of the president is a break from other Democratic state executives and comes from a person who is a top surrogate for Biden’s reelection campaign.
A campaign spokesperson for Healey did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment Thursday or Friday.
The remark was reportedly made days before Healey and other governors traveled to Washington Wednesday to meet with Biden at the White House, a trip that was pitched as a way to calm fears that the president cannot beat former President Donald Trump in November.
Many governors walked out of the meeting offering statements of support for Biden.
Democratic Governors Association Chair Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota said governors “have his back and we’re working together just to make very, very clear on that.”
“A path to victory in November is the number one priority, and that’s the number one priority of the president,” he said after the meeting.
Healey reportedly did not speak at the Wednesday meeting and has not made any public statements on the matter since. She has previously acknowledged Biden’s “bad debate performance” but has not said whether he should step aside to let someone else run for the White House.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills also reportedly raised concerns during the Wednesday meeting that people do not think Biden is up to the task of running against Trump, according to the Times.
The governors join a growing chorus of Democrats who have raised doubts about Biden’s reelection chances.
U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, a Salem Democrat, called on Biden to exit the race in an interview with WBUR, making him the third federal lawmaker to do so and the first from Massachusetts.
“President Biden has done enormous service to our country, but now is the time for him to follow in one of our founding father, George Washington’s footsteps and step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Donald Trump,” Moulton told the radio station.
Moulton was not available for an interview Friday, according to a spokesperson.
Biden has so far vowed to stay in the race.
“Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running … no one’s pushing me out,” Biden said on a Wednesday call with staffers from his reelection campaign. “I’m not leaving. I’m in this race to the end and we’re going to win.”
Materials from the Associated Press were used in this report.
