'Everyone Is Miserable': Biden Campaign In Shambles As President Isolated By Top Aides - 'He's Lost All Independence'

Staffers in the Biden campaign are getting increasingly worried about the president's ability to continue his re-election campaign as elected Democrats, high-profile media personalities, and influential donors call upon Biden to suspend his campaign following his disastrous campaign performance last week. The environment within the White House and the campaign has gotten so bad that one staffer told Axios that "Everyone is miserable."

Some within the Biden camp have alleged that some of the president's closest advisors are keeping Biden away from critics, with Deputy Chief of Staff Annie Tomasini, the first lady's aide Anthony Bernal, and Biden advisor Ashley Williams being at the center of President Biden's circle of close confidants. "Annie, Ashley, and Anthony create a protective bubble around POTUS," a former Biden staffer explained. "He's staffed so closely that he's lost all independence. POTUS relies on staff to nudge him with reminders of who he's meeting, including former staffers and advisers who Biden should easily remember without a reminder from Annie."

The president's repeated blunders, both in public and in private, have driven the morale at the White House to all-time lows, with Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre admitting as much earlier this week during a press briefing. "Everyone is miserable, and senior advisers are a total black hole," a White House official explained to Axios. "Even if you're trying to focus on work, nothing is going to break through or get any acknowledgment" from bosses."

"The only thing that can really allay concerns is for the president to demonstrate that he's capable of running this campaign," a Democrat National Committee staffer told the outlet. "Everything else feels like 'Weekend at Bernie's' by his inner circle to prop him up." President Biden attempted to calm campaign staff on Wednesday during an all-hands-on-deck meeting.

"The past few days have been tough. I'm sure you're getting a lot of calls...Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can — as simply and straightforward as I can: I am running. I'm the nominee of the Democratic Party. No one's pushing me out. I'm not leaving. I'm in this race to the end, and we're going to win," the president told those on the Zoom call, as previously reported by the DC Enquirer.

Vice President Harris, who has repeatedly been suggested to replace Biden on the ticket by Democrats over the past week, unequivocally stood by the president. She reassured campaign staff that the two of them would fight together to win re-election in November and defeat Donald Trump. "We will not back down," she declared. "We will follow our president's lead. We will fight, and we will win."

The president also thanked his staff for sticking by him over the past few days of turmoil and outright anger towards the Biden camp for hiding the impact of the president's age on his day-to-day performance. "There is no one I'd rather be in this battle with than all of you," Biden told his staff. "So let's link arms. Let's get this done. You, me, the vice president. Together."

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