New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared she is “very confident” in President Biden’s abilities after a meeting of Democrat governors with President Biden at the White House.
She boldly proclaimed after her Oval Office meeting that “President Joe Biden is in it to win it.”
While a growing chorus of Democrats nationwide calls for President Biden to step down after his declining cognitive abilities were apparent in his recent debate debacle, Governor Hochul doubled down on her support of Biden as president and candidate.
Hochul addressed the press after the meeting with Biden alongside Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Maryland Governor Wes Moore saying, “I’m here to tell you today, President Joe Biden is in it to win it. And, all of us said we pledged our support to him because the stakes could not be higher.”
Governor Hochul also said in a recent MSNBC interview, “What I saw less than 24 hours after the (debate), was Joe Biden himself, at his best, energetic, fully alert, and conversational.”
Republicans and Conservatives quickly pounced on Hochul's public profession of support for President Biden.
“Governor Hochul meeting in the White House and making some sort of deal to support the decrepit Joe Biden for reelection is a mistake,” said state Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano (R,C, Medford). “As he demonstrated in his debate with Donald Trump, Biden is unfit for office and cannot possibly lead our country. The governor should join with the growing number of officials from her own party and convince Biden to step down for the sake of our democracy.”
New York State Conservative Chairman Gerry Kassar is pointed in his comments on Hochul’s support of Biden, “Gov. Hochul continues to demonstrate that she is a Governor driven by politics rather than putting her best efforts forward for New Yorkers. It is clear that Biden lacks the ability to govern for the next four years and quite possibly can’t govern for the next four months.”
“She should turn her attention to putting aside pure politics and pay attention to her constituents in New York,” said Kassar.
Govs. Hochul, Moore, Walz, and others may be together in their support of Biden, but the Democrat Governors are far from united.
At the White House meeting, Govs. Janet Mills (Maine) and Ned Lamont (Connecticut) expressed their concern directly to Biden about his fitness for office and even concern for Biden being able to win their states.
Both said the White House was not making an effective case to their constituents. A Democrat hasn't lost Connecticut or Maine since 1988 and the governors fear this is fully possible this year.
It has been widely speculated that Hochul wants a job in the next Biden administration and her unbridled support of Biden is connected to that. Though Hochul has said she will run for Gov. again in 2026, she will face a bruising primary campaign. A job at the Biden White House would make that run unnecessary.