Biden campaign highlights tight polling in all-staff memo

President Biden’s reelection campaign on Wednesday highlighted tight polling against former President Trump in an all-staff memo obtained by The Hill, as the team grapples with ongoing fallout from last week’s debate between the two.

The memo from campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez and campaign Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said a staff call later Wednesday would “Help Everyone Understand the Full Picture on the President’s Support.”

It outlined that they are expecting “lots of chatter and analysis” around polls coming out Wednesday but that its “internal battleground toplines from last night show a steady race.” It estimated that Biden is behind Trump by 1 point and within the margin of error. 

Internal polling included in the memo showed Biden and Trump tied 43 percent to 43 percent predebate, Biden still tied with Trump at 43 percent Friday through Sunday, and Biden behind Trump 43 percent to 42 percent Monday and Tuesday.

The memo argued that other surveys have showed the race within the margin of error, including a new CBS poll with Biden at 48 percent and Trump at 51 percent in battleground states.

It noted that a new, highly anticipated survey is expected from The New York Times/ Siena College “which is likely to show a slightly larger swing in the race,” asking staff to keep in mind that New York Times polling is “often a polling outlier.”

The memo noted that the call later Wednesday would also be used to “Amplify the President’s Engagements and our Grassroots Energy.” It noted that Biden is holding a Medal of Honor ceremony Wednesday, as well as talking with Democratic governors, and that a presidential interview with ABC News will drop later this week.

The Biden campaign is grappling with the aftermath of the president’s dismal debate performance Thursday, which has led to calls from some Democrats for him to step aside.

While speaking at a fundraiser Tuesday in Virginia, Biden acknowledged the bad debate and blamed foreign travel.