Schor reiterates support for Biden following video call with 200 mayors

WEDNESDAY, July 10 — Lansing Mayor Andy Schor is doubling down on President Joe Biden’s candidacy after participating in a video call Biden made to Democratic mayors last night.

“I'll say, I was really impressed. He was energized, he was he was ready to go, and I thought he did just a tremendous job. When he's not answering in two-minute increments, he really has command of the issues,” Schor said.

The call between Biden and nearly 200 mayors from cities across the country began just after 8 p.m. — even though after his disastrous June 27 CNN debate against former Republican President Donald Trump, Biden told his staff no more public events after 8 — and lasted about 40 minutes. It was one of the most recent entries in Biden’s publicity tour to mitigate the fallout from the debate.

Following the debate, in which Biden, 81, seemed to frequently struggle to communicate his thoughts, questions about his mental acuity dominated the national media. While Schor already issued a note of support for Biden last Wednesday, he said he, too, found himself wondering what happened that night.

“Certainly, I was concerned when he had the verbal stumbles and that he seemed tired,” Schor said. “I was concerned, but like everybody else, I wanted to hear from him what happened that night. Was this a one-night thing?”

Schor said the call assuaged those concerns.

“After our conversation last night, he did have a bad night,” Schor said of the debate. “You could see that he wasn't using a teleprompter. He looked down a few times, but he never turned the page for notes or anything. So, he may have had a few scribbles, but he really was the old Joe Biden who would go on and on about the issues.”

Schor noted that Biden “very directly answered” questions directed at him throughout the session — a stark contrast from his debate performance last month.

“I do feel like he's got the ability now. Certainly, anybody gets run down. I'm 49 years old, and if I go too hard, I get run down. That's human nature. But, to judge him differently than anybody else, it's kind of unfair,” Schor said.

While Schor acknowledged that expectations may be heightened for the leader of the free world, he said he also felt post-debate criticisms were disproportionately aimed at Biden.

“Donald Trump made some of the most outlandish allegations ever, and nobody really countered him. I don't think he answered any of the questions directly. He never answered questions on if he would legitimize an election if he loses,” Schor said.

He continued, “To me, when you ask a question about Biden’s stumbles, versus what Donald Trump is saying to purposely deceive people, I think I will take someone at 80% versus Donald Trump at 100%.”

He went on to contrast the politicians’ respective policies.

“You know, when I have people coming out here and putting money into EV plants, roads and public safety — these are Joe Biden's policies. He talked about a tax-cut fight when the tax cuts expire next year. He wants to support the middle class, while Trump wants to support the wealthiest among us,” Schor said.

Schor noted that Biden made a point to discuss local considerations, like public safety funding efforts, in last night’s call.

“These are the policies that he puts forward, that he directs to his people, to make sure they get done. I think having him in that seat is way more important than having Donald Trump there because I agree that our future democracy is at stake,” Schor said.

While calls for Biden to step down in favor of a younger candidate, like Vice President Kamala Harris, have remained steady since the debate, Schor said he still “thinks it’s going to be Joe Biden.”

“The people of 50 states have voted, and they’ve voted for Joe Biden,” he said of the primary. “So, unless he decides he’s not going to run, it's going to be Joe Biden. And while there's always a ‘what if,’ I believe from what I've read, and what I heard last night, that he's ready to do this.”

In other words, he said “Joe Biden’s in.”

“He is the better candidate, by far, for our nation. Not only him but his policies and all the people he puts in place to make sure those policies get done,” Schor said.

Schor reiterated that lingering doubts he may have had since the debate were dissuaded after the call.

“Certainly, he needs to get his rest. But whatever he's doing now, however it's different than what it was on debate night, is working,” Schor said.