Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid
President Joe Biden's team is working to assemble a "national advisory board" designed to publicly demonstrate Democratic Party unity as he prepares for a likely reelection bid, four sources familiar with the plans tell CBS News. The panel, which has not officially been announced, is expected to include some of the party's political stars, including governors and lawmakers.
Details of the panel were first reported by the Washington Post and are said to include more than 20 national figures who will speak and travel on behalf of the president, in hopes of unifying the party amid months of polling showing Democratic voter reluctance or concern for a second Biden campaign, given his advanced age.
The board will include a mix of the president's former primary rivals, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and allies, such as Delaware Sen. Chris Coons and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester. Governors Gavin Newsom, of California; J.B. Pritzker, of Illinois; Gretchen Whitmer, of Michigan; Josh Shapiro, of Pennsylvania; Phil Murphy, of New Jersey; and Wes Moore, of Maryland, are also expected to be part of the group.
"I will absolutely support him because I know how important this partnership has already been to the state of Maryland," Moore said in an interview earlier this week with CBS News. "I plan on going everywhere to be able to do it — both to areas that may be blue areas or areas that may not be blue areas."
"I will go everywhere to be able to talk about how the economic growth of our society, as we're seeing here in the state of Maryland, it needs to be inclusive and it needs to incorporate everybody, and that means everybody needs to hear the message, Moore added.
While the president, who is 80, has said he intends to run in 2024, he has not indicated if he has made a final decision. CBS News asked Mr. Biden on Capitol Hill Thursday when he plans to announce his reelection campaign.
"When I announce it," he replied.
In a series of interviews while traveling to Africa last month, first lady Jill Biden gave one of the strongest indications yet that her husband intends to run. She told the Associated Press there's "pretty much" nothing left to do but figure out the time and place for the announcement.
The forthcoming advisory board is expected to be housed at the Democratic National Committee. The DNC has not responded to requests for comment.
One person familiar with the forthcoming board said their boss, who will be a member, was asked to join the group by multiple White House officials, but declined to say which ones. Mr. Biden's counselors, including Anita Dunn, Mike Donilon, Steve Ricchetti and Bruce Reed, and deputy chief of staff Jennifer O'Malley Dillon are expected to play at least part-time roles in a campaign, while O'Malley Dillon and White House political director Emmy Ruiz are among the names mentioned for senior management roles in the campaign.
